Program Overview

MPhil in Strategy, Marketing, Operations and Organisational Behaviour

The MPhil in Strategy, Marketing, Operations and Organisational Behaviour (SMOOB) is an intensive nine-month programme that prepares students for continuation to the Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS) PhD in the fields of strategic management, marketing, operations and technology management, or organisational behaviour.

Educational Aims

The educational aims of the programme are to prepare students for doctoral work in the fields of strategic management, marketing, operations and technology management, or organisational behaviour at CJBS. The programme is an integral part of the CJBS PhD programme for these fields, by:

• providing teaching in research methodology, in particular in econometrics and mathematical modelling
• providing teaching in foundational subjects, such as economics
• providing research seminars in which students will learn about the current debates in their field of specialisation, and about the canonical literature that underpins these debates
• providing guidance on the structuring, writing and critiquing of academic research papers
• giving students the opportunity to experience research first-hand, either through an individual research project or a dissertation

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students should have:

• critiqued research papers on the basis of content and methodology
• developed and defended a research proposal for their subsequent PhD year, including a clearly articulated research question, its positioning in the literature, and appropriate research methodology
• acquired or consolidated foundational knowledge and methodological skills necessary for research in their chosen field of specialisation
• demonstrated an ability to critique research papers
• presented their own ideas in a public forum and learned to contribute constructively within an international environment

Continuing to PhD

Students may apply to continue to the PhD, but success is subject to satisfactory performance at the admissions interview in the Lent Term 2026, and achieving a minimum average grade of at least 70 per cent on the MPhil in Strategy, Marketing, Operations, and Organisational Behaviour. Students are required to also achieve at least 70 per cent in their dissertation (if not replaced by additional modules).

Key Information

• Duration: 9 months full-time
• Study Mode: Taught
• Degree: Master of Philosophy
• Department: Judge Business School
• Dates and deadlines:
  • Applications open: September 3, 2025
  • Application deadline: February 26, 2026
  • Course Starts: September 1, 2026
• Funding Deadlines:
  • Course Funding Deadline: December 3, 2025
  • Gates Cambridge US round only: October 15, 2025

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