PhD in Management and Human Resources

The Wisconsin PhD in Management and Human Resources develops scholars in the domain of management. The department’s core areas of research include organizational behavior, human resources, organization theory, entrepreneurship, and strategy. The program prepares individuals for careers in research and teaching at leading research universities. Our students achieve placements as assistant professors at top research universities.

Students in our PhD program work closely with faculty members to contribute to significant advancements in the theory and practice of management, as evidenced by our recently published journal articles. Our faculty members are renowned scholars, leaders at the Academy of Management and the Strategic Management Society, and editors in top scholarly journals.

Academic Requirements

The admissions process is highly competitive. Ideal candidates possess a strong academic background at the undergraduate or graduate level. A degree in business is not a prerequisite for doctoral-level study, although such a background may be helpful (students enter the PhD program with a variety of educational backgrounds).

General PhD Requirements

In addition to meeting the requirements of the specific academic department, all students must meet the general PhD requirements of both the UW–Madison Graduate School and the Wisconsin School of Business.

Program Coursework

• The management and human resources department offers a slate of foundational PhD seminars across the group’s core areas of research, including human resource management (HR), organizational behavior (OB), organizational theory (OT), entrepreneurship (ENT), and strategy. The seminar offerings vary from year to year. Doctoral students are expected to take all PhD seminars offered by the department.
• Required coursework in advanced research methods and statistics includes a minimum of 18 credits, consisting of two courses in statistics, two in research methodology, and two depth courses. Courses are selected in consultation with the student’s advisor.
• Students may declare a secondary academic discipline as a minor (e.g., sociology, economics, psychology).
• Preliminary exams are written at the end of the second year. The exam, which takes place over two days, consists of four questions. Two questions cover the student’s primary concentration, one question covers the student’s secondary concentration, and there is one methods question. (The concentrations are human resource management, organizational behavior, or strategy/ENT/OT.)
• The subsequent two years of study are allocated to developing and defending a dissertation.