phd in hr syllabus

What are you looking for?

• ​Human Resource Management ​PhD/PhD by Published works​​
• Courses by subject

Postgraduate PG PhD

PhD: Full Time 2 years - 4 years or Part Time 3 years - 6 years PhD by Published Works: Part Time 1 year - 2 years

October, March

Updated 24/09/2024

Get in touch

For questions regarding study and admissions please contact us:

UK/EU STUDENTS ENQUIRIES

[email protected] 0300 303 2772

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ENQUIRIES

[email protected] 44 (0)1604 892134

If you already have a degree in Human Resource Management or related field, our Human Resource Management PhD / PhD by Published Works is an excellent way to expand your knowledge and research skills. If your final thesis is successfully defended orally (a viva voce) you will gain the highest qualification that any UK university can award.

The PhD / PhD by Published Works in Human Resource Management allows you to research concepts and practices relating to work, management, and employment experience. A research degree does not have a teaching structure, allowing you to delve deeply into your chosen topic your own research interests. Therefore, students are expected to conduct their own, independent, critical research under the guidance of accomplished academic staff. By communicating the research that you have conducted and your findings, through a thesis or other means, you have a rare opportunity to generate knowledge. A research degree allows you to develop new high-level skills, enhance your professional development and build new networks. It can open doors to many careers and provides researchers with a fantastic opportunity to further their academic careers or advance into higher executive roles in the sector. We welcome applications from students of all backgrounds and nationalities.

Find out more about our Research Centres and Institutes below:​

• Centre for Sustainable Business Practices (CSBP)
• Centre for Global Economics and Social Development (GESD)   
• Centre for Sustainable Futures  

The closing dates for applications for the October intake is 1 August, and for the March intake is 11 December. 

• ​Conduct independent, original, and academically significant research
• ​Benefit from training courses to develop key research skills
• Supervision and support from expert academic staff
• Present at talks and seminars to display your work
• ​Regular research seminars, conferences and research activities led by our Research Institutes and Centres and the Graduate School

Entry Requirements

​We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants who are interested in studying at Research Level. Normally candidates should hold a 2:1 or higher honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant subject. Where possible you should also hold a good Master’s degree, or international equivalent in a relevant subject area.

If you would like to undertake a PhD, but do not currently have a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject, you may wish to consider studying one of our master’s programmes instead.

​Students with lower-level qualifications, or qualifications in a different subject area but relevant experience, will also be considered on an individual basis.

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking. ​ You will be required to attend an interview as part of the application process.

​All offers of a place on the programme are subject to:

• successful interview by the University
• availability of suitable members of staff to supervise your chosen research topic​

For Additional information on how to apply to study with us, how to find a potential Supervisor and what documents you should provide with your application, please refer to our  How to Apply page . ​

If English is not your first language, then we will require you to have IELTS 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component specifically in writing (or equivalent). Applications with IELTS lower than 5.5 in all components will not be considered.

For more information, please visit our English Language requirements page .

Course Content

Doctoral candidates conduct original research with the purpose of contributing significantly to knowledge and understanding in their chosen subject. As a research student, you will become an essential member of our research community, collaborating with outstanding academics whose research has had an international influence on business, policy, and society. This Human Resource Management PhD degree allows you to specialise while also improving your research, writing, presenting, and practise abilities.

While developing and setting up your research project, you will receive general, and project-specific training so that you can conduct your research effectively and independently. Our students are expected to produce a detailed research proposal and apply for ethics approval. Students will be required to present theses to an academic audience, and then proceed for the internal viva examination with an internal viva examiner. The viva process, appointment of the internal examiner, and approval of ethics documents are all subject to approval by the University’s research committees.

All PhD students are assigned a supervisory team consisting of a Director of Study (DOS), and first and second supervisors. Under the guidance and close supervision of their supervisory team, our students are expected to conduct their research independently can expect to spend most of their time to studying and doing independent research. Students can also expect to attend regular supervision sessions to discuss their progress, devise an action plan for the following stages, and to put forward recommendations for how to enhance the PhD programme.

To complement your studies, you can make use of the faculty’s vibrant research community and research groups. You will also have access to a structured training program sponsored by our Graduate School. This is intended to help you develop critical thinking and practical skills which are important for your PhD programme, and transferrable to your future career. There may also be chances to participate in undergraduate teaching.

