phd business in canada

PhD in Business Administration

For over 20 years, the Sobey School of Business has delivered a rigorous and innovative doctoral program designed to train the next generation of high-impact scholars. With a large team of internationally renowned faculty, the Sobey PhD program has been recognized for its effectiveness, innovative structure, and curriculum. The Sobey PhD program is housed in the largest and most comprehensive business school in Atlantic Canada, and produces enthusiastic, research-experienced, and well-published graduates who are eminently employable and capable of making an impact on business research in Canada and beyond. 

We are now accepting applications for three PhD streams:

Ready to apply?

The deadline for applications is February 15 for a September start. Visit our Admissions page for more information. 

Contact [email protected] . 

Our PhD brochure is also available as a downloadable PDF: Sobey PhD in Business Administration Brochure

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PhD Program

Pursue Excellence, Drive Change, Lead Globally

5 year full-time program

On campus in-person Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Attend Rotman seminars

Applications for Fall 2025 are now open. Apply here .  Application deadline is January 10, 2025. We are offering application fee waivers for the first 60 qualified Black and/or Indigenous students as well as students from Iran and Ukraine. Please note that applicants must meet admission requirements, complete their admission application, submit all required documentation including transcripts, CV, Letter of Intent and English Language Proficiency Test scores, if applicable, as well as apply for the application fee waiver .

Join a close-knit community of scholars at one of the world’s top-ranked centres of management research – at the University of Toronto, in the heart of Canada’s vibrant, culturally diverse financial capital. As part of Rotman’s PhD program, you’ll explore new ideas, develop insights that inspire solutions and help to spark broader conversations among corporate and public leaders.

The PhD in Management is a challenging 5 year program which features course-work, cutting edge research training, and close working relationships with some of the best management academics in the world.  The success of our program is evidenced in the impressive careers of our graduates.

PhD students work closely with faculty in our research-led culture which emphasizes rigor, creativity and innovation. The PhD curriculum is carefully designed to support students as publishing scholars as early as possible in their doctoral studies and we have a terrific track record of placements in leading business schools. Our program is divided into 7 distinct streams of research: Accounting, Economic Analysis and Policy, Finance, Marketing,  Operations Management and Statistics, Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management, and Strategic Management.

We are Rotman

The Rotman School is ranked 16th in the world by the Financial Times for its faculty and research. PhD students at Rotman enjoy an academic culture of collaboration and research excellence. Our doctoral program is delivered in seven streams that reflect the organization of the school as a whole: 

• Economic Analysis and Policy
• Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management
• Operations Management and Statistics 
• Strategic Management

PhD students at Rotman study in small classes and form close working relationships with faculty. Take a moment to get to know our program requirements. If you are a strong candidate with an appetite for academic excellence, we encourage you to contact us to learn more about the Rotman PhD.

The Rotman PhD is for ambitious scholars who plan to teach and research at some of the world's top business schools. If you are looking to study with leading faculty, publish in noted academic journals, and build a global network of like-minded scholars, the Rotman PhD program is for you. Our goal is to prepare our PhD students for exceptional careers in the field of management, and all aspects of the doctoral program are developed with your professional goals in mind. Find out how the Rotman School at the University of Toronto has been the launching pad for many stellar academic careers.

Rotman PhDs on the Market

Research at Rotman

Careers: After the Rotman PhD

Rotman PhD Courses

2024-2025 phd course schedule.

Please view the Course Schedule above for the list of current courses.  

Student Life

Are you a promising scholar driven to achieve success in your studies? At Rotman we believe that your success is fueled by support that extends well beyond scholarship. Your ability to achieve both during the program and after graduation depends on strong networks with faculty and your peers. We aim to give you the tools you need to complete your program while achieving a balanced life outside of the classroom.  Whether you're looking for a new living arrangement, wanting to attend a research event, or wondering how previous students experienced their doctorate, the Rotman Phd progam has the support you need to succeed. Find out what it's like to study at one of the world's top business schools, and live in Toronto, Canada's cultural and financial capital. Finding a Place to Stay Research Seminars at Rotman University of Toronto

Daphne Baldassari, Rotman PhD'23: Dare to Risk

Board games and pizza night, rotman phd: leading the world in research, rotman phd: from support to strength.

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McGill PhD in Management

McGill University is renowned for its academic excellence and continues to set the standard for higher education in Canada. 

Specializations

Our students, building excellence.

The Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill, renowned worldwide for cutting-edge research , offers a PhD Program in Management where outstanding students conduct fundamental research at the frontiers of management knowledge and practice.

With the collaboration of faculty  and industry leaders, the program prepares students to become autonomous researchers, whose teaching, publications and consulting activities contribute to leading universities and organizations around the world.

The PhD program participates in a joint doctoral program that brings together the four leading Montreal universities (HEC-Montreal, Concordia, UQAM, and McGill).  As a result, students gain access to the rich doctoral offerings from other universities and are expected to include professors from other universities on their committees.

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PhD Online Information Session: Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Phd admissions how-to’s online info session: thursday, december 05, 2024, department and university information, desautels faculty of management mcgill university.

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Your PhD in Administration

PhD in Administration

Applications for Fall 2025 will be accepted between August 15 th , 2024 and December 9 th , 2024.

W e strongly encourage all those considering applying to the Schulich PhD in Administration or those seeking more information to first watch the helpful  ‘Schulich PhD in Administration Program Overview and Application Tips Information Session’  for the Fall 2025 intake.

The Schulich doctorate comprises four tightly linked phases of study: coursework to acquire in-depth knowledge of your field of study; a comprehensive examination to demonstrate your mastery of the subject matter; defense of a formal research proposal; and a dissertation.

From the outset of the PhD program, you are invited to start thinking about the direction of your research. Scholarly development through the presentation and publication of papers with professors and other students is a cornerstone of the program.

Want to learn more?

View all program details, view course offerings, application tips and faqs, meet our students.

“My time at Schulich has truly been one of the best experiences of my life. I have so many fond memories of how vibrant the research culture was and how incredibly generous the professors, fellow students, and staff were - and frankly, still are - with me.” Marie-Agnès Parmentier, PhD 2009 Associate Professor, Marketing, HEC Montreal

Explore our PhD Specializations.

At Schulich, our expertise in various specialized areas of study will help you meet your unique career objectives and give you a competitive career advantage.

• Operations Management & Information Systems
• Organization Studies
• Strategic Management
• Sustainability

Career Opportunities

Prepare for a stimulating career in academic teaching and research. Graduates from this rigorous program of study contribute to the knowledge and global practice of business through tenure stream positions at leading universities in Canada, the U.S. or abroad.

PhD in the News

Professors Henriques and Diamant Honored at Research Day 2024

Father of Stakeholder Theory to speak at Schulich COERB Event

Accountants Have Clearer Guidelines When it Comes to Reporting Illegal Acts

Phd program details by category, admission requirements, requirement checklist.

• Exceptional candidates with a bachelor’s degree may be considered.
• Masters degrees in Business (MBA’s) from South Asia may require further academic qualifications for consideration.
• A degree certificate will be required if the transcript does not indicate graduation or completion from a program.

• Acceptable scores on all measures of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination taken in the last five years.

While we do not have a minimum GMAT or GRE cut-off, it is recommended that candidates present a competitive score of 650+ in the GMAT 10 th Edition, or 595+ in GMAT Focus Edition, or 320+ in the GRE.

• To send your scores for these tests to us please use the following codes: GMAT code Z75-X8-80 or GRE code 5697
• Prior research experience is strongly recommended.
• The online application requires: essays (written), an updated résumé and 3 recommendations. Copies of transcripts, GMAT or GRE scores, and language proficiency test scores (if applicable) may be uploaded to facilitate the initial review process. Note that unofficial documents are sufficient at the application stage.

The PhD program is offered on a full-time basis only. Full-time studies start in September of each year.

