Ph.D. in Business (General Management)

Enquiries may be directed to:-

Graduate Research Programmes Office
Singapore Management University
Lee Kong Chian School of Business
50 Stamford Road, #04-01
Singapore 178899
Tel: +65 6828 0882
Email: lkcsbpd@smu.edu.sg

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1. Submit Online Application

2. Supporting Documents:

Please read the following instructions carefully before completing your application. Supplementary instructions are given in each section of the application form. Once you have completed the form, we suggest you keep a copy for your record. Please complete the application form accordingly and attach copies of the documents as instructed. Your application will only be processed when we have received all the documents and payment.

The following supporting documents are required for the application. A scan or photograph of the documents are to be submitted online or via email to lkcsbpd.admissions@smu.edu.sg.

Verification: Our Admissions Team will contact you again to arrange for a time to have these documents certified true copies at our SMU Campus. Alternatively, you may make an appointment with us to submit the certified true copies of your supporting documents, or have it delivered to us either by hand or by mail to the address below.

1. Identification Document(s)
   • A copy of front and back of your NRIC (for Singapore Citizens)
   • A copy of front and back of your NRIC, Re‐entry Permit and Passport (for Singapore Permanent Resident)
   • A copy of your passport (for International Students)
2. Current Detailed Resume
   
   
3. Academic Certificates and Transcripts
   This includes the academic certificates and transcripts for a recognised Bachelor's degree, and where applicable, a Master's degree.
   
   For non-English certificates or documents, a copy of the original certificates or documents and the notarised / official English translation must be submitted. You will be required to produce the originals or official certified-true-copies of your documents for verification when requested.
   
   
4. Two Referees' Reports
   Two letters of recommendation (referees' reports) which should be provided by members of industry and/or academia. One of the letters should come from the current employer (if applicable).
   
   In the online application, input in the referees' details (name, mailing address, email address, contact numbers, organization and designation). After the online application is submitted, your referee(s) will receive an e-Referee Report via email from SMU. Referee is required to complete the e-Referee Report and click the submit button at the end of the Report. It will take approximate 5-10 minutes to complete. Please notify your referee(s) to lookout for email.
   
   Alternatively, you may send the referee report template to your referees via email: Referee Report Template.
   
   Completed referee template forms should be addressed to lkcsbpd.admissions@smu.edu.sg.
   
   
5. Two Personal Statements
   Please upload the 2 personal statements in the online application form.
   • The American President, Abraham Lincoln once said, "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." As a leader your decisions will have tremendous impact on a great many others. Please give an example of when you realized this in your career. (300-500 words)
   • Please state how you believe that a Ph.D. in Business (General Management) will affect your career progression and, or, your professional performance. Please be sure to let us know about some of the factors that affect the competitive capability of your business concern, and the common activities that you engage in to create value for your enterprise. (500-750 words)
6. GMAT / GRE or SMU Admissions Test
   GMAT / GRE
   A good GRE or GMAT score is needed for admission into the programme. Kindly note that the GMAT / GRE score is valid if taken within the last 5 years. You may first submit the test taker copy of the GMAT/GRE score while requesting the Educational Testing Services (ETS) to send the official score to SMU.
   
   GMAT Registration Information: https://www.mba.com/the-gmat-exam.aspx
   GRE Registration Information: https://www.ets.org:443/gre/
   
   SMU’s institution code for GMAT for this programme is F8D-7V-47, and SMU’s GRE institution code is 2861. Applicants are advised to keep an original for their record.
   
   Or, SMU Admissions Test
   Applicants may take the SMU Admissions Test in lieu of the GMAT or GRE. Details of the test will be sent to the candidate upon the completion of the application. Please click here to view the SMU Admissions Test Factsheet.
   
   
7. Other Supporting Documents (if any)
   
   
8. Application Fee
   Once online application is submitted, please click "Login Now" as Existing User to make your payment online (VISA or Master Card). Payment can be made by cheque or bank draft (to be in favour of Singapore Management University). Online application received without the application fees will not be processed.

Address & Contact Details:

Graduate Programmes Office - PhD(GM) Programme
Singapore Management University
Lee Kong Chian School of Business
50 Stamford Road, #04-01
Singapore 178899
Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Contact numbers: +65 6828 0882

Email: lkcsbpd.admissions@smu.edu.sg

Programme Structure and Curriculum

For more details, please refer to Programme Structure and Curriculum.

Admissions and Eligibility

Applications

For more details, please refer to Admission, Fees & Scholarships. 

Teaching

Admissions Intake and Application Period

There are 2 intakes each year which commence in May and December.

