Department website: https://business.wvu.edu/academics/management-department/management-ph-d
Degree Offered
- Doctor of Philosophy
Nature of the Program
The Ph.D. in Business Administration with a major in Management is a high-quality, full-time, residential program designed to prepare qualified individuals for a career in scholarly research and teaching at the university level. Our program is supported by faculty who actively publish research on a variety of topics in organizational behavior and strategic management that reflect the most relevant and interesting questions from the standpoint of advancing academic knowledge and managerial practice. As such, our Ph.D. students are exposed to a greater scope of scholarly knowledge while getting an in-depth training on a specific topic of their dissertation research. We also believe that an effective scholar should be trained as both a researcher and a teacher. Our Ph.D. program provides Ph.D. students with an opportunity to learn from the best faculty instructors. We also care about what happens to our Ph.D. students after they graduate. Job search training and support are part of our program.
Our program is small and student-centered, which provides students the opportunity to work closely with faculty on various research projects. This personal attention extends to the small, research‐oriented doctoral seminars that form the core of our academic program. Students are an integral part of our department and viewed more as junior colleagues, research partners, and co-authors than as traditional students. Consequently, we encourage all students to work with multiple faculty, not just their advisor or dissertation chair.
“The size of WVU’s program is a real competitive advantage for us needy Ph.D. students – at WVU, the Ph.D. students can dip their brush into experiences and opportunities that they couldn’t get at any other place.” -- Drew Carnes, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Management at Western Carolina University (graduated from WVU in 2015).
“The WVU PhD program prepared me for academic research at all levels, and from all angles. My favorite memories of the PhD are of discussing research with faculty who supported my initial ideas yet pushed me further.” -- Karen Nicholas, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Management at Boise State University (graduated from WVU in 2018).
"The training I received at WVU highly prepared me for success as a scholarly academic. The methods training is highly rigorous and the seminars challenged me to think in new ways and also complemented my existing experience in both academia and industry. Completing the program was certainly the biggest challenge of my life, but I left knowing that I had everything I needed to move forward." -- Curtis Sproul, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Management at Georgia Southern University (graduated from WVU in 2017).
What makes our Ph.D. Program unique?
People are our competitive advantage! If you join our program, you’ll find yourself in a very stimulating and supportive environment. Our Ph.D. students do not compete with each other. The small size of our program allows each student to closely interact with more than one faculty.
Place – Joining West Virginia University will certainly convince you that the Mountaineer spirit is great! Our program is residential and located in Morgantown, West Virginia, an hour and a half away from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. On the Best Places to Live list for 2018, Morgantown also appears on the Livability.com Top 10 Cities for Affordable Health Care. Known primarily as home to West Virginia University and its 25,000 students, Morgantown has a wide variety of housing options and neighborhoods as well as downtown shops, restaurants and entertainment nightspots for students and residents. The median age here is 22.6 years old, which contributes to a youthful and fun local culture.
Profession – We are an R1 (highest research activity) university, and our College and Department, in particular, correspond to this prestigious status. Faculty in our Department publish in top academic journals and are recognized well beyond West Virginia University for their research and service to the profession. The vast professional network of our faculty is a great asset for our Ph.D. students in their job search.
Our Ph.D. program is looking for people who share our values of curiosity, respect, accountability, service and appreciation.
Academic Standards
The following criteria must be met for a student to remain in good standing:
- Maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average in all graduate courses taken at WVU.*
- Earn grades of “A” or “B” in all graduate courses taken at WVU.*
- Earn no more than two incomplete grades per semester, barring exceptional circumstances in which a deferment is officially granted by the Ph.D. Program Coordinator.
- Resolve any incomplete grade in a timely manner.
- Successfully complete any qualifying/summer papers and/or qualifying exams within the prescribed timeframe.
- Successfully complete a comprehensive exam within four years of starting the program. Failure to pass the comprehensive exam after two attempts will result in dismissal from the program.
- Successfully defend a dissertation proposal within five years of matriculation.
- Successfully defend a dissertation within seven years of matriculation.
- Attend scholarly presentations and interact as part of the community of scholars.
- Perform Graduate Assistantship duties in a satisfactory manner (if applicable).
- Observation of and adherence to the WVU Campus Student Code (https://studentconduct.wvu.edu/files/d/f0ae69b9-1461-45cb-81ee-40e48e2d978b/main-campus-revised-final-student-conduct-code-8-21-15c.pdf).
- Observation of and adherence to WVU’s Academic and Professional Standards (http://catalog.wvu.edu/graduate/enrollmentandregistration/#text).
