Plymouth Business School

MPhil/PhD International Logistics, Supply Chain and Shipping Management

Exploring the major challenges in today’s shipping, logistics, operations and knowledge management, MPhil/PhD International Logistics, Supply Chain and Shipping Management will provide you with inspiring opportunities to undertake top level research. Supervised by scholars renowned in their fields, you’ll explore current issues arising from the latest developments in research and industry practice, enriching the literature on your chosen topics.

Meanwhile, you’ll grasp research methodology and gain analytical and evaluative skills for understanding complex issues. You would have the opportunity to employ one or more traditional and innovative research methods to do this, be they quantitative or qualitative. The fulfilment of MPhil/PhD International Logistics, Supply Chain and Shipping Management will enhance your capabilities to pursue a progressive career in industry or academia.

Course details

  • Programme overview

  • This full time or part time doctoral programme is suitable for people who have a particular research question or topic in mind, and wish to explore this through independent study in order to produce an original contribution to the subject. If you aspire to a research career this is the most appropriate research degree to undertake.

    You will be guided by a small supervisory team of academic experts under the direction of a Director of Studies. Even if you already have a masters degree, you will normally be registered as a ‘MPhil/PhD’ candidate and may apply to transfer to ‘PhD’ status around 10–22 months after registration, based on your progress to date.

    You will be expected to fully engage with skills development and training and to present your research in a range of scholarly contexts.

    Your PhD will be assessed via submission of either a written thesis (approximately 80,000 words), or one that combines critical writing with artistic, creative and/or professional practice, and a viva voce (an oral examination).

    For full details of what doing a PhD entails at the University of Plymouth, please visit our postgraduate research degrees pages.

The modules shown for this course or programme are those being studied by current students, or expected new modules. Modules are subject to change depending on year of entry.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to have completed a masters level qualification to a high standard (e.g. at 'merit' or 'distinction' level) as well as either a good 2:1 or first class honours undergraduate degree in an area of study appropriate to your project proposal (e.g. maritime studies, logistics, supply chain management, etc.). We are happy to consider equivalent qualifications (for instance, you may have studied different subjects at undergraduate and masters level but have worked in and/or developed an interest in shipping, logistics or supply chain management sectors since then).

You will also need to provide evidence that you are ready to pursue the project you propose in your application. This will take the form of a research proposal.

If English is not your first language, you must have proficiency in written and spoken English (normally a minimum test score of 6.5 for IELTS, or equivalent). Given the nature of the programme, you’ll be expected to read and engage with complex theoretical texts and debates for which fluency in English is essential.

For more general guidelines and application requirements, please visit the research degrees applicants page.

Fees, costs and funding

The UK is no longer part of the European Union. EU applicants should refer to our Brexit information to understand the implications.

Please visit tuition fees for postgraduate research for information about fees. MPhil/PhD International Logistics, Supply Chain and Shipping Management is in Band 1 for fees purposes.

If you are a full time student, you will pay full time fees for three years. If you have not submitted your thesis by the end of this period, then you may pay for an optional one year writing up period.

If you are a part time student, you will pay part time fees for four years. If you have not submitted your thesis by the end of this period, then you may pay for an optional 'writing up' period of up to two years.

You are responsible for meeting all of the costs related to your own research project, beyond the resources available in the department.

Please visit our postgraduate research money matters page to find out more about issues related to fees, funding, loans and paying for your programme of study.

How to apply

In addition to completing the online application form (which includes space for a personal statement), you must also upload a research project proposal. Your research proposal should outline your research topic, your key aims and the research question/problem you are addressing, a brief literature review, your proposed methodology, and an explanation of why this topic is significant or important.

Your personal statement should briefly explain why you have chosen to apply to our programme and what you feel you can offer our research community.

For more general guidelines and application requirements, please visit the research degrees applicants page.

Research groups

Maritime and Logistics, Business and Policy Group (MLBP) aims to promote excellent research into business and policy issues in maritime business and logistics. MLBP spans the fields of international shipping, international logistics, international supply chain management, international procurement and international trade and port management. Geographically, the maritime scope of MLBP engages complex multifaceted business and policy issues located between interfluves and ocean trenches.

Find out more about our research opportunities.

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