Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Organizational Behaviour (PhD) is a research-oriented program that focuses on developing academics who study problems related to organizations. The program is not intended for the development of consultants or managers.

Program Description

The PhD Program in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources (OBHR) emphasizes the development of research-oriented academics who study problems related to organizations, including the effects of management practices on people, between people within organizational settings, and between organizations themselves.

What Makes the Program Unique?

The OBHR Division professors are internationally recognized scholars who represent an array of academic disciplines, including sociology, psychology, industrial relations, organizational behaviour, and human resource management. Examples of their research interests include entrepreneurship, organizational knowledge and learning, social networks, family business, territoriality, trust, customer sabotage, power and status, gender and diversity, harassment, and ostracism.

Quick Facts

• Faculty: Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration
• Academic Unit: Robert H. Lee Graduate School
• Specialization: Organizational Behavior
• Mode of delivery: In person at UBC Vancouver
• Program Components: Dissertation
• Tuition (First Year):
  • Domestic: $5,626.02
  • International: $9,883.98
• Median Funding: 50% of students receive $52,045 or more funding per year in the first 4 years, before tuition and fees

Admission Information & Requirements

Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum Requirements for English Language Proficiency Tests

• TOEFL:
  • Overall score requirement: 100
  • Reading: 22
  • Writing: 21
  • Speaking: 21
  • Listening: 22
• IELTS:
  • Overall score requirement: 7.0
  • Reading: 6.5
  • Writing: 6.5
  • Speaking: 6.5
  • Listening: 6.5

Prior Degree, Course, and Other Requirements

• The GRE or a comparable test is required.

Meet Deadlines

• Program Name: Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Organizational Behaviour (PhD)
• Intake: September 2026
• Canadian Applicant Deadline: 31 December 2025
• International Applicant Deadline: 31 December 2025

Prepare Application

Transcripts

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study.

Letters of Reference

Applicants have to submit 3 references to apply to this graduate program.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

• Fees:
  • Application Fee:
    • Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat: $118.50
    • International: $168.25
  • Tuition per year:
    • Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat: $5,626.02
    • International: $9,883.98
• Other Fees and Costs:
  • Student Fees (yearly): $1,144.10 (approx.)
  • Costs of living: Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool.

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based and need-based opportunities.

Career Outcomes

102 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 100 alumni.

Research Supervisors

The program will review research interests of applicants and recommend/match faculty members during the application/evaluation process.

Related Programs

• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Accounting (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Finance (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Management Information Systems (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Management Science (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Marketing and Behavioural Science (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Strategy and Business Economics (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Transportation and Logistics (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Urban Land Economics (PhD)

Further Information

Specialization

Organizational Behavior

UBC Calendar

graduate-and-postdoctoral-studies/degree-programs/business-administration

Program Website

administration/specializations/organizational-behaviour

Faculty

Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration

Academic Unit

Robert H. Lee Graduate School

Program Identifier

VGDPHD-CHS8

Classification

Social sciences » Economics and business administration » Industrial relations and work relations » Human resources management Social sciences » Economics and business administration » Industrial relations and work relations » Interpersonal communication in the workplace studies Social sciences » Economics and business administration » Management and trade » Organizational behavior

Program Enquiries

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