- Observance of and adherence to the professional standards of the student’s home discipline, as defined by the recognized scholarly organization that governs the progression (as identified by the Program Ph.D. Committee)
*Where either of these conditions are not met, the student will be placed on probation and a remediation plan will be developed by the Ph.D. Program Coordinator. Where the conditions of the remediation plan are not met within the prescribed timeline, the student will be dismissed from the program.
Faculty
Coordinator
- Kayla Follmer - Ph.D. (Penn State University)
Program Coordinator - Management Ph.D.
Professors
- Mark Gavin - Ph.D. (Purdue University)
Expertise: trust, emotions, leadership, and multilevel phenomena - Jodi Goodman - Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Expertise: learning processes, adaptive expertise, institutional environments, and research methods - Jeff Houghton - Ph.D. (Virginia Tech University)
Expertise: leadership, self-leadership, team processes and performance, international HR, creativity and innovation, and personality and individual differences - Edward Tomlinson - Ph.D. (The Ohio State University)
Expertise: interpersonal trust, behavioral integrity, and deviant workplace behavior
Associate professors
- Olga Bruyaka Collignon - Ph.D. (EM Lyon Business School and Jean Moulin University, Lyon, France)
Expertise: inter-firm alliances and alliance portfolios, technology and innovation, resource-based theories, signaling theory, and organizational stigma - Tianxu Chen - Ph.D. (Drexel University)
competitive dynamics, technology and innovation, and entrepreneurship - David Dawley - Ph.D. (Florida State University)
Expertise: organization turn-around, bankruptcy, organizational crisis, signaling theory, and multilevel phenomena - James Field - Ph.D. (Virginia Commonwealth University)
meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, open science, big data, employee turnover, and employee motivation - Kayla Follmer - Ph.D. (Penn State University)
concealable identity management, mental illness, diversity and inclusion - Xiaoxiao Hu - Ph.D. (George Mason University)
Expertise: workplace affect, social dynamics in organizations, leadership, and employee development - Nancy McIntyre - Ph.D. (University of Rhode Island)
Expertise: curiosity, self concept-based motivation, emotional intelligence, and perfectionism - Abhishek Srivastava - Ph.D. (University of Maryland)
Expertise: leadership, team effectiveness, and the factors that support knowledge sharing
Assistant professors
- Ryan Angus - (University of Utah)
Expertise: value creation, uncertainty, entrepreneurship, pivoting, theory of the firm, and human capital - Hyeonsuh Lee - Ph.D. (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Expertise: knowledge of entrepreneurs, new venture experimentation, nascent industries - Lily Morse - Ph.D. (Carnegie Mellon University)
Expertise: behavioral ethics, prosocial deviance, moral character, and negotiation
Admissions
The following will be considered for admission into the program:
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Transcripts/ Graduate Point Average (GPA) scores
To be admitted into the Ph.D. in Business Administration with a major in Management program, applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree from an accredited university and should have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better for undergraduate work, and a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better for graduate work (based on the U.S. standard scale of 4.0).
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GMAT or GRE scores
GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Exam) score must be submitted. Successful Ph.D. applicants to our Program usually have GMAT or GRE scores in the 70+ percentile. The GRE-GMAT comparison tool will be used to evaluate the GRE scores.
Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
Visit www.mba.com for information on the GMAT, including a testing center, scheduling your test, and downloading a sample test. We suggest that you take a few months to study for the GMAT and sit for the test in the autumn prior to the year in which you apply, so that if a re-take is necessary, you will have sufficient time to schedule it. In West Virginia, the test is administered in Morgantown and Charleston (https://www.mba.com/exams/gmat/before-the-exam/register-for-the-gmat-exam/find-a-test-center). Scores are valid for five years from the date of the test.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
As an alternative, applicants to the Management Ph.D. program may submit their GRE scores. The GRE revised General Test is available at more than 850 test centers in more than 160 countries. In most regions of the world, the computer-delivered test is available on a continuous basis throughout the year. In Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Korea, the computer-delivered test is available one to three times per month. In areas of the world where computer-delivered testing is not available, the paper-delivered test is available up to three times a year in October, November, and February. For more information about the GRE, visit www.ets.org/gre.
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Language skills tests – TOEFL or IELTS
Applicants whose native language is not English or who did not complete an undergraduate degree at an institution in an English-speaking country must demonstrate their ability to perform successfully in university-level coursework where English is the language of instruction and assessment. WVU requires candidates to submit the appropriate English test scores. The minimum acceptable scores are 100 on the TOEFL-iBT, or 7.5 on the IELTS. Note- applicants are required to take the Academic Reading/Writing test within IELTS, not the General Training Reading/Writing test. PTE Academic: 68. Duolingo English Test: 120. Go to www.toefl.org or www.ielts.org to register and find out more about the test.
For GMAT / GRE and for TOEFL, our Institution code is 5904, Department code is 1801. Generally, West Virginia University and our department will accept test scores that are no more than five years old as long as the applicant can provide a valid copy of the official score report.
