They are designed for students with a previous degree that is relevant to the specialism in question. The duration of these programmes is usually one year and they are intended to allow in-depth study of a particular area. They do not require previous work experience, although some students enter the programmes after several years in a job. The third and last type is the MBA, which is defined as a generalist programme with the main emphasis on management rather than on business studies. Significant work experience is required to enter this type of programmes, and most students are between 26 and 35 years old.
Duration is between one and two years.
According to the EFMD's project, the PhD is designed to prepare students for a future academic career. It is specified that there may be a preliminary component taught before the doctoral candidates are admitted to the research stage, or students are admitted directly to the research and thesis process with no formal component taught beyond a few research methodology courses. The PhD thesis is intended to be a significant contribution to knowledge.