Business Administration
Mailing Address:
UIC Liautaud Graduate School of Business
110 Douglas Hall, MC 077
705 South Morgan Street,
Chicago, IL 60607
Campus Location: 110 Douglas Hall
Program Code: 20FS0079PHD
Main Phone: (312) 996-4573 or (877) 622-8421 (toll free)
E-mail: lgsb@uic.edu
Web Site: go.uic.edu/PhDadmin
Graduate Program Head/Chair: Mark Shanley
Director of PhD Program: Robert Liden
The doctoral program is designed to produce scholars and practitioners who are well qualified to conduct creative and significant research in business disciplines. Currently three areas of inquiry are available: Business Statistics, Human Resource Management, and Marketing. Students will either select one of these areas or pursue unique interests in a course of study that is custom designed by business school faculty.
Admission Requirements
Admission is competitive. Applications for the Doctoral Studies Program can be found at the following Web site: go.uic.edu/PhDadmin. Please see the application checklist for necessary documents: go.uic.edu/checklist. All application materials, including transcripts and fees, must be submitted directly to the Liautaud program office, at the address above. Transcripts for all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted in a signed, sealed envelope. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:
Doctor of Philosophy
- Baccalaureate Field No restrictions. Prior academic work should include all of the following fields: mathematics/statistics, computing/analysis, and business.
- Grade Point Average At least 3.0/4.00 for the final 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate study.
- Tests Required GMAT (required for Marketing) or GRE. The score must be from a test administered within five years from the requested date of entry. The writing assessment is required.
- Minimum English Competency Test Score
- TOEFL 600 (paper-based); 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Internet-based), OR,
- IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores.
- Letters of Recommendation Three required from persons familiar with the intellectual skills, perseverance, and integrity of the applicant. At least one recommendation should be from an academic familiar with the applicant’s work.
- Personal Statement Required; 500 words. The statement should address the applicant’s interests and qualifications, including research interests and the impact this work is expected to have on the applicant’s career.
- Other Requirements Interview with the faculty in the field of the degree, the PhD coordinator, the director of doctoral studies, or the department head is advised. Students are admitted only in the fall semester.
- Deadlines The application deadline for this program is January 1 for entry in the fall semester each year.
Degree Requirements
Doctor of Philosophy
- Minimum Semester Hours Required 96 from the baccalaureate, 64 from the MBA.
- Course Work Study will include a two-course requirement in mathematics, statistics, or computing; a four-course breadth requirement (four MBA core courses, no two of which are from the same functional area and none of which is from the area of inquiry); and a six-course depth requirement (advanced courses, at least two of which are sufficiently rigorous to provide the basis for the qualifying exam). Following the qualifying exam, additional course requirements are determined by the student’s advisor.
- Examinations Qualifying Examination: A written exam, based upon courses used for the student’s depth requirement, is required and will be administered by faculty in the student’s area of inquiry.
- Preliminary Examination: A written and/or oral exam, addressing advanced material in the area of inquiry and/or the student’s plans for dissertation research, is required.
- Dissertation A dissertation demonstrating the ability to conduct original, scholarly research is required. No more than 32 hours of doctoral thesis research can be applied to the degree.
- Other Requirements Students must serve as a teaching assistant or research assistant. This requirement may be waived for students with appropriate teaching or research experience.
