Doctor of Philosophy in the Field of Business Administration

The doctor of philosophy (PhD) in the field of business administration from the GW School of Business (GWSB) is designed to prepare students for a successful career as a scholar at a leading research university. The program offers the following areas of focus: accountancy, decision sciences, finance, international business, management and strategy.

Working with a distinguished faculty, students develop expertise in research and scholarship and learn to contribute as vital members of a dynamic community of scholars. Graduates aspire to faculty appointments at internationally recognized business schools, and plan to balance teaching and active research.

GWSB's location in the heart of the nation’s capital offers students unique advantages, include access to regulators such as the SEC, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), and the World Bank; data hubs such as the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and area conferences such as the PCAOB/Journal of Accounting Research auditing conference.

The program is challenging, but also supportive and collegial. Students develop close working relationships that continue throughout their careers. With several areas of focus available, GWSB's PhD program puts students on the path to success.

Admissions information is available on the GWSB graduate admissions website.

Adminssion Requirements

Article	Requirement
Admission deadline:	Fall – January 15
Standardized test scores:	Either the Graduate Admissions Management Test (GMAT – institution code QK4-4F-40) or the Graduate Records Exam (GRE – institution code 5246) is required.
Recommendations required:	Three (3) recommendations
Prior academic records:	Transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, whether or not credit was earned, the program was completed, or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Please note: Graduates of foreign universities must also submit notarized English translations of all transcripts if they are not in English. Graduates of foreign universities must also submit a course-by-course credential evaluation; this is required to consider your application complete. Evaluation services that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) will be accepted.
	International applicants should upload only the English-language version of their transcripts.
Statement of purpose:	Applicants must submit a 750 to 1,200-word Letter of Intent that clearly indicates the specific area of focus; explains the reasons for seeking a Ph.D. in the specified area of focus; describes how present objectives relate to previous life experiences; identifies key long-range professional objectives; and supplies members of the Doctoral Committee with any additional clarifying information the applicant considers important. The Letter of Intent should be typed and double-spaced.
Additional requirements:	A current resumé is required, listing any publications. A master’s degree in a related field is preferred. Applicants are strongly encouraged to meet in person or by telephone with lead professors in the intended area of focus.
International applicants only:	Please follow this link - https://graduate.admissions.gwu.edu/international-student-application-requirements - to review the International Applicant Information carefully for details on required documents, earlier deadlines for applicants requiring an I-20 or DS-2019 from GW, and English language requirements.
	PLEASE NOTE that the minimum English language test scores required by this program are:
	- Academic IETLS: an overall band score of 7.0 with no individual band score below 6.0; or
	- TOEFL: 600 on paper-based or 100 on Internet-based or 250 on computer-based.
	- PTE Academic: 68.
	- Duolingo English Test: Score of 110 or higher.

The doctor of philosophy in business administration is designed to prepare students who wish to pursue academic careers in business. The program consists of two major stages: the pre-candidacy stage and the dissertation stage. During the pre-candidacy stage, students complete coursework and a comprehensive examination, under the guidance of a committee of three faculty members (faculty advisory group). Upon admission to candidacy, students prepare, submit, and defend a dissertation.

Curriculum requirements

The doctoral curriculum involves two years of formal courses established by each Department and approved by the Doctoral Committee. Students take a minimum of 45 credits during their program (including core courses and a summer paper). Students should consult their Faculty Advisory Group about the required courses and electives for which they should register. The following 30 credits constitute the core requirements for the degree:

• Four required courses in research methods and quantitative analysis (12 credits).

• Four required doctoral seminars that cover important studies in the student's area of interest (12 credits).

• An additional doctoral level seminar from outside the student's area of interest (3 credits).

• A summer research paper during the first or first and second summer, as required by the student's area of interest (3 credits).

The remaining 15 elective credits are chosen in consultation with the student's faculty advisory group. Students should complete at least 39 credits within the first two years from matriculation, and the remaining 6 credits should be completed during the third year.

Policies for core courses

In general, all core courses should be doctoral courses, i.e., those at the 8000 level. All courses must be taken for letter grades. Required courses cannot be waived without substitution except in unusual circumstances as determined on a case-by-case basis. Examples of unusual circumstances include students holding a specialized master's or doctoral degree where equivalent core courses were taken in a particular area (such as statistics or mathematics). Students may petition the Associate Dean of Research and Doctoral Programs to substitute up to 12 credits of required courses with alternative courses approved by the faculty advisory group.

Comprehensive examination

After the student completes the coursework and the summer paper requirements, the faculty advisory group and department faculty administer a comprehensive examination. The format of the comprehensive examination is at the discretion of the advisory committee, subject to approval by the doctoral committee when evaluating the study plan. The comprehensive examination establishes the student’s mastery of the current and classic literature. The comprehensive exam can be written, in-class or take-home, and may include an oral component. Failure to pass the comprehensive examination in two attempts leads to termination from the program.

Dissertation

Following successful completion of the comprehensive examination, the student is considered a doctoral candidate, and may form a dissertation committee, and develop a dissertation proposal. During this stage, students prepare, submit, and defend a dissertation. 

Other policies

All course work and required comprehensive examination must be completed within five years of matriculation. All program requirements must be completed within seven years of the date of matriculation.

The doctoral program is administered and supervised by the Associate Dean and the committee on doctoral studies. For more detailed information on the program, please see the Doctoral Program Handbook, available in the GWSB Doctoral Program Office