Admissions Criteria

• Good Bachelor's degree from an accredited University
• Good GMAT or GRE results, or good SMU Admission Test results
• Minimum of 10 years of preferably relevant work experience
• Proficiency in English Language

Selected applicants will be scheduled for an Admission Interview by the Admissions Committee as part of the application process. For more details, please contact us (lkcsbpd@smu.edu.sg) before applying.

Some of our distinguished Faculty members involved in the programme include:

Click here to access to SMU faculty Directory.

The minimum duration for the programme is three years. Most students, however, are expected to take approximately four years to complete the programme.  Students are required to apply for extension of study at least 3 months prior starting of their Year 5 and addtional tuition fee are chargable to students. The maximum duration of the programme is five years, unless special prior approval for a longer duration has been granted by SMU

Curriculum

Total graduation requirement = 40 Credit Units (CUs). The curriculum consists of completion of the following:

(A) Coursework (12 credit units):

The courses are designed to familiarise students with the various business domains, their evolution and the current state of research and theory in the domain.  The Research Techniques Workshops are intended to equip the students with the additional skills and insight to conduct rigorous research.

The coursework consists of approximately up to 468 contact hours of lectures and seminars or workshops, conducted over a period of 6 intensive residential segments during the first year of the programme. Each course will be assessed by the instructor, and the method of assessment may be a written examination, take-home examination, project or essay. Instructors will give a grade for each section of the course and the final grade will be based on the overall assessment of the course. Students must pass the courses to the satisfaction of the instructors.

The typical format of a course is generally comprised of three phases:

List of Coursework Curriculum (subject to change):

• Marketing Strategy
• Theory Construction and Research Design
• Strategic Management
• Strategic Management II
• Organisational Behaviour
• Decision Making & Leadership 
• Finance
• Corporate Finance
• Political Economy : Global and Regional
• Basic Research Methodology & Statistics
• Research Methods And Multivariate Statistics
• Operations Management (0.50CU)
• Legal Knowledge & Strategy for Senior Management (0.5CU)

Coursework / Segment Dates:
Coursework will be conducted in 6 week-long study blocks (segments) in Year 1. Segments schedule is subject to change.

The following are the segment dates for the intake starting May 2025.

The following are segment dates for the intake starting December 2024

(B) Qualifying Examination (QE):

After completing 12 credit units of coursework, students are required to pass the Qualifying Examination (QE). There are 4 exam areas in the QE (Finance, Marketing, OBHR and Strategy & Organisation). Students will choose 2 exam areas as their QE.

(C) Dissertation (28 credit units):

(i) Supervision and formation of PhD Dissertation Committee

Upon completion of coursework, students will proceed to work on his / her dissertation. Students will be working on their dissertations under the supervision of his/her Dissertation Committee and are expected to meet regularly with their dissertation supervisor and committee members advisory for one week every 3 months until successful completion of their PhD Dissertation.  

The PhD Dissertation with the Dissertation Committee consisting of one dissertation supervisor (Chair of the Dissertation Committee), one SMU faculty members and one member outside of the discipline group which may or may not be a SMU faculty member. The members of the Dissertation Committee are appointed by the School in consultation with the dissertation supervisor. 

The student is expected to form their Dissertation Committee no later than the beginning of Year 2.

(ii) Oral proposal of dissertation proposal

The student is expected to submit the written dissertation proposal and orally defend the dissertation proposal to the Dissertation Committee upon the completion of the PhD Qualifying Examination and no later than the mid of Year 3.

(iii) Final defence of dissertation

After passing the Oral proposal Defence, student is expected to submit the Final Dissertation to Dissertation Committee no later than mid of Year 4. After reading the written dissertation report, the Dissertation Committee will conduct a final oral examination in which the student will orally defend the final dissertation.  Revision and resubmission of the dissertation may be required by the Dissertation Committee.  The Dissertation Committee will examine the dissertation and make a recommendation to the SMU Graduate Research Programmes Office regarding fulfillment of the dissertation requirement for the degree.

It is expected that all dissertation work is to be performed by the student and that their report is to be 100% original unless properly cited.

The SMU Ph.D. in Business (General Management) is a pre-eminent executive doctorate programme for Asia's leaders, senior management and managers seeking to compete for the future. Our in-depth knowledge, relevant research and expertise on Asia's rapid economic development and challenges provide for a dynamic academic experience and engagement at the highest levels.

The modular format curriculum for this intensive and rigorous programme is structured in a timely and convenient schedule which is suitable for busy senior management managers and professionals. Candidates in this international cohort will acquire in-depth knowledge of specialised areas in this diverse learning environment, and sharpen their ability to conduct original applied research in businesses.

Graduates will be equipped with the knowledge and core abilities to analyse and conduct relevant and rigorous inquiries into the most complex problems facing businesses and to be empowered to transcend boundaries and reshape business models with a difference.