Program Requirements
Each student will be required to select a area of study, complete a sequence of research tools and methodology courses most applicable to these areas, and prepare a dissertation as evidence of original research in the field. The requirements for the Ph.D. program also include certain foundation courses in Business Administration that are normally completed in a masters program. Academic programs may set their own requirements beyond the minimum requirements of the college.
Foundation Work. Students in the program must complete course work in certain foundation areas or demonstrate proficiency based upon previous academic work. A student who has successfully completed the requirements for a masters degree from an AACSB-accredited graduate business program should have met most of the foundation requirements
A student with a M.Acc. from an AACSB-accredited program will be expected to take some courses, to be determined by the student’s advisory committee, outside the accounting area. All other students will either complete the following courses or demonstrate proficiency based on prior academic work:
- BA 410-3 Financial Accounting
- BA 426-3 Managerial Economics
- MATH 140-4 Short Course in Calculus
- EPSY 506-4 Inferential Statistics
- And 5 courses from any 3 of the following 4 areas:
- BA 430, BA 510, BA 530
- BA 450, BA 550, BA 598
- BA 540, BA 598
- BA 452 (MGMT 352), BA 420 (MGMT 318), BA 560
Area of Interest. Each Business Administration doctoral student selects a major area of interest from accountancy, finance, management (including MIS), or marketing. The student and advisor can tailor the course to the individual's background and career goals. The area provides sufficient depth for entry into university teaching and research positions or into the private or public sector in the research or managerial capacity. The student and their advisor select a sub-specialization from the functional areas of business or from a field outside the College of Business and Analytics. To learn more about each program's area of study, contact the Ph.D. coordinator for that area.
Research Tools and Methodology. Doctoral programs have strong research emphasis. The student and their advisor choose a specific group of research courses to complement the particular areas of interest, as well as career and research objectives.
Preliminary Examination. After completion of the course work, students will take an examination covering both the area(s) of interest and sub-specialization(s). The examination measures the breadth and depth of the student's knowledge within the discipline. The examination includes written and oral segments. After successful completion of the written exam, students sit for the oral exam. The students advisory committee administers the exam. Upon its successful completion, and after fulfilling the residency and research requirements, the student is recommended for candidacy and may begin the dissertation.
Dissertation. The dissertation culminates the program and is evidence of the student's ability to complete independent and creative research in the field of business administration. The student in consultation with the faculty chooses a faculty member in their program area of interest to chair or co-chair the dissertation committee. The dissertation committee is comprised of five faculty members and guides the student's research efforts. At the appropriate stage in the preparation of the dissertation, the student's dissertation committee sets a date for the final oral dissertation defense. Upon successful completion of the final oral examination, the student is recommended for the Ph.D. degree.