In 2022/23, the Department of Management and the Department of Accounting will be running seven distinct MRes PhD programmes. This is an extensive offering of highly specialised programmes, combining rigorous methodological training alongside higher level taught field courses and research opportunities leading to a doctorate.

While many applicants to research programmes will have undertaken Master’s level training before applying, for some students with exceptional academic performance and passion for research, the door to a career in research and academia can open directly after undergraduate study through the MRes/PhD programme structure.

A space to think about research

At the start of the Michaelmas Term reading week, the Department of Management and the Department of Accounting joined forces to create a half day introduction to research programmes for LSE students. Held in the contemplative space of the Shaw Library, students from across eight different LSE departments joined together with faculty and current research students to explore what a MRes PhD programme is, and why they might consider embarking on a career in research and academia after graduation.

Talking about research

Professor Wim Van der Stede (Head of Department, Department of Accounting), Dr Andrea Mennicken (Doctoral Programme Co-Director, Department of Accounting) and Professor Naufel Vilcassim (Head of Department, Doctoral Programme Director) opened the event and then the session started with two research seminars.

Professor Ane Tamayo discussed her ground-breaking research on Corporate Social Responsibility and the 2008 Financial Crisis. She gave an overview of the process of deconstructing big questions about trust and corporate performance into workable units of analysis to answering highly complex questions, and how this meticulous investigation led to her publication of her highly cited and influential papers on corporate culture, social responsibility and value creation.

Professor Noam Yuchtman presented his work on the interaction between autocratic political systems and the technological advancement in artificial intelligence. His story shone with passion for the creative process of doing research and the thrill of exploring questions with fellow academics, and the freedom leading researchers get to challenge accepted norms or beliefs, in this case about technological progress and democracy.

Listening to researchers

A panel of research students at different stages in their research journey provided really helpful insights for potential applicants. The panel had very positive feedback from participants and, as one attendee commented, the only problem was there was not enough time to ask all the questions they had.

This was followed by faculty panel in which Dr Edgar Whitely (Department of Management) and Dr Per Ahblom (Department of Accounting) shared their stories about routes to academia and their reflections on working in academia. Both highly entertaining narratives with one clear message – no two paths to academia are the same, but a passionate interest in research, a creative flare, and a love of the dissemination of knowledge is key.

Future events

This event was a trial to see if there is appetite to learn more about research among undergraduate students and the answer was clearly a “yes”. Research is not for everyone, but this event provided a useful insight and time to consider this as an option for the students that attended. As one said attendee said: “It was a really good event that was delivered perfectly. I got answers to all my questions and came from the event with a much more solid understanding of the PhD programme”.

We hope to hold similar event each year and invite more potential research students to come and find out more!

If you’re interested in learning more about the undergraduate to MRes PhD route, contact Camilla Kennedy-Harper (LSE Department of Management) or Rebecca Baker (LSE Department of Accounting).

Notes:

• Photo by Nigel Stead, LSE.