Business Administration Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree
Business Administration
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree
Advancing your knowledge and practice through research and the exploration of the latest trends and biggest challenges found at the intersection of business and technological innovation.
Overview for Business Administration Ph.D.
The Ph.D. in business administration is designed to inspire and train scholars to identify, investigate, and solve novel business challenges that influence business and society, particularly, those that are triggered by technological changes. Our program has a sharp emphasis on the effects of technological innovation on discipline-based theories and research. Our faculty adopt an apprenticeship model in working with students to become independent scholars, cutting-edge researchers, and well-trained educators at research-oriented universities.
The program offers three areas of specialization:
Digital Transformation: Digital transformation emphasizes the integration of digital technologies that have altered the marketing of products and services, as well as the management of information systems. In this area of specialization, you will study the design and development of digital artifacts and their implications for interpersonal interaction, analyze the modes of human information processing in digitally transformed business contexts, and theorize the emergence of new business models and ways of organizing in digitally immersive environments.
Strategy and Innovation: A distinct feature of 21st century competition is the pivotal role played by technological innovation as a competitive advantage for organizations. In the strategy and innovation specialization, research emphasizes the growing role of technological capabilities and innovation-based products and processes as a source of competitive advantage. You will acquire knowledge and skills to address novel research questions about firm-level strategy and innovation-related challenges faced by managers and policy makers.
Finance and Accounting: The finance and accounting specialization emphasizes new challenges and research areas that have emerged from technological innovations within finance and accounting disciplines. These areas include FinTech, high-frequency trading, alternative trading systems (dark pool and ECNs), crowdfunding platforms, P2P lending platforms, blockchains, cryptocurrencies, data analytic tools in auditing and credit rating, digital transformation of SEC filings and corporate disclosures. In this area of specialization, you will study the antecedents and consequences of technology in finance and accounting.
Join us for Fall 2023
Many programs accept applications on a rolling, space-available basis.
Join us for Fall 2023
Many programs accept applications on a rolling, space-available basis.
Featured Work
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Options momentum. New findings reveal a promising investment strategy.
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Research Insights: Balancing innovation and sustainability
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Balancing innovation and sustainability in consortium-based open source software development. Can exploration and exploitation be balanced effectively?
Latest News
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February 1, 2023
![students wearing eyewear and microphones along with faculty members looking at computer screens.]()
Doctoral offerings keep growing
RIT is growing its Ph.D. offerings, adding one new program in the fall of 2023 and two in 2024. This fall, Saunders College of Business will offer a Ph.D. in business administration. In 2024, the College of Liberal Arts will introduce a new doctoral degree in cognitive science and the College of Science will launch a Ph.D. in physics.
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January 18, 2023
![environmental portrait of professor Rich DeJordy.]()
New chair joins Saunders College with extensive study of social networks and organizations
Rich DeJordy comes to RIT as chair of the Department of Management at Saunders College of Business after serving in a similar role at the Craig School of Business at California State University, Fresno. Before that, DeJordy was a faculty member for eight years at D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University.
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October 27, 2022
![side-by-side images of professors Clyde Hull and Eric Williams.]()
U.S. Department of State to assist RIT in advancing circular economy in Southeast Asia
A $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of State will fund a two-year project led by RIT professors Clyde Hull and Eric Williams to help the Southeast Asian region establish entrepreneurships based on the circular economy.
Curriculum for Business Administration Ph.D.
Business Administration, Ph.D. degree, typical course sequence
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| MGIS-815 | Research Design |
3 |
| Choose one of the Research Methodology I courses: | 3 |
|
| ESCB-830 | Econometrics I |
|
| MKTG-825 | Multivariate Methods and Analyses |
|
| Choose one of the Research Methodology II courses: | ||
| ESCB-830 | Econometrics I |
3 |
| ESCB-835 | Econometrics II |
3 |
| MKTG-830 | Structural Equation Modeling |
3 |
Focus Area Courses |
6 | |
Support Area Courses |
6 | |
SCB Electives |
3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| SCBI-801 | Business Administration PhD Second Year Paper |
0 |
| SCBI-895 | Business Administration PhD Comprehensive Exam |
0 |
Focus Area Course |
9 | |
Support Area Courses |
6 | |
SCB Electives |
9 | |
| Third Year | ||
| SCBI-890 | Business Administration PhD Dissertation Research |
10 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| SCBI-890 | Business Administration PhD Dissertation Research |
10 |
| Fifth Year | ||
| SCBI-890 | Business Administration PhD Dissertation Research |
10 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 78 |
|
Focus Areas
Students must declare a focus area in either Finance & Accounting, Strategy & Innovation or Digital Transformation. The tables below detail the courses for each focus area and corresponding support area and graduate electives.
