PhD PROGR AM
IN PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN AND DIRECTOR If you become a doctoral student at the Michael G. Foster School of Business, you will likely view the work that lies before you with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Rightly so—the path is difficult. You must amass knowledge and learn to convey it skillfully in a classroom, cultivate professional relationships, identify research topics that have real-world relevance and advance your field’s literature with original thinking. Nurturing the next generation of leading scholars who will advance the frontiers of knowledge is a vital part of our mission. We take great care in selecting the applicants who become doctoral students here. In the admission process, we’ll work hard to ensure that you are a good fit for our program, and that our program is a good fit for you. If you accept an offer of admission, we will provide support through a range of research and teaching assistantships and fellowships through at least four years of study. We will help you connect with faculty members who can mentor you, guide you toward fruitful lines of research and help you publish your work in top journals. We’ll show you how to build a support system among your peers, develop your potential for teaching, and send you to the right professional meetings. As you approach the end of your studies at Foster, we’ll be your partner as you launch the next stage of your career. Read on to learn more about opportunities available in the Foster School’s PhD Program. If it sounds like the place for you, we encourage you to begin your journey.
JAMES JIAMBALVO
Dean, Michael G. Foster School of Business Kirby L. Cramer Chair in Business Administration
SCOTT J. REYNOLDS
Director, PhD Program Associate Professor of Business Ethics Weyerhaeuser Faculty Fellow
SITUATED BETWEEN THE CASCADE AND OLYMPIC MOUNTAIN RANGES, AND FLANKED BY LAKE WASHINGTON AND PUGET SOUND, THE FOSTER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS IS CENTRALLY LOCATED IN ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, LITERATE, TECHNOLOGY FOCUSED, AND VITAL ECONOMIC REGIONS IN THE WORLD. WITH A 90+ YEAR TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS EDUCATION, THE FOSTER SCHOOL IS KNOWN FOR ITS ABILITY TO BALANCE RIGOR AND RELEVANCE. AN IMPORTANT OUTCOME OF THAT BALANCE IS A BODY OF SCHOLARSHIP THAT TRULY MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE GLOBAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THE FOSTER SCHOOL DIFFERENCE When you enter the PhD Program at Foster, you will join a community of outstanding scholars with a history of achievement and a growing reputation. Our professors produce influential research, teach with award winning clarity and style, and achieve distinction among their peers. In fact, The Academy of Management Journal recently placed our faculty 11th in research productivity in a decade-long study. Our doctoral students benefit from the personal attention of faculty that comes from running a small PhD program. As a result of greater guidance and mentoring, our students enjoy greater success—from publishing their research to launching their careers. Despite the proliferation of both teaching and research awards garnered by Foster faculty, the school is defined by its collaborative culture. The faculty take great pride in working with and developing doctoral students and believe that the Foster environment is a key to our individual and collective success. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PHD PROGRAM.
Visit foster.uw.edu/phd
VIBRANT INNOVATIVE ENGAGING
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON Founded in 1861 by a private gift of 10 acres, the UW is one of the oldest public universities on the West Coast. Home to an average of 40,000+ students during the course of a year, the UW offers tremendous breadth and depth. The occurrence of so many highly ranked colleges within one university results in amazing synergistic efforts, from businesses started by interdisciplinary student teams to breakthrough research. Call it the legacy of Lewis and Clark or pioneer spirit, but discovery and innovation are at the heart of our university. UW graduates have gone to the moon, mapped the human genome, created vaccines and negotiated peace. This is a place that values the power of an idea. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.
Visit washington.edu/discover
SEATTLE Seattle is more than a Best-Place-to-Live city in the Northwest. It is the primary hub of business activity for an eight-state area. It is the home for game-changing companies: Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, Costco, Boeing, PACCAR, Nordstrom, and more. The city has a strong vibe of being socially conscious, highly collaborative, and valuing talent and hard work above all else. A city like Seattle is the foundation for a great business school like Foster. LEARN MORE ABOUT SEATTLE.
