The Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) was established in 1970 and has an impressive and long record of contributing to the expansion and enrichment of the knowledge base in the financial services industry. In 1982, IFMR became an approved research institution to conduct research leading to award of PhD by the University of Madras. Initially, the PhD degree was in the area of Finance and then since 2014 in the area of Management.

In 2018, IFMR was re-christened as IFMR Graduate School of Business (IFMR GSB) and integrated within the newly formed Krea University under the IFMR Society. IFMR GSB offers MBA and PhD programmes under Krea University from 2018. Krea Doctoral College will now oversee the PhD programmes of the university, in both schools – IFMR GSB and SIAS. IFMR GSB strives to provide a stimulating research environment to its research students, supported by faculty with exceptional research credentials. IFMR GSB endeavours to be an institution that contributes in the space of higher education by training students who then go on to become thought leaders and teachers themselves.

The alumni of the PhD programme have assumed positions as faculty in prestigious academic institutions such as Ashoka University, Great Lakes Institute of Management, the Loyola Institute of Business Administration, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore, IIM Kashipur, IIM Shillong, IIM Amritsar, IRMA, Madras School of Economics, Mahindra University, and Rajagiri Business School. Other alumni are in significant roles in research institutes, think- tanks and corporates such as Centre for Excellence in Fiscal Policy and Taxation, CRISIL, Deloitte, ICICI, Institute for Human Development, and SCOPE international.

IFMR GSB’s in-house journal, “Journal of Emerging Market Finance” reinforces IFMR GSB’s research credentials. With the support and guidance of faculty, PhD students publish extensively in peer-reviewed journals and present their research in various national and international conferences. The annual research symposium at IFMR GSB provides an excellent platform for students to showcase their work and interact with researchers from the Krea ecosystem and other national and international institutions.

IFMR GSB offers a research programme leading to the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The PhD programme combines rigorous coursework and a flexible curriculum with in-depth research requirements while staying true to the Krea vision of interwoven learning, ethical values, critical thinking and interdisciplinary education.

The University now offers the PhD programme to full-time and part-time students

Full-time students receive tuition waiver and stipend for four years. Extension up to one year may be granted, following review by the Dissertation Committee. Part-time PhD students are required to complete the first term on campus in residency, and return to campus for end-of-year 1 examination and comprehensive examination, and proposal, synopsis, and thesis defense. Both part-time and full-time students are awarded a PhD in Management.