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    Nov 21, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Business, PhD


Philosophy

Doctoral study in business is structured to challenge individuals who possess the ability to analyze complex problems and synthesize solutions.

Objectives

The doctoral program in business is designed to prepare individuals of outstanding ability for careers in teaching and research at the university level. The program has enough flexibility, however, to accommodate individuals whose career objectives lie outside academia. Individuals who undertake doctoral study are expected to achieve excellence in command of a business discipline’s technical aspects and develop expertise in research.

Procedure for admission

For admission consideration, the following items are required by the G. Brint Ryan College of Business PhD Program and Research Office. The complete PhD application packet can be found at www.cob.unt.edu/phd/ or may be requested by e-mail from PhDCOBA@unt.edu.

In the determination of an applicant’s eligibility for admission to the G. Brint Ryan College of Business for the PhD degree, the following items are required:

  1. Processed application for admission forwarded by the Toulouse Graduate School.
  2. Provide the Toulouse Graduate School with an official copy of the score made on either the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), an official copy of the TOEFL score, if required, and official transcripts from all universities previously attended. Any test scores (GMAT or GRE) submitted in support of an application for admission to the G. Brint Ryan College of Business PhD program must have been earned no more than five years prior to the date sought for admission.
  3. Submit a completed Supplementary Information Form (Form A) to the Graduate Programs Office, G. Brint Ryan College of Business.
  4. Request three individuals (college professors or professional colleagues) to complete and return a Doctoral Applicant Evaluation Form (Form B). These forms are available in the application package located on the web at www.cob.unt.edu/phd/ or by request from the PhD Program and Research Office in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business at phdcoba@unt.edu.
  5. A short “Statement of Purpose” setting forth your reasons for pursuing doctoral study, personal objectives and career plans.
  6. A current vita.

For further information concerning the doctoral program in business and specific admission requirements, contact: the PhD Program and Research Office, G. Brint Ryan College of Business. Contact information and destination of documents are as follows:

Both U.S. and international applicants

PhD Program and Research Office
G. Brint Ryan College of Business
University of North Texas
Mailing address:
1155 Union Circle #311160
Denton, TX 76203-5017

PhDCOBA@unt.edu
www.cob.unt.edu/phd

Phone: 940-369-8491

Submit a Supplementary Information Sheet (Form A), statement of purpose essay, vita and three recommendation letters using Doctoral Applicant Evaluation Forms (Form B).

Application Process:

Toulouse Graduate School
Graduate Admissions Office
Eagle Student Services Center, Room 354
Mailing address:
1155 Union Circle #311277
Denton, TX 76203-5017

gradadmission@unt.edu
tgs.unt.edu

Phone: 940-565-2383 or toll-free 888-UNT-GRAD [868-4723]

U.S.:  Submit a U.S. application, fee, official transcripts and official GMAT or GRE scores.

International:  Submit an International Application, fee, official transcripts, official TOEFL, financial statement, and official GRE or GMAT scores. (Please note that all official GRE and GMAT scores are received by the Toulouse Graduate School, listed above.)

Retention policy for doctoral programs in business

If during any long term/semester (fall or spring) a PhD student does not enroll in any approved course work, the student must file a leave of absence form (Form E); otherwise, the student will be placed on inactive status. After two long terms/semesters in sequence in inactive status, the student will be removed from the PhD program.

Residence requirement

While completing course work, every student is required to complete a minimum residency requirement consisting of two consecutive terms/semesters with a minimum course load of 9 hours each term/semester. This can consist of spring and fall, fall and spring, spring and summer, or summer and fall.

Research tool requirement

The doctoral program in business requires satisfactory completion of a research tool requirement.

Program requirements

The doctoral student must select a concentration in one of the following program areas: accounting, business computer information systems, business information assurance, finance, management, logistics systems, marketing, or management science. With the approval of the PhD coordinator, the student will select courses in a supporting area. These courses may come from more than one business program area.

The program requirements for the doctoral program in business consist of course work, satisfactory performance on the qualifying examinations, and dissertation research. The total program requires a minimum of 60 hours of graduate credit beyond the master’s degree or 90 hours of graduate credit beyond the bachelor’s degree.

The minimum course work consists of the following:

  • Research track, 12–18 hours
  • Concentration and supporting minor areas, 27–33 hours
  • Dissertation, 12 hours

In addition, all students must demonstrate calculus proficiency.

The above may include no more than 9 semester hours of 5900, 5910 or 6900 credit prior to dissertation research.

The two research tracks consist of 12–18 hours of course work designed to develop the research capabilities of the student and to prepare the student for conducting research of dissertation quality. The student’s choice of track must be approved by the major area PhD coordinator. The required courses for each track are described below:

Concentrations


Students should contact the department for more information on other specific course work required for each of the concentrations offered.

  • accounting
  • business computer information systems
  • business information assurance 
  • finance
  • management
  • marketing
  • management science
  • supply chain management

Additional requirements


Students entering the doctoral program upon completion of a bachelor’s degree must complete the MBA core requirements and 12 additional hours in the major and/or supporting minor areas.  This statement assumes that the entering student does not already hold an MBA.

The qualifying examination, given upon completion of all course work, is designed to measure attainment of expected levels of knowledge in the major and supporting minor areas and to determine the student’s ability to synthesize information acquired. The examination is both written and oral, varying by department. Candidates who have taken the qualifying examination may not change their major.

Specific procedural, academic progression and administrative requirements of the doctoral program are listed in the Handbook for Doctoral Students, available in the RCOB PhD Programs and Research Office. All students, at the time of admission, are responsible for obtaining a copy of the Handbook for Doctoral Students to familiarize themselves with all requirements.

Admission to Candidacy

Admission to candidacy is granted by the dean of the Toulouse Graduate School after satisfactory completion of the qualifying examination.

Dissertation

Upon admission to candidacy and with the consent of the student’s committee, the student is required to make a formal presentation of the dissertation proposal at an open forum consisting of graduate faculty of the G. Brint Ryan College of Business and other doctoral students.

As a final requirement, each candidate submits a dissertation. Completion of the dissertation requires original and independent research in the major program area. It should reflect not only a mastery of research techniques, but also an ability to identify an important problem for investigation and to design research that permits the formulation of reasonable hypotheses and the drawing of logical conclusions related to the problem identified. A final comprehensive examination, primarily a defense of the dissertation, is scheduled in coordination with the RCOB PhD Programs and Research Office and the Toulouse Graduate School.