Postgraduate research

Embarking on a research degree with us is an opportunity to work alongside some of the world's brightest and most accomplished academics.

Our postgraduate research program is designed to develop students with an excellent academic background into responsible leaders who will contribute to business education and research that makes meaningful, real-world impact in the 21st century.

We have the drive to challenge traditional ways of thinking and will provide you with supportive and collaborative research community to develop your research skills and build a knowledge base in your chosen discipline.

Postgraduate research degrees

Doctor of Philosophy (Business)

The Doctor of Philosophy (Business) contains coursework and research components. All students must complete research training including how to design a research project, the philosophy of knowledge creation, and various qualitative and quantitative methodologies useful for research project execution. In addition to these units, students are encouraged to take any additional units deemed important for their research training.

Students are also expected to develop their research program under the guidance of their supervisors. Students must defend their thesis proposal within 12 months of commencement of their candidature and undergo annual progress reviews leading to the completion of their dissertation.

The University sets a target for the submission of a PhD thesis at 3.5 years from enrolment.

To be considered for a research degree in the University of Sydney Business School you need to submit an application through Sydney Student via one of the following links:

Applications must be submitted by the following dates:

31 October for Research Period 2 (start date 1 March)
15 March for Research Period 3 (start date 1 July)

The documents you need to provide with your application will vary depending upon which discipline you are applying for, see the admission requirements table (pdf, 67.8KB) for more information.

Master of Philosophy (Business)

Undertake a supervised thesis which makes a substantial contribution in your chosen subject area.

Doctor of Philosophy (Business)

Complete independent research and writing on an approved topic toward a thesis for examination.

18th globally

We're ranked 18th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2025)

Triple crown accreditation

The only Australian business school with triple crown accreditation and CEMS membership

92,000+

Business School alumni worldwide

Why study with us?

Choose from a wide range of research areas across our diverse academic disciplines.
Research scholarship options are available to support you while undertaking research.
Work with industry leading researchers who are committed to contributing research with real-world impact.
The University of Sydney is one of the world's top research universities. Learn more about our rankings.

Current scholarships available for postgraduate research students at the Business School include:

Enhanced Business School Research Scholarship

Industry Partnered Scholarships

The Business School fosters research partnerships with Australian and international industry. These partnerships provide students the opportunity to conduct rigorous academic research in real business settings in collaboration with their industry partners and under the supervision of their academic advisors. Students will receive stipend support and tuition fee coverage.

Please email Ben Breeds at b.breeds@sydney.edu.au for more information.

Grow professionally and academically through a paid 3-6 month internship with an industry partner as you complete your degree.

The University of Sydney has partnered with Australian Postgraduate Research Intern (APR.Intern) to provide domestic and international HDR students with internship opportunities in a range of sectors and disciplines.

A paid internship will allow you to:

Develop competencies that will contribute to your research
Gain industry experience, develop skills and build networks
Enhance your employability
Develop competencies that will contribute to your research
Earn additional income

Our higher degree by research graduates have found success with placements at universities and organisations around the world.

Academic Institutions

Stanford University
Harvard University
University of Oxford
University of Cambridge
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Imperial College London
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
National University of Singapore (NUS)
University of California, Berkeley

Governmental Organisations

Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)
Department of Education and Communities (Australia)
Department of Infrastructure (Australia)
NSW Treasury
Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (Australia)
Australian Banking Association
Federal Transport Office
Transport for NSW
Airports Council International (ACI World)

Private Sector Organisations

Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Microsoft Research (Shanghai)
Deloitte
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
KPMG
CBA

Undertaking my PhD at the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS) at the University of Sydney Business School provided me with the opportunity to study under leading scholars and work on a topic that I am passionate about. ITLS is not only one of the best transport research centres in the world, it has strong links with industry and welcomes a broad range of research topics and methods.

Christopher Day

Doctor of Philosophy (Business)

“Undertaking my PhD at the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS) at the University of Sydney Business School provided me with the opportunity to study under leading scholars and work on a topic that I am passionate about. ITLS is not only one of the best transport research centres in the world, it has strong links with industry and welcomes a broad range of research topics and methods.”

Christopher Day

Doctor of Philosophy (Business)

Contact us

Business School Research Unit

Email: business.pgresearch@sydney.edu.au

The University of Sydney Business School

Postgraduate research