Ph.D. in Business Administration
The School of Business Ph.D. in Business Administration program defines itself at the intersection of three research domains: Information Systems & Analytics, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management and Finance. These three research domains are strongly represented by the faculty of the Business School and provide different perspectives on business administration.
The design of the Ph.D. program is based on the assumption that novel research ideas often occur at the intersection of different knowledge domains. The unique combination of these three research domains and their integrated discussion will lead to creative and innovative research questions within and across these domains. The combination will also encourage the development of the interdisciplinary skill sets necessary to conduct innovative research. The majority of Ph.D. programs focus on theory and analytical skills. The integration of three research domains complements this fundamental skill set with the skills necessary for creating and applying this knowledge. Our students are challenged to create new technologies for analyzing relevant research questions related to important problems we face today.
Students of the program will chose one of the three research domains as their research focus and they can study aspects of the other two domains as part of the program. Because of the specific integration of the knowledge domains the program offers a truly interdisciplinary experience. This is achieved by a common set of required courses and by the selection of individual courses.
Degree Requirements: The Ph.D. program in Business Administration consists of a minimum of 36 credits of coursework and a maximum of 18 research credits.
Admission Requirements: The Ph.D. program is designed for the exceptional student possessing a strong quantitative background and a degree in management or related topics. Students who are interested in joining the program must fulfill the following requirements:
Students must have earned a 4-year undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university.
Students must have earned a master’s degree in Business, Finance, MIS or related field.
Students must have attained a basic knowledge of statistics comparable to MGT620 Statistical Models.
Students must have completed undergraduate course work in mathematics including the equivalent of two semesters of calculus and one semester of linear algebra, or they must acquire this background before entering the program.
International students for whom English is a second language must demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting the results of a TOEFL or an IELTS test.
All students are required to submit GMAT or GRE test scores not older than 3 years.
Admissions decisions are made beginning in February for the following fall semester. Students are encouraged to apply at any time during the year but it is preferred that complete applications are submitted by January 31.
Depending on the student’s background, several non-credit business, information technology and finance foundation courses may also be required.
Structure of the Ph.D. Program
Course work (36 credits). All courses are worth 3 credits unless otherwise specified.
Five common core courses addressing research methods, economic theory and research design.
Two domain specific courses addressing fundamental research questions.
Four elective courses that could involve independent study as well as master’s and doctoral courses.
Signature doctoral course PRV 961 required for all doctoral students at Stevens.
Special Method Workshops (SEM, Conjoint Measurement etc.)
MGT 960 Dissertation/Research (18 credits)
A preliminary examination is usually taken after the second semester of fulltime study. A qualifying examination is usually taken after finishing the 4th semester of full-time study.
A proposal for the student’s PhD dissertation is usually defended at the end of the third year of full-time study. The final PhD dissertation is usually defended at the end of the fourth year of full-time study.
Program Learning Objectives
The program’s learning objectives are to prepare students to pursue an academic or industry research career.
The program’s required common courses will provide students with the foundations needed to conduct independent research.
The domain specific courses will introduce students to the foundations of the three research domains and equip them with the knowledge required to conduct research within a domain.
These courses develop skills in understanding and analyzing as well as in creating and applying.
Understanding and analyzing skills are addressed by discussing the theoretical foundations of the domains and fundamental methods.
Creating and applying skills are developed by theory building and developing tools to analyze specific social and economic phenomena.