Visit experiencewa.com/cities/Seattle.aspx
PROGRAM STRUCTURE Doctoral study is full-time and year-round. New students are admitted in autumn quarter. Early in the program, a faculty supervisory committee is appointed to assist each student in designing a course of study tailored to the individual’s background and interests. Students select one major area of specialization and complete requirements in two or three additional minor areas that support their specialty. Under the guidance of faculty members who have similar interests, PhD students complete a program of formal coursework (a minimum of 18 courses) and participate in doctoral seminars, independent study and research. Throughout the program, doctoral students receive support and training that hone their skills as researchers, teachers and course developers. While the duration of the program varies, the format typically involves two years of coursework followed by written exams, and then focuses on the development and defense of a dissertation. All the while, the student is working closely with faculty to develop their own research stream. Most students require four to five years to complete the program.
A BRIEF ROADMAP Because the time frame for completing doctoral studies varies, it’s easiest to think of path in terms of two stages: pre-candidacy and candidacy. For details on program requirements, policies and procedures, visit foster.uw.edu/phdabout
PRE-CANDIDACY • Learn invaluable research methods • Enhance your area of specialization • Begin your research in earnest with an independent research paper • Prepare for your major area written examinations
Students must pass a written area examination after completion of the coursework (usually after year two).
CANDIDACY • Achieve candidacy Admission to candidacy is a formal University process signifying that a student has completed degree requirements and that the faculty expects the student will successfully complete the degree program. Students are admitted to candidacy upon completion of the general examination. • Produce original work: continue your dissertation • Defend dissertation in an oral final examination
THE ART of TEACHING At Foster, we believe it is essential to equip students with both the science of business research and the art of teaching in a classroom. We’ve all heard about both amazing teachers who rate well in the classroom but struggle on the tenure track, and brilliant researchers who lack teaching skills. We prepare doctoral students for excellence in both arenas. The academic market places increasing weight on teaching skills, and many business schools now require teaching presentations of all prospective faculty. We offer one of the nation’s most comprehensive training programs for future business educators: the Teaching Effectiveness Training Program. Weekly sessions address crucial issues in teaching and course development in preparation for the student’s teaching assignment. Students will observe other instructors, including other students teaching their assigned courses, draft their syllabus, and receive feedback on a teaching session. Along the way, students will also appreciate our collection of pedagogical materials— from lesson plans to quizzes and exercises.
FINANCE INFORMATION SYSTEMS
ACCOUNTING
AREAS OF
SPECIALIZATION
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
PhD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
MARKETING MANAGEMENT
TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP
For administrative purposes, the Foster School PhD Program is associated with five academic departments. Each PhD student is associated with the department that offers his or her major area of specialization. PhD students are administered by the program and the departments with guidance from the UW Graduate School. Because there are limited teaching assistantships available, admission decisions tend to be department oriented. The following brief overview of these specialized areas, linked to their respective departments, will help you get a better sense of the path you want to explore.
ACCOUNTING D E PA R T ME N T O F A C C O UN T IN G
Accounting is an interdisciplinary area, combining the study of financial information with areas such as economics, finance, decision theory, and cognitive psychology. The study of accounting involves examination of financial, managerial, audit, and tax accounting issues. The PhD curriculum in accounting encompasses two major streams of research: 1) the role of accounting information in contracting and capital markets (based on empirical and archival research), and 2) judgment and decision-making in accounting (primarily psychology- based). FOR MORE ON THE ACCOUNTING AREA OF SPECIALIZATION, VISIT:
foster.uw.edu/phdaccounting
“The faculty takes a very active role in mentoring and training of the PhD students. We are treated more like junior faculty than graduate students. Most of the accounting PhD students work on multiple co-authored projects with the faculty and continue to work with them for many years even after graduating.“ Urooj Khan, Foster PhD (2009) Assistant Professor of Accounting, Columbia Business School, Columbia University
FINANCE D E PA R T ME N T O F F IN A N C E & B U S INE S S E C O N O MI C S
The subject of Finance is concerned with the manner in which individuals and firms allocate resources among competing uncertain alternatives over time. Finance deals specifically with portfolio decisions of individual investors, investment and financing decisions by firms, and the implications of such behavior for the pricing of capital assets in the marketplace. Recommended course work in the area of finance covers the basic tools, theory, and empirical evidence necessary to give students a solid foundation upon which to generate and disseminate new knowledge throughout their careers. FOR MORE ON THE FINANCE AREA OF SPECIALIZATION, VISIT:
foster.uw.edu/phdfinance
“I appreciated the easy access to outstanding faculty who provided critical and constructive evaluation of my research. The group has a clear commitment to developing strong PhD students, and they share a strong intellectual curiosity as well as an easygoing nature. The broad range of coursework in the program exposes you to all areas of finance, which significantly helps in the development of a quality dissertation.� Darren Kisgen, Foster PhD (2004) Associate Professor of Finance, Carroll School of Management, Boston College
INFORMATION SYSTEMS OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT D E PA R T ME N T O F INFO R M AT I O N S Y S T E M S & O P E R AT I O N S M A N A G E ME N T
The Department of Information Systems & Operations Management (ISOM) supports two areas for doctoral study: Information Systems (IS) and Operations Management (OM). Both areas are designed for persons seeking academic and research careers. The doctoral program in Information Systems includes the study of the design, development, use and management of computer-based business systems, with a focus on creating business value. This IS program at the Foster School has a highly productive faculty that contributes to the fundamental theories of IS in diverse directions such as big data analytics, database and data mining, electronic and mobile commerce, information technology strategies and economics of IS, social media and social networks.
“As a student you get training not only from the ISOM group but also from Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, and Sociology which helps you in doing cutting-edge research. The school also provides opportunities to work across areas, which is great for anyone who wants to pursue questions that are at the intersection of two areas.� Param Vir Singh Carnegie Bosch Junior Chair and Associate Professor of Business Technologies, Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University
Operations Management deals with the functional parts of an organization that produce goods and services. The curriculum in OM focuses on the many changes that have occurred in recent years in the way that managers think, plan and operate supply chain manufacturing and service activities. These changes have been driven by dramatic improvements in information technology, the quantity and quality of available data, the growth and increasing accessibility of global markets and the necessity to adapt to more sophisticated and quality conscious consumers. FOR MORE ON THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AREA OF SPECIALIZATION, VISIT:
foster.uw.edu/phdis FOR MORE ON THE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT AREA OF SPECIALIZATION, VISIT:
foster.uw.edu/phdom
MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT & ORGANIZ ATION
The doctoral program in Management offers students an opportunity to pursue advanced study with a diverse group of worldrenowned management faculty. Management is an interdisciplinary area, combining the study of organizations with core disciplines such as psychology, sociology, and economics. Research in management involves examination of both macro- and micro-level factors that impact organizational effectiveness. The two primary doctoral tracks in management are Strategic Management, which examines the factors that cause some firms to succeed while others fail, and Organizational Behavior (OB), which studies individual and team behaviors and attitudes within organizations.
