Introduction
The overall objective of the Ph.D. Program in management is to develop scholars who will be productive researchers and effective teachers at leading colleges and universities throughout the world. The program emphasizes analytical training in management and quantitative methods along with economics or the behavioral sciences. It equips students to conduct original research on important problems that are of interest to both academics and practitioners in the field of management.
While the Ph.D. program is rigorous and challenging, it is also small and collegial. An average of two students enter the program each year and work closely with their fellow Ph.D. students. Students develop valuable relationships with one another and faculty that continue long after completion of the program.
The program's faculty are enthusiastic mentors and productive scholars. They are readily accessible in offices adjacent to those of the Ph.D. students. Ph.D. students actively and regularly participate in informal research discussions and present their own work. Ph.D. students also participate in research seminars given by the faculty and by invited faculty from other universities. The faculty in management have received doctoral training at leading business schools and behavioral science departments. They are active researchers who publish regularly in scholarly management journals. Several members of the department hold or have held editorial positions in leading academic journals. The list includes past Editors of the Administrative Science Quarterly and the Academy of Management Journal and a past Associate Editor-in-Chief of Organization Science. This depth of editorial experience provides students with important skills and advice related to navigating the journal submission and publication process.
Admission
Selection of Students
Students admitted to the management Ph.D. program should have a solid foundation in statistics and have proficient English writing and speaking skills. Students may be accepted into the program without a graduate degree but an MBA or other graduate degree is desirable. A student with no formal business training may need to take additional classes to supplement the specialized coursework of the doctoral program.
Admission Procedures
Students should have a Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score above 650 and scores on the verbal and quantitative portions that place them in the 75th or higher percentile. International students whose native language is not English should have TOEFL scores higher than 600 and excellent English speaking and writing skills.
Most management Ph.D. students receive financial support in the form of an appointment as a graduate teaching fellow. For the 2004-2005 academic year, typical appointments carry a nine-month stipend of $11,000 or $12,000 (depending on whether the student has a master's degree) plus a waiver of tuition and health insurance. Graduate teaching fellows assist faculty members in research and teaching and assume responsibility for teaching undergraduate business courses.
Additional sources of financial support available to management students include:
Lundquist Research Fellowships in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Each year the Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship awards two $2500 fellowships to Ph.D. students pursuing discipline-based or interdisciplinary research relating to innovation and entrepreneurship.
Ph.D. Summer Research Awards. The LCB doctoral program offers several competitive $2500 summer research awards to students who intend to pursue independent academic research.
Management Travel Grants. All Ph.D. students in Management are eligible for one fully-funded trip to a major research conference to present their research and to attend doctoral consortia. Other funds are available to support doctoral students’ travel to present competitively selected research papers at national conferences.
The application deadline for the Ph.D. program for fall term is the preceding February 1.
Program Structure
The Ph.D. program requirements include courses and a comprehensive examination in the major area of management; courses in statistics and economics or the behavioral sciences; two research papers; and a dissertation. Students are also strongly encouraged to collaborate with faculty on publishable research.
Major area requirements
Students are required to take at least two Ph.D. seminars in each of the first two years. In preparation for the Ph.D. seminars, they are also are encouraged to take upper-level management courses in the MBA program to fill gaps in their applied management education. In addition to courses offered in the management department, students also take courses and seminars in statistics, econometrics, sociology, psychology, and communications. Building on this knowledge, students then specialize in the area of management that will constitute their primary research and teaching interests. Individual programs of study are tailored to each student's interests and prior coursework. Recent graduates have incorporated topics like entrepreneurship, technology and innovation, sustainable business, supply chain management, human resource management, and international management into their programs.
The comprehensive examination in management, given in two one-day sessions, is generally taken at the end of spring term in the second year of the Ph.D. program. Students who fail the exam have an opportunity to re-take it.
Coursework and Seminars
Courses in Economics and Statistics
Students must complete at least three courses in a supporting field, generally one of the behavioral sciences, and five courses in statistics or econometrics. Typically, students take statistics courses in the College of Business and in the sociology, psychology, or economics departments. Many take courses in the University's world-renowned psychology department.
Management Ph.D. Seminars
Formal Ph.D. coursework in management takes place in doctoral seminars. The objective of the seminars is to teach students the fundamental theories, analytical techniques and empirical methods that are employed in management research. The seminars involve lively discussion and debate, and are designed to enhance the students' ability to critically evaluate others' research and to develop their own research projects. Currently, faculty expertise resides in the strategic management, organization studies, and entrepreneurship, and the doctoral seminars reflect this orientation.
Research
First-year Research Review Paper
The first-year research paper is due at the beginning of the fall term of the second year in the program. This paper focuses on a critical review and analysis of a current research topic. It gives students the opportunity to do independent, but guided research at the beginning of the doctoral program. In addition, the paper helps students identify specialized interests, develop writing and research skills and offers them the chance to interact with faculty. The student submits a short proposal spring quarter and a faculty advisor is assigned at that time. Most of the work on this project is completed during the summer following the first year. Students present the results of their research during the second year of the program.
Second Research Paper
The second research paper is due at the beginning of the student’s third year. It follows the same process as the first year paper but requires the collection and analysis of original data. This paper advances the student's research capabilities and generally leads to the research topic for the doctoral dissertation. Students present the second research paper to the faculty and other Ph.D. students.
The Dissertation
The dissertation is an original project that adheres to high standards of exposition, contributes to knowledge in the field of management, and demonstrates an ability to conduct independent research. Students are responsible for identifying their area of research and work informally with faculty in developing their topic and project. When the project has become well defined, the student forms a dissertation committee that typically consists of a faculty advisor, two other faculty from the Lundquist College and one faculty from another college of the university. After the dissertation committee agrees that a suitable topic has been chosen and an effective research design has been developed, the student presents a dissertation proposal to the faculty and other Ph.D. students. Ideally, the dissertation proposal is defended by the spring of the third year of the program.
A successful defense of the dissertation proposal results in a written agreement between the student and the committee that acknowledges the project can be successfully completed. When the student and the dissertation committee agree that the dissertation project is completed, a defense of the dissertation is presented. A student making steady progress can complete all of the degree requirements within four years of entering the program.
Training in Effective Teaching
Developing effective teaching skills is a significant part of the Ph.D. program and increasingly important in attracting offers in the academic job market. Students participate in teacher training activities conducted by the Lundquist College and by the university's Teaching Effectiveness Program. In addition, students are encouraged to observe classes taught by faculty, to serve as teaching assistants, and to use the resources available in the university's Teaching Effectiveness Program. Students typically teach four quarter-length undergraduate courses during the Ph.D. program.
Contact General inquiries about the Management Ph.D. Program may be addressed to:
Professor Alan Meyer
University of Oregon
Charles H. Lundquist College of Business
Eugene, OR 97403-1208
Telephone: (541) 346-5178
E-Mail Address: ameyer@uoregon.edu
