Program Highlights
The PhD program in Management at the University of Missouri prepares professors to be leading academic researchers and teachers. A primary objective of the program is to train PhD candidates to become proficient researchers. Coursework includes research activities such as literature review and critique, theoretical modeling, research design, computer-assisted empirical analysis, and preparation of proposals and research papers. The program also trains students to become high-quality teachers by providing opportunities for PhD candidates to teach undergraduate courses in their specialty area. Students normally specialize in one of these four areas of our faculty expertise: Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior or Strategic Management. In addition, students are expected to participate in national and regional academic conferences and are encouraged to work with faculty in developing individual research and teaching skills. The program requires 72 credit hours of graduate work beyond the baccalaureate degree. The typical time to complete the degree is five years.
Students complete two academic years of doctoral coursework before taking a comprehensive exam. The exam consists of written and oral sections and is typically scheduled before the beginning of the fall semester in the third year of study. Students begin teaching and pursuing their doctoral dissertation research after successfully completing the exam, as well as engaging in other research projects throughout the program. Candidates can pursue joint research projects with world-renowned faculty in Trulaske’s Department of Management.
Students are admitted to the PhD program in Management on a full-time, residential basis only and typically work 20 hours per week as a research assistant or teaching assistant during the academic year. PhD candidates receive a financial package that includes a stipend and/or scholarships, full tuition waiver, health insurance subsidy, and professional development funds. The dollar value of the stipend and/or scholarships is no less than $35,000 annually for students who remain in good academic standing.
What to Expect in the PhD Program
Students in this program learn from a comprehensive set of courses focused on organizational science and business acumen, research methods and statistics. Seminars and support areas are tailored to the research and teaching goals of the PhD candidate. The program includes a business core of at least 15 hours, at least 15 hours of doctoral seminars in organizational sciences, one 12-hour or two 9-hour support areas, and a minimum of 12 hours in research methods and statistics (18 hours with one 12-hour support area).*
Management PhD candidates can work as research or teaching assistants, which enables them to receive direct support, including a full tuition waiver.
*All programs of study are subject to the approval of a student’s doctoral program committee.
Annual Reviews of Satisfactory Performance and Progress
All PhD students are evaluated annually to assess their progress in the program. The PhD program coordinator conducts the evaluations for first-year students, and evaluations thereafter are conducted by their academic advisor, in consultation with other faculty.
Research and Teaching Assistantships
During the academic year, students are assigned to work as research assistants for faculty members in the department. These assignments allow students to develop proficiency in research methods and often lead to coauthored projects with faculty.
Another important objective of the PhD program is to provide candidates with the opportunity to develop classroom instructional skills. To achieve this objective, doctoral students are assigned to teach undergraduate courses. To achieve this objective, beginning in their third year, doctoral students are assigned to teach undergraduate courses. During their time in the PhD program, students typically have the opportunity to teach multiple times. In preparation for the teaching experience, doctoral students are encouraged to attend various teaching-related events sponsored by the Department of Management, the Trulaske College of Business, and the University of Missouri.