Research opportunities in accounting and law are available for either full or part-time study.
Range and Scope
With more than 25 academic staff the Department of Accounting and Law, are able to supervise across a broad range of topics. There are particular strengths within the law team in company and commercial law, human rights, intellectual property law and international law. The accounting group have a particular interest in management accounting, performance management, accounting issues of sustainability, financial reporting, corporate governance, finance and accounting education. We may also be able to offer you effective supervision for cross-disciplinary projects that link to computing, IT application, business and management, education and health.
As a research degree candidate, you are supported by a supervisory team with expertise in your subject or research approach. A research degree will open the door to work in full-time research, teaching or provide a greater understanding of professional practice.
Research environment
More than half of Departments’ research outputs were of intentional standard (RAE, 2008). Our doctoral programme and our work with industry was also rated of international standard in the last RAE. Additionally, we achieved higher levels of research income than the national average in the discipline. This active backdrop means that research students — whether full or part-time — join a group of engaged researchers involved in pushing forward both new knowledge and professional application. With more than 50 research students drawn from a range of backgrounds — covering the academic, professional, managerial and consulting, as well as over a number of countries – there is an energetic and diverse research community.
Awards and Programmes
The Faculty of Business, Education and Professional Studies offers supervision for three routes to doctoral qualification in business.
- PhD (direct entry) - available to holders of cognate Masters degrees (or equivalent) only
- MRes (+ PhD) - available to holders of Bachelors degrees (or equivalent), please see separate web page for details of the MRes
- DBA - available to executives able to engage in major projects inside their employing organisations, please see separate web page for details of the DBA
Current Topics
Students have recently completed programmes on environmental accounting in the oil industry, capital structure comparisons, perceptions of auditor independence and its relation to perceived audit quality and governance in developing countries.
Training in Research Methods
A key element for success in doctoral work is effective training in research methods. Candidates applying for direct entry to PhD will undertake, as part of their doctoral programme, instruction in: ‘Philosophy and Approaches to Research’ and ‘Methodologies and Methods’. Candidates applying for MRes follow a programme of 4 modules in research methods as part of their award.
Entry requirements
To join the PhD programme directly, you will normally need a UK Masters, or an equivalent qualification, in a subject area relevant to the proposed research topic.
To join the MRes programme, you will need an UK Bachelors of upper second class or above, or an equivalent qualification. On successful completion of the MRes (approximately 12 months full-time), you can normally move on to the PhD programme.
However, the University will consider applications from candidates from different backgrounds who demonstrate appropriate research experience and achievement.
Please contact Sabina Fiebig to discuss any queries you have on entry requirements.
Staff offering supervision include:
Doaa Aly MSc, PhD, CPA
Senior Lecturer in Accounting
Accounting reporting and disclosure, investor relations, corporate governance and auditing
Tracy Jones BSc(Hons) MPhil PhD
Senior Lecturer in Management Accounting
Performance measurement, budgeting
Peter Halstead BA(Hons) LLB. MA. LLM. MILT
Senior Lecturer in Law
Human rights, jurisprudence and globalisation
Andy V M Kok LLB (Hons) LLM Barrister
Course Leader for Postgraduate Law Awards
International trade law, contract law, information technology law
Bob Ryan PhD
Professor of Accounting and Finance
Financial management, financial analysis and valuation.
Saba Yousif LLB (Hons) LLM Solicitor
Senior Lecturer in Law
Human rights law, immigration law and international law