Kathleen Mortimer
Associate Professor in Marketing Communications
level:PG;top_up:false;international:true;foundation:false;clearing:false;full_time:true;part_time:true;start_month:October, March;location:Waterside
Marketing and Entrepreneurship PhD
Key Facts
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Duration
PhD: Full Time 2 years - 4 years or
Part Time 3 years - 6 years -
Level
PostgraduatePG PhD
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See Fees and Funding
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See Fees and Funding
Get in touch
UK STUDENTS ENQUIRIES
study@northampton.ac.uk
0300 303 2772
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ENQUIRIES
Updated 12/03/2026
Overview
For you to attain a PhD in Marketing or Entrepreneurship, you are required to submit a thesis which demonstrates your ability to engage in independent research, originality, critical thinking, and academic writing. Your research will build on the works of others, but you are expected to make an original contribution to theory and/or knowledge in the field. During your study in the PhD programme, you will be required to attend face-to-face mandatory training organised by the Graduate school from time to time. These trainings are aimed at supporting you with your learning and academic progression.
In the first year of your study, you will be required to have your internal transfer viva examination. For this examination, you need to produce a transfer report and detailed research proposal with a substantial piece of work and present these documents before the internal examiner who will then write a report/recommendation to the university on your academic progress on the programme.
Your final thesis will be examined (oral presentation) by a panel of academic examiners who are approved by the university. The final word count for your final thesis is around 80,000 words. The duration of study for PhD is 2-4 years for full-time and 4-6 years for part-time.
As a PhD student at our university, you will become an essential part of our research community because, you will have the opportunity to work, interact and present at conferences with our team of academics and researchers, whose research has made a significant impact on business, policy, society and international.
Find out more about our Research Centres and Institutes below:
- Centre for Sustainable Business Practices (CSBP)
- Centre for Global Economic and Social Development (GESD)
- Centre for Sustainable Futures
- Institute for Social Innovation and Impact (ISII)
The closing dates for applications for the October intake is the 1 August and for the March intake is the 11 December.
Highlights
- Conduct independent, original, and academically significant research
- Benefit from training courses to develop key research skills.
- Supervision and support from expert academic staff
- Present at talks and seminars to display your work.
- Regular research seminars, conferences and research activities led by our Research Institutes and Centres and the Graduate School
Entry Requirements
We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants who are interested in studying at Research Level. Normally candidates should hold a 2:1 or higher honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant subject. Where possible you should also hold a good Master’s degree, or international equivalent in a relevant subject area.
If you would like to undertake a PhD, but do not currently have a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject, you may wish to consider studying one of our master’s programmes instead.
Students with lower-level qualifications, or qualifications in a different subject area but relevant experience, will also be considered on an individual basis.
We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.
You will be required to attend an interview as part of the application process.
All offers of a place on the programme are subject to:
- Successful interview by the University.
- Suitable Research Supervision Support.
For Additional information on how to apply to study with us, how to find a potential Supervisor and what documents are required as part of the application process, please see our How to Apply page.
More detailed information about the research degrees is available on our Postgraduate Research Information page. For information on creating a 1000-word research proposal – please view the guidance notes on how to write a proposal for a research degree
If English is not your first language, you will need to demonstrate that you meet the minimum English language requirement of IELTS at 7.0, with no component less than 6.5 (or equivalent). Applications with IELTS lower than 5.5 in all components will not be considered.
What You'll Learn
This qualification is the highest that any UK university can award. A research degree allows you to delve deeply into your chosen topic and your own research interests. Students are expected to conduct their own, independent, critical research under the guidance of accomplished academic staff. By communicating the research that you have conducted and your findings, through a thesis, you have a rare opportunity to generate knowledge. It can open doors to many careers and provides researchers with a fantastic opportunity to further their academic careers or advance into higher executive roles in the sector. We welcome applications from students of all backgrounds and nationalities.
This Marketing/Entrepreneurship PhD programme is a way for you to develop your specialism and improve your research, written, presentation and practice skills. While developing and setting up your research projects, you will initially receive general, face-to-face project specific training so that you can go on to conduct your research work effectively and independently.