The Fall 2025 PhD Application portal will open on August 15 th , 2024.

Fall 2025 Application Deadline: December 9, 2024.

Please complete all sections (personal information, education, program of study, payment) of the online application and upload all supporting documentation (e.g. Curriculum Vitae, Scanned Transcripts, Unofficial GMAT or GRE results, and proof of English Proficiency – TOEFL or IELTS (if applicable) by the deadline date. Hard copies of supporting documents are not required at the time of application. Official transcripts and official copies of test scores are only required once an offer of admission is made.

Admissions Decision:  March 2025

For additional admissions information and/or questions about the application process, contact the Schulich PhD Admissions team through our Graduate Enquiry Form. 

View PhD Program Details    Apply Now!

Tuition & Fees

For information on PhD fees, please see York University’s Graduate Student Fees table.

To learn more about the funding offered to PhD students please review PhD Financial Assistance.

Students entering Schulich’s PhD program may expect to receive $30,000 (domestic) and $43,000 (international) each year, up to five years. This funding is guaranteed, provided that students remain in good standing, show satisfactory progress in their work, maintain full-time status and fulfill the expected requirements. If a student defends his/her dissertation proposal before September 15 in his/her fourth year (i.e. start of term 10), he/she is eligible to receive an additional $2000 in year four. Funding in years one through three is tied to a research assistantship. Details are available from the PhD program.

In addition, students will have opportunities to pursue special awards through Schulich and York University and options for working on and off campus. For full details click below.

Financial Aid for PhD Students

Study Options

The PhD must be taken on a full-time basis for the first two years of study. To remain eligible for funding, students must maintain their full-time status.

Available delivery options

• Full-time 48 to 72 months

Location(s)

• Keele Campus Toronto

The requirements to successfully complete the program are outlined below in “Curriculum Overview.”

Curriculum Overview

Candidates for the PhD degree must complete studies in one of the following major fields: Accounting, Organizational Studies, Finance, Marketing, Strategic Management, or Operations Management and Information Systems. They must also complete a series of methodological courses relevant to that major field.

 Learn more about PhD Course Types 

Coursework only accounts for one of four phases in the PhD program. For a more detailed overview of the PhD program’s four broad phases of study, view program requirements (below)

The courses you take are dependent on your particular program of study and research interests. To see which courses are required for your area of interest, view specializations (below) .

To browse all of our course offerings, view current PhD course offerings or visit our Course Catalog .

Coursework is intended to prepare students to carry out leading-edge research in their major field. A student’s coursework plan is developed in consultation with the faculty member from the student’s field who has been assigned as an advisor.

Students entering the PhD program without an MBA degree are required to do a number of Schulich MBA 1 Required Foundations of Management Core Courses.

Students must complete the following course requirements:

• A core of courses designed to support necessary methodology training
• A minimum of four courses in the major field
• A minimum of two electives in topics related to the major field, approved by the PhD program coordinator in the candidate’s major field of study.

These courses will normally be chosen from those offered at the 7000-level at the Schulich School of Business. With permission, some may be chosen from those offered at the graduate level by other graduate programs or at other academic institutions.

Comprehensive Examination

Each student must pass a comprehensive examination before proceeding to formal work on her or his dissertation. Comprehensive examinations are designed to demonstrate competence and knowledge in the field. The examination is set and administered by the faculty within the student’s major field.

The Faculty regards the comprehensive examination as a pivotal point for deciding whether students should be allowed to proceed with their studies or be encouraged to withdraw from the program.

Dissertation Proposal and Oral Defence

Candidates must prepare a written proposal to conduct original dissertation research carried out under the supervision of a supervisory committee and must defend this to the satisfaction of the thesis supervisor and members of the committee.

Dissertation and Oral Examination

Candidates must prepare a dissertation based on original research carried out under the supervision of a supervisory committee and submit the results in appropriate dissertation form. After the formal submission of the dissertation, an oral examination is held. It is expected that all or part of the dissertation will be published following professional or scientific review.

The Schulich School of Business continues to accelerate in its commitment to research excellence across all functional and program areas and through thriving interdisciplinary initiatives within Schulich and beyond. Fundamental to our success in advancing knowledge and understanding in business has been the continued recruitment of researchers of the highest distinction and calibre.

Browse our PhD specializations for faculty profiles by academic area.

Teaching & Learning Online

Program faculty members

Professor of Strategy and International Business; Pierre Lassonde Chair in International Business; Area Coordinator, Strategic Management

Professor of Strategic Management; Executive Director, York Change Leadership (YCL)

Professor of Finance; Bob Finlayson Chair in International Finance

Professor of Marketing; Kraft Foods Canada Chair in Marketing

Professor of Sustainability Accounting; Erivan K. Haub Chair in Business & Sustainability

Professor of Marketing; Director, PhD Program

Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management

Associate Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems; York Research Chair in Managing AI-Driven Technologies in Health Care

Professor of Finance

Professor of Public Policy and Sustainability; Director, BBA/iBBA Programs

Professor of Accounting

Professor of Strategic Management

Professor of Marketing; Associate Dean, Research; Anne & Max Tanenbaum Chair in Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise

Professor of Marketing

Associate Professor; Ann Brown Chair in Organization Studies

Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems; Program Director, Master of Supply Chain Management

Professor of Accounting; Associate Dean, Students; Ron Binns Chair in Financial Reporting, Banking and Governance

Associate Professor of Finance

Professor; RBC Chair in Social Innovation & Impact; Area Coordinator, Sustainability

Program Director, MBA in Technology Leadership; Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems; Special Advisor, AI & Business Analytics

Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems; CPA Ontario Chair in International Entrepreneurship; Co-director of Entrepreneurial Studies

Associate Professor

Professor of Strategy; Scotiabank Chair in International Business and Entrepreneurship

Professor of Finance; Scotiabank Chair in International Finance

Associate Dean, External Relations; Canada Research Chair (Tier II); Professor of Marketing

Program Director, Master of Marketing; Associate Professor of Marketing

Canada Research Chair in Supply Chain Management (Tier 1); Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems

Associate Professor of Organization Studies; Area Coordinator, Organization Studies

Associate Professor of Organization Studies

Professor of Finance; Area Coordinator, Finance

Professor of Strategic Management; Newmont Endowed Chair in Business Strategy

Associate Professor of Organization Studies; Associate Dean, Academic

FCA, FCPA (Ontario); Professor of Accounting; Area Coordinator, Accounting

Marketing Area Coordinator; Associate Professor of Marketing

Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems; Director, Master of Business Analytics; Director, Master of Management in Artificial Intelligence

Program Director, Master of Management; Associate Professor of Organization Studies

Associate Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems

Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Analytics

Assistant Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems

Assistant Professor of Finance

Student Research

Select a PhD specialization to learn more about recent student research, publication and placement.

Application FAQs and Tips

1. how do i apply.

Start by creating a profile in our online system . Once you submit your profile page, check your email to create a password for your application. It may take up to 15 minutes for the email to arrive. Save that email for reference, as it also contains the permanent link to the application portal. You will then be able to begin your application and upload your documents.

2. How much does it cost to apply?

The application fee is $150CAD payable online with any major credit card.

The PhD program does not offer application fee waiver.

3. Do you offer application fee waivers?

4. when will a decision be issued.

Applications will be reviewed following the application deadline. Decisions will be made in March/April.

5. Do I need to send in official documents?

Official documents are not required at the application stage .

You can apply with unofficial documents that are scanned and uploaded to your application. Please ensure all information on scanned documents is clear and legible. The grading scale or legend must be included with the uploaded transcript for each institution; this information is often found on the back or at the end of the transcript. Unofficial test results must be submitted with your application. Required test results need to be submitted prior to the application deadline to be considered.

