PhD in Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour
- Benefit from a dynamic research environment and dedicated support
- Join postgraduate research students from all over the world
- Engage with executive leaders and the practitioner community
- Programme features personal development modules and workshops
- Research driven by a number of leading centres within the department
What you need to know
Overview
The PhD in Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour, based in the department of Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation (LOBR) at Henley Business School (University of Reading), is designed to develop scholars capable of conducting original and impactful research in these interconnected fields. The programme encompasses a broad spectrum of topics, including leadership dynamics, organisational behaviour, business ethics, human resource management, governance, management learning and development, coaching, knowledge management, careers and employability and social and organisational studies.
To develop robust analytical and methodological skills, PhD candidates (based on a learning needs analysis), may be required to complete advanced content modules and/or doctoral research training. This learning, commonly completed in the foundation year, supports the pursuit of original research tailored to individual interests within the broad area of Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour. In the second year the PhD journey includes a Confirmation of Registration (CoR) assessment, where researchers present and defend a fully developed research proposal. If successful, the subsequent time is dedicated to i) development and completion of the research, ii) writing up and submission of the thesis, and completion of the viva voce examination. The ideal expectation is that full-time PhD researchers will submit the thesis by the end of their third year.
Researchers in LOBR benefit from the expertise of leading research centres within the department, such as the Henley Centre for Leadership, the Centre for Business Ethics and Sustainability and the Centre for Euro-Asian Studies. These centres, alongside Henley Business School's long tradition of advancing management research, provide a rich environment for scholarly engagement, offering access to cutting-edge research and opportunities to participate in international conferences that examine the latest developments in the field.
Throughout their studies, PhD candidates receive dedicated supervision from internationally renowned faculty, benefit from outstanding facilities and are part of a dynamic doctoral researcher community. The programme's comprehensive approach aims to equip graduates with the skills, critical and creative thinking, intellectual and professional capacities necessary for successful academic (or professional) careers in leadership, organisational behaviour and related fields.
Course structure
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.
| Year one | Confirmation of registration | Years two and three |
|---|---|---|
| Learning: Based on the outcome of your learning needs analysis, you will most likely be expected to attend a number of taught modules in year 1. Completion of these is critical to successful completion of the CoR. These modules are likely to relate to research methods, teaching practice, or cover domain specific knowledge. | Learning: Based on the outcome of your learning needs analysis, you may be asked to completed additional training. | Learning: Based on the outcome of your learning needs analysis, you may be asked to completed additional training. |
| Research: You are expected to i) complete a relevant literature review (in order to explicitly define your problem scope), ii) critically justify which research design should be applied, and iii) develop a viable research plan to facilitate completion of the research project. | Research: At the start of your second year you will be asked to develop a substantive research progress. This document can be used as part of the thesis, but is critical to completion of the CoR assessment. In the second year you will also develop your research toward completion of your research contribution. | Research: The final year of your PhD studies should be devoted to completing your thesis before your viva voce examination. The maximum amount of time you are allowed (full-time) before the viva voce examination is four years of full-time study, yet fees apply for each year of study. |
Year one
During your first year of studies, you will be required to:
- Based on the outcome of the learning needs analysis, attend and obtain relevant PhD/Masters level modules in research methods and other relevant areas (see below);
- Attend some short courses (2-3 hours each) required for the Reading Researcher Development Programme at the Doctoral and Researcher College (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 research seminars and activities organised by the department and others relevant to your area of interest;
- Hold regular meetings with your supervisor(s).
Required taught component
Semester 1 (Oct. 2026 – Jan 2027)
Most LOBR first year students are advised to take the following modules:
Doctoral Research Foundations: From Orientation to Contribution (MMD018)
20This module introduces the skills required to undertake doctoral-level research within a PhD programme. It offers a practical pathway from early ideas about framing meaningful and ethically sound research questions to constructing defensible literature review protocols and methodological designs.
Pedagogy Seminar (MMD012)
20Through taking this module, students should gain a greater insight into contextualising language learning, updating notions of pedagogical achievements and challenges in business learning and providing pedagogical information and tutorial plans on selected business topics.
Modules or course content marked as optional are indicative and may be subject to change. Please note, constraints in timetable scheduling may mean you are unable to take some optional modules at the same time as others.
In semester 2 (Feb. 2027 – June 2027)
Most LOBR first year students will be advised to take one (or both) of the following modules (depending on whether their research is primarily quantitative or qualitative):
Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (MMD002)
20 [10 ECTS credits]The module aims to deepen students’ understanding of qualitative research, particularly in the areas of business, organisational, social and management studies.
Introduction to Quantitative Research Design and Techniques (MMD017)
20This module is designed to develop students’ understanding of key principles in quantitative research design, quantitative research methods, and quantitative data analysis. It introduces students to quantitative reseach questions and hypothesis testing, basic descriptive and inferential statistics, exploratory data analysis, and multivariate analysis.
