Doctoral pathways (Level 8)
Prepare for doctoral-level study: systematic literature review, research design, methods, ethics, and a defendable proposal. ICM supports academic readiness; formal DBA/PhD registration, supervision, and examination happen at the awarding partner under their regulations.
Learning outcomes (summary)
- Frame researchable questions aligned to business/management scholarship and practice
- Select and justify qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods
- Apply ethical frameworks, data protection, and risk assessment to fieldwork or secondary data
- Synthesise literature critically and position a contribution
- Produce a proposal suitable for partner academic board review
Milestones you can expect
- Orientation — doctoral conventions, referencing standards, academic integrity.
- Scoping paper — problem statement, stakeholders, feasibility.
- Literature review draft — thematic synthesis and gap analysis.
- Methods & ethics — instruments, sampling, limitations, approvals.
- Proposal defence — panel feedback and revision window.
Supervision & progression
During the ICM stage you receive structured feedback on written submissions and one-to-one tutorials. After partner admission, supervision transfers to the partner faculty team; ICM progression advisers help with handover documentation.
Entry snapshot
Typically masters-level preparation or substantial professional research portfolio; mature executives may present evidence of equivalent capability. English proficiency and references are required — see admissions tab for detail.