Official documents are only required following an admissions decision. If admitted to the program, final official transcripts must be submitted before the term start date (early September). Official transcripts and test results must be mailed or emailed directly from the issuing institution.  If my mail:

Graduate Recruitment & Admissions, Room W263B Seymour Schulich Building Schulich School of Business – York University 4700 Keele Street Toronto, Ontario Canada, M3J 1P3

** If the institutions that you have attended provide Official Transcripts in digital format, you may arrange with your institutions to send the official transcripts directly to us via email to [email protected] . (Note: Only transcripts received directly from the institutions are considered official.)

For questions on admission on conditions, please visit http://futurestudents.yorku.ca/admission-conditions

6. Which part of the application is most important?

We take a holistic approach during the application review process and all components of the application are thoroughly reviewed. There is no particular weight assigned to any of the components in the application.

7. Is there a word limit to the essay questions?

No, there is no word limit for the essays.

Applicants are required to provide a written statement in the “Essays” section of the application. This is the statement where you will describe your motives for pursuing PhD studies. Your statement of intent should include:

1) your specific research interests 2) why you have selected your chosen field 3) your career plans

We suggest to provide responses to the questions that equals 1-2 pages in length.

8. Is the GMAT or GRE a mandatory requirement and can this be waived?

Yes, the GMAT or GRE is mandatory.

GMAT or GRE is a requirement of the program and cannot be waived.

All applicants are required to complete the GMAT or the GRE if they wish to be eligible for admission, regardless of their academic or professional profile.

9. What is minimum competitive GMAT or GRE score?

10. what are the minimum scores required on the acceptable english language tests.

The following minimum scores are acceptable for admission consideration:

11. Can the English language test requirements be waived?

If you have studied full-time at a university where the language of instruction and examination were English for at least 1 year you will not be required to submit an English proficiency test score.

Please note that your official university transcripts or supporting documentation from the university must state the degree was taught in English .

12. Is a supervisor identified before or after admission? Is admission conditional upon securing a supervisor?

Applicants are not required to secure a supervisor before applying to the PhD program.

Your supervisor is typically identified after admission and admission is not conditional upon securing a supervisor. However, we encourage our applicants to connect with our area representatives (see PhD program specializations) to discuss research interests and learn more about each area.

13. Can I use professional references instead of academic references?

You will enter your information into Step 7 of the application form. Full details can be found within the application. Please choose referees, or recommenders, who are most familiar with your potential as a scholar and researcher.

General guidelines for choosing your referees:

• Referees are typically research professors, or others who are able to comment on your scholarly and educational goals.
• Referees should know you well and be able to attest to your past performance, potential, and qualifications for completing a Ph.D. in business and a scholarly career.
• Referees who have served as a research supervisor or a similar role are most preferred.
• Referees cannot be relatives or friends. Schulich cannot offer advice on the suitability of your referee – only you can decide who will best represent you.
• Referee information should be complete, and references should be submitted on time to meet the program deadline.
• Referees must complete the online reference form, recommendation letters will not be accepted.

14. How much is tuition and what financial aid opportunities are available?

For information on PhD fees, please see York University’s Graduate Student Fees table.

View Graduate Program Fees Structure FAQs

Please visit our PhD Financial Assistance page for more information on financial support and scholarships available to full-time doctoral students.

15. I don’t have my GMAT/GRE score yet. Can I complete and submit my application now and then take the GMAT or GRE and submit the score later?

Yes, but you will need to indicate your scheduled GMAT or GRE test date in the initial stages of your application. Also keep in mind that the PhD application must be submitted by the application deadline (December 8th, 2023 for the Fall 2024 intake) and the GMAT or GRE score must be received no later than December 15th, 2023. If the GMAT/GRE is not received by that date, the application will be eliminated from consideration.

16. I have read the information above but have a question I can’t find the answer to. Who can I contact?

Please connect with the PhD admissions team here: https://schulich.yorku.ca/admissions/connect-with-us/grad-inquiry/

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PhD Management

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Future You will work alongside world-class faculty.

Lang's PhD Management program prepares you for tenure-track positions at top universities around the world.

With the Lang's PhD in Management program, you'll explore complex challenges in modern business management and scholarship, and develop relevant research within a general degree or in one of three unique academic fields in which the University has a distinct strength -   marketing and consumer behaviour, services management and organizational leadership.  Throughout your time here, you'll be conducting innovative and relevant research, presenting your ideas at conferences, writing papers for journal publications and networking with peers from other universities.

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PhD Management program at a glance:

• Program length: 3+ years
• Program start date: Every September
• Program delivery: On-campus 
• Application deadline: occurs in January

Hear from one of our students

The Ph.D. program encourages collaboration with industry and community partners, creating an opportunity to make a meaningful impact through research. I am proud to be a member of Lang. 

Johnathan Parkes PhD Candidate

Program format

The typical progression through the program is: coursework, qualifying exam (no later than semester 5), thesis proposal, research, and thesis defence.

Admission requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be considered for admission:

• A recognized master’s degree in a management field with a first class (A- / 80%) average;
• 2 references, with an option for a third reference. Our preference is for academic references, but professional ones may be substituted if appropriate;
• Applications without GMAT or GRE scores will be considered incomplete and may not be reviewed for admission until a score is provided.  
• Applicants who completed a post-secondary degree from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, or New Zealand may request that this requirement be waived. This request will be reviewed by the graduate selection committee, who may ask for an interview and/or supplementary documentation in their consideration. 

Application deadlines for Fall 2025 admission:

• January 15 -- submission of the  online application form
• February 1 -- submission of all required supporting documents

Tuition and funding

Funding for phd students.

Full-time PhD students are offered guaranteed financial support in their offer of admission. The funding extends throughout the program duration for all eligible semesters (generally the first 12 full-time semesters) and can include a combination of: Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA), Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA), Graduate Service Assistantships (GSA), scholarships and awards.

• Minimum guaranteed funding for PhD students (full-time) is: Domestic students: $21,000 per year for 4 years
• International students: $21,000 per year for 4 years, plus the University of Guelph International Doctoral Tuition Scholarship for eligible students.

Please note: Additional funding is available to students in the form of competitive scholarships and additional GTA, GRA and teaching earnings. Funding packages may be adjusted if major external or internal scholarship is awarded.  

Click here for information regarding tuition for the PhD Management program.

Click here for more information about graduate student scholarships.  

International Students

Are you an international student considering applying to Lang's PhD Management program? The digital international student viewbook provides you with an overview of our programs, admission requirements, and supports available for international students at the University of Guelph and Lang.

View Lang's International Student Viewbook

To view the 2023-2024 Academic Calendar for the PhD Management program, click here.

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Business Administration (PhD)

Program overview Program structure Admission requirements Application process Tuition & funding

Program overview

The John Molson School of Business, in affiliation with École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Montréal, McGill University and Université du Québec à Montréal, has offered a joint PhD in Business Administration since 1976. The five-year, full-time program provides students with access to more than 300 professors qualified to supervise doctoral studies. Students in the joint program also have access to the affiliated universities’ library systems, computer facilities and presentations by internationally recognized researchers.

The John Molson PhD in Business Administration offers five specializations: Accountancy, Finance, Management, Marketing or Supply Chain & Business Technology Management. Our students work closely with expert faculty from many prestigious research institutions and maintain outstanding international reputations for their innovative research, publishing in some of the best journals and sitting on the boards of many Learned Societies. With seven research centres brimming with talent and ambition, John Molson's faculty and graduate students are busy creating innovative solutions to many contemporary business problems.

Program structure

Degree requirements, degree requirements.

Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 90 credits.

Please see the Business Administration PhD Courses for course descriptions.

The program consists of three consecutive phases: the Qualifying Phase , the Course Phase , and the Thesis Phase .

Qualifying Phase

Course Phase and Thesis Phase

The minimum course requirement of this phase is 30 credits, corresponding to a minimum of 27 credits for courses and 3 credits for the Comprehensive Examination, as outlined below.

