Business Informatics, Systems and Accounting PhD Opportunities
This postgraduate research programme offers PhD or MPhil supervision in many areas of informatics and accounting.
At a glance
- Choose from a range of research domains available in informatics and accounting
- 3 PhD entry points each year
- Participate in regular research seminars
- Work with faculty from the Informatics Research Centre and Accounting Group
- Programme features personal development modules and workshops
- Level
- PhD / DBA
- Subject area(s)
- Information Management
- Award
- PhD
- Duration
- 3-4 years (FT), 4-6 years (PT)
- Attendance
- Full-time , Part-time
- Programme Director
-
Dr Stephen R Gulliver
We offer PhD opportunities in a range of themes surrounding business informatics and accounting. This includes theoretical and applied research in domains such as governance accountability and responsible investment; applied informatics and semiotics; strategic analysis; business informatics; social informatics; health informatics; and perceptual, usability and information acquisition.
The University has a formal code of practice for research students. This ensures that adequate supervision and appropriate research skills training are provided.
You may pursue this PhD programme full-time or part-time at Henley Business School. Part-time study may be carried out away from campus. This usually applies if you are working in a institution where research facilities are available, such as universities abroad. You will need to have supervision from both Henley Business School and the local institution.
The module descriptions set out on this page are correct for modules being taught in the current academic year. Optional module listings are indicative and may be subject to change.
A PhD is usually taken on a full-time basis over 3 to 4 years. A part-time option, taking 4-6 years is also available in some research areas. On a full time basis, the PhD Programme starts in September at the beginning of the academic year (in some departments January and May entries are also possible). However, if necessary for your training, you may be required to come to the University earlier to attend some preparatory courses.
- Year 1: You will have to attend courses examined according to university rules. These courses include Research Methods and other courses required for your area of concentration;
- Confirmation of Registration: In the middle of your second year, you will present and defend your fully developed Research Proposal consisting of a substantive document of around 10,000 words;
- Year 2-3: The remaining part of your PhD studies will be devoted to complete your thesis before your viva examination at the end of your 3 to 4 years (maximum amount of time allowed by university rules).
Year 1
During your first year of studies, you will be required to:
- Attend at least 60 credits from PhD/Masters level courses in Research Methods and other relevant courses plus a no-credit bearing course (see below);
- Attend some short courses (2-3 hours each) required for the Reading Researcher Development Programme at the Graduate School (overseeing PhD studies within the University of Reading);
- Attend the Preparing to Teach training programme (which is necessary to be able to complete any teaching-related activities within Henley Business School);
- Participate in regular research seminars organised by your Department and others relevant to your area of interest;
- Hold regular meetings with your supervisor(s).
Required Taught Component
We have a slightly different path of taught components for students primarily using quantitative vs. qualitative research methods
Quantitative Path
| Compulsory modules | Credits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Understanding Management and Financial Research (ICM116)Level:7 Email: c.w.r.ward@reading.ac.uk Summary module description: Aims: Assessable learning outcomes: Additional outcomes: Outline content:
Brief description of teaching and learning methods: Contact hours:
Summative Assessment Methods:
Other information on summative assessment: Formative assessment methods: Penalties for late submission:
Length of examination: Requirements for a pass: Reassessment arrangements: Last updated: 7 June 2013 |
20 [10 ECTS credits] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Advanced Finance Theory with Empirical Applications (ICM289) |
20 [10 ECTS credits] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods (Autumn) (MMD013)This module aims to introduce students to the understanding of qualitative research, (in social science and particularly in the area of business and management studies). It is designed for students mainly using quantitative methods in their PhD studies who wish to have an introductory class in qualitative research. Academic authors
Professor Kleio Akrivou
|
0 [0 ECTS credits] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Any other relevant course/module (TBD) |
20 [10 ECTS credits] |
You may choose an alternative Advanced Quantitative Methods course instead of Advanced Finance Theory with Empirical Applications. Please note Microeconometrics 1 and 2 are 10 credits each.
