About the employer

BI is an independent, not-for-profit foundation and the main provider of research based knowledge on business and management disciplines in Norway.

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About the PhD Specialisation

The PhD specialisation in Marketing focuses on developing doctoral students theoretical knowledge and methodological skills required to become successful researchers. We welcome applications from students with a strong background in disciplines such as business, economics, psychology, and statistics.

The Department of Marketing is a strong research department with researchers publishing at the highest international level (e.g., Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, and Marketing Science). The department is also highly international and has a strong presence at the top conferences in the field globally. The department s doctoral students are successful and have been placed at high quality international universities and business schools, such as Bayes Business School, Grenoble Ecole de Management, Nanyang Technological University, and University of Groningen.

Admission Requirements

Eligible applicants must have completed a Master of Science degree with thesis work, a research masters/M. Phil degree, or a comparable degree relevant for the specialisation in Marketing by the early summer of 2027. An MBA degree does not fulfil the requirements for admission. Final year Master of Science students are encouraged to apply.

Accepted applicants will be offered close supervision and follow-up by the research faculty.

Scholarship Details and Work Obligation

The four-year scholarships are currently NOK 623 200- per year (will be adjusted during 2027). The positions provide for automatic membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (Statens Pensjonskasse). The scholarships require 25% of the teaching responsibilities of a full-time professor position. PhD candidates will have their place of work at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway.

Additional Information

Additional information about the doctoral programme, admission requirements and the application can be obtained from the Doctoral Administration at BI Norwegian Business School (Email: info@bi.no) and the department s website

Application Documents Required

You are required to upload the following with your application:

Certificate of a Master of Science degree or equivalent, including transcripts of grades.
Certificate of a Bachelor s degree or equivalent, including transcript of grades.
Please note that BI requires a two year master program and average grades of B and up to be eligible.
A Diploma Supplement or a similar document describing in detail the study and grade system and the rights for further studies associated with the obtained degree.
Other relevant certificates and transcripts
An original project proposal (5-10 pages including topic, proposed method, schedule). If generative AI is used to generate any text this needs to be clearly stated and cited.
CV
Letters of recommendations from relevant employers/professors/supervisors providing evidence of your skills as a researcher (a minimum of 2 letters)
Certificates from previously completed courses at the doctoral level, if requesting approval of these for the PhD programme at BI Norwegian Business School (see section 2 in our PhD Regulations). If you have taken any courses at PhD level please complete the following form (maximum 18 ECTS).
A complete list of all publications and/or other documented relevant activities
Signed verification document. Template to be found here: Verification document

English Language Proficiency

Applicants must take either TOEFL or IELTS. The minimum standards for test scores acceptable for admission are:

TOEFL a total score of 575 points for the written test or 233 for the computer-based version or 90 points on the internet-based test
IELTS a score of 6.5

Exemptions are made for applicants:

whose native language is English
who have two years or more of higher education where the language of instruction was English
from a country which is a member of the EU/EEA and/or the Council of Europe/UNESCO-Cepes, who have English as the first foreign language taken over a period of at least 7 years in primary school, secondary school and upper secondary education.

Under certain circumstances, applicants may request a waiver for the TOEFL or IELTS when applying for admission. To request a TOEFL/IELTS waiver, the applicant must submit a waiver form.

TOEFL / IETLS scores must be from within the last two years. The codes for BI Norwegian Business School are as follows: GMAT 0529, TOEFL 0529, GRE 7365. For IELTS we accept copies as long as the TRF number is visible.

Important Notes

Please note that all documents must be uploaded in the electronic application platform. Documents cannot be submitted by e-mail. Furthermore, note that any documents forwarded after the application deadline will not be considered. Exceptions will only be made for students who are completing their master s degree in 2027 and do not have a final certificate when applying. Please note that you will not be able to revise your application once it has been submitted.

Candidates may, at a later stage, be asked to forward further information and/or be called in for an interview.

Candidates who are accepted for the programme, must provide a more detailed progress plan with milestones and courses for the four years of study.

Application deadline: December 1st, 2026.

Start of the PhD study is August 2027.