Business Administration PhD (90 credits)

Course Phase (30 credits)

Thesis Phase (60 credits)

Accountancy Specialization: Business Administration PhD (12 credits)

Finance Specialization: Business Administration PhD (12 credits)

Management Specialization: Business Administration PhD (12 credits)

Marketing Specialization: Business Administration PhD (12 credits)

Supply Chain and Business Technology Management (SCBTM) Specialization: Business Administration PhD (12 credits)

Business Administration PhD Elective Courses (9 credits)

Admission requirements

Admission requirements.

• Master's degree in business administration or equivalent with high academic standing, from a recognized university.
• Applicants with a Master's degree in a field related to the proposed area of research may be admitted subject to satisfactory completion of qualifying requirements, if necessary, by taking up to five prerequisite courses in addition to the required coursework in the graduate program. The specific courses to be taken are determined by the Program Director depending on the student’s background and area of specialization.
• Applicants must submit proof of satisfactory performance on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) within the previous five years.
• Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the English language proficiency page for further information on requirements and exemptions .

Application process

Application deadlines.

Priority will be given to complete applications submitted by the deadline. In some cases, programs may continue to accept applications as long as there is space available.

International students: Considering the waiting period involved in meeting the entry requirements to Canada and Quebec , we strongly encourage international applicants to apply early and submit supporting documents prior to the deadline.

Tuition & funding

Tuition and fees.

Tuition and fees of the program may depend on your student status, among other key factors. Estimate these costs based on the most common situations.

Awards and funding

Funding packages are generally available for students in thesis-based programs. They come in the form of awards, teaching and research assistantships are offered at the time of admission to most students to allow them to focus on their research and studies. Research and thesis-based students are automatically considered for all entrance graduate awards when they apply to Concordia, provided they meet eligibility criteria. No separate application is required.

The Quebec and Canadian governments offer a number of competitive graduate scholarships. We encourage you to apply for these awards at the same time you are preparing your application.

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School of Graduate Studies

Management, phd, program overview.

The Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto is home to Canada’s premier management doctoral program, one of the top-ranked PhD programs in the world. The Rotman PhD program is a growing, vibrant, and intellectually rich environment for those interested in developing new insights in management. This close-knit community of scholars value and celebrate insightful, breakthrough research. ​

The PhD program offers specialization in seven fields:

• Business Economics
• Operations Management
• Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management
• Strategic Management

Quick Facts

“I explore the movie industry's increasing use of big data to gain insights to influence product performance.”

PhD in Entrepreneurship and Organization

The first program of its kind in Canada, the Conrad School’s PhD in Entrepreneurship and Organization offers emerging entrepreneurship researchers the unique opportunity to study alongside our world-class faculty within Waterloo’s distinctive innovation ecosystem.

The program equips students to conduct independent scientific research in the domains of Entrepreneurship and Organizations .  This program builds on the fundamental theoretical foundations of the organizational behaviour and strategy literatures. It is different from traditional Management PhD programs, as it applies an entrepreneurial lens and studies behaviour in entrepreneurial contexts.

Program Structure

The PhD program includes intensive coursework, a comprehensive exam, a thesis proposal, and rigorous research work. Students will gain a strong understanding of the strengths and limitations of a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as theories used in entrepreneurship research, while also developing their skills to carry out their own independent research. 

This program is offered full-time only, on campus, and takes 12 terms (4 years) to complete.

Application deadline 

Courses  |  Comprehensive Examination  |  Thesis  |  Research

BET 701 Entrepreneurship Theory

This course will offer insights into the main theories and issues in the studies of entre/intrapreneurship and innovation. It will also discuss the complex and dynamic reality of the entrepreneur and the innovating organization as well as explore research traditions, methodologies, and approaches in entrepreneurship research.

BET 702 Organization Behaviour

This course will offer an understanding of classic and contemporary issues in organizational behaviour. Drawing on theory and research in psychology, social psychology, and organizational behaviour, this course will explore individual, interpersonal, and group processes in work organizations.

BET 703 Business Strategy

This course will examine the current state of knowledge in strategic management. Topics may include the sources of competitive advantage, the role of industry evolution and technology, the organization of top management, and managerial decision-making and cognition. It will also cover alternative theoretical perspectives and available empirical evidence related to these topics.

BET 704 Business Research Methods

This course will examine the different stages in the research process beginning with how to frame research questions, speculate hypotheses, understand the merits of alternative research methods, and cover topics and provide examples in areas such as experimental design, survey design, case studies, and archival research. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to critically evaluate research methods and design choices for their own research. 

In addition to the above four courses offered through the Conrad School, students will also be required to successfully complete two graduate-level method or data analysis courses available through other departments at the University of Waterloo. 

Comprehensive Examination

Students will take a comprehensive exam in the fourth term. The exam will measure the breadth and depth of the student’s knowledge of the academic discipline and the qualitative and quantitative methods in that discipline.

Students must complete the comprehensive exam before proceeding to their thesis.

As part of the degree requirements, each student will present their thesis proposal to a Thesis Examination Committee. The exam will include a critical assessment of students’ thesis proposal based on a written report provided in advance. The Committee will examine the student’s understanding of the proposed research, suggested theoretical framework, methods, and whether the proposed research makes an original contribution to the candidate’s academic discipline.

The thesis must contain original research which makes a distinct contribution of knowledge to entrepreneurship and organization research.

Students will accomplish independent and original research work. Working closely with an academic supervisor, the work will involve both theoretical and empirical components.

Please note that securing a supervisor is not required when applying.

The program will focus on entrepreneurship and organization; however, within this area, students can focus on several areas of research. Explore the research currently being conducted at the Conrad School for more details.

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Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Thesis-based program

Program overview.

One of the first of its kind in Canada, the Haskayne Doctor of Business Administration will prepare graduates to address complex strategic and organizational challenges and to become thought-leaders in their field of interest. Developed for senior business leaders, the DBA is designed to build effective research, critical thinking and analytical skills required for the successful leading of organizations.

The Haskayne DBA combines graduate-level courses with a rigorous research component, including a thesis based on independent inquiry and under the guidance of a supervisor assigned at the start of the program. Upon graduation, students become practitioner-scholars and are equipped with the skills to make superior decisions for the benefit of their organizations  through the application of scholarly knowledge and the use of evidence.

Completing this program

• Alternative Course Delivery: The DBA is a full-time program that allows you to complete the degree while continuing your career.
• Thesis: Students will be required to submit and defend an original research thesis.
• Candidacy: Students will reach Candidacy after successful completion of all of the courses, a written field of study exam and defense of a research proposal.

Strategic management, Management consulting, Applied research, Teaching

A Doctor in Business Administration is usually considered a final degree.

Students are required to prepare a thesis and successfully defend in an open oral defense.

Eight core courses and one additional elective course

Learn more about program requirements in the Academic Calendar

Classroom delivery

Combo in-person/online

Time commitment

Four years (six years maximum)

A supervisor is required, but is not required prior to the start of the program.

See the Graduate Calendar for information on  fees and fee regulations,  and for information on  awards and financial assistance .

Virtual Tour

Explore the University of Calgary’s (UCalgary) Mathison and Scurfield Halls from anywhere. Experience all that the Haskayne School of Business has to offer for interested prospective graduate students from wherever you are. Discover the buildings, student services and available programs all from your preferred device.

Supervisors

Learn about faculty available to supervise this degree. Please note: additional supervisors may be available. Contact the program for more information.

James Agarwal

Marco Bijvank

Giovani da Silveira

Mohammad Keyhani

Barrie R. Nault

Scott Radford

Chad Saunders

Admission requirements

A minimum of 3.50 GPA on a 4.0 point system.

Minimum education

A post-baccalaureate degree (MBA or relevant business-focused Master’s degree). Students with credential in an area other than business may require to complete a qualifying period to gain general business background before beginning the doctoral course requirements.

