Program Overview

Business Administration/Risk Management and Insurance PhD

The PhD in Business Administration program, with a concentration in Risk Management and Insurance, prepares individuals for advanced research and scholarship. The primary emphasis of the program is to prepare future faculty members for successful academic careers.

About the Program

• Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years
• Campus Location: Main
• Full-Time/Part-Time Status: Full-time study is required.
• Accreditation: The PhD in Business Administration program, with a concentration in Risk Management and Insurance, is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).
• Job Prospects: The program is primarily dedicated to producing well-trained researchers who will work in academic positions.
• Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students are not permitted to take doctoral courses.
• Financing Opportunities: Typically, all PhD students receive financial assistantship in the form of full tuition remission and a stipend in return for offering services as a Research Assistant (RA) or Teaching Assistant (TA).

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline

• Fall: Applications must be submitted and complete by Dec. 5 to be considered. Applications received after this deadline are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and dependent on availability.

Letters of Reference

• Number Required: 2
• From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from evaluators, typically college/university faculty or an immediate work supervisor, who can provide insight into your abilities and talents, as well as comment on your aptitude for graduate study.

Master's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline

• A master's degree is not required, but preferred.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline

• The equivalent of a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college is required. For three-year degrees, an evaluation of mark sheets may be required by WES or another NACES organization.

Statement of Goals

• Essay prompts can be found in the online application portal for Business Administration PhD applicants.

Standardized Test Scores

• GMAT/GRE: Required. GMAT scores are preferred. Test results cannot be more than five years old.
• English Language Proficiency:
  • TOEFL iBT: 90
  • IELTS Academic: 7.0
  • Duolingo: 110
  • PTE Academic: 68

Resume

• Current resume or CV required.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements

• Number of Credits Required to Earn the Degree: 48
• Required Courses:
  • Core Risk Management Seminars
    • Math Preparation (August) non-credit
    • RMI 9001: Corporate Risk Management
    • RMI 9002: Household Finance and Risk Management
    • RMI 9003: Theory of Risk and Uncertainty
  • Theory and Research Methods Courses
    • BA 9103: Econ Theory of Choice
    • BA 9105: Business Econometrics I
    • BA 9106: Business Econometrics II
    • BA 9203: Financial Economics
    • BA 9209: Business Econometrics III
    • STAT 8112: Statistical Methods for Business Research I
  • Electives: Select five from the following
    • BA 9101: Getting Your Hands Dirty: The Craft of Data Management and Analysis
    • BA 9104: Game Theory
    • BA 9108: Capital Markets Research
    • BA 9205: Information Economics
    • ECON 8106: Microeconomic Theory II
    • Any ECON 8000-level course
    • FIN 9001: Corp Finance Theory
    • FIN 9002: Empirical Research in Corporate Finance
    • FIN 9005: Empirical Asset Pricing
    • Any Finance Theory 9000-level course
    • STAT 8113: Statistical Methods for Business Research II
  • Research Courses
    • BA 9994: Preliminary Examination Preparation
    • BA 9998: Pre-Dissertation Research
    • BA 9999: Dissertation Research
• Total Credit Hours: 48

Culminating Events

Preliminary Examination

• The purpose of the preliminary examination is to demonstrate critical and interpretive knowledge of current research.
• The subject areas are determined, in advance, by the faculty of the department.
• The preliminary exam should be completed no more than one term after the student completes the coursework component of the program.

Dissertation Proposal

• The dissertation proposal demonstrates the student's knowledge of and ability to conduct the proposed research.
• The proposal should consist of the context and background surrounding a particular research problem, an exhaustive survey and review of literature related to the problem, and a detailed methodological plan for investigating the problem.
• The proposal should be completed and approved no more than one year after completing coursework.

Doctoral Dissertation

• The doctoral dissertation is an original empirical study that makes a significant contribution to the field.
• It should expand the existing knowledge and demonstrate the student's knowledge of both research methods and a mastery of their primary area of interest.
• Dissertations should be rigorously investigated; uphold the ethics and standard of the field; demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the primary area of interest and the broader field of business; and be prepared for publication in an academic journal.

Dissertation Examining Committee

• The Doctoral Advisory Committee is formed to oversee the student's doctoral research and is comprised of at least three Graduate Faculty members.
• The Chair is responsible for overseeing and guiding the student's progress, coordinating the responses of the committee members, and informing the student of her/his academic progress.
• The Dissertation Examining Committee evaluates the student's dissertation and oral defense, including the student's ability to express verbally their research question, methodological approach, primary findings, and implications.