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Sep 07, 2024
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School of Graduate Studies Calendar, 2024-2025
Business Administration, Ph.D.
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The Faculty of Business offers a program leading to the Ph.D. in Business Administration, with fields in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems (IS), Health Management (HM), Management of Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources (MOBHR), Management Science (MS), and Marketing and Strategic Management.
Accounting
The Accounting field of study is designed to prepare students who are planning to assume an academic career in a university setting to become excellent accounting researchers and educators. The program of study provides students an exposure to issues and techniques of various research methods and designs in the context of accounting research. Typically, successful applicants will have a university degree in accounting or related fields. Applicants with other university programs of study, including Economics, Finance, Computer Science, Engineering, Engineering and Management, and Mathematics may also be qualified.
Finance
The Finance field of study is designed to prepare and graduate students with theoretical and empirical training that is required to conduct significant academic research in finance. The topics of study include, but are not limited to, the pricing of securities, investment and risk management, corporate finance, and other financial decisions of individuals and firms. This field of study is intended for individuals who are interested in the field of Finance and in a career in university teaching and research, as well as research-based careers in the financial services sector. These may include fund management and investment banking. Typically, successful applicants will have a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Mathematics or a related field.
HM
The Health Management field is concerned with a broad range of business administration issues and topics within the health care sector such as leadership, change management, strategic resources allocation, as well as economic and policy analyses. The program design exposes students to a blend of theoretical and applied content that will support them to advance their careers in education, research and senior leadership positions within the health sector. Students are encouraged to gain exposure to content from one or more of the other business administration fields. The HM field is expected to be most attractive to students who currently hold a management position in the health sector and who want the flexibility of a program that is offered on both a full and part-time basis.
IS
The IS field of study concerns the management, use and impact of information technologies in organizations. It is a multidisciplinary field by nature and draws upon theory and research from a wide variety of disciplines such as Organizational Behaviour, Strategy, Marketing, Psychology, Computer Science, and Information Studies. Recognizing the breadth of the field, students are free to adopt either qualitative or quantitative approaches to their research, as appropriate. The program is intended for students with a strong background and interest in information technology and an avid interest in managerial and behavioural aspects as opposed to technical orientations. It is intended for students with a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Computer Science, and/or Information Systems.
MOBHR
The MOBHR field is broad in scope and is concerned with all aspects of the employment relationship. The field has a strong research emphasis and is designed to prepare highly motivated individuals for academic careers as scholars in Organizational Behaviour, Human Resource Management, and/or Industrial Relations. A major strength of the field is that students can draw upon diverse faculty interests to develop a research program that suits their objectives. The MOBHR field is intended for students with a Master’s degree in Business Administration or other relevant disciplines such as Psychology, Economics and Sociology.
MS
The MS field is concerned with the development and application of quantitative modeling and systematic approaches to the solution of management problems. Areas of application for these techniques include operations management, logistics, and supply chain management. The field has a strong research emphasis and is designed to prepare highly motivated and capable individuals for making significant advances in management science knowledge. It is intended for students with Master’s degrees in Business Administration or in disciplines such as Mathematics, Engineering, Science, and Computer Science.
Marketing
The Marketing field of study is designed to prepare graduate students with a solid foundation in theoretical and empirical methodologies focusing primarily on firm level research in the discipline of marketing. The doctoral student will work closely with the supervisor to conduct leading edge research in the discipline of marketing, which explores the processes and mechanisms by which value is created and delivered to the customer. The expectation is that this research will be published in top journals. The program is designed for students who have an interest in pursuing an academic career.
Strategic Management
The DeGroote Ph.D. specialization in Strategic Management is a rigorous and research-focused program designed to prepare doctoral candidates for scholarly careers in academia or research in the field of business strategy. The program is interdisciplinary, drawing upon a variety of fields including general strategy, business policy, economics, psychology, sociology, knowledge management, governance, international business, innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and organizational behaviour among others. The main learning objective of this specialization is to provide Ph.D. students with a well-rounded understanding of the complex dynamics of strategic decision-making.
