PhD opportunities in Entrepreneurship and Sustainability

Focus your research on how individuals, businesses and societies can tap into creative and entrepreneurial flair to develop innovative solutions, in order to not only create economic value, but also solve social and environmental problems.

Join our experts who specialise in a range of topical issues, including social entrepreneurship, ethnic minority entrepreneurship, the impact of big data and artificial intelligence on entrepreneurship and sustainability, institutional impacts on entrepreneurship and innovation in emerging market economies, and innovation and sustainability in a circular economy.

Deep dive into one of our ongoing work in the following areas:

• Behavioural Science Insights for Sustainability

Help understand decision-making and how insights from behavioural science can help us design more effective interventions and policies for sustainability, in both developed and developing countries.

• Responsible Consumption and the Circular Economy

Fight food waste with research that focuses on promoting responsible consumption behaviour in society, as well as solutions that contribute to a more circular economy, using a holistic approach to tackle food waste, from farm to fork.

• Innovation, Digitalisation and Society

Challenge simplistic views of technological innovation. Our sophisticated, holistic appreciation of how society both shapes and is shaped by technology enables innovation that is a force for good in society.

• Creative Technology, Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Investigate designer-centric and community-centric approaches to social innovation, focusing on the role of creative technologies in facilitating and promoting prosocial behaviours in private, public and digital spaces.

• Global Business Governance and Entrepreneurial Management

Gain advanced knowledge about entrepreneurial finance and accounting, and help implement a sustainable and ethical governance set-up for researchers, small businesses, corporate bodies, policy makers, NGOs and other stakeholders of the higher education institute

• Sustainability Politics

Tackle environmental sustainability in the age of climate emergency.

• Entrepreneurship and Social Impact

Innovate business models, scale up social impact, and develop social impact tools and methods to help businesses and organisations to strengthen their fundraising capability and increase their capacity to deliver social change.

Research journey

Doctoral research programmes (PhDs) take a proud place in the world-class research environment and community at Brunel. PhD students are recognised and valued by their supervisors as an essential part of their departments and a key component of the university's overall strategy to develop and deliver world-class research.

A PhD programme is expected to take 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time, with intakes starting in January, April or October.

The general University entrance requirement for registration for a research degree is normally a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (1st or 2:1) or an international equivalent. A Masters degree is a welcome, but not required, qualification for entry.

Find out how to apply for a PhD at Brunel

Research support

Excellent research support and training

The Graduate School provides a range of personal, professional and career development opportunities. This includes workshops, online training, coaching and events, to enable you to enhance your professional profile, refine your skills, and plan your next career steps as part of the Researcher Development Programme. The researcher development programme (RDP) offers workshops and seminars in a range of areas including progression, research management, research dissemination, and careers and personal development. You will also be offered a number of online, self-study courses on BBL, including Research Integrity, Research Skills Toolkit, Research Methods in Literature Review and Principles of Research Methods.

Careers support

You will receive tailored careers support during your PhD and for up to three years after you complete your research at Brunel. We encourage you to actively engage in career planning and managing your personal development right from the start of your research, even (or perhaps especially) if you don't yet have a career path in mind. Our careers provision includes online information and advice, one-to-one consultations and a range of events and workshops. The Professional Development Centre runs a varied programme of careers events throughout the academic year. These include industry insight sessions, recruitment fairs, employer pop-ups and skills workshops.