The PhD program in Management at the University of Missouri seeks to develop professors who are competent academic researchers and teachers. A primary objective of the program is to train PhD candidates to become proficient researchers. Therefore, course work involves research activities such as literature review and critique, theoretical modeling, research design, computer-assisted empirical analysis, and preparation of proposals and research papers. Another objective is to train students to become high-quality teachers. PhD candidates have the opportunity 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 four to five years.
Students complete two academic years of doctoral coursework before taking a comprehensive exam. The exam consists of written and oral sections. It 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. Students also engage in other research projects throughout the program. They have the opportunity to pursue joint research projects with world-renowned faculty in the Department of Management.
Students are admitted to the PhD program in Management on a full-time, residential basis only. Students typically work 20 hours per week as a research assistant or teaching assistant during the academic year. They 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.
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.
Applications must be received by February 1 for full consideration for admission in the fall semester. Earlier applications are encouraged. Admission to the PhD program in management is highly selective. Applicants should demonstrate a strong record of academic accomplishment, intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm for discovery, and a general understanding of the demands of a doctoral program. Prior academic coursework, research experience, and employment activities in management are encouraged but not required.
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.
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. These assignments require candidates to plan, conduct, and administer one course section per semester. 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.
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Sample Plan of Study
The following is one example of a possible program of study for a doctoral student in Management. This example shows a program that has one support area of 12 hours and 18 hours of research methods and statistics.
Year 1: Fall Semester
- MANGMT Seminar*
- Research Methods #1
- Research Methods #2
- MANGMT 9101
Year 1: Spring Semester
- MANGMT Seminar
- Research Methods #3
- Support Area Course #1
- MANGMT 9101
In the summer following the first year of study, students take Support Area Course #2.
Year 2: Fall Semester
- MANGMT Seminar
- Support Area Course #3
- Research Methods #4
- Research Methods #5
- MANGMT 9101
Year 2: Spring Semester
- MANGMT Seminar
- Support Area Course #4
- Research Methods #6
- MANGMT Seminar
- MANGMT 9101
In the summer following the second year of study, students prepare for and take the comprehensive exam in management. The exam includes a written portion and an oral portion in which students present their own original research to the management faculty. During the third and fourth years of study, students will complete MANGMT 9090: Research in Management.
*The Department of Management currently offers separate seminars for doctoral students in the areas of Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, Strategic Management, Research Methods, and a broad topic (e.g., Theory Development) that may vary. Each of these seminars is offered every other year. Students take doctoral seminars for their support areas in other departments on campus, except for the departmental research methods seminar, which counts toward the credit hour requirements of the research methods support area.
Management PhD Coordinator
By the numbers
Over the past five years, total enrollment in the PhD program in management has ranged from 5 to 7 students. We graduate 1-2 students per year on average, and our placement rate is 100%.
Most graduates accept initial positions as tenure-track faculty members at research universities. Others pursue opportunities with regulatory and policy-making institutions or financial services firms. A representative sample of our student placements follows below.
| YEAR | GRADUATE | PLACEMENT |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Clarissa Steele | Kansas State University |
| 2019 | Amanda (Shaffer) Patel | Suffolk University |
| 2018 | Na Hyun Oh | University of Illinois |
| 2017 | Timothy Moake | Middle Tennesee State University |
| 2017 | Scott Seyrek | Sage College (Albany, N.Y.) |