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Obtaining a PhD
Welcome to the PhD Programme of Open Universiteit. The programme consists of two phases: Phase I (one year), and Phase II (three to five years).

During the first year, different modules and workshops will be taught. By the end of this phase, participants have written a research proposal under supervision of a field academic experts from OU. The goals of Phase I of the programme:

  • Learning to formulate a scientifically relevant research proposal related to one of the research topics of Management and Science (OU)
  • Developing academic skills and an academic attitude, necessary for conducting PhD research.

During Phase II the PhD student conducts the research and writes the dissertation.

Internal or external PhD candidates

PhD candidates can be employed full-time by the faculty, but the faculty also offers aspirant PhD candidates who are employed elsewhere the opportunity to obtain their PhD part-time. These so-called external PhD candidates are not a part of the faculty but their projects are supervised by professors of our faculty. Research questions for a PhD project should match one of the areas of interest of the research programme of the faculty.

Distance learning or part-time programme 

External PhD candidates can do their PhD research as a regular external PhD student of the OUNL, in which case they do their research mainly by distance learning, of course in close collaboration with their supervisor and promotor. Once admitted as an external PhD student, they become a member of the OUNL Graduate School.
Read more on the regular external PhD programme.

The faculty also offers the possibility to choose the part-time PhD programme in management. The part-time PhD programme combines distance learning with periodic inhouse workshops and meetings. 
Read more on the part-time PhD programme in management.