FOX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

Learn more about the Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration.

About the Program

The PhD in Business Administration program, with a concentration in Management Information Systems (MIS), prepares the student for advanced research and scholarship. The primary emphasis of our program is to prepare future faculty members for successful academic careers.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years

Campus Location: Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: Full-time study is required.

Accreditation: The PhD in Business Administration program, with a concentration in MIS, is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

Job Prospects: The program is primarily dedicated to producing well-trained researchers who will work in academic positions.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students are not permitted to take doctoral courses.

Financing Opportunities: Typically, all PhD students receive financial assistantship in the form of full tuition remission and a stipend in return for offering services as a Research Assistant (RA) or Teaching Assistant (TA). The level of support is based on the concentration, the applicant’s qualifications, and other competitive considerations. Students may also receive remuneration for conference travel, publications and academic achievement.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall:

Applications must be submitted AND complete (i.e., all required materials must be received and verified by Fox Staff) by Dec. 5 to be considered.  Applications received after this deadline are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and dependent on availability. 

APPLY ONLINE to this Fox graduate program.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from evaluators, typically college/university faculty or an immediate work supervisor, who can provide insight into your abilities and talents, as well as comment on your aptitude for graduate study.

Master's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A master's degree is not required, but preferred.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: The equivalent of a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college is required. For three-year degrees, mark sheets must be evaluated by WES or another NACES organization.

Statement of Goals: In 500 to 1,000 words, describe your specific interest in Temple's program, research goals, career goals, and academic and research achievements.

Standardized Test Scores:
GMAT/GRE: Required. GMAT scores are preferred. Test results cannot be more than five years old. Although the applicant’s test score is an important factor in the admissions process, other factors, such as the ability to conduct research as demonstrated by academic research publications and whether your indicated research interests match with those of our faculty, are also taken into consideration.

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree in a country where the language of instruction is English, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

• TOEFL iBT: 90
• IELTS Academic: 7.0
• Duolingo: 110
• PTE Academic: 68

Resume: Current resume or CV required.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required to Earn the Degree: 48

Required Courses:¹

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Management Information Systems Seminars
Math Preparation (August) non-credit		0
MIS 9002	Inf Sys Found & Theory	3
MIS 9003	Foundations of Electronic Commerce Research	3
MIS 9004	Adv Research Methods-IS	3
MIS 9011	Proseminar in Management Information Systems	3
Theory and Research Methods Courses
BA 9002	Scientific Inquiry-Management Research	3
BA 9103	Econ Theory of Choice	3
BA 9105	Business Econometrics I	3
BA 9106	Business Econometrics II	3
or BA 9207	Quantitative Research Methods II
BA 9208	Quantitative Research Methods III	3
or BA 9209	Business Econometrics III
STAT 8112	Statistical Methods for Business Research I	3
STAT 8113	Statistical Methods for Business Research II	3
Electives 2		9
BA 9001	Organizations and Management Theory
BA 9104	Game Theory
BA 9205	Information Economics
Research Courses 3		6
BA 9994	Preliminary Examination Preparation
BA 9998	Pre-Dissertation Research
BA 9999	Dissertation Research
Total Credit Hours		48

¹

Students require approval from their mentor and the Concentration Director for all course selections, including those dropped and/or added.

²

The program of study may be individualized to a significant degree for the student's best professional and scholarly development. Recommended electives include BA 9001, BA 9104, and BA 9205. With approval from the Concentration Director, students may take other electives to match their research interests.

³

Of the 6 required research credits, a minimum of 2 credits of BA 9999 must be taken. The other 4 credits may be taken in any combination of BA 9994, BA 9998, and BA 9999. Given that 6 credits constitute the minimum requirement, additional credits may be needed to fulfill the degree program's culminating experiences. Doctoral students must maintain continuous enrollment from matriculation to graduation.

Culminating Events: Students are expected to complete formal coursework within four academic terms. Additional benchmarks include:

• Take the qualifying exam in Statistics after the first year.
• Prepare the first-year research proposal by the end of the first year's Summer term.
• Complete the second-year paper requirement by the end of the second year's Summer term.
• Take the MIS preliminary exam by the end of the second year's Summer term. The purpose of the exam is to demonstrate critical and interpretive knowledge of current research in subject areas determined, in advance, by department faculty.
• Write and defend the dissertation proposal, which demonstrates the student's knowledge of and ability to conduct the proposed research. The proposal should consist of the context and background surrounding a particular research problem; an exhaustive survey and review of literature related to the problem; and a detailed methodological plan for investigating the problem.
• Write and defend the final dissertation, which is an original empirical study that makes a significant contribution to the field. It should expand the existing knowledge and demonstrate the student's knowledge of both research methods and a mastery of their primary area of interest. Dissertations should be rigorously investigated; uphold the ethics and standard of the field; demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the primary area of interest and the broader field of business; and be prepared for publication in an academic journal.

Contacts

Department Contacts: