E Business PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships for European Students (exc UK) in the UK

A PhD in E Business allows you to specialise in research relating to the interactions between the internet, business and marketing. Also referred to as eCommerce, E Business is a cutting-edge subject that looks at how the online world can be used to influence consumer decisions and sell goods and services.

What’s it like to do a PhD in E Business?

Doing a PhD in E Business allows you to drill down into any number of aspects of digital marketing and commerce, examining the myriad ways in which technology, internet and business intersect.

These are some of the research topics you might tackle during a PhD in E Business:

• Artificial intelligence
• Customer relationship management
• Data protection
• Data science
• Decision-making psychology and behavioural science
• Digital marketing
• Ethics and sustainability
• Social media
• The internet of things
• UX

You’ll have the opportunity to engage in a range of research methodologies, as well as looking at real-world case studies and what you can learn from them. The culmination of a PhD in E Business will be a dissertation, which may involve large-scale data analysis, depending on your research specialism.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for a typical PhD in E Business usually involve a Bachelors and a Masters degree in a related subject. You’ll also need to submit a compelling research proposal detailing your study plans. You may also need some professional experience, depending on the programme.

PhD in E Business funding options

In the UK, PhDs in E Business are funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which provides a tuition fee waiver and a living cost stipend. Depending on the programme, you may submit your own research proposal before being considered for funding, or apply for a project that already has funding attached.

It’s also possible to apply for a PhD loan to help with the costs of a doctorate in E Business (although this can’t be combined with Research Council funding). Other options for financial support include university scholarships, graduate teaching assistantships and charities.

If you’re considering a part-time PhD in E Business, it may also be worth asking your employer if they’re happy to sponsor you.

PhD in E Business careers

A PhD in E Business could allow you to hone your existing skills in the digital marketing arena or branch out into a new specialism. The knowledge you gain during your research could be applied in many different business sectors, such as eCommerce, search engine optimisation (SEO), social media management or email marketing. If you want to stay in academia, a doctoral degree in E Business will also provide you with a great platform through which to become a lecturer or full-time researcher.