Each PhD student is assigned to a supervisory team which consist of Director of Study (DOS), first and second supervisors. Our PhD students registered for an MPhil and within the first twelve months of their study, they are expected to transfer from MPhil to the PhD programme. The transfer process requires our students to produce a detailed research proposal and apply for ethics approval. Students are required to present their written piece of work to an academic audience and then proceed for the internal viva examination with an internal transfer viva examiner. The transfer viva process, appointment of internal examiner and approval of ethics documents are all subject to approval by the university research committees.
Our students are required to work independently on their research, under the advice and direct supervision of their supervisory team. Below is a list of some previous PhD topics that have been explored in the Subject Group.
- An examination of co-creation drivers in Ghana’s hotel setting: a micro level approach
- Marketing to the digital extended self; exploring the effect of digital brand engagement in self-concept (BESC) on the continued usage of branded digital possessions.
- Impact of Brand Crises on Brand Image in the age of Corporate Social Responsibility
- Sustainability in the Leather Industry: Exploring the relationship between Social Sustainability Drivers, Practices and Indicators
- The Role of Entrepreneurship and Human Resources in Supporting Sustainability-Oriented Innovations in Food Supply Chain Management
Because of the nature of the PhD programme, our students spend a vast majority of their time, studying and engaging in independent research. Students are required to have supervision meetings regularly with the view to discuss student’s progress, action plan for the next steps and suggestions on students’ improvement on the programme.
We can supervise topics including:
- Game Advertising and Advertainment
- Alternative Marketing (Guerrilla Marketing; Viral Marketing; etc.)
- Global Marketing and Developing Economies.
- Family business
- Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Marketing
- Gender and Ethnicity
- Social Marketing and Behavioural change communications
- Strategic marketing and Brand management including Luxury branding
- Marketing Communications and Digital Marketing
- Advertising Regulations
- Consumer research
- Fashion sustainability
- Black African identity and ethnicity studies.
- Disruptive technologies and digital transformation strategies
- Innovation and innovation ecosystems.
- Fast fashion/fashion/sustainability
Fees and Funding
2026/27 Tuition Fees
Doctor Of Philosophy Degrees
- Full Time: £5,850
- Part Time: £2,900
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 26/27 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
When assessing an applicant’s eligibility to pay home fees, we use the guidance provided by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) which sets out the regulations that have been decided by the UK Government Department of Education.
Doctor Of Philosophy Degrees
- Full Time: £16,850
- Part Time: £7,850
Tuition fees quoted for International Students apply only to the 2026/27 academic year. These fees may increase in future years in line with Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation to reflect rising delivery costs. Any annual increase will be capped at a maximum of 5% of the previous year’s tuition fee. Updated tuition fees will be published on the UON website at least three months before the start of the next academic year.
Additional Information
Please visit the funding pages and our scholarship pages for more details on how to fund your study.
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 25/26 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
Doctor Of Philosophy Degrees
- UK – Full Time: £5,700
- UK – Part Time: £2,845
- International – Full Time: £16,350
- International – Part Time: £7,640
Staff
Martin Smith
Senior Lecturer in Marketing
Rebecca Fakoussa
Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Katerina Thomas
Senior Lecturer in Business Entrepreneurship
Christiana Stephen
Senior Lecturer in Marketing
Nayyer Samad
Senior Lecturer in Marketing
Jocelene Quansah
Senior Lecturer in Marketing
Careers and Employability
A doctoral degree can be the pinnacle of academic success and often signifies the start of a career in academia or research. The University of Northampton has an excellent Careers and Employability Service who are dedicated to equipping students with the skills to thrive, adapt and innovate in our ever-changing world. Many of our Research alumni are employed in academia as well as public and private sector businesses.
Facilities
Our PhD students have access to exceptional research facilities such as:
- Dedicated PhD study area with computer and printer in the Learning Hub
- Teaching and Research Assistant opportunities should you meet the requirement
- Spacious individual and group working space and discussion areas
- Well-equipped library with access to academic e-books, journal articles and learning resources for on-site and off-site study
- Library and Learning support for PhD students
- Skills support for PhD students
- Opportunities for research collaboration with staff and students
- Excellent social groups for student meetings and engagement
