Stephen M. Ross School of Business :: University of Michigan

"A PhD holder does not look at a stormy sky and simply say, 'It's raining'; a PhD holder instead asks, 'Why is it raining?', 'What are the implications of this rain?', 'Does rain share any similarities with snow?', 'Are those similarities important, and why are they important?', along with myriad other questions. In short, pursuing a PhD teaches you to think differently about the world. There is no better environment than Michigan for learning to see the world with these different eyes. Michigan offers rigorous training, a collegial atmosphere, and one of the most livable cities in the country."

"Among the aspects of the Strategy PhD program at Michigan that I value most are the opportunities for students to interact and collaborate with faculty. I started working on a paper in my first term as a doctoral student, and in the past three years learned a lot about the craft from this apprenticeship. The faculty are always available to chat about ideas and our department's internal brownbags and the visiting speaker seminar series allow for wonderful and productive conversations about research. There is also a strong emphasis on theoretical and empirical rigor, which we learn and train for through the coursework in the business school, the disciplines, and research methods in the first two years. The courses are challenging, and faculty expectations high, both of which ensure that we truly benefit from our doctoral training. The University of Michigan has some very strong programs in the disciplines and we make the most of our access to these various programs."

"In my previous life, I was a software engineer working in Silicon Valley, California. The desire to learn and research how firms created value and made decisions got me into the PHD program in Strategy and it is a decision I haven’t regretted once. The classes here are challenging and the intellectual discussions stimulate thought. The university environment makes this the best city to live in in spite of the cold winters. The university justifiably boasts of incredibly broad-based resources to learn. The students have access to world class libraries and resources spread across various departments. Learning can be as multi-disciplinary as one wants; the will to explore is the students’ only limitation. The relationship of students with the faculty is one of the greatest strengths of the program and the environment is nurturing albeit challenging."