Program Overview

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Management, Ph.D.

The Ph.D. in Management is a rigorous four-to-five year program preparing students for careers in management and higher education. Students enter into a research-oriented program centered on the development of top-level business professionals and educators. The mission of the doctoral program in Management is to advance the careers of students with research and teaching skills who can continue the creation, verification, application, and dissemination of knowledge to academic colleagues, future generations of students, and business professionals.

Research Areas

The Ph.D. Program in Management faculty supports students interested in:

• Human Resources
• Entrepreneurship
• Organizational Behavior
• Person-Organizational Fit
• Employee Well-Being
• Leadership
• Training
• Group and Team Processes
• Work-life Balance
• Strategic Human Capital
• Strategic Management
• Workplace Stress
• Business and Managerial Communication
• Healthcare Analytics
• Cybersecurity
• International Business

Admissions

Applicants are admitted into the Ph.D. program in Management annually for the fall semester. All completed applications received by January 1 of that year, meeting the minimum qualifications, will be included in the applicant pool for review. In exceptional circumstances, applicants may be considered for admission in other semesters.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the minimum Graduate School admission requirements, to be considered for regular admission, an application must include:

• A resume
• A Statement of Purpose that identifies faculty research interests that appeal to them
• 3 letters of recommendation. These must speak specifically to the ability of the applicant to successfully complete the Ph.D. program and their potential for teaching and research
• A writing sample is encouraged (solely authored by the applicant; an example of scholarly research, if available)
• A test score from either the GMAT or GRE exam taken in the past 5 years
• A TOEFL score of at least 79, or an IELTS score of at least 6.5, a Duolingo score of at least 110, or a PTE score of at least 59 for non-native English speakers who are required to submit an English Language Test score

Admission Considerations

While there are no absolute minimum cutoff test scores or grades, students with less than the following scores are rarely admitted:

• a 3.0 undergraduate and a 3.5 graduate grade-point average (or equivalent for students with degrees from other countries)
• a 600 GMAT (old version), 555 GMAT Focus Edition, or 310 GRE score with a reasonable balance between verbal and quantitative scores
• a 79 TOEFL score. The above grades and test scores do not guarantee admission

Curricular Requirements

Each student is required to complete at least three quantitative courses, specifically:

• MKT 688 Quant Modeling in Marketing
• MGT 690 Research Methods I
• MGT 691 Research Methods II (or equivalent)

Students must get written approval from the Ph.D. program coordinator to take an equivalent or to replace the three courses described here.

Core/Required Courses

Course	Description	Hours
MGT 610	Professional Development I	1
MGT 611	Professional Development II	1
MGT 612	Professional Development III	1
MGT 613	Professional Development IV	1
MGT 620	Organizational Behavior	3
MGT 621	Organ Behav Group Perf	3
MGT 622	Current Topics in HR Mgmt	3
MGT 623	Contemp. Issues in Org Theory	3
MGT 625	Foundations of Strategic Mgmt	3
MGT 633	Entrepreneurship Research	3
MGT 690 or AC 610	Research Methods I	3
MGT 691 or AC 650	Research Methods II	3
MKT 688 or BER 643	Quant Modeling in Marketing	3

Total Hours

• Credit Hours Subtotal: 31
• Elective Courses (with advisor approval): 14
• Dissertation Research Hours (MGT 699 - with advisor approval, distributed appropriately throughout the program): 24
• Total Hours: 69

Transfer Credit

Students may submit appropriate courses they have taken at their previous university for consideration of approval for transfer credit. The faculty discourages the transfer of topical seminar courses and key methods courses. To apply for transfer credit, students must meet with the PhD Coordinator during their first semester of residency at The University of Alabama to identify which classes they wish to be considered for transfer.

Doctoral Plan of Study Requirement

Each student must complete a Doctoral Plan of Study, which outlines the courses and requirements necessary for the completion of the Ph.D. degree.

Comprehensive Exam

Each student is required to pass a written comprehensive examination at the end of their second year. The examination is designed to determine students’ ability to show relationships among the various segments of knowledge they have gained during their coursework. Students must demonstrate knowledge of research methods, mastery of knowledge of management research, familiarity with major concepts in the extant literature, and the ability to identify and understand connections between topics.

Exam Format

The comprehensive exam will consist of four sections, one each in:

• Research methods
• Management theory or history
• Entrepreneurship or strategy
• OB or HR

If a student fails on their first attempt, they are usually given a second opportunity to retake either all or part of the exam, depending upon the faculty’s recommendations. A retake may include an oral exam if deemed necessary by the faculty. If a student fails the second attempt of an exam, they will be terminated from the program.

Admission to Candidacy Requirements

Students are certified by the dean of the Graduate School for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree after they have met the following requirements:

1. Satisfactorily complete all required coursework
2. Pass all examinations, including the comprehensive exam

Continuous Enrollment Policy

Students must maintain continuous enrollment in the program until the completion of the Ph.D. degree.

Dissertation Requirements

A dissertation showing power of independent research and literary skill must be prepared on a topic in the major field. The dissertation must comply with the regulations in A Manual for Students Preparing Theses and Dissertations.

Dissertation Committee

The subject of the dissertation must be approved by the student's dissertation committee.

Time Limits for Degree Completion Requirements

A student entering the Ph.D. program must complete all requirements for the Ph.D. degree within nine years of the date of admission in the graduate program. If a student is suspended from the program for exceeding the time limits for completion, the individual may petition the department chair and the Culverhouse College of Business Ph.D. Programs Committee.

Student Progress Requirement

Each student’s progress will be reviewed by the Department Head, and the Ph.D. Coordinator at the end of each semester. A graduate student with regular status in a graduate program who drops below a ‘B’ average (at any time after earning 6 semester hours), or if the student earns a “D" or “F” in a graduate course, will be placed on probation and may be dismissed from the program.

Probation and Dismissal

While on probation, the student will not be permitted to apply for admission to candidacy. Probationary status must be removed by raising the overall average to a "B" or better during the 12 hours of graduate work immediately following the period in which the probation was incurred. Failure to do so will result in the student being dropped from the program.

Academic Misconduct Information

Academic misconduct is taken seriously and may result in penalties, including dismissal from the program.

Withdrawals and Leave of Absence Information

Students may withdraw from the program or take a leave of absence, but must follow the procedures outlined by the Graduate School.

Academic Grievances Information

Students may file academic grievances, which will be addressed by the Graduate School.

Grades and Academic Standing

A graduate student with regular status who drops below a ‘B’ average (at any time after earning 6 semester hours), or if the student earns a “D" or “F” in a graduate course, will be placed on probation and may be dismissed from the program.

Grade Requirements

Courses may not be repeated for graduate credit; this includes courses initially taken on an audit basis. However, a course that is required in a student's curriculum in which a ‘D’ or ‘F’ is earned may be repeated for credit, upon the recommendation of the major department or program area and the dean of the Graduate School. Both grades will be considered in the computation of the grade point average.