Doctor of Philosophy Degree Program

The goal of the Ph.D. Program in Management is to produce scholars capable of teaching and conducting research related to the management of organizations. To accomplish this goal, students must demonstrate competence in:

• the foundation areas of research methodology (including statistics) and economics or behavioral sciences;
• a major area of concentration within business administration, and an allied area of minor concentration;
• designing, executing, and completing a significant research project; and
• teaching in their area of interest.

Summary of the Program

Accomplishing these objectives normally requires a minimum of five years. During the first year, the student takes specified courses in statistics/research methodology and the student's major area. For some of the areas a summer research paper must be successfully completed in the student's major area. During the second year (or in some areas by the middle of the third year), the student completes a program of study in a major and minor field of concentration. Following this, a second research paper must be successfully completed. The student usually takes his or her comprehensive examination in the fields of concentration by the middle of the third year. Then the student must complete a doctoral dissertation. Though the student should think about the dissertation from the very first of his/her graduate study, the serious work on the dissertation usually begins in the third year and is complete by the end of the fourth year or soon thereafter. In addition, each student must have three semesters teaching experience prior to graduation.

A minimum program consists of 45 credit hours of doctoral course preparation, 3 credits for the teaching course and 18 credit hours for the doctoral dissertation.

Prerequisites to the Program

All applicants are expected to be graduates of an accredited American college or university or a foreign institution determined to be equivalent, and to have achieved acceptable grade point averages in all prior undergraduate and graduate studies. Majors in Strategic Management must have an M.B.A. or its equivalent. Applicants are required to submit Graduate Management Admission Test scores or Graduate Record Examination scores.

Students not meeting the program’s entrance requirements generally must take more courses than students who have met the requirements. Applicants with a recent M.B.A. degree are usually considered to have met the entrance requirements.

Specific course requirements are kept to a minimum so that students, in cooperation with their advisers and the director of the Ph.D. Program, may choose a program which best meets their own needs. Introductory course requirements listed below, therefore, are prerequisites to ensure a minimal level of competence in doctoral-level courses.

The following prerequisites should be met upon application, or shortly after entry, to the Ph.D. Program:

1. Information Systems and Management Science
   Working knowledge of computer programming, knowledge of management’s use of computers, and knowledge of basic management science applications and models.
2. Mathematics and Statistics
   Working knowledge of differential and integral calculus, matrix algebra, probability, sampling, estimation, hypothesis testing, experimental design, and regression.
3. Economics
   Intermediate level knowledge of microeconomics and macroeconomics.
4. Social and Behavioral Sciences
   Demonstrated competence in the behavioral and social sciences.
5. Business Administration
   Introductory level knowledge of the following areas: accounting, finance, marketing, business policy, operations, management, public policy toward business, and business law. Students with a prior business degree are assumed to have this knowledge. Those without prior business degrees are expected to demonstrate their competence in these areas.

Students entering the program may have acquired the knowledge by formal course work, self-study, or work experience.

Core Requirements

All students are expected to demonstrate competence in the foundation or core areas relevant to their major. Therefore, at the end of the first year (third semester for accounting), all students are evaluated by the faculty in their area. For some of the areas this means that students must pass a written or qualifying examination in their area of concentration.

Fields of Concentration

The fields of concentration normally consist of a minimum of 30 semester hours; 21 in a major field and 9 in a minor field. The minor concentration may be selected from graduate courses offered anywhere at the University. The major concentration must be selected from one of the following:

Accounting
Finance
Hospitality and Tourism Management
Information Systems
Management Science
Marketing
Organization Studies
Sport Management
Strategic Management

The major field of Strategic Management is intended to be broad in scope and does not require a specified minor field. The major field of Organization Studies may include aspects of Human Resource Management.

Upon arrival in the fall, a student is assigned an adviser from the major area selected. The student and adviser draft a tentative program of study, semester-by-semester. At the end of the first year, students are expected to successfully complete a summer paper requirement. After all class work is successfully completed the student will sit for their comprehensive exams. The comprehensive committee must include representation by the minor area; the exam must be written, and may include an oral portion.

Doctoral Dissertation

Upon completing the comprehensive examination, the student forms a dissertation committee in consultation with the projected chairperson and doctoral program director. The committee is composed of at least three members of the Graduate Faculty, including one person from outside the Isenberg School. Members on the committee are officially appointed by the Graduate School. A dissertation proposal is written and orally defended before the dissertation committee. After the committee accepts the proposal, the student completes the dissertation research to the satisfaction of the committee. The student must then successfully complete a final oral examination.

Teaching and Research Requirements

All doctoral students must teach 6 courses as primary instructor prior to graduation. This requirement is satisfied by independently teaching a class in the Isenberg School of Management (either live or online) for which enrollment in the school’s teaching preparation course is required. All doctoral students must also have one year of experience conducting research under the guidance of a faculty member.

Minimum Doctoral Program Schedule

Phase One (primarily first year)
Research Methodology Core 9 credits
Major Field Core 9 credits
Minor Field Core 3 credits

Phase Two (primarily second and third year)
Major and Minor Concentrations 18 credits
Advanced Methods 6 credits
Teaching Preparation
Comprehensive Examination

Phase Three (third, fourth and fifth year)
Dissertation Proposal Defense
Dissertation Research 18 credits
Final Oral Examination

Questions concerning the Ph.D. Program should be addressed to: Director of the Ph.D. Program, Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003.