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FPM curriculum and programme structure

FPM curriculum is designed in collaboration with experts from leading international business schools with a high focus on contemporary methods and enhancing domain knowledge. The coursework in the FPM programme is in line with the top schools offering Ph.D. in Management in India and internationally. The programme’s rigorous curriculum provides ample training for an academic career and enables participants to make exemplary intellectual contributions in their respective fields of research.

Programme structure

The programme structure is designed to develop academic researchers and thought leaders of the highest global standards who are keen to address real-life business problems through their research. The overall length of the programme is ideally between four and five years.

The programme phases include:

  • Years 1 and 2: Essential coursework for the qualifying exam
  • Years 2 and 3: Teaching immersion or case study writing
  • Years 2, 3 and 4: Guide allocation process and doctoral thesis that includes proposal submission, defence and registration. Progress review, pre-synopsis, synopsis and thesis submission.

  • Years 1 and 2

    Coursework phase

    The coursework at SPJIMR, critically reviewed by international scholars, is aligned with the highest global standards and recognised for its methodological depth and rigour. In the first year, the participants complete the following three courses:

    Foundation courses aimed at providing cross-functional exposure to management.

    Seminar-style specialisation courses provide subject knowledge of dominant theories and frameworks. Here, the faculty aggregates a select set of classic and contemporary research papers to be critiqued and analysed by scholars and faculty.

    Methodology courses to enhance rigour in research.

    At the end of these courses, the participants submit term paper(s) on their topic/area of interest for evaluation. Almost all doctoral-level seminars during the coursework phase lead to the creation of research proposals that scholars can publish in renowned international journals. The coursework phase comprises a total of 39 credits. The coursework phase culminates with a qualifying exam to test the candidate’s understanding of the literature in their field of interest. This evaluation may combine both methodological and substantive areas.

  • Years 2 and 3

    FPM scholars can either opt for teaching immersion or case study writing. They are eligible to take the teaching immersion/case study writing after successfully completing the CQE and before submitting the doctoral thesis proposal defense.

    Teaching immersion

    Teaching immersion is a platform for scholars to enhance their teaching capability. It makes them highly employable, good researchers and educators.

    Case study writing

    A case study is an appropriate research design when a scholar wants to gain concrete, contextual, in-depth knowledge about a specific real-world subject. It allows a scholar to explore the key characteristics, meanings, and implications of the case.

  • Years 2, 3 and 4

    Doctoral thesis

    FPM scholars should demonstrate professional competence in developing a model or a set of hypotheses, collecting and interpreting data, reaching conclusions, and drawing research and managerial practice implications. The thesis should contribute to the knowledge pertinent to understanding and resolving management problems.

    Guide selection

    Every FPM scholar selects the Guide for Dissertation in consultation with the FPM office. They can approach the advisors whom they would like to work with on their thesis.

    Doctoral thesis advisory committee

    The Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) advises the scholar on all aspects of the thesis experience. The scholar and advisor are expected to regularly hold periodic progress reviews with the entire Thesis Advisory Committee. Apart from the guide, there should be an additional two faculty members who will be part of the committee. The process for thesis advising will be as per AICTE guidelines.

    Doctoral thesis proposal

    Each FPM scholar prepares the thesis proposal and a synopsis and submits the hard and soft copies to the FPM office. The soft copy will be circulated to all the institute faculty and doctoral participants. An open seminar will be held where the FPM scholar will present the proposal. The Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) shall indicate whether the candidate has successfully defended the proposal. Scholars must incorporate all the valid suggestions in the subsequent work.

Areas of research

Economics and Policy

The Department of Economics and Policy provides education that equips students with a strong foundation in economic theory, quantitative methods, and policy analysis. The department aims to develop graduates and scholars with strong analytical abilities, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving capabilities to navigate and address contemporary economic and social challenges in a dynamic business environment.

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Finance and Accounting

The Finance and Accounting department at SPJIMR brings together academic scholars, hybrid scholar-practitioners, and senior industry professionals who together cover the full span of the discipline — financial accounting and reporting, corporate finance and valuation, capital markets and asset pricing, banking and financial institutions, international finance, financial econometrics, fintech, and corporate governance.

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Information Management and Analytics

Navigating complex digital transformations, multi-stakeholder ecosystems, and socio-economic realities requires agile leaders who bridge legacy systems with emerging tech. The hardest questions in business are rarely about technology itself. They are about judgement: which signal is worth acting upon and whether an algorithm’s decision can be explained to the person it affected.

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Marketing

Marketing is integral to understanding consumers’ needs, wants, and desires in order to develop offerings that drive a firm’s long-term growth and sustainability. It empowers managers to navigate the dynamic forces governing contemporary markets by enabling them to create, communicate, deliver, and capture value effectively. With rapid technological advancements, marketing also allows organisations to seamlessly integrate new tools, leveraging efficient feedback loops to evaluate data and continuously refine their offerings.

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Operations and Supply Chain Management

The Operations, Supply Chain Management and Quantitative Methods (OSCQM) department at SPJIMR focuses on the design, management and transformation of operating systems and supply networks that enable organisations to create and deliver value. The department brings together operations strategy, supply chain management, analytics and quantitative decision-making to address complex challenges across manufacturing, services, digital platforms, healthcare and developmental contexts.

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Organisation Behaviour and Human Resources

The Organisational and Leadership Studies (OLS) department is an interdisciplinary department comprising organisational behaviour, human resource management, communication, business ethics, science of spirituality, and business history. These disciplines together offer a comprehensive perspective on how people, organisations, and societies shape one another. OLS focuses on developing knowledge and capabilities around cultivating wisdom, leadership, ethical depth, and interpersonal skills in individuals and organisations, instilling critical inquiry and advancing human-centred practices to help individuals create meaningful impact in business and society. Through teaching, research, and innovative pedagogy, OLS faculty help future managers and leaders navigate complexity with judgement, integrity, and a grounded sense of purpose.

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Strategy

The Strategy Department at SPJIMR focuses on helping organisations understand, formulate and execute strategies that create and sustain enduring value in a complex and rapidly changing business environment.

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    Fellow Programme in Management (FPM)

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