Work samples

• Completion of a series of essays including a personal statement outlining objectives, intent and commitment to a research program

Reference letters

Test scores, work experience.

At least 10 years of management experience, including seven years at the senior management or executive level, or at least five years’ experience as lecturer/instructor in a relevant field in a college or university program.

English language proficiency

An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in one of the following ways:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL ibt)  score of 97 (Internet-based, with no section less than 20).
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)  score of 7.0 (minimum of 6.0 in each section).
• Pearson Test of English (PTE)   score of 68, or higher (Academic version).
• Canadian Academic English Language test (CAEL)  score of 70 (70 in some sections – up to the program, 60 in all other).  
• Academic Communication Certificate (ACC)  score of A- in one or two courses (up to the program), “B+” on all other courses.  
• Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency  minimum score of 191.

*Please contact your program of interest if you have any questions about ELP requirements

January 2025 Entry

Round 1 : Deadline for completed applications, including all documentation (references, transcripts, etc.), is May 1, 2024 (decision by June 30, 2024).

Round 2 : Deadline for completed applications, including all documentation (references, transcripts, etc.), is August 1, 2024 (decision by September 30, 2024).

International Application Deadline: Completed applications, including all documentation (references, transcripts, etc.) must be submitted no later than May 1, 2024 (decision by June 30, 2024). 

If you're not a Canadian or permanent resident, or if you have international credentials, make sure to learn about international requirements

Are you ready to apply?

Learn more about this program.

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Related programs

If you're interested in this program, you might want to explore other UCalgary programs.

Thesis-based DBA

Course-based EMBA

Course-based GEMBA

Thesis-based MBA

Course-based MBA

Course-based MMgmt

Sustainable Energy Development

Course-based MSc

Curious about the University of Calgary?

Located in the nation's most enterprising city, we are a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude.

Specializations

Pursue a rigorous and flexible curriculum.

The program offers you the choice of doctoral study in nine areas. Small class sizes ensure that you are able to design and pursue a course of study according to your personal interests and goals.

Sauder School of Business offers doctoral study in eight areas of specialization:

• Accounting  
• Finance  
• Management information systems  
• Management science  
• Marketing & behavioural science  
• Organizational behaviour  
• Strategy & business economics  
• Urban land economics  
• Transportation & logistics

Have a question?

Our team is happy to help., get in touch.

+1 604.822.8366 [email protected]

Visit the contact us page for more information

Take the next step towards your career

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Business Technology Management

Entrepreneurship and innovation, operations and supply chain management.

• Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources

Risk Management and Insurance

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Haskayne PhD

Generous Funding Package

Our funding package is one the most generous among the Canadian business schools. We pay full tuition to all students admitted. We provide in excess of $120,000 over four years plus partial funding in year 5 to all incoming PhD students. We also support each student’s participation and attendance at academic conferences (subject to approval) to encourage presenting research and building networks.

The main mission of the PhD program in Accounting at the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, is to prepare prospective faculty members for positions at reputable business schools in Canada and around the world. Our graduates teach and research in schools such as American University of Cairo, Concordia University, Mount Royal University, University of Ottawa, Royal Roads University. University of Texas-Pan American and York University.

Some of the factors that make our graduates successful include a rigorous admission process, training in core business, accounting, and statistics. In addition to five core seminars in business and research methodology, our students are required to complete four seminars in accounting research, one seminar in a minor area (Corporate Sustainability and Finance are popular choices) and two statistics courses. For their seminar courses students are required to take Managerial Accounting Seminar, Financial Accounting Seminar, and Paradigms, Issues, and Methods.  They may choose from other optional courses including Evaluating Environmental Performance, Tax, Advanced Financial, and Advanced Managerial or other Special Topics (as a directed study). Additionally, the Accounting Area holds a regular series of research presentations by our faculty members and well-known researchers from other universities, as part of or independently of these courses. With help from their professors, PhD students undertake their own research project through a summer research program at the end of their first year, which may be further developed for conference presentation and/or expanded into dissertation research. PhD students are frequently provided with opportunities to work with professors on accounting research projects.  

Financial aid is available to some of our students through the Chartered Accountants Education Foundation, and the Certified Management Accountants.  Please view their websites for specific requirements for applying.  PhD students, along with professors, can apply for small amounts of funding to support research projects through the Certified Management Accountants and Certified General Accountants internal research competitions.  Other competitive awards that may be of interest to support research are the Peter Valentine Corporate Governance Award and the Enbridge Corporate Sustainability Award Doctoral Scholarship, if doing research on these topics.

When ready, students are encouraged to attend and present papers at the Canadian Academic Accounting Association (CAAA), the American Accounting Association (AAA), the European Accounting Association (EAA), and the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC).  Students can also attend the Contemporary Accounting Research (CAR) conference as a PhD participant.  Other conferences of regional or special interest, depending on the student’s area of research, may also be encouraged.  There are also a number of PhD doctoral consortiums that can be attended.

PhD students are free to select their own topic of interest for their dissertation research; however, most students choose a topic of interest they may share with one of the accounting professors. Some topics that have been investigated in the past include international accounting, capital markets, intellectual capital, public sector accounting, managerial performance systems, and corporate sustainability.  Methods include experimental, events studies using archival data, case studies, empirical analysis, and others.  Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used as well. Our graduates publish in such quality journals as Journal of Accounting Research (JAR), Contemporary Accounting Research (CAR), Accounting, Organization and Society (AOS), and Journal of Business Ethics. Many of our graduates serve as associate editors or in the editorial boards of reputable journals.

Area chair: Dr. Mark Anderson , Associate Professor

The Ph.D. Program in Management Information Systems (MIS), which also goes under the name Business Technology Management (BTM), at the Haskayne School of Business (HSB) is a research-based program designed to prepare candidates to become strong scholars at universities and other research-based institutions.

The focus of the Ph.D. program in MIS/BTM at HSB is on the economics of information systems, otherwise known as the “econ of IS”, and related areas. The course work, which covers about two years, is designed to prepare the candidates in economics, econometrics, research methods, quantitative methods, and state-of-the-art research in the econ of IS.

Active participation in research with one or more faculty members begins no later than the first summer. All research faculty in MIS/BTM have one or more publications in the field’s top journals, and this provides a strong basis for guidance and future prospects.

Recent research areas include:

• Productivity impacts of Information technology (IT)
• E-commerce and channels of distribution
• Electronic retailing
• Platform-mediated networks
• Online data and reputations
• Economics of user-generated content
• Business process reengineering
• IT outsourcing
• Adaptive control in scheduling
• Price quotation in supply chains
• IT and organizational design
• IT applications in healthcare

Area chair: Dr. Raymond A. Patterson , Professor

Researchers:

• Dr. Barrie R. Nault
• Dr. Ray Patterson
• Dr. Hooman Hidaji
• Dr. Duy Dao
• Dr. Jian (Ray) Zhang

The Haskayne PhD in Entrepreneurship and Innovation offers students an opportunity to work with faculty who are committed to excellence in theoretical foundations and a variety of research methodologies, preparing them for academic careers.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ENTI) is an interdisciplinary domain that focuses on the activities, people and context involved in initiating, developing, and maintaining an enterprise or innovation. Among topics of interest are new venture opportunities, strategies, and resources; entrepreneurship ecosystems; the owner-manager; the relationship between entrepreneurship and economic development; family business; crowdfunding; start-up governance; social entrepreneurship; intrapreneurship; and international entrepreneurship and policy.

In addition, because entrepreneurship often involves technological innovations, the specialization includes scholarship and dialogue on the management of innovation and technological change, technology strategy, technology-based entrepreneurship, and the commercialization of scientific research.

We encourage students to examine the questions of the field from multiple perspectives and draw upon a wide range of foundational disciplines, including economics, mathematics, philosophy, psychology, and sociology.

