International accreditation provided by IACBE
High quality, intensive supervision and digital support
Blended learning principles as a standard
Focus on Business and Academical trajectories
SSM Research Center offers a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program based on blended and online learning principles. The program is highly structured and internationally accredited by IACBE. Due to the blended learning aspects, there are no admissions deadlines. Individuals can start, pause, and finish whenever they want. Each PhD candidate receives a lot of support from a dedicated supervisor and a mentor, and access to digital libraries and live (digital) events. Joining the PhD program at SSM Research Center gets you access to our International Expert Group. In the following paragraphs, these reasons to start your PhD with SSM Research Center are explained in detail. To see the differences between a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and the DBA, please read this article: PhD and DBA at Swiss School of Management.
3-year program, 6 semesters
5,000 EURO per semester
No admission deadlines
- No travel required
Entry requirements: Master’s degree from an (inter)nationally accredited institute
Each candidate gets an experienced and dedicated supervisor
10-step overview of the PhD at SSM
The PhD is designed as a part-time program for people who do not want to put their careers on hold. Using a combination of online learning, self-study, and face-to-face teaching, the Doctor of Philosophy allows you to undertake a substantial piece of research without interrupting your professional or academic working life. consists in general of three main consecutive stages: Coursework, Research lab, and Doctoral thesis. During those phases, students are guided and coached by their mentor and supervisor.


Individual study plan
The first step for applicants is drafting their initial research proposal. This is a 10-page document answering the most important aspect of the intended research. SSM Research Center supplies a template for candidates to use to speed up the process. Candidates do not have to think about structure, we have provided it already. It is wise to start with the initial research proposal as soon as possible and complete this step within two weeks after enrollment. The candidate’s supervisor will review and give feedback on it. During the application process, applicants write an essay of 1,000-2,000 words with the core of the initial research proposal. The template of the initial research proposal that the student must use can be found here.
Our Research Agenda
As an institute for higher education, SSM wants to contribute the leaders of tomorrow that further social and economic development in their regions. Therefore, we promote a research agenda in our doctoral program. On that agenda we have a few fields that are key aspects of social and economic development, namely: competitiveness, logistics management, high performance organizations (HPO), small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) an entrepreneurship & social and economic development.
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Explore our various programs
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
At SSM Research Center you will find a variety of DBA programs. DBA Studies are one of the most challenging and highest rewarding levels in Higher Education. SSM Research Center has developed an outstanding Doctor of Business Administration Programs. These programs have unique features, which add significant values to graduates beyond the rewarding Doctor Degree.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
At SSM Research Center you will find a variety of PhD programs. A PhD is the highest university degree that is conferred after a course of study by universities in most English-speaking countries. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields.
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