Information Systems PhD Seminar Series and Workshops
Throughout the programme all Information Systems and Innovation doctoral students attend weekly research seminars, which feature presentations and discussions from doctoral students, invited speakers and academic members of the Information Systems and Innovation Faculty group.
First year
Research Practicums
In the first year of your programme, you will engage in active research, called Research Practicums, with different members of Faculty. The rotation of practicum assignments will include one-to-one training and collaboration that provides you better understanding of the research process, e.g.:
- Literature reviews.
- Applied research methods and practices.
- Determining theory-driven testable hypotheses.
- Identifying appropriate methods and samples.
- Conducting analyses.
- Evaluating findings and implications.
- Writing manuscripts for the academic peer-reviewed process with ultimate goal of publication in top-tier academic journal.
Courses & Seminars
In your first year you will take courses to prepare you for research in organisational phenomena associated with IT innovation, and the management of IT-enabled organisational and social change. You will take core quantitative and qualitative research courses and choose an elective course in advanced methods or data analysis methods. In consultation with your supervisor, you will settle on a definite research topic by the end of the first year.
At the end of this first year, your progress is reviewed to establish that you are on track to upgrade from MPhil to PhD status.
All first year doctoral students in the Department of Management will take the seminar A Social Sciences Perspective of Academic Research in Management.
Courses include:
Research Design and Theoretical Foundations for Information Systems and Digital Innovation
The course will introduce the theoretical and practical foundations of social science research design. The course is grounded in Information Systems research and will provide you with a range of research design options and methodological approaches for your research.
Introduction to Quantitative Analysis
An intensive introduction to quantitative data analysis in the social sciences, covering the foundations of descriptive statistics and statistical estimation and inference. You will have computer classes to give hands-on training in the application of statistical techniques to real social science research problems.
Qualitative Research Methods
You will cover the fundamentals of qualitative research methods with opportunities to put those methods into practice. It prepares you to design, carry out, report, read and evaluate qualitative research projects.
Contemporary Digital Innovation Research
Grounds students in the traditional conceptualisations of IS and uses this as the base for exploring the theoretical challenges brought about by a variety of digital innovations to understand how these theoretical challenges are grounded in the relevant academic literature.
Elective Methods or Data Analysis course
You will choose one course from a selection of options including:
- Doing Ethnography
- Qualitative Research with Digital and Visual Data
- Qualitative Text and Discourse Analysis
- Multivariate Analysis and Measurement
- Applied Regression Analysis
- Social Network Analysis
A Social Sciences Perspective of Academic Research in Management
Along with all MRes/PhD and MPhil/PhD students from across the Department of Management Research programmes you will participate in a seminar on the nature of scientific enquiry in the Social Sciences. The seminar series is led by members of the Faculty across the Department and provides an interdisciplinary collaborative perspective and the opportunity for students to develop academic presentation skills
Second, third and fourth year (PhD)
At the start of year two you will submit a research proposal, up to 15,000 words, related to your designated major field for upgrade to PhD. The paper will outline the aims and methods of your thesis, provide preliminary data collection and analysis. You will also need to submit a concise literature review in which the significance of the proposed research is articulated.
In years two to four of the programme, you are expected to dive deep into your research and write your thesis. While writing the thesis you will continue to attend the weekly Information Systems PhD Seminar during term times but can also attend other regular research seminars that may be relevant to your research.
Throughout your PhD you will be expected to show the continued development of research ideas for publication or presentation at conferences, participation in relevant training courses and career development activities.
For the most up-to-date list of courses please visit the relevant School Calendar page.
You must note, however, that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.
You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s Calendar, or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the updated graduate course and programme information page.