Program Structure

We typically accept 2-3 students for each cohort.  Most students complete the program and secure a job within five years.  Admitted students receive full financial support which includes a tuition waiver and fellowship/RA funding that covers living expenses for four years.  Students can apply for additional funding to fund their fifth year, if necessary.  About half of our students have an MBA when they join us and most have a few years of work experience (though we occasionally accept a student right out of their undergraduate program if they have substantial research experience and maturity).  An MBA is not a prerequisite, though students without an MBA will take a series of breadth courses (accounting, economics, finance, and marketing) to round out their general business knowledge.  

Courses:
During the first two years of coursework, students take multiple courses which serves as a foundation for research as well as appeal to individual research interests.  These courses include a sequence of four departmental theory seminars on organizations.   They also include statistics and research methods courses, two of which must be quantitative while others may be qualitative. Students take additional graduate courses in their areas of interest including at least two in related disciplines such as Sociology or Psychology.  By March of the second year, students complete an independent empirical research project (IERP) under faculty guidance. 

Preliminary Examination and Candidacy:
The preliminary exam, covering organizational behavior, organizational theory and research methods, takes place in the summer of the second year. The exam tests a student’s synthesis of course material and assesses readiness to undertake independent research. Students work closely with others in their cohort to prepare for their prelims.  In the remainder of the program, students enter a period of independent dissertation research with an advisor and dissertation committee.     

Teaching:
In the winter of the third year, students teach one section of MO 300, the required Organizational Behavior Course for undergraduate business students.  Students take part in a series of seminars training them in the theory and practice of teaching.  Typically, students teach and are totally responsible (including grading) for one section of the multi-section class with other sections taught by a full-time senior faculty member.  Students typically find their teaching experience to be enriching and positive – and feel well-prepared to teach successfully as an assistant professor.

Research Assistantship:
Faculty mentoring begins in the first year, soon after students enter the program.  In their first year, students are assigned to a faculty member for a research assistantship based on their research interests.  Students often work informally on other projects with faculty – either self- initiated projects or projects faculty already have underway.  In their second year, students rotate to work with another faculty member so they get exposure to other research topics and approaches.   

Students work collaboratively with faculty and each other.  From developing an initial plan to working out the details of the research, the faculty and student meet systematically to discuss the research question, theoretical development and methodological approach.

Weekly Brown Bag Seminars:
While not a formal teaching seminar, each week, the MO department meets for a brown bag seminar over a pizza lunch.  We use this meeting time to build community, share good news, and learn from each other.  Sessions include the following:  faculty research presentations, students research presentations (including IERPs and practice job talks), departmental job talks, research tutorials, panel discussions on topics like the job search or choosing a dissertation topic, etc.