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People and Performance

Discover your research degree study options, including areas of expertise for our academic supervisors.

Why you should join us

Our research degrees will help you advance or change your career, deepen your expertise, and expand your research and practical skills.

Work with leading experts

We tripled the size of our research submission for the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

Choose from our flexible pathways

Study full or part-time, on campus or by distance learning

Explore our thriving research community

Connect with the researchers contributing to our economic growth mission.

Discover our innovative facilities

Benefit from our dedicated postgraduate space in the Business School building.

Build your professional network

We work with UK and overseas research institutions, industry partners and non-governmental organisations.

Get personal and professional training

We provide a comprehensive development programme for research students.

Our research areas

Discover our areas of expertise and browse our experts. We encourage you to discuss your research ideas with us – even if your topic is not listed.

  • Conflict management
  • Disruptive innovation
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Gender, work and organisations
  • Human resource management in practice
  • Justice, voice and equality
  • Leadership, learning and development
  • Occupational psychology
  • Organisations behaviour and psychology
  • Quality of working life
  • Small firm management
  • Social entrepreneurship
  • Sports management
  • Sports policy
  • Work and identity
  • Work psychology

Research with real-world impact

Discover our five research missions.

Go to research missions
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Qualifications you can study

You can do a research degree on campus or remotely through distance learning. Choose from one of these programmes:

  • PhD — three years full-time, six years part-time
  • Masters by Research — one year full-time, two years part-time
  • MPhil — 18 months full-time, 36 months part-time

Find out about the research degrees we offer.

Start dates

Most of our students enrol in October. You can also join us in January.

Application information

Entry requirements

To apply, you’ll need a first or 2.1 honours degree, or an equivalent qualification.

International students must have strong English language skills.

We welcome applicants from non-standard backgrounds. We’ll take subject knowledge, professional experience, publications, or other relevant achievements into consideration.

Find out more about our standard entry requirements.

How to apply for a research degree

Discover the key steps in the application process.

Go to application guidance

Scholarships, fees and funding

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Scholarships

Discover the support available to help with study costs.

Go to scholarships

Postgraduate research fees

What will your research degree cost?

Go to fees

Postgraduate research funding

Find out how to fund your research degree.

Go to funding

Contacts

Speak to us

About this subject

For an initial discussion, contact Dr Andrew Rowe, the doctoral college departmental lead for people and performance, at [email protected].

General admissions

For further information on the application process, contact the admissions team at [email protected]