Modules or course content marked as optional are indicative and may be subject to change. Please note, constraints in timetable scheduling may mean you are unable to take some optional modules at the same time as others.
Full module information
All module descriptions, containing the overall learning outcomes and description of the modules, can be found at this link. Just click the most recent academic year, and Henley Business School - modules are listed by code in alphabetical order.
Confirmation of Registration Examination
Between 12-15 months from the start of your PhD, you are required to i) submit a substantive update on your research - approximately 8,000-10,000 words; and ii) critically defend your work in front of two faculty members who are not your supervisors. If the examination is successful, it will grant you the status of PhD candidate. If you are not successful you will be given three months to make relevant changes to your work (in year 2). If you do not demonstrate appropriate progress after three months you will be asked to leave the PhD programme.
Years Two and Three – Development and Completion Phases
During the second and third years, PhD students are expected to:
- Continue to work on your PhD thesis;
- Hold regular meetings with your supervisor(s);
- Continue working on your research;
- Continue writing (and iterating) PhD thesis content;
- Attend some short courses (2-3 hours each) required for the Reading Researcher Development Programme at the Doctoral and Researcher College;
- Participate in weekly research seminars and activities organised by the department and others relevant to your area of interest;
- Contribute to departmental teaching/research activities and events;
- Present posters/papers at national/international conferences.
Fees & funding
For fees, please visit the Doctoral and Researcher College website.
Overseas applicants should refer to the non-laboratory based fees listed in the tables (International Band 1 for non-UK/Home students).
Please note that past-time PhD fees are different from DBA fees – see here for more detail.
Up to three postgraduate studentships, each covering full course fees and a stipend, are available for outstanding applicants wanting to conduct full-time postgraduate research in the research areas relevant to this programme.
These awards are offered on an annual basis and are renewable at the end of each year, subject to satisfactory performance, for up to three years. In particular, we are looking for PhD candidates with excellent potential in the areas of leadership dynamics, organisational behaviour, business ethics, human resource management, governance, management learning and development, coaching, knowledge management, careers and employability and social and organisational studies. Students with an interest in these thematic areas within our research centres are invited to apply.
There are two additional studentship opportunities offered by Henley Business School, which all PhD applicants studying full-time are eligible for. The application process is handled by the department of Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation's Postgraduate Research Director, who will nominate the best applicants for review by the Henley Business School Scholarship Panel.
We are looking for PhD candidates with excellent potential in the areas of leadership dynamics, organisational behaviour, business ethics, human resource management, governance, management learning and development, coaching, knowledge management, careers and employability and social and organisational studies.
Each year 3 three-year full-time PhD studentships, covering full-time PhD course fees and a stipend, are allocated by each of the five departments. Scholarships are subject to satisfactory performance, and valid for just three years. If someone does submit by the end of their third year, then they are liable for the fee and living costs faced in year four of the PhD.
We offer PhD scholarships covering fees and stipend for up to three years, awarded on the basis of outstanding academic merit to the applicants with the highest quality research proposals. Applicants hoping to obtain a studentships are normally expected to have obtained or be expecting to obtain a Distinction in their Masters degree and in their Masters thesis. MBAs are not normally considered. Applications for studentships are very competitive and students are further assessed on their ability to speak and communicate in English. Applicants that are considered for the studentship may need to go through an interview with the Scholarship Panel within the department of Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation.
The application process is handled by the department of Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation's Postgraduate Research Director. Applications are assessed by considering:
1) Proposal Fitness (20%) – e.g. How well does the research proposal align to departmental and/or Henley research aims/goals?
2) Project Quality (40%) – e.g. Is the research grounded well in the literature? Is the contribution strong and/or viable in 3 years?
3) Researcher Quality and Supervisor support (40%) – e.g. Does the researcher have existing skills / knowledge / data access? Has the researcher already engaged with the potential supervisory team? Are supervisors positive about the researchers fit (as a PhD researcher and/or possible departmental GTA).
After allocating their own studentships, departments are invited to submit two additional applications for school-level consideration, and three additional full-time PhD studentships are awarded (at Henley level) covering full-time PhD course fees and a stipend.
Studentship applications for the 2026/27 academic year are now closed. Studentship applications for the 2027/28 academic year are now open and will close on 21 February 2027. Please note that scholarships are available exclusively to applicants who have received an offer to study for a PhD at Henley Business School. We strongly advise submitting your application no later than 10 January 2027 to allow sufficient time to complete the application interview process prior the scholarship application.
For further information on studentship requirements, please contact the relevant departmental Postgraduate Research Administrator.
Important information for applicants for studentships
We offer PhD scholarships covering fees and stipend for up to three years, awarded on the basis of outstanding academic merit to the applicants with the highest quality research proposals.
