MONARCH GLOBAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
MPhil in
Business
Research
INQUIRY · RESEARCH CAPABILITY · SCHOLARSHIP
Develop research capability.
Build the foundation for independent scholarship.
A supervised research master’s degree with an embedded Licentiate in Research and a pathway towards doctoral study.
PROGRAMME BROCHURE · SEPTEMBER 2026
RESEARCH WITH PURPOSE
From acquiring knowledge
to conducting disciplined inquiry.
Develop the methodological competence, conceptual clarity and scholarly independence needed for advanced research.
The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Business Research invites you to critically evaluate management and organisational theory, formulate researchable questions and conduct a supervised study. Connect academic reflection with professional experience while establishing the habits of rigorous, ethical inquiry.
A qualification in its own right
Complete a research master’s degree that recognises analytical reasoning, research capability and scholarly writing.
A foundation for what comes next
Build methodological readiness and confidence for continued inquiry and potential doctoral progression.
Independent research. Supported development.
Faculty mentorship supports proposal development, methodological choices and thesis work. Explore philosophical assumptions, research paradigms and qualitative or quantitative methods appropriate to your approved study.
Bring your experience. Develop your question.
Bring a relevant business, management or interdisciplinary interest. Refine its scope with faculty for master’s-level study, research feasibility and supervisory fit.
Part-time, asynchronous study allows you to plan research around professional responsibilities, with no requirement to relocate.
PLAN YOUR RESEARCH STUDY
Programme facts
A fully online, part-time research master’s programme. Develop advanced research capability alongside your career, with faculty guidance and structured academic milestones.
| Institution | Monarch Switzerland |
|---|---|
| Department | Monarch Global Research Institute |
| Award | Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Business Research |
| Embedded award | Licentiate in Research (Lic.Res.) following successful presentation and defence |
| Study mode | Fully online |
| Study format | Part-time, asynchronous study with faculty supervision |
| Standard duration | 24 months |
| Extended pathway | 48 months |
| Designed for | Professionals and aspiring researchers |
| Residency | No relocation required |
| Language | English |
| Institution location | Switzerland |
Your pace. Consistent academic standards.
Completion depends on research progress and fulfilment of programme requirements. Duration is not a guarantee of completion or a tuition cap. Current payment and continuation arrangements apply during active registration.
YOUR RESEARCH JOURNEY
Four stages of
scholarly development.
Structured milestones take you from preparation to a completed thesis and formal defence. Faculty supervision supports academic coherence, methodological discipline and steady progress.
01 · Prepare
Study research philosophy, methodology, ethics and academic writing. Build the conceptual grounding to frame an independent project.
02 · Propose
Prepare a formal proposal setting out your question, conceptual framework and methods. Faculty review establishes coherence and feasibility before approval.
03 · Research
Conduct the approved study, analyse findings and produce the master’s thesis. Submission and approval lead to the MPhil award, subject to programme requirements.
04 · Defend
After written thesis approval, present and defend your work before an academic committee. Successful defence leads to the Licentiate in Research.
Develop the capability to design and defend research.
Learn to synthesise competing perspectives, link literature with evidence, and communicate a sustained scholarly argument. Address confidentiality, researcher positionality and the implications of your work for people, organisations and society.
Become part of a research community.
Engage with Monarch’s research culture and opportunities such as the Monarch Research Paper Series. Master’s candidates are welcome at periodic doctoral workshops in Switzerland; participation is optional.
PROGRESSIVE SCHOLARLY DEVELOPMENT
Written scholarship.
Defended research competence.
Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
Conferred upon submission and approval of the thesis, recognising research capability, analytical reasoning and scholarly writing.
Licentiate in Research (Lic.Res.)
The embedded award follows successful presentation and defence, demonstrating the ability to explain, justify and critically discuss your research.
A pathway towards doctoral study.
Graduates who successfully complete the Lic.Res. are eligible to progress into the second year of Monarch’s PhD or Doctor of Social Science programmes, subject to administrative approval.
The MPhil may also be completed as a terminal research master’s degree. Admission or recognition at other institutions is subject to their own requirements.
What could your research explore?
Illustrative directions for a focused master’s-level study:
- Leadership: How managers build trust within one hybrid-working team.
- Innovation: Organisational factors supporting knowledge-sharing in a selected business.
- Sustainability: How one organisation translates sustainability commitments into purchasing decisions.
- Finance: How small-business managers interpret and use cash-flow information.
Topics and methods are developed with faculty and remain subject to approval, data access, ethical requirements and supervisory fit.
FACULTY GUIDANCE
Experienced scholars.
Individual research development.
Dr. Norman Madarasz
Programme Professor · Philosophy
Dr. Madarasz specialises in political philosophy, contemporary French philosophy and international geoeconomic relations. He studied at McGill University and earned his doctorate at Université Paris VIII under Alain Badiou.
The author of six books and editor of ten collected volumes and translations, he has published more than eighty essays and book chapters and supervised over forty master’s and doctoral projects. His academic career spans teaching and research across the Americas and France.
He holds a Doctor of Literature from Monarch and the Chartered ABS Certified Management & Business Educator designation.
Dr. Louise Delaney
Programme Professor · Leadership
Dr. Delaney holds a dual PhD in Business Research / Doctorate in Leadership and an M.Phil. in Business Research from Monarch, alongside an MSc in Innovation and Technology Management from Dublin Institute of Technology.
Her research examines leadership, innovation culture and organisational performance in multinational subsidiaries. She brings more than twenty years of leadership experience with U.S. multinational technology companies in Ireland, developing sales and operations teams across EMEA and North America.
Her teaching and research connect academic theory with contemporary leadership practice.
YOUR NEXT RESEARCH STEP
Academic potential.
Intellectual curiosity.
Research ambition.
Applicants normally hold a recognised bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional qualification. Business, management and related disciplines offer relevant foundations; applicants from other fields with strong analytical or research potential are also encouraged to apply.
The Admissions Committee considers academic record, research potential and professional experience, and may request additional documentation. Relevant managerial or professional experience is valued for the perspective it brings to inquiry.
Who should apply?
Professionals strengthening analytical capability, graduates preparing for doctoral study, educators, consultants and early-career researchers.
Monthly entry
Admissions are rolling, with programme starts on the first day of each month, subject to admission. Successful applicants are assigned faculty supervision.
Choose a pace that fits your commitments.
The standard pathway is 24 months of part-time study. The extended 48-month pathway offers a longer schedule for candidates balancing research with professional and personal responsibilities.
Plan your investment.
Confirm current tuition, payment options and continuation conditions with Admissions before enrolling. Completion depends on academic progress and programme requirements.
MONARCH GLOBAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
What question will shape
your scholarly journey?
Build the research skills, intellectual confidence and methodological foundations to take your inquiry further.
Discuss your research interests →Apply to the MPhil programme →
MONARCH SWITZERLAND
Vorderbergstrasse 34 · CH-6318 Walchwil, Zug
Switzerland
umonarch.ch
administration@umonarch.ch
MPhil BUSINESS RESEARCH · SEPTEMBER 2026 · 8 / 8