PHD PROGRAMS FOR ASPIRING THOUGHT LEADERS

The PhD in Business Administration at KBS is a full-time, research-intensive doctoral program designed to develop the next generation of scholars, researchers, and academic leaders.

Quick facts

Total Credits
42 Credit Hours

Program Duration
5 Years
4 years with Master’s

Application Window
Open 23 Nov 2025
Closes 10 Jan 2026

Prerequisites
IELTS / TOEFL
GMAT/GRE recommended

Strategic Rationale: Why Launching This PhD

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Expanding Saudi Arabia’s research capacity
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Contributing to Vision 2030 strategic sectors
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Developing the national faculty pipeline
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Enhancing KBS’s research culture, publications, and international competitiveness

Tracks / Specializations

Applicants may choose one of six doctoral tracks:

Program Structure and Curriculum

Core Research Methods (Common to All Tracks)

BUS 505: Multivariate Data Analysis for Business
BUS 506: Research Methods

These courses provide rigorous training in quantitative analysis, research design,
and empirical methods essential for doctoral-level scholarship.

Core Theory Seminars (Track-Based)

Each doctoral track includes two foundational theory seminars that build
disciplinary depth and research competence. Examples include:

Management & Organizations: Organizational Behavior and Leadership; Human Resource Management
Finance: Advanced Corporate Finance; Empirical Asset Pricing
Marketing: Consumer Behavior; Marketing Strategy
Operations & Supply Chain Management: Supply Chain Strategy; Operations Management
Information Systems & Analytics: Information Systems Theory; Business Analytics
Accounting: Financial Accounting Research; Managerial Accounting and Control

Elective Courses

Students complete six elective courses designed to strengthen methodological
expertise and theoretical breadth:

Methodology Electives (2):
Advanced Econometrics, Experimental Design, Machine Learning,
Natural Language Processing (NLP), Big Data Analytics, R / Python for Research
Business Theory Electives (3):
Must include at least one course within the student’s chosen specialization
Free Elective (1):
Any approved KFUPM 500–600 level course

Phd Program 2025

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Accreditations

We are triple accredited by AACSB, AMBA and 4 PALMES

These accreditations underline our commitment to a high quality of teaching in the following ways:

AACSB focuses on overall quality and continuous improvement of our degree programmes.
AMBA is the global standard for all MBA, DBA and Masters degrees, accrediting programmes from the top 2% of business schools in more than 50 countries.
4 PALMES Top business schools across 153 countries, recognizing institutions for their academic excellence, international reputation, and global influence.

Timing & Duration

Admission Requirements

Participant Profile (Who Should Apply)

Program Type: Full-time
Duration: 5 years (for applicants holding a relevant Master’s degree)
SProgram Structure: Coursework → Qualifying Exam → Dissertation

Bachelor’s degree (GPA ≥ 3.0/4.0); Master’s optional
IELTS 6.5+ or TOEFL iBT 80+ (waivers apply)
GMAT/GRE recommended (possible waiver for strong research/publications)
Required: CV, Statement of Purpose, 3 recommendation letters
Strong quantitative skills required; business fundamentals may be assigned

Exigency (Exit Master’s Option):
Students completing coursework with GPA ≥ 3.0 but unable to proceed to exams/dissertation may be awarded an MS degree upon completion of a thesis.

This program is ideal for applicants who:

Aspire to academic or research-intensive careers
Have strong analytical and research interests
Are motivated to publish in ISI/Scopus-indexed journals
Seek interdisciplinary, theory-driven doctoral training
Applicants without a business background may be required to complete preparatory coursework.

Your PhD Journey Starts Here

1st Step

Admission

Candidates with limited business background should demonstrate strong research capabilities and quantitative skills, and might be asked to take additional coursework from the currently offered MBA courses as advised by the PhD coordinator (Case by case).

2nd Step

Core Methods & Theory

Shortlisted candidates based on their CV and application will be contacted for a personal interview.

3rd Step

Qualifying Exam

Successful completion of the examination components is required to advance to doctoral candidacy and begin the dissertation phase.

4th Step

Proposal Defense

After the interview, your application will be evaluated in-depth by our Admissions Committee. It will take roughly 1 month for the Admissions Committee to get back to you with a final decision. An admission offer shall be made to you which is valid for the intake you apply for and the following intake should you wish to postpone.

5th Step

Publications

6th Step

Thesis Defense

Apply for the PhD Program

Program Overview