Application Process
Students begin their graduate work in the fall semester. To be assured full consideration for August admission and/or financial aid, the department encourages all interested candidates to submit their completed applications by December 1st. Potential applicants who are interested in applying after this deadline should contact the Program Coordinator to determine if there are spaces still available. With the typical application processing time, we encourage potential students to apply early to ensure all materials are received prior to the due date.
- Upload an up-to-date resume (Curricula Vitae): Your resume should include enough information for the admissions committee to trace your entire professional work history and should indicate any relevant affiliations.
- Request two letters of recommendation through the online portal. Individual letters should not exceed one page: We recommend that your reference provide some information that is not found in the other materials being submitted. Topics with regards to your ability to work with others, your discipline and ambition, leadership potential, etc. should be addressed. Your reference letter(s) should discuss the aptitude necessary for your success in the Ph.D. program.
- Create a Statement of Purpose: Your statement of purpose should address why you are interested in earning your Ph.D. from WVU (what you hope to learn, career goals, etc.). You should demonstrate your understanding of what academic research is and your commitment to doing this type of work, both in the Ph.D. program and throughout your career. You should discuss any research experience you have, your general area of interest and your specific research interests.
- Writing Sample (if available): Examples include class research papers, conference papers, published research articles, research manuscripts in progress, white papers, technical reports, etc.
- You may also send other supporting materials you wish to have considered with your application. All these materials can now be submitted electronically as part of the online application process. This method is strongly preferred, since it assures timely receipt of the documents.
- Pay application fee ($60.00 payable by Visa, Mastercard, or Discover Card).
- Submit application.
- To complete your application, you must submit GMAT or GRE scores as well as your TOEFL / IELTS scores (For GMAT / GRE and for TOEFL, our Institution code is 5904, Department code is 1801). Generally, West Virginia University and our department will accept test scores that are no more than five years old as long as the applicant can provide a valid copy of the official score report.
The entrance requirements are minimum requirements for admission. Since there is limited space in each year's class, meeting entrance requirements does not guarantee admission. Applicants will not be accepted on a provisional basis.
Start your submission now
Major Code: 2129
Doctor of Philosophy
The coursework in management is designed to provide a theoretical, methodological, and statistical foundation for critically evaluating extant research and conducting independent research. Students will take six content courses in management and six research methods and statistics courses. Additional requirements include a qualifying paper and a comprehensive examination. Subsequent to completing coursework and passing comprehensive examinations, students will be admitted to doctoral candidacy. Remaining hours will focus on completing a dissertation.
Major Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
A program GPA of 3.0 is required by the Chambers College. | ||
Methods and Statistics Courses - all required | 18 | |
Applied Univariate Statistics | ||
Philosophy of Research | ||
Research Methods | ||
Structural Equation Modeling | ||
or STAT 512 | Statistical Methods 2 | |
Special Topics (Research Methods II) | ||
Special Topics (Multivariate Analysis) | ||
Management Content Seminars (6 courses required) | 18 | |
Human Resource Management | ||
Leadership | ||
Org Behavior: Groups and Teams | ||
or MANG 770 | Strategic Management Theory | |
Organizational Theory | ||
Organizational Behavior: Individuals | ||
or MANG 785 | Contemporary Strategic Mgmt | |
Special Topics (Entrepreneurship) | ||
Open Elective (Doctoral seminars; approval of Management PhD Coordinator required) | ||
Research Hours | 36 | |
Research | ||
Qualifying Paper | ||
Comprehensive Exam | ||
Dissertation Proposal Defense | ||
Dissertation Defense | ||
Total Hours | 72 |
Suggested Plan of Study
First Year | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
MANG 709 | 3 | MANG 711 | 3 | Work on Qualifying Paper | |
MANG 710 | 3 | MANG 740 or 780 | 3 | ||
MANG 770 or 785 | 3 | MANG 760 | 3 | ||
9 | 9 | 0 | |||
Second Year | |||||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
MANG 785 or 770 | 3 | MANG 740 or 780 | 3 | Research | |
MANG 793 (Multivariate Analysis) | 3 | MANG 713 or 793 | 3 | ||
MANG 730 or PSYC 512 (MANG 730, Org. Behavior; PSYC 512, Strategy) | 3 | MANG 720 or 793 | 3 | ||
9 | 9 | 0 | |||
Third Year | |||||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
MANG 797 | 9 | MANG 797 | 9 | Research | |
Comprehensive Exam | Dissertation defense proposal | ||||
9 | 9 | 0 | |||
Fourth Year | |||||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
MANG 797 | 9 | MANG 797 | 9 | ||
Dissertation Defense | |||||
9 | 9 | ||||
Total credit hours: 72 |