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PhD

Business Analytics

Transform your career with real-world skills in data, AI and business problem-solving.

Apply now

Key information

Start
September
Locations
Canterbury and Medway
Study mode
3 to 4 years full-time, 5 to 6 years part-time
Fees (per year)
UK:
International:
Typical offer
2.1 or above
All entry requirements

Overview

The department is also known in the areas of soft OR, research metrics, big data, data envelopment analysis, and environmental management. We welcome student research projects on a variety of topics including:

  • Location analysis
  • Routing problems
  • Critical Infrastructure Protection
  • Environmental management
  • Operations management
  • Multivariate analysis
  • Big data
  • Insurance/warranty data analysis and management
  • Research metrics
  • Soft OR
  • Data envelopment analysis and performance measurement

Students working on relevant research topics in logistics Centre for Logistics and Heuristic Optimisation.

The Department is a member of NATCOR and students can attend a wide range of courses and workshops in the field of operational research and management science.  Students interested in more mathematical topics are advised to follow the ‘Operational Research’ programme while those interested in more applied topics or operations management are advised to choose ‘Management Science’.

Location

You will be based either at the Canterbury or Medway campus, depending on where your first supervisor is based, for the duration of your PhD. Should you be based at Medway you will be expected to travel to Canterbury for compulsory modules and events run by the Graduate School. There is a regular University shuttle bus, which runs between Canterbury and Medway during term-time, this service is free for students.

Exchange partners

Kent Business School has excellent links with business schools globally, including in China, USA, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Italy. Our wide array of exchange partners give you the opportunity to gain international experience. Our partners are committed to enhancing their international outlook while providing excellent teaching. You will gain invaluable work experience, develop your understanding of a new culture and improve your language skills.

Our exchange partners include these top ranked institutions amongst others:

  • University of Technology, Sydney
  • Renmin University of China, School of Business
  • University of Hong Kong
  • ESSEC
  • Neoma Business School
  • Freie Universitat Berlin
  • University of Florence
  • IE Madrid University
  • Stockholm Business School
  • Georgetown University.

About Kent Business School

Kent Business School has over 25 years’ experience delivering business education. Our portfolio of postgraduate programmes demonstrates the breadth and depth of our expertise. Academic research and links with global business inform our teaching, ensuring a curriculum that is relevant and current. We are a leading UK business school for the standard of our teaching and student satisfaction. We also hold a number of accreditations by professional bodies.

Studying at Kent Business School (KBS) gives you the opportunity to increase your employability with real-life case studies, a student council and a business society. We have strong links to local and national organisations providing opportunities for projects, internships and graduate placements. The School attracts many high-profile speakers from industry and last year included visits and lectures from staff of the Bank of England, BAE Systems, Barclays, Lloyds Insurance, Cummins, Delphi and Kent County Council.

The School currently has 60 PhD students, who form a dynamic and close-knit research community.

The course

How you'll study

Our postgraduate research programmes give you the freedom to explore your interests in depth, with support from expert supervisors along the way. You’ll build advanced research skills, deepen your knowledge, and make a meaningful contribution to your field.

Entry requirements

2.1 or above

Applicants should hold a 2.1 at undergraduate level and a Merit at Master’s level in a relevant discipline, from a UK or other approved university and/or equivalent. You must submit a research proposal of approximately 1,500 words on your intended topic.

In Kent Business School, entry to all research programmes is in September only. The deadline for PhD applications is 31 July. 

All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.

Fees and funding

The 2026/27 annual tuition fees for this course are:
  • Full-time (UK)
  • Part-time (UK)
  • Full-time (International)
  • Part-time (International)

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

Tuition fees may be increased in the second and subsequent years of your course. Detailed information on possible future increases in tuition fees is contained in the Tuition Fees Increase Policy.

The 2026/27 annual tuition fees for UK postgraduate research courses have not yet been set by the Research Councils UK. This is ordinarily announced in March. As a guide only, the full-time tuition fee for new and returning UK postgraduate research courses for 2025/26 is £5,006.

Your fee status

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

Funding

You'll need regular access to a desktop computer/laptop with an internet connection to use the University of Kent’s online resources and systems. We've listed some guidelines for the technology and software you'll need for your studies.

General additional costs

Find out more about student accommodation and living costs, as well as general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:

International scholarships

Unlock your potential with scholarships up to £5,000

Research

Kent is a leading research university, meaning that you will be informed about new discussions and developments by the people making them. This means your work will have real potential to make a difference.

Staff research interests

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, 80% of our research was deemed ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. The school’s environment was judged to be conducive to supporting the development of research and international excellence.

Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website.

Your future

The KBS PhD programme is designed to provide a thorough training for research careers in academia or industry. Our students generally take up academic appointments in UK or international higher education institutions or work in policy or industry settings.

Professional recognition

Kent Business School is a member of the European Foundation for Management Development (EMFD) and the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS); and the Kent MBA is an Association of MBAs (AMBA) accredited programme. In addition, KBS have accreditations with The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and The Chartered Institute of Marketing.

KBS is a signatory of the United Nation's Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), which provides a global network for academic institutions to advance corporate sustainability and social responsibility.

Postgraduates earn

£6,000
more per year than graduates (Graduate Labour Market Statistics, 2021).

A degree can boost average lifetime earnings by over

£300,000
Graduate employment outcomes - Universities UK

Ready to apply?

In Kent Business School, entry to all research programmes is in September only. The deadline for PhD applications is 31 July. 

Learn more about the application process or begin your application by clicking on a link below.

You will be able to choose your preferred year of entry once you have started your application. You can also save and return to your application at any time.

Everything else