Business Administration

The PhD program in Business Administration prepares graduates for careers in research, academia, and advanced roles in industry and the public sector. Students work closely with faculty and are part of research groups within specific areas.

Program info

Duration of the program: 5 years

Language of instruction: English

Degree awarded: PhD

Available positions: 8

Next program start: August 2027

Financial support (per month) at admission: SEK 26,000 (funding levels may change in later years of the program)

Study Business Administration at SSE

With a history of more than 50 years, the PhD program in Business Administration comprises 240 ECTS and provides advanced training in theory and methodology, combined with the completion of an original research project.

The PhD degree in Business Administration demonstrates advanced expertise in a chosen field of study. Four specializations are offered:

Program structure

Structured as a five-year, full-time, residential program taught in English, it consists of a course component (90 ECTS) and a thesis component (150 ECTS). During the first semester, you complete four mandatory courses before beginning work on your thesis under the supervision of an SSE faculty member. After submitting a thesis proposal in the second year, you continue your work with a committee of professors, culminating in a public defense.

Learn more about the program structure.

Financial support 

All admitted PhD students are guaranteed funding throughout the program. Upon admission, PhD students receive a tax-free scholarship of SEK 26,000 per month. Funding levels may change in later years of the program.

Our research expertise

  • Accounting
  • Asian Economy and Business
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Digitalization and Information Systems
  • Entrepreneurshipand innovation
  • International Business
  • International Marketing
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Managerial Finance
  • Marketing
  • Media and Business
  • Operations Management
  • Public Administration
  • Purchasing
  • Retail Analytics
  • Strategy
  • Sustainable Business

Alumni perspective

As someone new to Sweden, I found SSE to be a place with a rigorous and supportive research environment, an international outlook, and collegial faculty. I particularly appreciated how the PhD program was designed: large enough to provide systematic training, yet flexible enough to allow the development of an individual path. Looking back, SSE gave me not only the training I needed but also a lifelong network of colleagues and friends that continues to help me grow.
Zeping Pan
Assistant Professor of Accounting at ESCP and PhD in Business Administration alum