Ph.D. in Management and Strategy: Program and Curriculum

Overview

We expect our doctoral students to contribute as scholars to their chosen field of research. The curriculum is designed to help students develop an advanced understanding of research methodologies, competence in the fields of management and strategy, as well as a deep foundation of knowledge in the student’s chosen field of study.

Since the program is designed as a joint program between Management and Strategic Management & Public Policy, the coursework consists of core courses as well as courses that are specific to either of those two fields.

Timetable & Evaluation of Student Progress

The expected time to complete the program is five years. As part of the program requirements, students take a total of 14 courses (three credit hours each) plus complete a second-year research paper. Students select a Primary Adviser and Advisory Committee at the end of their first year to guide their coursework and their fulfillment of curriculum requirements. The following summarizes the key milestones in the program that students must meet to continue in the program and receive funding. In addition, students must attend all research seminars.

Timetable & Expected Progress

• 1st Year
  • Complete required courses.
  • Select a Primary Adviser & Advisory Committee (by the end of the 1st year).
• 2nd year
  • Complete all required & elective courses (by June 30th).
  • Finish summer paper (by the end of the 2nd year).
• 3rd Year
  • Pass comprehensive exams (by October 1st).
• 4th Year
  • Defend dissertation proposal (by November 1st).
• 5th Year
  • Defend final dissertation (by April 30th).

Course Requirements by Semester

Doctoral Electives & Management-Focused Doctoral Seminar Courses

As part of their doctoral requirements, all students take three doctoral electives from a pre-approved list of courses across GWU. In addition, students with a specialization in Management take three additional management-related Ph.D. seminars related to their interests. The following are examples of seminars relevant to Management and Strategy.

Courses Especially Relevant for the Management Field

• DNSC 6274 | Statistical Modeling & Analysis
• DNSC 6275 | Advanced Statistical Modeling & Analysis
• DNSC 6276 | Exploratory & Multivariate Data Analysis
• EDUC 8120 | Group Comparison Designs and Analyses
• EDUC 8122 | Qualitative Research Methods
• EDUC 8130 | Survey Research Methods
• EDUC 8131 | Case Study Research Methods
• EDUC 8140 | Ethnographic Research Methods
• EDUC 8142 | Phenomenological Research Methods
• EDUC 8144 | Discourse Analysis
• EDUC 8171 | Predictive Designs & Analyses
• EDUC 8173 | Structural Equation Modeling
• ORSC 8261 | Psychological Research Methods & Procedures
• PSC 8120 | Maximum Likelihood Estimation
• PSC 8185 | Longitudinal Analysis
• PSC 8124 | Multilevel Modeling
• PSYC 8231 | Development of Psychometric Instruments
• SOC 6230 | Sociological Research Methods
• SOC 6232 | Qualitative Methodology: Doing Field Research

Courses Especially Relevant for the Strategy Field

• Cultural Norms in Global Business
• Seminar in Corporate Governance
• (Social) Responsibility—Advanced Readings
• Advanced Topics in Business Ethics
• Business & Strategy—Seminar in Strategic Management
• Stakeholder Theory & Corporate (Social) Responsibility
• Business and Strategy—Strategy: Theory and Practice
• Business Management—Sustainability Management & Policy
• BMGT 828K | Behavioral Foundation
• BMGT 828E | Strategy & Entrepreneurship
• BMGT 828I | Innovation & Entrepreneurship
• PSYCH 8245 | Seminar in Organizational Behavior

Research Methods Courses

As part of their doctoral requirements, students take three research methods courses that are relevant to either Strategy or Management. The following are examples of research methods courses relevant to Management and Strategy.

Courses Especially Relevant for the Management Field

• DNSC 6274 | Statistical Modeling and Analysis
• DNSC 6275 | Advanced Statistical Modeling and Analysis
• DNSC 6276 | Exploratory and Multivariate Data Analysis
• EDUC 8120 | Group Comparison Designs and Analyses
• EDUC 8122 | Qualitative Research Methods
• EDUC 8130 | Survey Research Methods
• EDUC 8131 | Case Study Research Methods
• EDUC 8140 | Ethnographic Research Methods
• EDUC 8142 | Phenomenological Research Methods
• EDUC 8144 | Discourse Analysis
• EDUC 8173 | Structural Equation Modeling
• ORSC 8261 | Psychological Research Methods and Procedures
• PSC 8120 | Maximum Likelihood Estimation
• PSC 8185 | Longitudinal Analysis
• PSC 8124 | Multilevel Modeling
• PSYC 8231 | Development of Psychometric Instruments
• SOC 6230 | Sociological Research Methods
• SOC 6232 | Qualitative Methodology: Doing Field Research

Courses Especially Relevant for the Strategy Field

• ECON 8375 | Econometrics I
• DNSC 6275 | Econometrics II
• DNSC 6276 | Econometrics III
• EDUC 8120 | Economic Forecasting
• PSC 8120 | Exploratory and Multivariate Data Analysis
• PSC 8185 | Longitudinal Analysis
• PSC 8124 | Multilevel Modeling
• PSC 8185 | Selected Topics in Empirical Analysis
• PPPA 8101 | Design of Social and Policy Research
• EDUC 8144 | Discourse Analysis
• EDUC 8173 | Structural Equation Modeling
• ORSC 8261 | Psychological Research Methods and Procedures
• PSC 8120 | Maximum Likelihood Estimation
• PSC 8185 | Longitudinal Analysis
• PSC 8124 | Multilevel Modeling
• PSYC 8231 | Development of Psychometric Instruments
• SOC 6230 | Sociological Research Methods
• SOC 6232 | Qualitative Methodology: Doing Field Research

Comprehensive Exams

Students take the comprehensive exam at the end of their second year after all coursework is complete. The comprehensive examination is a test of a student’s readiness to work as an independent scholar at the highest level. Students respond to four questions developed by the student’s Advisory Committee. The content domain for these questions will reflect the student’s content seminars, research methods, and other areas of interest selected by the student.

Second-Year (Summer) Paper

By the end of their second year, all students must submit a research paper, which is ultimately targeted for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. The paper may be co-authored with one or more members of the faculty, providing that the student is a significant contributor to the paper.  The student’s Advisory Committee evaluates the paper. Students are required to formally present the paper in a research colloquium attended by faculty and fellow doctoral students during the year of submission.