Early applications are urged since all spaces in particular departments may be filled before the deadline. Late applications will be honored only if space is available.

Admission to the doctoral programs in business is based on an individual’s qualifications as evidenced by the application, official transcripts, scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test or the Graduate Record Examination, and, if possible, a personal interview. Prospective students’ applications for admission and supporting credentials are reviewed by the doctoral program’s administrative committee and by the faculty in the proposed major department.

While it is unusual, highly qualified students with career objectives clearly in mind may enter the doctoral programs in business directly from a baccalaureate program with the intention of working toward a doctoral degree. Most, however, will begin work toward the doctorate after obtaining the master’s degree.

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Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Program Requirements
The requirements for the Ph.D. program in business are fulfilled in three basic phases of study. Although these phases may overlap, the program requires a logical sequence of course work, qualifying examinations, and dissertation research.

Phase I
The Phase I requirements entail no minimum number of credit hours but focus instead on proficiency in business operations and the basic disciplines. The credit hours required for proficiency may be met either by exemption (through the acceptance of previous course work) or by taking courses or independent study after entering the program. Individual departments determine the appropriate requirements for their majors.

Teaching Development Program
All candidates for a doctoral degree in business must complete the two 1.5 semester hour teaching development seminars, or their equivalent. These seminars provide a grounding in learning and teaching styles and methods.

Phase II
The Phase II program of study is the central part of the student’s doctoral-level course work. It is therefore critical that the courses be selected to achieve the student’s educational objectives while emphasizing high levels of research and scholarship.

Major Field
The program of study for the major is planned in consultation with the student’s major-field advisor and consists of a minimum of 18 credit hours of advanced graduate work. There is no intention that the entire program of study relating to the major must be taken in the administrative department or area represented by that major field. On the contrary, students are encouraged to incorporate courses from other departments or areas into their major-field curriculum when such courses are closely related to the individual’s interests and help form a logical whole.

Minor Field
Each student selects one minor field, which requires a minimum of 9 credit hours of work beyond that expected as minimal preparation for all doctoral students.

Minors are available in each of the major fields, as well as, but not limited to: international business, economics, political science, history, mathematics, psychology, sociology, and law. The doctoral business minor provides the opportunity for the integration of other disciplines into the major area(s) of students majoring in the Kelley School of Business; it requires a minimum of 9 credit hours from a field outside the student’s major field. The minor requirements for fields outside the Kelley School of Business are determined by the department in which the minor is offered. An overall GPA of 3.4 in the three courses is required.

Methodology and Analysis (M&A) Requirement
All doctoral candidates must demonstrate competency in the areas of research methodology and statistical analysis. This is a 9 credit hour requirement. This course work will help provide the foundation and special proficiency in research design and analysis necessary for candidates to conduct their research programs.

Double Major Option
Rather than follow the major, minor, and M&A sequence, a doctoral student may elect to have two majors. The double major candidate has the option of (1) two majors, each with 18 credit hours or, (2) a first major with 21 credit hours plus a second major of at least 15 credit hours. There are two issues that a student electing a double major should consider. First, all double majors must pass the qualifying examination in both majors. Second, a double major is unlikely to be approved unless the student can demonstrate that a portion of the overall course work provides competency in M&A. Doctoral students may not unilaterally elect to have a double major; the student’s petition for a double major must be approved by both departments as well as by the chairperson of Doctoral Programs.

Grades
Course grades below C+ (2.3) are not counted toward degree requirements but will be included in the computation of the student’s grade point average. At least a 3.4 grade point average with no grade below B - (2.7) is required in those courses taken as part of the minor field. Students must achieve an overall grade point average of at least 3.3 and earn no less than a B - (2.7) in those courses taken as part of the methodology area.

Examinations
Evidence of the student’s competence in a major field must be demonstrated by examination. Examinations may also be required in some minor fields. The examinations are designed as exercises in creative and critical thinking, not merely in recollecting facts and familiar analyses.

Admission to Candidacy
Upon successful completion of all Phase II requirements (including all qualifying examinations), the student will be nominated to candidacy.

Dissertation Proposal
Examination on the dissertation proposal usually comes at the close of the work in Phase II of the program. A research committee is appointed to supervise and assist each candidate. A formal oral examination, to which other doctoral students and faculty members are invited, is held on the proposal. Upon passing the examination, the candidate moves into the third phase of the program.

Phase III

Dissertation
An important early part of the dissertation experience is integrated with the advanced course work through the research seminars. A minimum of 24 credit hours of dissertation credit is required, but 3 hours of credit in research seminars within the major area may count toward this requirement. Since the dissertation represents a major research project, a year or more of full-time work in close cooperation with the candidate’s committee is normally required to complete Phase III. For this reason, candidates in the Indiana University doctoral programs in business are strongly urged to remain in residence until all degree requirements have been met.

Defense of the Dissertation
Phase III concludes with the defense of the dissertation. The objective of the defense is to provide students with a forum for formal presentation of the results of their dissertation research. The purpose of the presentation, questioning, and discussion is to enable students to demonstrate that they have successfully completed what they set out to do, as stated at the time of the proposal defense. The dissertation defense gives the research committee a final opportunity to bring the candidate’s research methods, findings, and conclusions under critical review. The candidate is expected to be able to defend all aspects of the inquiry satisfactorily.

For further information on the Doctor of Philosophy degree in business, consult the Kelley School of Business Graduate Programs Bulletin or the doctoral programs Web site: http://www.kelley.iu.edu/doctoral/home.html.

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Ph.D. Minor in Business

Students in other departments may minor in business by completing 9 credit hours of graduate work at the 600 level or above. A specialized minor field may be selected from the major fields for business students; a non-specialized minor consists of courses from different fields. In the Kelley School of Business, courses numbered 600 or above are doctoral seminars. Courses at the 500 level are m.b.a. courses. Permission is required from the m.b.a. program for non-m.b.a. students to enroll in these courses. Interested students should contact the Doctoral Programs Office for further information about available fields and procedures to be followed, or download application forms from the Web site.

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Courses

See the Kelley School of Business Graduate Programs Bulletin for a complete list of offerings. Website: http://www.kelley.iu.edu/doctoral/home.html.

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