Program Overview

University of Arkansas Supply Chain Management Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. Program in Business Administration with an emphasis in Supply Chain Management prepares students for careers in research and teaching in supply chain management.

Program Outcomes

Students in the program gain knowledge in the theoretical and substantive areas of supply chain management. They acquire the conceptual skills and methodological tools necessary to design and conduct independent research and interact with others in academic and business environments.

Overview

The purpose of the Ph.D. program in Business Administration with a Concentration in Supply Chain Management is to prepare individuals for academic careers in research, teaching, and service at universities.

Faculty Interaction

Using diverse research traditions including empirical and mathematical modeling, the Supply Chain Management faculty are actively involved in research in diverse areas such as retailing, forecasting, inventory management, logistics outsourcing, and transportation management.

Expectations

Students admitted to the doctoral program are expected to acquire:

• Knowledge of the various areas of study that constitute the field of supply chain management and develop an integrative understanding of relationships among these areas
• Knowledge and skills to design, conduct, execute, and evaluate research that is publishable in leading journals
• A tradition of scholarship and excellence in teaching and learning

Program Structure

The Ph.D. Program in Business Administration with a Supply Chain Management Concentration prepares individuals for research, teaching, service, and collegial roles in Supply Chain Management/Logistics/Transportation departments.

Curriculum Overview

Course work for the Ph.D. Program in Business Administration with a Supply Chain Management Concentration is typically completed during the first two and a half years of the four-year program. Students take a total of 14 courses and normally enroll in three courses per semester.

SCM Core Seminars (15 hours)

Each doctoral student will take five SCM Core Ph.D. seminars:

1. SCMT 64103: Fundamentals of Logistics and Supply Chain Management
2. SCMT 64303: Supply Chain Management Research
3. SCMT 64403: Theory in Supply Chain Management
4. SCMT 64503: Behavioral Supply Chain Management
5. SCMT 64603: Research in Retail Supply Chain Management

SCM Tools (15 hours)

Depending on their interests and background, students will choose five courses from the following list:

• Univariate statistics (min. 3 hours)
• Multivariate statistics (min. 3 hours)
• Econometrics (min. 3 hours)
• Structural equation analysis
• Other (e.g., linear programming, integer programming, stochastic processes, qualitative research methods, etc.)

Supporting Fields (9 hours)

Courses for the supporting fields requirement are selected in consultation with the student's Ph.D. Program Advisory Committee.

Teaching

As future faculty members, doctoral students not only acquire critical research skills, but also gain teaching experience. Each student will typically teach two undergraduate classes per academic year, starting in the second year of the program.

Support

Students in the program are supported financially with tuition waivers and nationally competitive stipends for four full years, assuming satisfactory progress in the program.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants who wish to apply for the doctoral program with an emphasis in Supply Chain Management must submit their applications to the Graduate School of Business by December 15th.

Selection Criteria

We welcome candidates who are strongly committed to being part of a full-time Ph.D. program and show motivation and commitment towards meeting the requirements for our degree. We take a holistic approach in assessing candidates by taking into account their past scholastic record, letters of recommendation, test scores, prior work experience, and a statement of purpose.

Research Highlights

Recent research by doctoral students and faculty in the Supply Chain Management department has been recognized with several awards, including:

• Satabdi Hazarika, 2024 Finalist, Doctoral Research Showcase best paper award at Decision Science Institute (DSI) annual meeting
• Travis Kulpa, 2024 Outstanding doctoral dissertation award at the academic research symposium of the Council for Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), 2021
• Finn McKinley, 2024 Finalist for the Chan Hahn best paper award, Operations and Supply Chain Management Division, Academy of Management annual meeting

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many Ph.D. students are in the department of Supply Chain Management? The Supply Chain Management department typically has eight to ten Ph.D. students, at differing stages of their program, at any one time.
• In what areas do Ph.D. Supply Chain Management students specialize? Our Ph.D. students specialize in a broad range of topics including but not limited to: retail SCM, sustainability in SCM, logistics outsourcing, transportation management, inventory management, and forecasting.
• Do you accept late applications? The Supply Chain Management department may accept late applications, but only on a space-available basis.