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University of Gloucestershire
Postgraduate research

Finance for Executives

PhD

Course options

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Study type
Full Time
Course length
4 Years
Campus
Oxstalls, Gloucester
UCAS Code
N/A

Course overview

University of Gloucestershire’s PhD in Finance for Executives programme is tailored for seasoned finance, insurance, accounting, and tax professionals. It aims to cultivate innovative insights and practical solutions to complex challenges within the financial sector.

Given the rapid evolution of societal and financial services, this programme addresses the resultant opportunities and critical issues faced by practitioners, institutions, regulators, and society.

While traditional knowledge-creation methods have long supported these professions, emerging methodologies offer enhanced capabilities for validating existing expertise and expediting the development and deployment of solutions within our interconnected financial ecosystem.

This programme, therefore, equips participants with the advanced competencies necessary for thought leadership and expanded influence in the industry.

And, as part of a European Doctoral Association in Management and Business Administration (EDAMBA)-member doctoral programme, you will become part of a vibrant and diverse research community.

Study style

This programme is thoughtfully structured to accommodate the demanding schedules of finance professionals.

It unfolds across three distinct stages: Discovery, Design, and Delivery. Each stage involves intensive, in-person engagement with dedicated supervisors, which occurs annually for three days each in October and February.

These practical, interactive sessions are crafted to reinforce the technical skills and academic proficiencies essential for generating original contributions to knowledge within your chosen area of inquiry.

As your research progresses, you’ll be encouraged to present at national and international conferences and will be supported in publishing your work for both academic and practitioner audiences.

Whether your thesis follows a traditional, practice-led, or publication-based format, our commitment to research innovation ensures that your contribution has a meaningful impact.

Entry requirements

      • A master’s degree or equivalent in a subject area relevant to the proposed research topic.

      AND

      • Chartered or Fellow of a recognised professional body [e.g. CII, CISI, LIBF, CFA, FRM, PRM, CTA, ACCA, ICAEW, CIMA, etc]
    • We actively encourage applications from students from a range of diverse backgrounds who demonstrate appropriate research experience and achievement.

    • EU and international students need IELTS 6.5 overall (with a minimum of 6.0 in writing and 5.5 in any other component) or equivalent.

    • If you meet the entry criteria you will be offered an interview with an academic member of staff, either in person or online.

    • Your application should include a research proposal up to 1,000 words (excluding references/appendices) which follows the structure outlined in the research proposal guide.

Fees and costs

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Start date Course code Fee (UK)
Fee per year
Fee (international)
Fee per year
October 2025 £12,000 £20,000
February 2026 £12,000 £20,000
October 2026 £12,350 £20,600
February 2027 £12,350 £20,600
October 2027 TBC TBC

Ready to apply?

Careers

You will become a thought leader, transforming knowledge, understanding, practices, and relevant regulations in your area of inquiry.

This isn’t just about earning a qualification – it’s a transformative journey that will shape you as an innovative, strategic, and ethical thinker.

As a doctoral researcher, you’ll deepen your expertise while mastering key capabilities in research design, critical thinking, academic writing, and professional engagement. You will have a foothold in both academia and professional practice.

Elevate your standing within your profession

Move beyond chartered credentials to actively contribute to the body of knowledge and drive transformative practices within your industry.

A speaker in smart dress presents to an audience

Trading Room

This dynamic, hands-on environment offers postgraduate research students the chance to develop real-world financial skills using industry-standard tools. You will have access to LSEG Workspace, which provides worldwide market data.

Desks with computer monitors and keyboards on them in the Trading Room in the University of Gloucestershire Business School/

Future Park

FuturePark in Cheltenham features state-of-the-art equipment and technology to support your research. It’s particularly useful for those whose work intersects with computing applications.

Computing suite at FuturePark showing desks in a semi-circle and two large flat screens at the front.

Equipment and software to support your studies

Computing power is streamlined for modelling, quantitative analyses and backtesting using data science tools and software. Whether you prefer PCs or Macs, each device is equipped with the latest Microsoft Office suite, MATLAB, Python, R, and other specialised software, ensuring seamless productivity for research projects.

Girls sat at computer