PhD in Management

PhD in Management at KUSOM

The PhD in Management is a research degree offered by Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM) under Kathmandu University (KU). Introduced in July 2014, the program forms part of KUSOM's research-degree structure alongside the MPhil in Management. It has a stated capacity of 5 seats.

PhD admission follows a research-focused selection framework that includes academic requirements, a research proposal, an admission test, proposal or research presentation, and a personal interview.

PhD in Management at KUSOM: Quick Highlights

About the PhD in Management

PhD in Management is KUSOM's doctoral-level management research program. The School places it in the research-degree category together with MPhil in Management rather than with taught graduate programs such as MBA, Executive MBA, MPPM, and MBE.

The program belongs to the management research side of KUSOM's academic work. Research is one of the School's core institutional areas, alongside management education, management training and continuing learning, and management consulting.

The doctoral route is built around advanced academic and research preparation. Admission is separate from the undergraduate and regular graduate management pathways used elsewhere at KUSOM.

PhD in Management and KUSOM's Research Degree Structure

KUSOM introduced the MPhil in Management in September 2009 and the PhD in Management in July 2014.

Both programs sit within KUSOM's research education structure, but each has its own admission and academic requirements. The PhD represents the doctoral level within this structure.

PhD Seats

Seats: 5

The stated capacity for the PhD in Management is five seats.

This is the smallest stated intake among the KUSOM programs for which seat numbers are specified, reflecting the limited intake attached to the doctoral research program.

Eligibility

Eligibility: PhD admission is governed by the academic and research requirements applicable to the program under Kathmandu University.

The PhD requires advanced academic or research preparation. Its eligibility requirements are separate from those used for KUSOM's MBA, Executive MBA, MPPM, MBE, undergraduate programs, and MPhil admission.

Applicants are assessed under the requirements prescribed specifically for doctoral study in Management.

PhD Admission Process

The PhD uses a research-focused admission process rather than the KUUMAT or KUMAT routes associated with undergraduate and selected graduate management admissions.

The selection framework includes:

• Academic requirements

• Research proposal

• Admission test

• Proposal or research presentation

• Personal interview

These components allow the admission process to consider both academic preparation and the applicant's proposed research direction.

Admission, selection, registration, and enrollment remain governed by the applicable rules and regulations of Kathmandu University.

Research Proposal

A research proposal forms part of the PhD admission framework.

Its inclusion means that applicants enter the selection process with a proposed area of management research rather than applying only through general academic credentials and an entrance examination.

The proposal is also connected with the presentation component of the selection process. The doctoral admission framework includes a proposal or research presentation alongside the admission test and personal interview.

Admission Test and Research Presentation

The PhD admission framework includes an admission test. It should not be described as KUUMAT or KUMAT because those terms belong to other KUSOM admission contexts.

Research-degree applicants follow the admission requirements attached specifically to their program.

The selection framework also includes a proposal or research presentation. This places the applicant's research preparation and proposed academic work within the selection process rather than making admission dependent only on a written test.

Personal Interview

A personal interview forms another part of PhD selection.

The interview sits alongside academic requirements, the research proposal, admission testing, and the proposal or research presentation.

Taken together, these stages give the doctoral admission process a research-oriented structure distinct from the admission routes used for KUSOM's taught management degrees.

PhD Admission Compared with Other KUSOM Admission Routes

Different academic levels at KUSOM use different admission arrangements.

The PhD route includes its own academic requirements, research proposal, admission test, research or proposal presentation, and personal interview.

Applicants should not transfer entrance requirements from another KUSOM program to the PhD.

Academic and Research Orientation

The PhD is structured as a research degree rather than a professional taught management qualification.

Its position within KUSOM's academic system connects it directly with management research. The doctoral pathway requires sustained research work under the academic regulations that apply to the program.

This orientation separates the PhD from the MBA and Executive MBA, which focus on professional graduate management education, and from the MPhil, which is separately identified as a research degree with its own admission process.

Research Areas within KUSOM's Management Environment

KUSOM's broader academic structure covers management fields through departments including:

• Finance, Economics and Accounting

• Human Resource and General Management

• Management Science and Information

• Management Informatics and Communication

• Public Policy and Management

• Marketing and Entrepreneurship

These departments form the wider academic setting for management teaching and research at KUSOM.

The specific research topic, proposal requirements, academic supervision, and doctoral research process remain subject to the requirements applied to the PhD candidate and proposed research.

Academic Progression

PhD candidates follow the academic progression requirements prescribed by Kathmandu University for the program.

The doctoral process is governed through the University's academic framework, covering research-related requirements, assessment, evaluation, progression, and completion.

Because PhD in Management is a research degree, its academic path should not be treated as equivalent to the semester-based course structure of KUSOM's MBA, EMBA, MBE, or MPPM programs.

Examination and Evaluation

PhD examination and evaluation operate under the applicable Kathmandu University rules and regulations.

The University's academic framework governs:

• Research-related academic requirements

• Candidate progression

• Evaluation

• Examination requirements

• Results

• Completion of doctoral requirements

• Final degree award

The candidate must complete the requirements applicable to the PhD in Management before becoming eligible for the doctoral award.

Degree Award

The program leads to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Management under Kathmandu University.

The degree is awarded after fulfillment of the academic, research, examination, evaluation, and completion requirements prescribed for the doctoral program.

The degree award remains part of the Kathmandu University academic system rather than a separate institutional qualification issued independently by KUSOM.

Who May Consider the PhD in Management?

The program is relevant to applicants with advanced academic preparation who intend to undertake doctoral research in management.

Its structure is particularly aligned with applicants interested in:

• Advanced management research

• Doctoral-level academic work

• Research design and proposal development

• Independent research in a management field

• Management scholarship

• Research-oriented academic progression

Admission depends on meeting the academic and research requirements of the PhD program and succeeding through its research-focused selection process.

PhD in Management and MPhil in Management

Both PhD and MPhil are research degrees at KUSOM, but they are separate programs.

The MPhil in Management was introduced in September 2009, followed by the PhD in Management in July 2014. MPhil has a stated capacity of 25 seats, while the PhD has 5 seats.

Their admission processes are also handled separately. Recent MPhil admission activity has used MRAT, while PhD admission uses its own framework involving academic requirements, research proposal, admission test, proposal or research presentation, and personal interview.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the full form of PhD in Management?

PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy. The program is offered as the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Management.

Which university offers the PhD in Management at KUSOM?

The PhD in Management is offered through Kathmandu University School of Management under Kathmandu University.

When was the PhD in Management introduced at KUSOM?

The program was introduced in July 2014.

How many seats are available for PhD in Management?

The stated capacity is 5 seats.

Is PhD in Management a research degree?

Yes. KUSOM categorizes PhD in Management as a research degree alongside MPhil in Management.

Does PhD admission use KUMAT?

The PhD follows a separate research-focused admission framework. KUMAT is used for the MBA and some other graduate management admission contexts.

What does the PhD selection process include?

The selection framework includes academic requirements, a research proposal, an admission test, proposal or research presentation, and a personal interview.

Is a research proposal required for PhD admission?

Yes. A research proposal forms part of the PhD admission framework.

Is there an interview for PhD admission?

Yes. A personal interview is included in the selection framework.

Who awards the PhD in Management degree?

The doctoral degree is awarded within the Kathmandu University academic system after completion of the requirements applicable to the program.