“I was very enriched by my PhD experience. First of all, the Seattle area is a vibrant and unique area to spend five years of your life. And the combination of quality faculty, school reputation and a track record for successfully launching doctoral students makes the Foster School an attractive and competitive place to earn a doctoral degree.� Bradley Owens Assistant Professor of Business Ethics Marriott School, Brigham Young University
Technology Entrepreneurship addresses the critical areas of research and education in technology development, commercialization and licensing, and the new-venture creation process. The program brings together faculty involved in entrepreneurship teaching and research to guide students. Through a combination of teaching methods and curricular structure, we hope to produce the next generation of entrepreneurship faculty focused on high technology. FOR MORE ON THE MANAGEMENT AREA OF SPECIALIZATION, VISIT:
foster.uw.edu/phdmanagement FOR MORE ON THE TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP AREA OF SPECIALIZATION, VISIT:
foster.uw.edu/phdte
MARKETING DEPARTMENT OF MARKE TING & INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
The subject of Marketing is concerned with the exchange process between individuals and organizations. The objective of the doctoral program is to gain an understanding of how this process develops and evolves, and investigate research methods for improving the practice of marketing for the benefit of organizations and institutions, consumers and society. Most doctoral students accept academic positions upon completion. In addition to recommended course work, students participate in research projects, either individually or jointly with faculty or fellow students, and write an original dissertation. Current faculty interests in marketing include theoretical and institutional aspects of: product policies; managing advertising and other forms of promotion; marketing strategy; relationship marketing; establishing and managing distribution systems; pricing decisions; strategic planning; competitive analysis; consumer decision making; marketing research and data analysis; marketing organizations; international marketing; and social and political issues. FOR MORE ON THE MARKETING AREA OF SPECIALIZATION, VISIT:
foster.uw.edu/phdmarketing
“ While at Foster, I always felt part of an intellectual community that provided both guidance and support. When it comes to creating well-rounded academics— in terms of both research and teaching—I believe the PhD Program at Foster does a wonderful job.” Claudiu Dimofte Associate Professor of Marketing College of Business Administration, San Diego State University
TAKE the NEXT STEPS
ADMISSIONS Each year, from an application pool of approximately 500, the Foster School admits a class of approximately 15 highly qualified PhD students. In ranking applicants, we give primary consideration to academic potential and aspiration. Each applicant is evaluated in terms of the following: • Academic accomplishments to date and institutions attended • Scholarships, awards and honors earned • Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores • TOEFL iBT or IELTS scores (if applicable) • Relevant nonacademic experience • Academic and other references • Statement of academic objectives (reasons for pursuing a PhD) Admission is offered during autumn quarter only The application for admission must be received by January 15. Due to possible administrative or mail delays, we suggest that applicants submit all materials early to ensure full consideration. For more information on admissions and application materials, please visit:foster.uw.edu/phdadmissions
FINANCIAL SUPPORT Excellent financial support—in the form of tuition waivers, teaching and research assistantships, fellowships and scholarships—is available for all qualified students in the PhD Program. The objectives of the financial support package are to help fund the student’s educational program and to provide them with supervised professional experience in both teaching and research. A typical sequence of financial support for a doctoral student is: FIRST YEAR (Autumn – Summer)
• Teaching Effectiveness Program • Teaching and Research Assistantships SECOND YEAR (Autumn – Summer)
• Teaching and Research Assistantships THIRD YEAR (Autumn – Summer)
• Teaching and Research Assistantships • Fellowships Available FOURTH YEAR (Autumn – Summer)
• Teaching and Research Assistantships • Fellowships Available For more on financial aid, please visit: foster.uw.edu/phdfinancialsupport
The University of Washington reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam era veteran in accordance with University policy and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations. The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the department at 206.543.4661 or the Disability Services Office at least ten days in advance at: 206.543.6450 (voice), 206.543.6452 (TTY), 206.685.7264 (fax), or e-mail at dso@u.washington.edu. Published by the Michael G. Foster School of Business, University of Washington
PACCAR HALL
(photo on front cover)
State-of-the-art classrooms and countless open spaces for collaboration and team-building are contained within PACCAR Hall. In staying true to our green Northwest values, the building has been designed and constructed to attain a LEED gold certificate.
foster.uw.edu/phd
MICHAEL G. FOSTER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
PhD PROGRAM Jaime Banaag Assistant Director Scott J. Reynolds Director and Associate Professor of Business Ethics Weyerhaeuser Faculty Fellow PhD Program Michael G. Foster School of Business University of Washington 301 Mackenzie Hall, Mail Stop 353200 Seattle, WA 98195-3200 USA tel: 206.543.4111 fax: 206.616.7351 e-mail: busphd@uw.edu web: foster.uw.edu/phd
PhD Program