| Optional modules | Credits |
|---|---|
Financial Econometrics (ICM204)Aims: |
20 [10 ECTS credits] |
Microeconometrics 1 (ECM607A)This module is the first of two modules intended to teach students advanced microeconometrics. The module considers how to select and apply econometric techniques for research. In addition students will develop their econometric software skills using Stata. Academic authors
Dr Sarah Jewell
|
10 [5 ECTS credits] |
Microeconometrics 2 (ECM607B)This module is the second of two modules intended to teach students advanced microeconometrics and focuses on causality and treatment effects. The module will build on the first module ECM607A, and whilst ECM607A is not a pre-requisite, students will be expected to have knowledge of the topics taught in ECM607A. The module considers how to select and apply econometric techniques for research. In addition students will develop their econometric software skills using Stata. Academic authors
Dr Sarah Jewell
|
10 [5 ECTS credits] |
Qualitative Path
| Compulsory modules | Credits |
|---|---|
Introduction to Thesis Literature Review (Autumn) (MMD001)The module aims to provide students in the Business School with an understanding of all the issues involved in researching, preparing, and writing a literature review for their thesis, together with the specific techniques and resources involved. Academic authors
Professor Peter Scott
|
20 [10 ECTS credits] |
Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (Spring) (MMD002)The module aims to deepen students’ understanding of qualitative research, particularly in the area of business, organisational, social and management studies. Academic authors
Dr Evelyn Fenton
|
20 [10 ECTS credits] |
Data Analysis: Finding Patterns With Regressions (Autumn) (MMD010)The module aims to broaden students’ understanding of data analysis by providing an overview of key methods and particularly focusing on regression analysis. Academic authors
Dr Min Zou
|
0 [0 ECTS credits] |
Any other relevant course/module (TBD) |
20 [10 ECTS credits] |
Confirmation of Registration
After 15 to 18 months from the start of your PhD (see differences between departments), you will submit a substantive Research Proposal of circa 10,000 words that will be defended in front of Faculty members and/or assessed by independent examiners. This process will coincide with your confirmation of registration and, if successful, it will grant you the status of PhD candidate.
The Research Proposal will be a significant development of the initial proposal you submitted for your application. It will include material you may have produced during the 1st year courses in research methods (e.g. literature review, methodologies, data description, etc.). If you plan to do a PhD thesis combining three papers, you are expected to include a draft of the first paper in your Research Proposal. Alternatively, if you intend to use a book-like structure for your thesis, the document should include the draft of at least one of the three/four key chapters.
Year 2 and 3
During your 2nd and 3rd year you will:
- Continue to work on your PhD dissertation drafting the other two papers / key chapters;
- Hold regular meetings with your supervisor(s);
- Attend some short courses (2-3 hours each) required for the Reading Researcher Development Programme at the Graduate School;
- Participate in weekly research seminars organised by your Department and others relevant to your area of interest;
- Contribute to Business School and Departmental teaching/research activities and events;
- Present posters/papers at national/international conferences.
The module or course content descriptions set out on this page are correct for those being taught in the current academic year. Modules or course content marked as optional are indicative and may be subject to change.
The application process normally consists of three main steps:
Before applying formally, you may want to contact a potential supervisor who is working in your area. They could be interested in your topic. Please avoid contacting multiple faculty members simultaneously. We do talk to each other and this is not seen as a professional practice. You can contact a faculty member before your formal application, if you wish to.
2. Shortlisting based on the documents you uploaded in your application
3. Formal interview to assess your suitability to pursue a PhD at Henley Business School
The deadline to be considered for a scholarship varies between departments.
The key requirements for a successful application are:
- Top grades in your Masters degree (minimum requirement is Merit or equivalent, but we prefer Distinction)
- Top grade in your Masters Dissertation (or equivalent research-based piece of work) because this may show your research attitude and skills
- A well-developed research proposal. Guidance on writing the research proposal can be found here
A reasonable intended timeline reflecting issues you may encounter in the study as presented above. For example, if you have to collect primary data. The time spent on data collection will be much longer than if you intend to use secondary data sources.
PhD Fees
| Full-Time | Part-Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| UK (Home) and EU | Based at Reading | ÂŁ4,407 | ÂŁ2,204 |
| PhD by Distance | ÂŁ2,204 | ÂŁ1,102 | |
| International Band 1* | Based at Reading | ÂŁ16,890# | ÂŁ8,445 |
| PhD by Distance | ÂŁ8,445 | ÂŁ4,223 |
*International fees vary depending on the subject being studied: Band 1 subjects generally do not involve laboratory work, whereas Band 2 subjects generally involve significant laboratory study or workshop content. Contact the Admissions Office via pgadmissions@reading.ac.uk to find out more.
#Fixed for three years (i.e. international applicants who start a full-time programme based in Reading during 2020/21 will pay the same annual rate for each of the three years of their programme).
For more information on fees, please visit the Graduate school website. Overseas applicants should refer to the non-laboratory based fees listed in the tables (International Band 1 for non UK/EU students).
Henley Business School Scholarships
We offer PhD scholarships covering fees and a stipend for 3 years, which are awarded on the basis of outstanding academic merit.
Henley Business School scholarships have been awarded for the next academic year (September 2020 start) and applications are now closed.
More information about 2021-22 Henley Business School scholarships will be available later in the year. For more funding opportunities, please visit the Graduate School website.
Scholarship applications are subject to receiving an offer for a place on the PhD in Business Informatics, Systems and Accounting programme. Upon receiving an offer, your scholarship application will be processed and BISA School Office will contact you in due course regarding the result.
Please note: If you are not offered a place on a programme, your scholarship application will automatically be rejected.
Further PhD funding
- UK/EU nationals: The University of Reading takes part in the South East DTC (Doctoral Training Centre). If you’re interested in applying, please follow the link for further details.