Research topics

We can supervise topics including:

• ​Human resource management ​
• Employee motivation and wellbeing ​
• Performance management
• ​Gender and diversity studies​
• Organisational leadership
• Organisational psychology​
• Talent management
• Managing workplace disputes
• ​Work and organisational studies
• Employee relations
• Changing organisation
• Strategic Human resource management
• International and Comparative Human resource management
• Sustainability and ethical people practice ​

We also offer opportunities to develop interdisciplinary study and practice as Research projects.

Fees and Funding

2024/25 tuition fees.

Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 2024/25 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

Doctor Of Philosophy Degrees

Including: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) practice based in the Arts, Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

• UK – Full Time: £5,500
• UK – Part Time: £2,775
• International – Full Time: £15,950
• International – Part Time: £7,450

Doctor of Philosophy Degrees by Means of Published Works

• UK – Part Time: £3,500
• International – Part Time: £7,650

Please visit the funding pages and our scholarship pages for more details on how to fund your study.

Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 23/24 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

• UK – Full Time: £5,340
• UK – Part Time: £2,695
• International – Full Time: £15,480
• International – Part Time: £7,245
• UK – Part Time: £3,400
• International – Part Time:  £7,460

Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Mgmt Faculty of Business and Law

Ade Ige-Olaobaju

Careers and employability.

A doctoral degree can be the pinnacle of academic success and often signifies the start of a career in academia or research. A research-based degree is also the most direct route to a job in academia.

The University of Northampton has an excellent Careers and Employability Service who are dedicated to equipping students with the skills to thrive, adapt and innovate in our ever-changing world. Many of our alumni are employed in academia as well as public and private sector businesses.

Our PhD students have access to exceptional research facilities such as:

• Opportunities for research collaboration with staff and students ​
• ​Well-equipped library with access to academic e-books, journal articles and learning resources for on-site and off-site study​
• Dedicated PhD study area with computer and printer in the Learning Hub
• ​Teaching and Research Assistant opportunities should you meet the requirement ​
• Library and Learning support for PhD students ​
• Excellent social groups for student meetings and engagement ​
• Spacious individual and group working space and discussion areas
• Skills support for PhD students

Related Courses

Human Resource Management MA

The aim of this course is to develop you as an HR professional.

Human Resource Management (Top-Up) MA

This course offers you the opportunity to meet your continuing professional requirements as a human resource...

Human Resource Management PGDip

Doctor of Business Administration DBA

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a professional doctorate with the same status as a...

Is this course for you?

• Harvard Business School →
• Doctoral Programs →
• PhD Programs
• Accounting & Management
• Business Economics
• Health Policy (Management)

Organizational Behavior

• Technology & Operations Management
• Program Requirements

Scholars in the doctoral program in Organizational Behavior at Harvard Business School are prepared to pursue an interdisciplinary inquiry into issues that are broadly related to the functioning of individuals within groups, at either the micro or macro level. Graduates of our program go on to become the leading researchers and thinkers in organizational behavior, shaping the field and advancing theoretical understanding in posts at schools of management or in disciplinary departments.

The Organizational Behavior program is jointly administered by the faculty of Harvard Business School and the Department of Sociology in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and students have the opportunity to work with faculty from both the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Business School.

Curriculum & Coursework

Our program offers two distinct tracks, with research focused either on the micro or macro level. Students who choose to focus on micro organizational behavior take a psychological approach to the study of interpersonal relationships within organizations and groups, and the effects that groups have on individuals. In macro organizational behavior, scholars use sociological methods to examine the organizations, groups, and markets themselves, including topics such as the influence of individuals on organizational change, or the relationship between social missions and financial objectives.

Your core disciplinary training will take place in either the psychology or sociology departments, depending on the track that you choose. You will also conduct advanced coursework in organizational behavior at HBS, and complete two MBA elective curriculum courses. Students are required to teach for one full academic term in order to gain valuable teaching experience, and to work as an apprentice to a faculty member to develop research skills. Upon completion of coursework, students prepare and present a dossier that includes a qualifying paper, at least two other research papers, and a statement outlining a plan for their dissertation. Before beginning work on the dissertation, students must pass the Organizational Behavior Exam, which presents an opportunity to synthesize academic coursework and prepare for an in-depth research project.

