The School of Management currently offers the opportunity for doctoral students to pursue concentrations in finance, marketing, and leadership and organizational science. Specializations in other areas of management may also be designed based on student interests and capabilities.
Doctoral students are required to develop a broad understanding of the various functional areas of management and their interrelationships. The program emphasizes the development of research skills based on a wide range of quantitative and qualitative approaches drawing on multiple disciplines and philosophies of science.
The Doctor of Philosophy in Management program provides students with a foundation in theory and research skills and prepares them for careers in teaching, research and/or consulting in college/university, business or government settings.
PhD Program of Study
An advisory committee works with each new doctoral student to determine the course sequence, review performance and evaluate progress.
Students entering with an MBA degree are expected to complete these courses and credit hours toward the PhD degree:
- Advanced quantitative/research methods (12-20 credits)
- Core courses in concentration area (12-16 credits)
- Specialization courses (12-16 credits)
- Pedagogy course (two credits)
After completing coursework requirements, students must pass a comprehensive examination and successfully defend a dissertation proposal and dissertation. Students entering doctoral studies with an MBA or equivalent degree may expect to complete the program in four to five years, depending on background.
Beyond coursework, doctoral students are expected to satisfy the following requirements for candidacy:
- Maintain an active research program
- Establish proficiency in statistical applications (such as Python, R, SPSS, SAS) and advanced analytic methodologies including computational modeling
- Attend seminars for doctoral students, in which research and current literature are discussed, and give presentations of their own research
- Develop expertise in teaching; generally, this is accomplished by teaching and attending pedagogy sessions
- Satisfactorily complete the written and oral comprehensive examination
- Students must obtain permission to take the examination from their advisory committee and the program director. The written examination assesses a student's research and statistical skills, understanding of theory and research applicable to their particular track, and knowledge in their area of specialization/concentration. The oral examination, if required, is taken after the written test is passed.
- Write and defend an acceptable dissertation
The program is more completely described in the doctoral program brochure and Procedural Handbook for Doctoral Work in Management, which may be obtained from SOM.
Prerequisites: Entering students will have taken introductory coursework in microeconomics, computer programming and calculus.
Below are several sample schedules for students entering with MBA degrees. As noted above, each student's background and interests are taken into consideration when designing a program of doctoral studies.
Sample Program for Finance
- Advanced Quantitative/Research Methods: ECON 615, 616, 617
- Foundation Courses: ECON 500, 502, 611; FIN 581A, 600, 610 and 630
- Specialized Courses: Elective ECON courses (as stipulated by the Economics
- Department for a minor in Economics)
- Teaching Pedagogy: MGMT 602
- Independent Study/Pre-Dissertation/Dissertation research (as necessary): MGMT 697, 698, 699
Sample Program for Marketing
- Advanced Quantitative/Research Methods: Select from MGMT 503, 600, 601; ECON 615, 616 and 617
- Foundation Courses: MGMT 506; MKTG 600, 601, 602, 603, 604 and 605
- Specialization Courses: At least two electives in the student's designated minor
- Teaching Pedagogy: MGMT 602
- Independent Study/Pre-Dissertation/Dissertation research (as necessary): MGMT 697, 698, 699
Sample Program for Organizational Science
- Advanced Quantitative/Research Methods: MGMT 503, 600, 601; LEAD 604, 605
- Foundation Courses: MGMT 508; LEAD 600, 601, 602 and 603
- Specialization Courses: Three electives in the students' designated minor
- Teaching Pedagogy: MGMT 602
- Independent Study/Pre-Dissertation/Dissertation research (as necessary): MGMT 697, 698, 699
General Academic Policies
Grades
The grading system of the Graduate School is applicable to SOM.
Withdrawal
Students who withdraw from all courses for which they are registered at the University must follow a formal withdrawal procedure if they wish their record to indicate good standing. Mere absence from class does not constitute due notice of withdrawal. No grades are recorded for students who formally withdraw within the first eight weeks of the semester.
Adds, drops or change of courses are approved through the SOM Advising Office and the Graduate School. Students may add, drop, substitute courses or change credit hours for courses carrying variable credit without penalty within the add/drop period determined by the registrar鈥檚 office. After that date, students may make changes only with the approval of the SOM Advising Office and the vice provost and dean of the Graduate School.
Students may withdraw from a course without restrictions through the add/drop period without a grade being recorded. After the add/drop period, courses dropped will automatically receive a grade of W. When dealing with modular courses, deadlines analogous to those specified above are used. For a module taken during the first mini-semester, the fourth week of the semester is the deadline for dropping without academic penalty. For modules held during the second mini-semester, the 12th week of the semester is the deadline.
Residence Requirement
Regardless of previous graduate experience, the minimum residence requirement for any graduate degree is 24 credits. If a student has interrupted graduate work for more than two semesters, credit for work taken prior to the interruption is reassessed by the school.
Students must be registered during the semester their degree requirements are completed.
Degree Candidacy
Students must submit a Graduate Application for Degree, notifying the Office of Student Records and Financial Aid of their intention to graduate at the end of a semester, by the posted deadline for the semester.
Undergraduate Students Beginning Graduate Programs
Undergraduate students in SOM who have completed all but two courses required for graduation may register for up to eight hours of graduate coursework for graduate credit. After securing consent of the respective faculty member(s), students must submit an Undergraduate Receiving Graduate Credit: Transcript Notation Petition to the Office of Student Records and Financial Aid. No graduate credit is granted unless this petition has been submitted and approved. Courses submitted for graduate credit are not counted toward the undergraduate degree.