Finance and Accounting Focus Area Courses
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| ESCB-810 | Financial Economics |
3 |
| FINC-810 | Technology in Accounting and Finance |
3 |
| Students must choose three courses from the list below | ||
| ACCT-810 | Doctoral Seminar in Research in Financial Accounting |
3 |
| ACCT-820 | Auditing Research Seminar |
3 |
| ACCT-858 | Seminar: Special Topics in Accounting* |
3 |
| FINC-820 | Research Topics & Methods in Corporate Finance |
3 |
| FINC-830 | Research Topics & Methods in Investment & Asset Pricing |
3 |
| FINC-858 | Seminar: Special Topics in Finance* |
3 |
Finance and Accounting Support Area Courses
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| Students must choose four courses from the list below | ||
| ACCT-745 | Accounting Information and Analytics The objective for this course is helping students develop a data mindset which prepare them to interact with data scientists from an accountant perspective. This course enables students to develop analytics skills to conduct descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analysis for accounting information. This course focuses on such topics as data modeling, relational databases, blockchain, visualization, unstructured data, web scraping, and data extraction. (Prerequisites: ACCT-110 or ACCT-603 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Summer). |
3 |
| BANA-680 | Data Management for Business Analytics This course introduces students to data management and analytics in a business setting. Students learn how to formulate hypotheses, collect and manage relevant data, and use standard tools such as Python and R in their analyses. The course exposes students to structured data as well as semi-structured and unstructured data. There are no pre or co-requisites; however, instructor permission is required for students not belonging to the MS-Business Analytics or other quantitative programs such as the MS-Computational Finance which have program-level pre-requisites in the areas of calculus, linear algebra, and programming. Lecture 3 (Fall). |
3 |
| FINC-780 | Financial Analytics This course provides a survey of financial analytics applications in contexts such as investment analysis, portfolio construction, risk management, and security valuation. Students are introduced to financial models used in these applications and their implementation using popular languages such as R, Matlab, and Python, and packages such as Quantlib. A variety of data sources are used: financial websites such as www.finance.yahoo.com, government sites such as www.sec.gov, finance research databases such as WRDS, and especially Bloomberg terminals. Students will complete projects using real-world data and make effective use of visualization methods in reporting results. There are no pre or co-requisites; however, instructor permission is required – student aptitude for quantitative work will be assessed; waived for students enrolled in quantitative programs such as the MS-Computational Finance which have pre-requisites in the areas of calculus, linear algebra, and programming. Lecture 3 (Fall). |
3 |
| MGIS-725 | Data Management and Analytics This course discusses issues associated with data capture, organization, storage, extraction, and modeling for planned and ad hoc reporting. Enables student to model data by developing conceptual and semantic data models. Techniques taught for managing the design and development of large database systems including logical data models, concurrent processing, data distributions, database administration, data warehousing, data cleansing, and data mining. Lecture 3 (Spring). |
3 |
| MGIS-805 | Advanced Data Analytics |
3 |
Strategy & Innovation Focus Area Courses
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| MGMT-820 | Foundations of Strategy Research |
3 |
| MGMT-821 | Organizational Behavior & Creativity |
3 |
| MGMT-822 | Innovation |
3 |
| MGMT-823 | Business, Technology and Society |
3 |
| MGMT-824 | Contemporary Topics in Strategy Research |
3 |
Strategy & Innovation Support Area Courses
Group A Courses
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| Students must choose two courses from the list below | ||
| ESCB-835 | Econometrics II |
3 |
| MGIS-805 | Advanced Data Analytics |
3 |
| MGIS-811 | Qualitative Research Methods |
3 |
| MKTG-830 | Structural Equation Modeling |
3 |
Group B Courses
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| Students must choose two courses from the list below | ||
| ESCB-810 | Financial Economics |
3 |
| MGIS-810 | Societal Impacts of Digital Transformation |
3 |
| MGMT-825 | Seminar: Emergent Topics in Management |
3 |
| MKTG-805 | Psychological Foundations of Business Research |
3 |
SCB Graduate Independent Study |
3 | |
Digital Transformation Focus Area Courses
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| MGIS-805 | Advanced Data Analytics |
3 |
| MGIS-810 | Societal Impacts of Digital Transformation |