Area chair: Dr. Olga Petricevic , Associate Professor

The PhD program in Finance at the Haskayne School of Business is a technical, rigorous, academic program designed to prepare you for a career as a researcher and scholar. You will get a solid education in the mainstreams of finance research and be trained in the professional skills that are necessary to pursue a successful career in academia. The program is intense and requires a lot of dedication and a positive work attitude. Our faculty will work with students in all major areas of finance research including: corporate finance, asset pricing, banking, corporate governance, mathematical finance, and entrepreneurship.   You will work with your advisor to select finance courses that will optimally prepare you for your chosen field of study. To augment the finance courses, students are often encouraged to take classes from mathematics and/or economics. Please visit our University of Calgary Calendar for a description of available courses and prerequisites.

Area chair: Dr. Kyoung Jin Choi , Associate Professor

Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources | Strategy & Global Management

The doctoral programs in SGMA and OBHR are closely aligned, and encourage students to adopt multi-disciplinary and multi-methodology approaches in their research.

The key question to be answered in any SGMA or OBHR thesis is always: how to increase the effectiveness and/or efficiency of a managerial practice with a view to contribute to the firm’s competitive advantage?  

There is considerable flexibility in choosing the thesis subject, i.e., the selected managerial practice’s nature and scope. Such practice may be observable at the level of the individual decision-maker, a team, a sub-unit within the firm, the firm, a strategic alliance or even an industry. 

Answering the key question in a SGMA or OBHR dissertation must build on solid conceptual foundations and take advantage of state-of-the-art empirical methodologies, both in the quantitative and qualitative sphere.

Students are encouraged to adopt an integrative approach, drawing conceptual insight from foundational disciplines such as applied psychology, micro-economics (especially the law, economics and organization branch of micro-economics) and other complementary disciplines with proven potential to answer in a rigorous fashion the key question considered.

The focus should be on gaining an in-depth understanding of the practice at hand in terms of its strengths (or benefits) and weaknesses (or costs), and on developing or evaluating a set of actionable paths towards improving the practice.

For example, work on non-market strategies of firms may require delving into political science, the institutional-theory strand of sociology, and law. As another example, work on designing effective human resources management practices in multinational enterprises may require a serious grounding in conceptual frameworks related to societal culture and organizational behaviour, and deep knowledge of the modern economics-based theory of the multinational enterprise.

All SGMA and OBHR students will be expected to master advanced statistics as used in the leading management journals (such as the Academy of Management Journal), and have an equivalent command of qualitative research methods .

The SGMA and OBHR doctoral programs will provide the PhD students with the multi-disciplinary and multi-methodology training required to examine issues of managerial effectiveness and efficiency in a large variety of organizational settings. 

Students will be supervised by a select group of Haskayne faculty members, who have published in leading academic journals and whose expectation is that each thesis will consist of a set of high quality essays publishable in refereed journals. These faculty members have a history of co-publishing with their students on a wide variety of topics, ranging from the determinants of job satisfaction, to meta-analyses on a wide variety of organizational phenomena, and the strategy and structure of the world’s largest companies.  Take a look at the SGMA and  OBHR faculty members’ research records to see if there is an overlap in interests.

OBHR Area chair:  Dr. Nick Turner , Professor, Distinguished Research Chair, ABL

SGMA Area chair: Dr. Pengfei Li , Associate Professor

The Haskayne School of Business (HSB) doctoral degree in Marketing is a rigorous, research-based academic program designed to prepare you for a career as a marketing scholar.  This program is intensive and the expectations are high.  At graduation, you will have developed a solid theoretical foundation and strong analytical skills to prepare you for a career in university teaching and research. 

All HSB doctoral students are paired with a supervisor from the first day, and you will have opportunities very early in your program to develop close working relationships with faculty members as you become involved in faculty-led research projects (generally toward the end of your first year). These research projects reflect our faculty’s research interests, which are varied and include:

• Consumer Behaviour
• Decision Making
• Product Management/New Product Development
• Relationship Marketing
• Ethics/Social Responsibility
• Sustainability
• International & Global Marketing
• Services Marketing
• Cross-Cultural Marketing Research
• Methodological Issues

Marketing is an interdisciplinary field that draws theories and methodologies from a number of founding disciplines, including economics, psychology, sociology, strategy, and statistics. Depending on your research interests, you will be encouraged to take courses in the foundational disciplines to complement your marketing training. You will also be encouraged to take several courses in statistics and quantitative methods.  Please visit our University of Calgary Calendar for a description of available courses and prerequisites.

Area chair: Dr. Scott Radford , Associate Professor

As a doctoral student in the Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) area, you will have the opportunity to work closely with faculty members who are dedicated to excellence in both research and teaching.  Two particular research strengths of our faculty are:

• Health care operations management, specifically health care delivery optimization through addressing problems of access to care and quality/safety, employing quantitative tools as well as qualitative and empirical studies of health services, and
• Supply chain management, encompassing all aspects, from operations strategy – maximizing responsiveness through flexibility, collaboration and logistics – through supply chain network design, including facility layout and location.

Coursework will be tailored to individual interests but will include a series of seminars to provide in-depth knowledge of research in operations management and exposure to a variety of management science techniques.

Area chair:  Dr. Osman Alp , Professor

The Haskayne School of Business (HSB) doctoral degree in Risk Management and Insurance is a rigorous, research-based academic program.  This program is intensive and the expectations are high.  At graduation, you will have developed a solid theoretical foundation and strong analytical skills to prepare you for a career in university teaching and research. 

• Enterprise risk management
• Corporate governance
• Disaster resilience
• Distribution systems in insurance
• Merger and acquisition activity in the insurance industry
• Competitiveness and efficiency of the insurance industry
• Tort versus no-fault liability systems
• Public policy issues surrounding social insurance systems and pensions
• Risk communication

Risk management and insurance are interdisciplinary fields that draw theory and methodologies from a number of founding disciplines, including economics, law, psychology, and statistics. Depending on your research interests, you will be encouraged to take courses in the foundational disciplines to complement your marketing training. You will also be encouraged to take courses in both qualitative and quantitative methods.  Please visit our University of Calgary Calendar for a description of available courses and prerequisites.

Please note:  Applicants interested in financial risk management should visit the page for FINANCE.

Area chair: Dr. Anne Kleffner , Professor

Cross-Disciplinary Programs

The business school supports the efforts of students wishing to combine a doctoral program in management with doctoral studies in another discipline. These joint programs are individually tailored to meet student interests and needs. Students in cross-disciplinary programs must be highly qualified because it is difficult to meet the standards of two specializations.

Interested in learning more?

If you are interested in learning more about the Haskayne PhD program, application requirements and deadlines, please contact us.

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• International Business

International Business (IB) combines international expertise with the functional areas of General Management, emphasizing issues facing the multinational enterprise (MNE) and businesses engaged in dealings across national borders. The strength in this combination allows students to explore a deeper understanding of the cross-border intra- and inter-organizational relationships of the MNE, and incorporates a multi-level approach that also addresses the economic, institutional, sociocultural, and sociopolitical contexts in which the MNE is embedded.

The IB group at Ivey encourages students to engage with the academic community early, with many students presenting their work at the Academy of International Business and Academy of Management Annual Conferences. Our students deliver high-quality research that has frequently been recognized in  leading dissertation award competitions , including those presented by the Academy of Management IM Division , the Academy of International Business , and the European International Business Academy . Ivey’s IB area group’s PhD graduates are frequent winners or finalists of these awards.

PhD students regularly co-author with senior scholars in the IB group, and their papers have received Best Paper Awards at: Academy of International Business Annual Meeting, Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Strategic Management Society Annual International Conference, Administrative Sciences of Canada Annual Conference, and Association of Japanese Business Studies Annual Conference.