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Application
Requests for application material should be sent to the attention of the Program Administrator, Business Administration PhD Program, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8S 4M4 or by email to phdinfo@mcmaster.ca. Information is also available on the website: http://phd.degroote.mcmaster.ca. Admission decisions are based on previous academic performance, Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) results, references, research interests and other relevant information.
Applicants whose native language is not English will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency by providing a valid TOEFL test score at the time of application. Successful applicants will normally achieve a score of at least 100 and a minimum of 22 in the reading component, 22 in the listening component, 26 in the speaking component and 24 in the writing component on the Internet-Based Test (IBT); or 600 on the Paper-Based Test (PBT); or 250 on the Computer-Based Test (CBT). We may also consider the equivalent score on other recognized tests.
Applicants may be exempted from this requirement if they have completed a university degree where English was the language of instruction.
Applicants are responsible for making all arrangements regarding writing of the TOEFL test or other recognized tests and for ensuring the official score report is forwarded to the DeGroote School of Business in a timely manner.
Qualification Requirements
Admission to the Ph.D. program will be granted in accordance with the general regulations of the School of Graduate Studies as specified in the front of this calendar. Applicants normally must have a Master’s degree with at least B+ standing and a minimum GMAT score of 600. In lieu of a GMAT score, a comparable GRE score will be considered as long as a minimum of 80% below is achieved in the quantitative score. Admission decisions are based on past academic performance, GMAT or GRE score, the strength of reference letters, the quality of the applicant’s statement of research interests and goals, and matching of the applicants’ research interests with the research expertise and interests of the faculty members.
Accounting candidates must demonstrate proficiency in various subject areas of business management, including accounting and economics. They must also possess strong quantitative skills, including calculus and linear algebra. Highly qualified candidates with background in other fields such as economics, finance, mathematics, engineering, engineering and management, or computer science are encouraged to apply.
Finance candidates must demonstrate competence in business management, finance, mathematics and economics.
HM candidates must hold a related Master’s degree, demonstrate competence in one or more functional areas of management, and possess strong communication skills. The most competitive candidates will have at least two years of management experience and will also have experience conducting business, social sciences, humanities or health sciences related research.
IS candidates must demonstrate proficiency in business management and information systems. Students must also demonstrate proficiency in statistics at a level sufficient for study and research in the IS field.
MOBHR candidates must demonstrate competence in at least one of the following related subject areas in business management: organizational behaviour, human resources management, labour relations, industrial and organizational psychology and economics.
MS candidates must demonstrate proficiency in various subject areas in business management, including operations management and economics. They must also demonstrate proficiency in calculus, probability, matrix algebra, statistics and computer programming at a level sufficient for study and research in the MS field.
Marketing candidates must have demonstrated proficiency in any area of the natural sciences, social sciences or humanities. They are encouraged to demonstrate some competence in areas of business management and marketing. Students must also have demonstrated proficiency in mathematics or statistics at a level sufficient for study and research in the Marketing field.
Strategic Management candidates must demonstrate competence in one or more of the following fields general strategy, business policy, economics, psychology, sociology, knowledge management, governance, international business, innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and organizational behaviour among others.
Program Requirements
Because of the differing backgrounds of students entering the program and the differing areas of dissertation research, there will be variations in the course programs that students follow. A program of study will be chosen by the student with the approval of the student’s supervisor and the Area Chair. This program will be chosen to prepare the student for the comprehensive examinations and to provide appropriate background for the planned dissertation research.
Most of the courses and seminars will be taken within the School of Business. Where appropriate, and with the approval of the student’s supervisor, courses from other departments within the University or from other universities may be taken; such courses normally will be graduate courses. Graduate courses offered in other university departments are described elsewhere in this calendar.
