What (experience / qualifications) do I need to get onto the PhD in Management at London School of Economics?

Question

The LSE website says it offers most PhD programs part-time. I am seriouly interested in starting a PhD in Management at LSE in September 08/09 part-time but I don't know if I am wasting my time applying? Does anyone know anyone has done a PhD there and how tough it is to get in? Money is not an issue.

I will be 30 then and I already have a BA(Hons) in Management and an MBA. I work for a Big Four Consultancy as a Senior Consultant and the majority of my role is Project Management. I also have various professional qualifications.

Jeffery B. I want it for several reasons, 1) personal satisfaction 2) A higher contractig rate and ability to sin work when I leave my company and go self employed and 3) So I can call myself Doctor (sad but true)

Answer 1

I would check with your employer. Since they are one of the big four, they should be able to tell you which PhD's would mean anything to them. I would think it wouldn't be worth getting if they don't acknowledge it as useful in their world. Maybe you want to teach. That could be a good thing to consider also.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

The top PhD programs in various areas of business administration are notoriously difficult to get into. Berkeley (where I got my PhD), for example, accepts between 2%-5% of the applicants to their PhD programs. Because of this, applicants often signal their ability to do graduate work by already doing graduate work in other fields. For example, many applications for Finance PhDs already have a PhD in a field like physics, mathematics or statistics.

In Management, many have done graduate work in psychology or sociology before applying. It is the one field in business where an MBA is advantagous -- so if you did well in your MBA, it could help you.

For specific requirements, you should contact the director of graduate studies at LSE. I would advise against getting a PhD part time. It takes a long time to get it when you go full time. I would also advise against getting a PhD unless you REALLY want to do research.