Program Overview

Doctoral Studies in Entrepreneurship

The Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics and Finance at Aalto University School of Business offers a major in Entrepreneurship. This four-year, full-time programme attracts ambitious researchers from around the world who are eager to study entrepreneurship as a driver of economic, social, and cultural change.

What We Are Looking For

We welcome applicants who are motivated to pursue an academic career and who bring curiosity, independence, and a willingness to contribute to our research community. Strong candidates combine well-developed writing and analytical skills with critical thinking, professionalism, and resilience.

Research and Training

Our doctoral programme combines structured coursework with flexibility for independent research. In the first years, doctoral researchers develop methodological and theoretical expertise through advanced courses in philosophy of science, qualitative and quantitative methods, and entrepreneurship theory.

Current Research Themes

• Entrepreneurial responses to grand challenges
• Entrepreneurship and population ageing
• Everyday entrepreneurship
• Micro-entrepreneurship in the Global South
• Psychological processes underlying entrepreneurial actions
• Regional and institutional embeddedness of entrepreneurship
• Social and sustainable business venturing

Faculty and Supervision

Each doctoral researcher is assigned a primary supervisor whose expertise aligns with the student's research interests and methodological approach. Supervising faculty include:

• Maija Renko, Professor
• Myrto Chliova, Associate Professor & Head of Doctoral Programme in Entrepreneurship
• Ewald Kibler, Associate Professor & Head of the Entrepreneurship Unit (ENTU)
• Tamara Galkina, Assistant Professor
• Patrick Shulist, Assistant Professor

Research Community and Environment

The Entrepreneurship Unit is one of the most international and diverse communities at Aalto University, with more than twenty nationalities represented. Doctoral researchers are treated as colleagues from day one, contributing actively to seminars, research groups, and publications.

Career Pathways

Most of our graduates pursue academic careers. Entrepreneurship has been one of the fastest-growing subfields within management and business studies over the last decades, creating opportunities for both research-oriented and teaching-oriented positions.

Degree Structure and Coursework

The doctoral degree consists of 60 ECTS of coursework:

• General research studies (18 ECTS): Philosophy of science, advanced qualitative and quantitative methods, academic writing, and transferable skills.
• Research field studies (42 ECTS): Advanced entrepreneurship theory, research seminars, and electives in management and social sciences tailored to the dissertation topic.

Funding and Support

Doctoral researchers at Aalto benefit from a supportive and research-driven environment, which includes financial support. Funding is guaranteed for the first two years, typically through the School of Business.

Life as a Doctoral Researcher

Doctoral studies at Aalto are both intellectually demanding and personally rewarding. Living and researching in Finland has shaped not just academic thinking, but also how one envisions contributing to academic life in the future.

Why Finland and Aalto?

Finland is consistently ranked among the best countries in the world for quality of life, safety, and education. Aalto University is Finland's leading business school, internationally recognised for management and entrepreneurship research.

Application Process

We invite applications from motivated candidates who aspire to an academic career and who wish to contribute to advancing entrepreneurship research. For further questions on the admission process, contact the Aalto School of Business Doctoral Programme. For further academic inquiries, contact Myrto Chliova, Associate Professor & Head of Doctoral Studies in Entrepreneurship.