Program Overview

University Programs

The university offers a range of programs for students and professionals.

Degree Programs

• Full-Time MBA: A full-time, 21-month curriculum and a global perspective to develop leaders of purpose.
• Part-Time MBA: Complete the Darden MBA on a flexible schedule that works for you at our UVA Darden DC Metro location.
• Executive MBA: Earn the Darden MBA while advancing your career at our UVA Darden DC Metro location.
• Future Year Scholars Program: Darden’s deferred MBA admissions pathway for college seniors and full-time master’s students.
• MS in Business Analytics: A 12-month program in partnership with UVA's McIntire School of Commerce focused on statistical analysis and leadership.
• Ph.D.: A multi-year program that provides a rigorous course of study designed for candidates who research for more than the sake of research.

Executive Education & Lifelong Learning

• Executive Education: Transformational, lifelong learning experiences to develop well-rounded leaders, drive growth in a changing market. Offered in-person, online or both.
• The Executive Program: Darden's senior advanced management experience for top global executives.
• Programs for Individuals: Focused experiences for high-potential executives & managers seeking personal growth and career transformation.
• Custom Solutions: Development for leaders and high-performers, designed to meet your organization's unique needs.

Explore Courses

Learn from Darden faculty through our online courses, available worldwide.

Partnership for Leaders in Education

Empowering education leaders with the most innovative thinking in business and education.

Ph.D. Program

About the Program

The Darden Ph.D. Program is a multi-year program that provides a rigorous course of study designed for candidates who research for more than the sake of research.

Application Process

1. Application Deadline/Timeline and Degree Prerequisites: The Application for Darden’s PhD Program in Data Analytics and Decision Sciences will open in early September. The deadline for applications will be 15 December 2025. Decisions will be released in early March 2026. We will not be accepting applications for our concentration in Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship until Fall of 2026. An MBA or Master’s degree is not required to apply but preferred.
2. Review our Application: We encourage you to review our application. During this first pass, don’t worry about completing anything--just gather information and think about a timeline that will help you plan and strategize working through the application.
3. Acquire your Transcript: Unofficial transcripts are fine for the purposes of our application process, and we require transcripts for all degree-related coursework.
4. Take a Standardized Test: We require one of two standardized tests, the GMAT or GRE, and we view these tests equivalently.
5. English Language Proficiency: To succeed in the Darden environment, students must possess a highly developed proficiency in written and oral English. Darden accepts English testing scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Pearson Test of English (PTE) or the Duolingo English Test (DET).
6. Upload Your Resume: As a rough guide, we recommend one resume page for every 10 years of work experience.
7. Identify Your Recommenders: We require two letters of recommendation and candidates may include a third letter if they wish to do so.
8. Respond to Our Essay Question: For the application cycle, we present a single essay question that offers a more extensive platform to demonstrate your aspirations to become an academic.
9. Pay the Application Fee: A nonrefundable application fee of $100 is required to process your application.
10. Additional Comments: Once you’ve finished your application, take a moment to think about your materials holistically. The Additional Comments section is not an additional essay, just a place to connect the dots.

Research Areas

• Data Analytics and Decision Sciences: Students are expected to be strong in several areas of fundamental theory (e.g., real analysis, probability theory, micro-economics, game theory, decision theory, optimization) as well as methods (e.g., statistics, econometrics, experimental design, coding).
• Strategy, Ethics, and Entrepreneurship: We will not be accepting applications for our concentration in Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship until Fall of 2026.