Our current  IB group at Ivey consists of Paul Beamish , Klaus Meyer , Andreas Schotter , Vanessa Hasse , Nina Rosenbusch , and Elie Chrysostome . Though the common theme of IB unifies these colleagues, they draw on varied disciplinary bases to address issues of strategic alliances, foreign direct investment, subsidiary management, and boundary spanning leadership. They are particularly interested in studying these themes in emerging economies, including multinational enterprises originating from emerging economies. Leveraging their diversity, the IB group is interested in understanding IB phenomena from a multi-level and multi-disciplinary perspective. The International Business Institute supports this research. 

*Please note that IB is a stream under General Management

Areas of Research Focus

• Strategies and performance of international joint ventures
• Management of international alliances
• Motives and strategies of foreign direct investment
• Managing subsidiaries of multinational enterprises
• Doing business in emerging economies

The IB group ranks among the world's top 10 IB departments in terms of impact and productivity, and regularly publishes in the field’s top journals, such as Journal of International Business Studies, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Management, Journal of Management Studies, Organization Science, and Strategic Management Journal.

• View our Google Scholar Page
• View the Research Database

PhD Student Opportunities

IB is one of five possible specializations within Ivey’s General Management PhD program. The IB specialization is designed for those interested in pursuing academic careers at top business schools in IB, Strategy, or Management departments.

The IB group welcomes applications from qualified candidates that are interested in conducting research into themes related to their research interests. The following list is indicative of such projects:

All Professors within the IB group are recruiting PhD students to join their research on the management of MNE subsidiaries . Such subsidiaries interact with, and contribute to, host societies in multiple ways that merit deeper scholarly investigations. Topics within this research agenda may examine any aspect of the strategies and operations of MNE subsidiaries, including the drivers of subsidiary growth, performance knowledge management, scope reductions and divestment as well as their contribution to host country economic, social, and environmental objectives. We are particularly interested in research exploring the role that individuals, such as boundary spanners, have on subsidiary- and MNE-level outcomes. Sample research:

• Managing the MNE subsidiary: Advancing a multi-level and dynamic research agenda  (Journal of International Business Studies)
• Core or periphery? The effects of country-of-origin agglomerations on the within-country expansion of MNEs  (Journal of International Business Studies) 
• Performance effects of MNC headquarters–subsidiary conflict and the role of boundary spanners: The case of headquarter initiative rejection  (Journal of International Management)

Professors Paul Beamish and Vanessa Hasse are recruiting for a co-supervision of PhD students with a research interest in the area of international joint ventures (IJVs) and strategic alliances . Topics within this research area can range broadly from collaborative strategies to the management of IJVs and strategic alliances. Experience with or an interest in quantitative data analysis, especially using larger datasets, will be an asset. Sample research:

• Host market government corruption and the equity-based foreign entry strategies of multinational enterprises  (Journal of International Business Studies)
• Multi-party international joint ventures: Multiple post-formation change processes  (Journal of World Business)
• Cooperative strategies in international business and management: Reflections on the past 50 years and future directions  (Journal of World Business)

Professor Andreas Schotter is recruiting PhD students wishing to pursue research into the internationalization of firms in the digital economy . Topics in this line of research may employ qualitative or quantitative methodologies to examine the internationalization of young firms in the digital economy, or the strategies of mature multinational firms reacting to disruptions caused by the digital economy. This research also looks at changing location choices and the emergence of new internal and external organizational structures. Sample research:

• Platforms without borders? The international strategies of digital platform firms  (Global Strategy Journal)
• Scaling fast and slow: The internationalization of digital ventures (Journal of Business Research)

Professors Klaus Meyer and Bob Andersen are recruiting PhD students interested to analyze the impact of social and political disruption on businesses operating across national borders . This is a new stream of research which aims to enhance scholarly understanding of corporate strategies (e.g. mergers, acquisitions and divestments) as companies cope with an increasingly uncertain international business environment and/or with specific disruptions in international trade or investment regimes. Sample research:

• Diplomatic and corporate networks: Bridges to foreign locations  (Journal of International Business Studies)
• The MNE and its Subsidiaries at Times of Global Disruptions: An International Relations Perspective (Global Strategy Journal).
• Corporate political connections in global strategy (Global Strategy Journal).
• Place, space, and geographical exposure: Foreign subsidiary survival in conflict zones  (Journal of International Business Studies)

Professors Paul Beamish and Vanessa Hasse are recruiting for a co-supervision of PhD students with an interest in (and ideally direct exposure to) international business within frontier markets and the world’s poorest economies. Topics within this research area can range broadly from: FDI into or exit from these countries, social intermediation to reduce poverty, the role of management education, and response strategies for rare events, among others. Sample research:

• Foreign subsidiary exit from Africa: The effects of investment purpose, diversity and orientation (Global Strategy Journal)
• Caught in the crossfire: Dimensions of vulnerability and foreign multinationals exit from war-affected countries (Strategic Management Journal)
• Social intermediation in Base-of-the Pyramid Markets (Journal of Management Studies)
• The 39 Country Initiative and Africa (Africa Journal of Management)
• The importance of rare events and other outliers in global strategy research (Global Strategy Journal)

Professor Klaus Meyer is recruiting PhD students with a research interest in the strategies and operations of multinational enterprises originating from emerging economies . Multinational enterprises from countries and regions such as China, India or South-East Asia face distinct challenges and opportunities arising from the economic and political structures of their home economies. This line of research is in particular exploring how companies address the strategic and operational challenges of catch-up strategies, including the engagement with market and nonmarket actors at home and abroad. Sample research: 

• Boundary spanners, HRM practices, and reverse knowledge transfer: The case of Chinese cross-border acquisitions (Journal of World Business)
• Emerging economy MNEs: How does home country munificence matter? (Journal of World Business)
• Theoretical foundations of emerging economy research (Journal of International Business Studies)

Professor Andreas Schotter is recruiting Ph.D. students wishing to pursue research at the intersections of international business, economic geography, and innovation, with as particular focus on how Industry 4.0 forces shape multinational enterprise (MNE) activities and the future of work in global value chains. The research considers firm level lenses from corporate strategy and the theory of the firm and microfoundations lenses, bringing the manager into the focus, while considering the rapid changes in the external environment, such as the emergence of digital technologies and increasing global connectedness. The emphasis will be on novel configurational theorizing and methods that seek to accommodate the multiplicity of actors—individuals, firms, industries, countries—and multiplexity of interactions among these actors. We aim to develop new and refine existing knowledge that accounts for the new complexities of configuring the MNE. Sample research:

• International connectedness and local disconnectedness: MNE strategies, city regions and disruption (Journal of International Business Studies)
• Configuring knowledge connectivity and strategy conditions for foreign subsidiary innovation (Long Range Planning)
• Boundary Spanning in Global Organizations (Journal of Management Studies) 

PhD Graduates

Dr. cheng li.