Students must take a minimum of 6 to a maximum of 12 one-term courses. The exact number and mix of courses will depend on the background and research interests of the student as assessed by the student’s supervisor. Students can receive exemptions for courses (if qualified) or take additional courses as long as the total number does not exceed 12 courses.
In order to remain in the program, students must maintain a grade point average of at least B+ in their course work with no more than one failing grade (below B-) in a prescribed course. The student will be required to withdraw from the program if he/she receives a second failing grade.
All students in the program, regardless of field of study, take one common seminar course (BUSINESS B790 / Theory Building in Management ).
Accounting Ph.D. Courses
Three accounting Ph.D. seminar courses must be taken. Department of Economics Courses
In addition, the following courses from the Department of Economics must be taken: Quantitative Courses
In addition, two of the following courses:
Additional Information
Candidates who do not have sufficient background in accounting, microeconomics and/or econometrics will be required to take specific courses in accounting, microeconomics and/or econometrics for credit, normally in the coursework phase of the Ph.D. program, up to a maximum of 12 one-term courses for credit in the program. Finance Ph.D. Courses
Five finance Ph.D. courses must be taken.
Department of Economics Courses
In addition the following courses from the Department of Economics must be taken: Additional Information
Students are also required to take one additional 700-level course in Business, Economics or Mathematics, to be determined in consultation with their supervisor. Ph.D. Courses
Nine Ph.D. seminar courses must be taken.
Additional Information
Students may be required to take additional courses depending on their background and the recommendation of the supervisor.
Ph.D. Courses
Four Ph.D. seminar courses must be taken.
IS Ph.D. Courses
One IS Ph.D. courses must be taken, chosen from:
Ph.D. Courses
Eight MOBHR Ph.D. seminar courses must be taken.
MS Ph.D. Courses
Four MS Ph.D. courses must be taken.
Four MS Ph.D. courses must be taken, chosen from:
Marketing Ph.D. Courses
The four marketing Ph.D. courses must be taken. Ph.D. Courses
One of the following combinations must be taken, to be determined in consultation with the supervisor:
Additional Information
Additional courses in Mathematics, Economics, Psychology or other disciplines may be required depending on the background preparation of the students, to be determined in consultation with the supervisor.
Strategic Management Field
MBA Courses
(choose 2 from below, or equivalent, or 2 alternative 700-level courses if PhD candidate received MBA from McMaster, or 2 PhD courses from other PhD Areas or Programs as approved by Supervisor)
Optional but recommended: External Seminars
P795 - Case Writing (offered at Ivey - https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/case-workshops/)
This workshop aids participants in writing cases effectively and efficiently. Attendees work through the three-phase writing process on a case lead that participants have developed or are hoping to develop. Those who have a case ready for submission or one in development will have an opportunity to receive one on one feedback from an Ivey Publishing editorial staff member.
P796 - Case Teaching (offered at Ivey - https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/case-workshops/)
This workshop is an introduction to the case method and how to use cases as an effective tool for teaching and learning.
Comprehensive Examination
All doctoral candidates must pass a comprehensive examination in their chosen field of study to demonstrate knowledge of the field and preparation for research. The comprehensive examination will test each student’s knowledge of core material, familiarity with the relevant literature and knowledge of methodology required to do research in the field. The comprehensive examinations in the Accounting, MOBHR, Management Science and Marketing fields include a written examination followed by an oral examination. The comprehensive exam in Finance consists of a written exam (in two parts) and a research paper proposal. The comprehensive examination in all other fields includes only a written examination.
In addition to the comprehensive examination, students must pass an oral defence of their dissertation proposals before they can proceed to the final oral defence of their dissertation. The dissertation examination will take place in accordance with the regulations of the School of Graduate Studies.
PhD students receiving two failures in Comprehensive Examinations will be withdrawn from their degree program. These students are not allowed to switch to another Business PhD field of Specialization.
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