PhD in Business Administration

Program Overview

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Program Details

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

School

School of Business

Department

School of Business

Available

On campus

Do insightful research that gets people in industry to rethink how they do business.

The Ph.D. in Business Administration at Stevens is an interdisciplinary program that encourages students to conduct creative, innovative research in any of the three major research concentrations at the School of Business: Innovation and entrepreneurship, information systems and analytics, and finance.

You'll be pushed to test your research skills by investigating practical areas of need in the private sector, and have a chance to present and defend your work at conferences around the world. You'll enjoy a close, nurturing relationship with faculty as you create, augment and apply technology-driven business innovations. The doctoral program at the School of Business provides a strong background in basic disciplines, particularly management and economic theory, computational methods, research methodology, and statistical methods. Faculty at the school are committed to high-quality research and teaching, and are passionate about instilling those same values and work ethic in Ph.D. students. Students who complete the Ph.D. program are prepared to independently conduct creative and innovative research projects. They are immediately hired at competitive institutions, where they become standouts for their analytical thinking and technology-driven creativity, as well as their ability to bring a fresh perspective to the most pressing problems facing business.

Who should apply

The Stevens Ph.D. in Business Administration is designed for students who are interested in pursuing careers in academia, as opposed to working in industry. The research skills you'll develop as a student will prepare you to become a thought leader whose research advances the frontiers of knowledge in business while creating impact in industry. Graduates of the program have gone on to rewarding research careers at institutions like IESE (University of Navarra), Duquesne University, Fordham University and many others.

Curriculum

The Ph.D. curriculum at the School of Business is demanding, and is designed to prepare students for the rigors involved in a career in academic research. While coursework is extremely challenging, students benefit from a supportive environment — they work closely with both faculty mentors and their fellow doctoral candidates as they develop the skills required of highly effective leaders in academic discovery. They also attend required research colloquia that give fresh insight into the problems prominent researchers are investigating and the methods they use to carry out their work. To obtain a Ph.D. from the School of Business, a student must complete at least 84 credits beyond the bachelor's level. A maximum of 30 credits is awarded for a master's degree from another school.

Prerequisites

Ph.D. candidates must have some proficiency in selected areas of mathematics and quantitative analysis — especially calculus, linear algebra and basic statistics — as these tools are the general foundation for study in all business disciplines. To assure proficiency, the School of Business offers remedial courses addressing these areas.

Required courses

Every doctoral student at Stevens completes PRV 961 Ph.D. Signature Course as part of their studies. All students in the Ph.D. in Business Administration take the following five courses:

• MA 701 Statistical Inferences
• FIN 703 Microeconomic Theory
• FIN 704 Econometrics
• MGT 719 Research Design
• BIA 652 Multivariate Data Analytics

In addition to the above courses, all students take two independent study courses and three electives from master's or doctoral programs at Stevens.

Concentrations

Each concentration has a specific set of courses that students must complete as part of their doctoral studies.

Innovation & Entrepreneurship concentration

• MGT 711 Entrepreneurship Theory and Innovation Management Research
• MGT 753 Theory in Management Research

Finance concentration

• FIN 708 Corporate Finance Theory and Applications
• FIN 705 Asset Pricing Theory and Applications

Information Systems & Analytics concentration

• MGT 734 Design Science Research Seminar
• MIS 722 Business Process Management & Innovation

Dissertation

Following completion of the written exams and all coursework, students are required to write and defend a dissertation in a selected area of concentration. It is expected that doctoral dissertations will make significant contributions to the creation of knowledge and the development of theory and practice in a selected area. The dissertation, and related research, counts for 18 credits and rounds out the 54-credit doctoral degree.

Admissions Requirements

A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, preferably in a business discipline, computer science, information systems or finance. Candidates with backgrounds in science and engineering are encouraged to apply as well.

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, preferably in a business discipline, computer science, information systems or finance. Candidates with backgrounds in science and engineering are encouraged to apply as well.
• For international students: Candidates must achieve a TOEFL score of at least 90 or an IELTS score of at least 6.5 in each component.
• Valid GMAT or GRE scores. Admission to School of Business programs is very competitive; excellent scores are required for candidates to be accepted.
• A statement of purpose describing, in three pages, the applicant’s research interests and rationale, and general career objectives.
• Current résumé or curriculum vitae.
• Official transcripts for accredited schools of higher learning attended. Typically, a GPA of 3.0 (on a 4-point scale) or better at the bachelor’s level, and 3.5 or better at the master’s level, are required.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• Evidence of prior scholarly work. This work should be written solely by the applicant; published work under sole authorship will be highly valued.