3 |
| MGIS-812 | Management Information Systems: Theories and Perspectives** |
3 |
| MGMT-822 | Innovation |
3 |
| MKTG-805 | Psychological Foundations of Business Research |
3 |
| MKTG-810 | Marketing Theory** |
3 |
Digital Transformation Support Area Courses
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| Choose one from the following: | ||
| ESCB-830 | Econometrics I |
3 |
| MGIS-811 | Qualitative Research Methods |
3 |
| Choose three courses from the following: | ||
| ESCB-835 | Econometrics II |
3 |
| FINC-810 | Research Seminar: Technology in Accounting & Finance |
3 |
| MGMT-820 | Foundations of Strategy Research |
3 |
| MGMT-821 | Organizational Behavior & Creativity |
3 |
| MGMT-825 | Seminar: Emergent Topics in Management |
3 |
SCB Graduate Electives
Please discuss with your advisor about which electives aligns with the focus area
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| BANA-780 | Advanced Business Analytics This course provides foundational, advanced knowledge in the realm of business analytics. Advanced topics such as machine learning, analysis of structured data, text mining, and network analysis are covered. Industry standard tools such as R and Python are extensively used in completing student projects. (Prerequisite: BANA-680 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Spring). |
3 |
| MGIS-725 | Data Management and Analytics This course discusses issues associated with data capture, organization, storage, extraction, and modeling for planned and ad hoc reporting. Enables student to model data by developing conceptual and semantic data models. Techniques taught for managing the design and development of large database systems including logical data models, concurrent processing, data distributions, database administration, data warehousing, data cleansing, and data mining. Lecture 3 (Spring). |
3 |
| MGIS-735 | Design and Information Systems Students who complete this course will understand the principles and practices employed to analyze information needs and design appropriate IT-based solutions to address business challenges and opportunities. They will learn how to conduct requirements analysis, approach the design or redesign of business processes, communicate designs decisions to various levels of management, and work in a project-based environment. Lecture 3 (Spring). |
3 |
| MGIS-745 | Information Systems Development Systems development provides MBA students with the fundamental techniques and concepts necessary for programming in a modern programming language. Emphasis will be placed on object-oriented programming concepts. By the end of the course, students will demonstrate core programming concepts, and will be able to write simple business applications. Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
3 |
| MGIS-760 | Integrated Business Systems This course focuses on the concepts and technologies associated with Integrated Business Information Systems and the managerial decisions related to the implementation and ongoing application of these systems. Topics include business integration and common patterns of systems integration technology including enterprise resource planning (ERP), enterprise application integration (EAI) and data integration. The key managerial and organizational issues in selecting the appropriate technology and successful implementation are discussed. Hands-on experience with the SAP R/3 system is utilized to enable students to demonstrate concepts related to integrated business systems. (familiarity with MS Office suite and Internet browsers) Lecture 3 (Spring). |
3 |
| MGIS-811 | Qualitative Research Methods |
3 |
| MKTG-763 | Buyer Behavior The course reviews the major theories that frame the understanding of both consumer (end-user) and business buying behavior. Topics include the buying decision process, the impact of emotion, product knowledge, and product involvement on purchasing decisions. In addition, behavioral, social and psychological perspectives will be discussed. All perspectives will be applied to designing marketing strategy. (Prerequisites: MKTG-761 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall). |
3 |
| MKTG-768 | Marketing Analytics This course provides an overview of marketing analytics in the context of marketing research, product portfolios, social media monitoring, sentiment analysis, customer retention, clustering techniques, and customer lifetime value calculation. Students will be introduced to, mathematical and statistical models used in these applications and their implementation using statistical tools and programming languages such as SAS, SPSS, Python and R. Multiple data sources will be used ranging from structured data from company databases, scanner data, social media data, text data in the form of customer reviews, and research databases. Students will complete guided projects using real time data and make effective use of visualization to add impact to their reports. There are no listed pre or co-requisites; however, instructor permission is required – student aptitude for quantitative work will be assessed; waived for students enrolled in quantitative programs such as the MS-Computational Finance which have pre-requisites in the areas of calculus, linear algebra, and programming. Lecture 3 (Spring). |