Applicants for studentships are expected to have obtained or be expecting to obtain a Distinction in their Masters degree and in their Masters thesis. MBAs are not considered. Applications for studentships are very competitive and students are further assessed on their ability to speak and communicate in English. Studentship holders may be instructed to engage in teaching assistant duties (up to seven hours per week) from their second year in the programme.
Applicants that are considered for the studentship will need to go through an interview with the Scholarship Panel within the department of Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation.
Studentship applications for the 2026/27 academic year are now closed. Studentship applications for the 2027/28 academic year are now open and will close on 21 February 2027. Please note that scholarships are available exclusively to applicants who have received an offer to study for a PhD at Henley Business School. We strongly advise submitting your application no later than 10 January 2027 to allow sufficient time to complete the application interview process prior the scholarship application.
For further information on studentship requirements, please contact the Postgraduate Research Administrator for Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation.
Current scholarships
"My decision to pursue doctoral study at Henley was driven by the quality of its academic engagement, particularly its emphasis on high-impact research, active publication, and close interaction with industry."
Entry requirements
Applications for the 2026/27 academic year are closed. Applications for the 2027/28 academic year are open and due to close on 30 June 2027.
What is our expectation?
As part of your application process, you must submit:
- Masters degree certificate and transcript. This must be at distinction or merit level from an internationally recognised university, and an equally strong undergraduate degree
- Research proposal (see below)
- Proof of English language proficiency (overall IELTS result of 7.0 with no individual elements scoring below 6.0)
- Two references, at least one of which must be academic.
Please note that your application will only be considered once you have submitted all the above documents.
Research Proposal
Prospective PhD researchers are always required to provide a fully developed Research Proposal. An application will not normally be processed unless a proposal is included. Providing a fully developed Research Proposal shows personal engagement the topic, possible collaboration with Henley academics, and investment in problem scoping.
A normal PhD proposal includes:
- An introduction; including the reasons why your studies may be relevant
- A thorough literature review, evidence of awareness of theoretical and empirical work relevant to the research question - with the theoretical component being extremely important, because a PhD must demonstrate that it advances the body of knowledge
- A clearly worked-out research question which is justified in terms of intellectual and, where appropriate, policy making or market relevance
- A research design that is intended to answer the research question posed and its feasibility within the assigned timescale (i.e. 3 years).
Discussing your PhD research proposal
If you are interested in pursuing your PhD studies in a specific Henley department, and want to discuss your research proposal, please contact one of our members of staff active in the research area of your interest.
Applying for a PhD
Please remember, however, that no application will be processed until a formal application has been submitted to the university admissions department.
Click the following link for further University level information on how to apply for a university of Reading programme.
Please note that all PhD candidates in Henley are normally expected to study full-time. Part-time and/or distance learning PhDs are only offered in exceptional circumstances. If you are interested in a part-time or distance doctorate, then please talk to the departmental PGR director, however maybe also consider the Henley Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme.
Please note that all PhD candidates are expected study full-time. It is only in exceptional circumstances that we offer part-time or distance learning PhDs. For part-time or distance options, please instead consider the Henley Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme. For this reason, we also do not currently offer an option for January entry.
"The Henley PhD programme has provided me with a strong platform for intellectual growth and research development. It has challenged me to refine my ideas, strengthen my academic voice and pursue rigorous scholarship."
Careers, accreditation & progression
How can Henley Careers work with you?
We have an award-winning careers team here to support you through your time at Henley and four years after graduating.
Henley Careers and Professional Development run numerous events throughout semester one and semester two in order 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.
Continuing your career
A PhD in the area of Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation can open doors to a successful career in academia and other organisations. This includes large multinationals, leading consulting firms, governmental advisory roles and non-governmental organisations worldwide.
What our students have gone on to do
Our PhD graduates have gone on to take up academic positions at institutions such as Henley Business School, the University of Nottingham and the University of Central London in the UK and Kuwait University, the Australian National University and Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University worldwide.
"The PhD programme at LOBR offers a transformative interdisciplinary experience. Supported by a community of distinguished researchers and mentors, I am deeply inspired and committed to bringing meaningful value to academia."
Research areas and centres
Henley Business School's research in the areas of Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour is driven through the following leading centres:
Many of our research centres have active membership from a wide range of international leading companies providing plenty of opportunity to engage with executive leaders and the practitioner community.
We welcome applicants seeking to conduct full-time postgraduate research in the following fields:
Centre for Business Ethics and Sustainability
Henley Centre for Leadership
Centre for Euro-Asian Studies
Henley Centre for Coaching
PhD supervisors
Below are a list of potential PhD supervisors that you will be able to contact.
Contact us
For more information please contact Alex Baker.
Email: a.j.baker@henley.ac.ukTelephone: 0118 3788691