Research & Dissertation

Examples of doctoral thesis research.

• Cross-group relations, stress, and the subsequent effect on performance
• Internal group dynamics of corporate boards of directors
• Organizational mission and its effect on commitment and effort
• Psychological tendencies and collaboration with dissimilar others

Justine Murray

Jaylon Sherrell

“ In HBS’s Organizational Behavior program I receive outstanding, rigorous training in disciplinary methods and also benefit from the myriad resources that HBS has to offer. HBS scholars are looking to apply their research to real-world problems, come up with interventions, and make a real difference. ”

Recent Placement

Hanne collins, 2024, evan defilippis, 2023, hayley blunden, 2022, lumumba seegars, 2021, karen huang, 2020, stefan dimitriadis, 2019, elizabeth hansen, 2019, julie yen, 2024, jeff steiner, 2023, ahmmad brown, 2022, yanhua bird, 2020, jeffrey lees, 2020, alexandra feldberg, 2019, martha jeong, 2019, nicole abi-esber, 2023, elliot stoller, 2023, ariella kristal, 2022, leroy gonsalves, 2020, alicia desantola, 2019, catarina fernandes, 2019, current organizational behavior students.

• Jennifer Abel
• Silvan Baier
• Yajun Cao
• Grace Cormier
• Megan Gorges
• Bushra Guenoun
• Elizabeth Johnson
• Akshita Joshi
• Caleb Kealoha
• Kai Krautter
• Justine Murray
• Mandi Nerenberg
• C. Ryann Noe
• Elizabeth Sheprow
• Jaylon Sherrell
• Yoon Jae Shin
• David Shin
• Erin Shirtz
• Samantha Smith
• Tiffany Smith
• Channing Spencer
• Yuval Spiegler
• Emily Tedards
• Aurora Turek

Current Harvard Sociology & Psychology Faculty

• George A. Alvarez
• Mahzarin R. Banaji
• Jason Beckfield
• Lawrence D. Bobo
• Mary C. Brinton
• Joshua W. Buckholtz
• Randy L. Buckner
• Alfonso Caramazza
• Susan E. Carey
• Paul Y. Chang
• Mina Cikara
• Christina Ciocca Eller
• Christina Cross
• Fiery Cushman
• Frank Dobbin
• Samuel J. Gershman
• Daniel Gilbert
• Joshua D. Greene
• Jill M. Hooley
• Rakesh Khurana
• Alexandra Killewald
• Talia Konkle
• Max Krasnow
• Michèle Lamont
• Ellen Langer
• Joscha Legewie
• Ya-Wen Lei
• Patrick Mair
• Peter V. Marsden
• Katie A. McLaughlin
• Richard J. McNally
• Jason P. Mitchell
• Ellis Monk
• Matthew K. Nock
• Orlando Patterson
• Elizabeth A. Phelps
• Steven Pinker
• Robert J. Sampson
• Daniel L. Schacter
• Theda Skocpol
• Mario L. Small
• Jesse Snedeker
• Leah H. Somerville
• Elizabeth S. Spelke
• Tomer D. Ullman
• Adaner Usmani
• Jocelyn Viterna
• Mary C. Waters
• John R. Weisz
• Christopher Winship
• Xiang Zhou

Current HBS Faculty

• Julie Battilana
• Max H. Bazerman
• David E. Bell
• Ethan S. Bernstein
• Alison Wood Brooks
• Edward H. Chang
• Amy C. Edmondson
• Robin J. Ely
• Alexandra C. Feldberg
• Amit Goldenberg
• Boris Groysberg
• Linda A. Hill
• Jon M. Jachimowicz
• Summer R. Jackson
• Leslie K. John
• Jillian J. Jordan
• Rakesh Khurana
• Hyunjin Kim
• Joshua D. Margolis
• Edward McFowland III
• Kathleen L. McGinn
• Tsedal Neeley
• Michael I. Norton
• Leslie A. Perlow
• Jeffrey T. Polzer
• Ryan L. Raffaelli
• Lakshmi Ramarajan
• James W. Riley
• Clayton S. Rose
• Raffaella Sadun
• Emily Truelove
• Michael L. Tushman
• Ashley V. Whillans
• Letian Zhang
• Julian J. Zlatev

Current HBS Faculty & Students by Interest