External doctorate

The University of Gloucestershire has recognised us as a research partner. Consequently, we are also authorised to conduct their academic research seminar, so-called preparation courses. In these courses, you will receive comprehensive guidance on the methodology of academic research and initial feedback on whether your topic is suitable for a doctorate and what a rough outline might look like. These preparation courses are a prerequisite for subsequent admission to the doctoral programme at the University of Gloucestershire, ensuring you have the best possible start to your PhD journey.

The courses are designed to accommodate your busy schedule. They are held over four weekends, each comprising two days of instruction, and can be attended online or in person. There are two compulsory courses and two optional courses. The courses are conducted by professors from the University of Gloucestershire and the zeb.business school. In addition to the academic content, you will quickly determine whether you enjoy part-time research work and are prepared to make the necessary time commitments.

You must write two papers of about 5000 words for the two compulsory seminars. After a positive review by the Doctorate Lead, you will receive the certificate mandated by the University of Gloucestershire, which marks the completion of the first step in your academic journey towards a PhD.

Once your application is approved, the University of Gloucestershire will assign you two supervisors. The primary supervisor will handle the procedure's formal and academic legal aspects, while the secondary supervisor will focus on academic guidance. In coordination with the Doctorate Lead at the University of Gloucestershire Business School, we typically propose a secondary supervisor from our team of professors. However, this appointment must always receive prior approval from the University of Gloucestershire.

The standard duration of the PhD programme is six years. However, you can complete your degree faster or take more time. The average duration has been between three and four years in recent years.

Your research work is usually written as a monograph. Cumulative doctorates are also possible. Together with the Doctorate Lead you will decide the chosen variant. During your practical research work, you should attend the annual research conferences offered by the University of Gloucestershire and submit and present one or two papers on your research project. You will receive exclusive feedback, and your contributions will be published in the research journal. To ensure your admission to the final defence of your dissertation, you should have at least one publication of this type. Optionally, you can participate in other conferences and congresses of the University of Gloucestershire and publish your contributions there.

You will be assigned two supervisors by the University of Gloucestershire when your application for admission is approved. While the first supervisor is primarily responsible for the formal and legal aspects of the procedure, the second supervisor is primarily responsible for the technical aspects. In consultation with the Head of Research of PhD Programs at the University of Gloucester, we will usually offer a second supervisor from our team of professors, but this must always be approved by the University of Gloucester first.

The regular duration of the doctorate is 6 years. It's up to you whether you complete the course faster or take longer. In recent years, the average duration of the doctoral process has been 3 to 4 years.

Your research work is usually produced as a monograph. Cumulative doctorates in the form of individual journal articles are also possible. Which option is chosen is decided together with the Head of Research of the PhD program.

During your practical research work, you should attend the annual research conferences offered by the University of Gloucestershire and submit and present one or two papers on your research project. You will receive exclusive feedback and your contributions will be published in the research journal. To ensure your admission to the final defense of your dissertation, you should have at least one publication of this type. Optionally, you can participate in other conferences and congresses of the University of Gloucestershire and publish your contributions there.

Advice from your supervisor will increase steadily towards the end of your research work. After completion, your supervisor will register you for the disputation of your dissertation. The disputation occurs before an independent examination committee of three to four examiners.

We at IHP / zeb.business school also offer a mock examination (the Mock Viva) for candidates about to dispute their dissertations. This is to familiarise you with the examination situation.

There are no grades at English universities like there are at German-speaking universities (summa cum laude to rite). So there is only one pass or fail.

As in all doctoral procedures worldwide, subsequent improvements, so-called print runs, are often necessary. Depending on the scope, these can take days, weeks, or months.