Ph.D. students attend multiple courses, workshops, and seminars, engage in research activities, and craft their thesis throughout their Ph.D. journey
The first Ph.D. year "kicks off" with an official welcome meeting between the newly enrolled first-year Ph.D. students, the Ph.D. coordinator, and the Ph.D. tutor. The official welcome meeting takes place annually in Bologna around the last week of October. In this first meeting, the Ph.D. coordinator and tutor socialize first-year students with DiSA faculty members, research fellows, and Ph.D. students from other years, present first-year courses and main deadlines, and explain all the requirements to which students must comply.
During the first year, Ph.D. students must select their preferred Ph.D. track: "Management" or "Accounting, Banking, and Finance".
Ph.D. students attend introductory courses on qualitative and quantitative research methods and build strong theoretical foundations in areas related to their primary research interests (e.g., organization studies, entrepreneurship, innovation management, marketing, strategy, accounting, and banking). Early exposure to methodological and theoretical courses equips Ph.D. students to tackle complex research tasks confidently and enhances their ability to critically engage with the academic work they will encounter throughout their Ph.D. journey.
The first year ends with the completion of a "Summer Paper" consisting of a conceptual, review, or empirical paper to be crafted under the supervision of a DiSA faculty member to be contacted by the Ph.D. student. The "Summer Paper" offers a first opportunity for Ph.D. students to actively engage in academic writing, explore research topics that could be of interest for their dissertations, and engage with scholars working at DiSA.
Ph.D. students must successfully complete all mandatory first-year coursework (i.e., by receiving a passing grade) and the "Summer Paper" to enroll in the second year.
During the second year, Ph.D. students continue their training by taking elective courses specifically offered by the PhD programme or by enrolling in graduate courses offered by the Department of Management and/or the Department of Economics at the University of Bologna. Upon authorization of the Ph.D. coordinator, elective courses can be substituted with summer schools and/or other graduate or post-graduate courses from other universities.
Elective courses offer more advanced and fine-grained training in specific qualitative or quantitative methodologies and theories that Ph.D. students intend to pursue in their thesis. During the second year, Ph.D. students also attend two workshops that provide some early insight into how to navigate the review and publishing process, strengthen their academic profile, and balance the multiple demands linked to academia.
During the second year, Ph.D. students are expected to develop a thesis proposal to be presented to the Ph.D. board, DiSA faculty members, research fellows, and fellow Ph.D. students:
Around mid-April: Pre-proposal presentation (20’ presentation and 25’ Q&A)
Around mid-June: Proposal presentation (30’ presentation and 15’ Q&A; Ph.D. students are also expected to submit a 40-page document one week prior to the presentation day)
Around mid-September: Proposal re-presentation (30’ presentation and 15’ Q&A; only for Ph.D. students who failed the proposal presentation; Ph.D. students are also expected to revise and re-submit a 40-page document one week prior to the re-presentation day)
Additional presentations before the completion of the second year may be required by the Ph.D. board to approve the thesis proposal. A positive evaluation by the Ph.D. board is necessary to be admitted to the third year.
Ph.D. students must define their Ph.D. thesis advisory board by the end of the second year: each student's advisory board must comprise at least three advisors: one main advisor (internal to DiSA) and two co-advisors (internal or external to DiSA). "My Cup Of Tea" seminars and academic "Speed Dates" are intended to help Ph.D. students engage with and involve DiSA faculty members and scholars from other universities in their advisory boards.
During the third and fourth years, Ph.D. students primarily focus on their thesis, which can take the form of a monograph or three papers.
Ph.D. students are supervised by their Ph.D. thesis advisory board through the different stages of data collection, data analysis, and writing. The Ph.D. thesis advisory board must comprise at least three advisors: one main advisor (internal to DiSA) and two co-advisors (internal or external to DiSA). The main advisor coordinates with the co-advisors and reports to the Ph.D. coordinator.
The Ph.D. board approves the thesis based on the recommendations and comments of the Ph.D. thesis advisory board, which assesses its originality, quality, and potential for publication. A positive evaluation by the Ph.D. board is necessary to be admitted to the fourth year.
During the third and fourth years, Ph.D. students must spend a visiting period abroad of at least 6 months.
Ph.D. students must submit a first draft of their Ph.D. thesis at the end of the fourth year.
The Ph.D. thesis advisory board reports to the Ph.D. board, commenting on the thesis and suggesting potential changes that may still be needed.
Once the final draft of the Ph.D. thesis is completed, the Ph.D. coordinator and the Ph.D. thesis advisory board identify the defense committee.
Ph.D. students must present and receive a positive evaluation by the defense committee during the Ph.D. thesis defense to be awarded their Ph.D. degree.