- Nationals from India and developing countries: The Felix Scholarship competition is open to candidates applying for either taught Masters or Postgraduate Research Degrees who are either Indian nationals, or from developing countries, and who fulfil the required criteria. For more information and how to apply please follow the link.
- Regional PhD Bursaries: They are available for PhD applicants normally living within 25 miles of the University. The scheme is not open to students who have already started their study at the University of Reading. For further information, please go to Graduate School website.
- Former UoR Graduate: If you have already studied at the University of Reading you will get up to ÂŁ1,000 off fees through the alumni fee discount.
- Other: For information on further opportunities, please see the find funding section on our University website.
Current scholarships
PhD programme
You should have obtained an equivalent of a merit or above in a Master’s degree in a related science, social science or engineering field. Relevant research and/or industry experiences may be considered for those with exceptional strengths.
It is also advisable to contact the member of staff with whom you are interested in carrying out your research, to discuss your proposal before you apply.
English requirements
Applicants whose first language is not English are expected to have obtained IELTS 7.0 (with no element below 6.0), TOEFL 570 (or 230 computer-based) or have passed a TEEP (University of Reading) test with the score of 6.5 (with no element less than 6.0). For all other equivalent score requirements in our accepted English Language tests, please visit the admissions website. If your previous degree was taught in English, we may consider waiving the English language requirement.
For all other equivalent score requirements in our accepted English Language tests, please visit the admissions website.
How can Henley Careers work with you?
We have an award-winning careers team here to support you through your time at Henley and 4 years after graduating.
Henley Careers and Professional Development run numerous events throughout the autumn and spring terms to help you gain industry experience. These events are aimed to enhance your professional development and network with employers. We also offer one-to-one career coaching appointments where you can talk to a Careers Consultant about your professional development. This may include planning your ideal career journey or building confidence in a particular area. It could also involve practicing for interviews or having your CV checked.
For more information please see our Careers page.
Continuing Your Career
PhD Research interests
BISA offers expertise from many subject fields and conducts interdisciplinary research in theoretical and application domains. BISA maintains a close-knit community of researchers working together as a team to carry out research in one or more of the research themes.
Informatics Research Centre (IRC)
Research at IRC includes the following key themes:
| Applied informatics and semiotics | Semiotics is the study of signs (index, icons and symbols) and their functions, and offers us a systematic way to study information and its effective use in organisations. |
| Social Informatics | Social informatics relates to the interdisciplinary consideration of design, use and consequences of information and communication tools in cultural, or institutional contexts. |
| Business Informatics | Business Informatics supports decision making by intersecting IT, informatics methods and management concepts, to allow identification of business problems, development of relevant solutions, and appreciation of their impact. |
| Pervasive Informatics | Pervasive Informatics is an emerging discipline for the effective use of information through embedded sensors and distributed processing to form contiguous intelligent environments for working and living. |
| Health Informatics | Health Informatics is the conjunction of information systems, computer science and health care. Information flow is critical to maximise use of recourses, devices and methods to provide outstanding care and safety at low cost. |
| Perceptual, Usability and Information Acquisition | A user will not continue to pay for a system or device that they perceive to be of low quality, irrespective of its intrinsic appeal. This research investigates user-centric issues in a range of domains to maximise end-user acceptance. |
| Strategic Analysis | Using Systems dynamics and systems thinking strategic analysis helps managers to consider the impact of long term policies on their organisation. |
Accounting Group
For Accounting, these are just some of the themes we have been involved in:
| Sustainability Accounting and Reporting | Particular interests lie in the manner in which accounting and accountability practices can help to encourage decision makers an awareness and appreciation of the importance of social and environmental sustainability in strategic and operational decision-making. The study focuses on the role of text and visual management in the reporting process by employing semiotic analysis. |
| Auditing and Accountability | The recent global financial crisis has provided both academics and practitioners an interesting opportunity to study the role and value of auditing and auditing profession. Questions are frequently being asked about auditor independence and judgement, audit quality, auditing model and auditing expectations. Limited qualitative auditing research has been conducted across disciplinary to provide insight into the practice of audit in relation to the international regulatory structures, financialization and organisational change in an international context. |
| International financial reporting, social and institutional context of accounting regulation, rhetorical and argumentative functions of financial disclosure | Research in this area considers convergence and compliance issues relevant to implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) worldwide with the specific focus on the political and institutional aspects of accounting change and accounting regulation. It also attempts to explore the linguistic, rhetorical and argumentative functions of the narrative and numerical aspects of financial disclosures. |
If you want to study for a PhD within BISA, it is also advisable to contact the member of staff with whom you are interested in carrying out your research, to discuss your proposal before you apply.
Contact us
If you have any queries please contact the Senior Support Administrator, Cindy Zhang.
Email: bisa@henley.ac.ukTelephone: 0118 378 4418
History, location and triple-accreditation led me to choose Henley to pursue my PhD. Grounded in the Thames Valley, I had the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge being in contact with a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem of both academics & practitioners