3 |
| MKTG-772 | Internet Marketing: Strategy & Tactics This course examines the impact that the internet has on traditional and contemporary business-to-consumer marketing activities. It explores these implications in both strategic and tactical terms to enhance organizations' levels of competitiveness. The course identifies the use of the internet in enhancing value for consumers and considers the leverage of the latest technologies, trends, e-culture and innovation through the medium of the internet. (Prerequisites: MKTG-761 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
3 |
| MKTG-776 | Product and Brand Management An essential element of corporate success is the management of products and brands. Firms in both consumer and commercial industries often manage their marketing strategies and tactics through the activities of their product and brand managers. This course will examine the role of product and brand managers in the development and execution of strategies that deliver value to targeted customers and grow the business. The role of product and brand managers will be examined through all phases of the firm's product and brand life cycle. The course emphasizes the decisions that firms expect product and brand managers to make to achieve market share and financial objectives. (Prerequisites: MKTG-761 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
3 |
| MKTG-778 | Commercialization and Marketing of New Products This course emphasizes the marketing and product strategy-related activities required to create, develop, and launch successful new products. Topics covered include identifying the market opportunity for new products, defining the product strategy, understanding customer requirements, developing and updating the product business plan, marketing's role in the firm's product development process, developing the marketing plan for launching new products, and managing the product life cycle. The course emphasizes best practices in marketing-related activities required for successful new product commercialization. (Prerequisites: MKTG-761 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Spring). |
3 |
| MKTG-825 | Multivariate Methods and Analyses |
3 |
| MKTG-830 | Structural Equation Modeling |
3 |
SCB Graduate Courses 700 level or higher with advisor approval |
3 | |
* Students can take either ACCT-858 or FINC-858, not both
** Students can take either MGIS-812 or MKTG-81, not both
Admissions and Financial Aid
This program is available on-campus only.
| Offered | Admit Term(s) | Application Deadline | STEM Designated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full‑time | Fall | January 15 priority deadline, rolling thereafter | No |
Full-time study is 9+ semester credit hours. International students requiring a visa to study at the RIT Rochester campus must study full‑time.
Application Details
To be considered for admission to the Business Administration Ph.D. program, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Complete an online graduate application.
- Submit copies of official transcript(s) (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work, including any transfer credit earned.
- Hold a baccalaureate degree (or US equivalent) from an accredited university or college.
- A recommended minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent).
- Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
- Submit a statement of purpose for research which will allow the Admissions Committee to learn the most about you as a prospective researcher.
- Submit two letters of recommendation.
- Entrance exam requirements: GMAT or GRE. No minimum score requirement.
- Writing samples are optional.
- Submit English language test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic), if required. Details are below.
English Language Test Scores
International applicants whose native language is not English must submit one of the following official English language test scores. Some international applicants may be considered for an English test requirement waiver.
| TOEFL | IELTS | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|
| 94 | 7.0 | 66 |
International students below the minimum requirement may be considered for conditional admission. Each program requires balanced sub-scores when determining an applicant’s need for additional English language courses.
How to Apply Start or Manage Your Application
Cost and Financial Aid
An RIT graduate degree is an investment with lifelong returns. Ph.D. students typically receive full tuition and an RIT Graduate Assistantship that will consist of a research assistantship (stipend) or a teaching assistantship (salary).