Asia School of Business

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Executive Education

PhD in Management

((N/0414/8/0052)(05/31)(MQA/PA17423)

3 to 6 years

Full-Time Duration

4 to 8 years

Part-Time Duration

Research

Mode of Offering

Rolling Intake

Intake

Overview

Our PhD in Management is specifically designed for individuals who aspire to acquire advanced research skills and explore scientific knowledge in economics, business, management, and beyond.

As a student in our program, you will have the freedom to delve deep into your chosen research area within business management. We believe in empowering you to contribute to the advancement of business knowledge through rigorous training and impactful research. This program prepares candidates to become thought leaders in academia, industry, and policymaking.

Why Pursue a PhD with Us?​

Broad research topics​

Enjoy the flexibility to explore various subjects in business management, including economics, supply chain, finance, consumer behavior, and marketing.​

World-class & globally diverse faculty​

Learn from MIT-affiliated and globally diverse faculty who offer expert guidance and close mentorship throughout your PhD journey.

Funding & support​

Benefit from generous financial support and dedicated mentorship to help you pursue your PhD with confidence and focus.

Facility spaces​

Modern and centrally located campus in the heart of southeast asia​.

Application Guidelines

Academic and Professional Requirements

  • Master’s degree (or equivalent) from a recognized institution of higher learning, with degree certificate and official transcript.
  • Academic CV.
  • Research proposal (including the proposed research theme, its relevance, and potential contribution).
  • Recommendation by an academic/professional
  • Proof of Research Methodology competency at Master’s level (coursework, mixed mode, or research/dissertation/thesis), completed within the last five years and carrying equivalent credit.

English Language Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency by meeting at least one of the following minimum scores (valid within 2 years of application):

  • MUET: minimum Band 4
  • IELTS: minimum overall band 6.0
  • TOEFL iBT: minimum score 60
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE): minimum score 59
  • Cambridge English: minimum score 169
  • Or an equivalent recognized English qualification

You may be exempted from submitting a test score if:

  • You are from a country where English is the official language (e.g., USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand)
  • Your previous degree was fully taught in English. In such cases, you must provide official evidence (e.g., a letter from your institution).

Note: International applicants must meet these requirements for both admissions and student visa processing.

With only a small number of candidates admitted each year, the Doctor of Philosophy​ in Management program maintains rigorous academic standards. To stand out and secure a place, applicants are encouraged to submit a strong, well-rounded application.

Pre-Apply / Inquire

Start by submitting a pre-application form for a preliminary eligibility check. Contact phd@asb.edu.my with further questions.

Apply

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted and provided with a private link to submit the full application.

Application Review

Admissions verifies eligibility based on MQA criteria. Faculty assess research alignment and may schedule an interview. The PhD Council considers both assessments to reach a supervision and funding decision.

Decision & Enrollment

Successful candidates will receive an official admission letter, funding details, and instructions on the next steps for onboarding and arrival.

Note: Admission to the PhD in Management requires a confirmed ASB faculty supervisor. Applicants are encouraged to explore faculty fit early, but prior contact does not guarantee admission.

PhD Program Director ​

Professor Frese holds appointments at Asia Business School (Malaysia) and Leuphana University of Lueneburg (Germany). Prior appointments were at NUS (former Head of Dept. and Provost chair), at University of Giessen (chair for work and organizational psychology) and visitng professor at London Business School; professorial appointments also at University of Bremen, at University of Pennsylvania, at LMU (Munich) and at UvA (Amsterdam). He lectured internationally – as visiting professor in the USA (e.g., Maryland, Michigan State), Sweden, Zimbabwe, Brazil, China (Zheijang Univ), Uganda (continuous visiting professor at Markerere University Business School), and elsewhere. Professor Frese was a student at Univ of Regensburg (BA=Vorplom), Free University of Berlin (Diploma = MSc) and Technical University Berlin (PhD).

Professor Frese’s research spans a wide range of basic and applied topics within organizational behavior and work psychology. Most important are his longitudinal studies on psychological effects of unemployment, impact of stress at work, predictors of personal initiative, as well as psychological success factors of entrepreneurs. His field studies on errors, error management, and error management culture have received wide attention. In the area of training are concepts of error management training, leadership training and training to improve entrepreneurial success and personal initiative. He studied cultural factors in organizations and across nations, as well as success factors in entrepreneurs in developing countries (Africa, Latin America, and Asia). He is known for his (cross-national) research on innovation, most recently innovation processes in Asia.

Frese has authored 180 peer reviewed journal articles (in amongst other journals SCIENCE, AMJ, JAP, PP, AMLE, JPSP, JBV, ROB, JOB, JVB, JOOP, and APIR) and 250 book chapters and was editor/author of 30 books and special issues.

Visit his Bio for more information

Michael Frese

Distinguished Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship,
Faculty Chair,
PhD Program Director

Research Focus Areas

Our PhD in Management offers candidates the flexibility to pursue research across a diverse range of focus areas within business management.

  • Administration 
  • Change Management 
  • Educational Management 
  • Entrepreneurship 
  • General Business 
  • Human Resource Management 
  • International Business 
  • Logistic Management
  • Management Studies 
  • Organizational Theory and Behavior 
  • Strategic Management 
  • Supply Chain Management 
  • Banking and Finance 
  • Economics 
  • Accounting 
  • Marketing

Fees & Funding​

Tuition Fees

ASB offers a limited number of merit-based fellowships to PhD students. These are awarded competitively as tuition fee waivers and approved by the PhD Council. Details will be outlined in the admission letter.

Research Funding​

PhD candidates may apply for discretionary research funds or external research grants to support their academic work.​

Living Expenses​

While the program does not automatically cover living costs, PhD students may explore opportunities for research or teaching assistantships where available.

Stipend, Conference and Research Support

Monthly stipend, conference, and research support may be available, subject to the discretion of your supervisor and the approval by the PhD Council. There is no separate application to secure the funding.

PhD FAQ

Here is a collection of frequently asked questions that can help you understand more about the program. If you have additional questions about the admissions process or the PhD program, please email phd@asb.edu.my