Assistant Professor, University of Manitoba

General manager succession in multinational enterprise subsidiaries

Multinationals face growing demands from nonmarket forces, making them increasingly vulnerable to social and political disruptions. This thesis investigates two sets of relationships that are at the core of multinational nonmarket strategy: firm-government and firm-society relationships, and in so doing advances our understanding of global strategies employed to tackle challenges. It comprises…. Read more about this thesis

Dr. Liang (Arthur) Li

Assistant Professor in International Business at Henley Business School, University of Reading

This dissertation, based on interviews with over 40 managers and longitudinal data from over 1,900 foreign subsidiaries, develops new insights regarding subsidiary general manager (GM) changes in multinational enterprises (MNEs)…. Read more about this thesis

Dr. Jianhua (Jenny) Zhu

Investment Motives and Non-Traditional Foreign Direct Investment

This dissertation examines the characteristics and performance of non-traditional investment motives, with a secondary focus on small-employment subsidiaries. It also investigates how firms re-evaluate and change their organizational control after an industry-wide consumer confidence crisis…. Read more about this thesis

Dr. Liang Liang (Lucas) Wang

Associate Professor, University of New Brunswick

Antecedents and consequences of share distribution in equity joint ventures: A pricing-error approach and empirical evidence

This dissertation bridges the identified literature gaps by developing and testing two empirical models based on the pricing-error rule. According to this rule, only when share distribution of an EJV perfectly matches the two pricing errors will profit sharing to each partner fully offset the errors, which helps save the most on transaction costs…. Read more about this thesis

Dr. Maximilian Stallkamp

Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech

Contemporary perspectives on the internationalization of firms

This dissertation contributes new insights to research on the internationalization of firms. Whereas prior research has focused mostly on the country as the main locational unit of analysis, I examine internationalization from both subnational and (supranational) regional perspectives. Moreover, I investigate the impact of digitalization on internationalization, by studying how ‘digital’ firms expand internationally.... Read more about this thesis

Dr. Dwarka Chakravarty

Assistant Professor, San Diego State University

Foreign Direct Investment in Global Cities and Co-Ethnic Clusters: Characteristics, Performance, and Survival

This dissertation examines the characteristics, profitability, and survival of multinational enterprise (MNE) foreign direct investment (FDI) in North American “global” cities (GCs), such as Los Angeles, New York, and Toronto. Across GCs and their metropolitan areas (Metros), MNEs often co-locate with their home country and co-industry peers in “co-ethnic” and “co-ethnic, co-industry” (CECI) clusters. Despite their substantial influence on the world economy GCs are relatively underexplored as location units of analysis in International Business (IB) research. Accordingly, I address three research questions.... Read more about this thesis

Dr. Yamlaksira Getachew

Assistant Professor, Loyola Marymount University

Institutional Voids, Investment Purposes, and Foreign Subsidiaries of Multinational Enterprises

This dissertation is motivated by two sets of research questions: (a) Whether, how, and when host-country market and institutional conditions have implications for the performance of foreign subsidiaries? And (b) Whether, how, and when investment purposes/motives for which foreign subsidiaries are established relate to the extent to which the subsidiaries/their parents overcome the hazards of or capitalize on the opportunities from operating in locations of high institutional voids?.... Read more about this thesis

Discipline Coordinator

Vanessa C. Hasse

Vanessa Hasse is an Assistant Professor of International Business at the Ivey Business School. Her primary research interests focus on exploring firm-level responses to performance signals (including those triggered by crises/rare events) in an international context, as well as the impact cultural and temporal dimensions have on managerial decision-making.   

Her research has been published in outlets such as the Academy of Management Journal, Global Strategy Journal , Business & Society , and more. She has received international recognition for her work, including the 2023 IM Division Best Paper Award in OB/HRM/OT (AOM) and the 2017 IM Division D'Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University, Best Dissertation Award in International Management (AOM). She is also a co-author on the forthcoming 9 th  edition of the popular textbook International Management Behavior , with M.L. Maznevski, H.W. Lane, and R.K. Nielsen.

Dr. Hasse has authored several case studies and has been recognized as a management educator for her innovations in designing transformative learning experiences. She is the recipient of multiple Teaching Excellence Awards (every year since 2021) and was named a Finalist for the 2021 Academy of International Business Teaching Innovation Award. Dr. Hasse is a board member at the Academy of International Business-Canada chapter.

Read full profile »

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Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Management Information Systems (PhD)

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An active and collegial group of senior and junior academics is the distinguishing feature of the MIS faculty at UBC. These researchers investigate a wide variety of topics, including electronic commerce, economics of information systems, systems analysis, intelligent systems, strategic and organizational issues, and planning for MIS. Their methods include laboratory experiments, field studies, survey methods, econometrics, conceptual modelling, and computational simulation. This rich portfolio of topics and research methods allows substantial flexibility for our PhD students in selecting a research topic. 

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

The PhD Program in MIS in terms of its reputation, research record and research grants received, stands at the top of Canadian business schools and at the very top rank in the international arena. A recent assessment of research productivity showed that the UBC MIS program ranks 6th in the world among public universities, and 9th overall, in terms of publications in top MIS journals. 

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE or a comparable test is required. Please check the program website.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 intake, application open date, canadian applicants, international applicants, deadline explanations.

Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.

Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.

Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

• Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Management Information Systems (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

We provide a financial package that includes tuition plus $30,000 per year for the first five years of the PhD Program.

Average Funding

• 2 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 2 students was $4,335.
• 4 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 4 students was $25,426.
• 5 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 5 students was $16,505.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

102 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 100 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, career options.

Our graduates have academic positions in Canada, the USA, Asia, and Europe. Students in our program work closely with faculty and other students in a stimulating intellectual environment to create outstanding research. 

Alumni on Success

Job Title Assistant professor

Employer Kuwait University

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Management Information Systems (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion Rates & Times

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Cavusoglu, Hasan (IT investment, information security, value of information technology, online product differentiation, information system security, Economics & sustainability, Management Information Systems)
• Cenfetelli, Ronald Timothy (Human computer interaction, E-Business, IT-mediated customer service, Negative aspects of technology, Structural equation modeling, Survey research techniques, Multi-level modeling)
• Chamberlain, Sandra (Accounting and the economics of, Valuation of publicly traded firms using accounting information, Accounting and contracting, Earnings quality, Accounting for Financial Institutions)
• Chawla, Muskan
• D Adduzio, Jenna (Voluntary and mandatory disclosures; Regulatory and standard setting issues; Disclosure materiality)
• Lee, Gene (Economics and business administration; Management information systems; Applied Machine Learning; Business Analytics; Computer Science and Statistics; Cybersecurity; Information Systems; Mobile Ecosystem; Social Media Analysis; Text Mining)
• Li, J. Frank
• Lo, Kin (financial reports; financial disclosures; financial statements; accounting; stock options; executive compensation; auditing; stock valuation; securities regulation; tax planning; tax policy, Empirical research in financial accounting and reporting, Investigating the motives and effects of voluntary disclosures, The effects of alternative regulated reporting regimes, Refinement of accounting research methodology, Examining the role of accounting in equity valuation)
• Lundholm, Russell (Financial statement analysis )
• Nan, Ning (Economics and business administration; Management information systems; blockchain governance; complex adaptive systems; digital business; evolvable information systems; Information Systems; Management; online community)
• Vijayaraghavan, Rajesh (Accounting and risk management in financial institutions, Disclosure, Corporate governance and performance measurement, Corporate Finance, Applications of machine learning)
• Yeung, Ira (Voluntary Disclosure; Information Quality; Financial Institutions)
• Zhang, Jenny Li (Accounting; Economics and business administration; Management information systems; Finance and Accounting; Financial reporting, corporate disclosure, restatements, pension)
• Zheng, Xin (SEC Enforcement, Securities Litigation, Auditing, Fraud, Regulation, Financial Reporting)
• Zhou, Mi (Management information systems; Economics of Digitization; Digital Media Products; Digital Marketing; Omnichannel Customer Behavior)

Doctoral Citations

Sample Thesis Submissions

• Three essays on AI strategies and innovation

Related Programs

Same academic unit.

• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Accounting (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Finance (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Management Science (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Marketing and Behavioural Science (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Organizational Behaviour (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Strategy and Business Economics (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Transportation and Logistics (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Urban Land Economics (PhD)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Business Analytics (MBAN)
• Master of Management (MM)
• Master of Science in Business Administration in Finance (MSCB)
• Master of Science in Business Administration in Management Information Systems (MSCB)
• Master of Science in Business Administration in Transportation and Logistics (MSCB)
• Professional Master of Business Administration (PMBA)

Further Information

Specialization.

Management Information Systems covers information on systems analysis, databases, telecommunications, electronic commerce, economics of information systems, intelligent systems, strategic and organizational issues, and planning for MIS.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

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