The Ph.D. in Business Administration is an innovative research program designed to prepare students for careers as faculty in academic institutions or as professionals in research organizations and government institutions. The program is intended for faculty members in business schools who do not have a Ph.D. but are interested in a research-based doctoral degree and individuals in government or industry who are looking to enroll in a research-based doctoral program.

The program requires a total of 45-66 credit hours to complete. It is recommended that students take two courses per semester. Students typically complete the course work in three years and then must complete a research-based dissertation. Students will select one of four concentrations.

The Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies concentration is designed to provide a strong foundation in the development and dissemination of research to prepare students for successful academic and industry careers. Courses focus on primary concepts in the study of consumer, apparel, and retailing, integrating perspectives from the social sciences, business, and humanities. Through the broad range of research expertise among faculty members, students will learn to apply relevant theories and methods to address topics of importance to the field. The program is open to qualified applicants with a master's degree in consumer, apparel, and retail studies, business, or related areas.

The Economics concentration provides students with the advanced theoretical, quantitative and statistical skills required to conduct and interpret economic analyses in a wide range of policy- and research-oriented fields. The program offers rigorous training in empirical analysis and economic modeling and is aimed at superior applicants who seek careers in academic and non-academic research institutions, business and financial institutions, and government agencies at the local, state and federal levels.

The Information Systems (IS) concentration emphasizes basic and advanced IS theory and practice so that students master the technical and conceptual tools needed for conducting high-quality IS research for careers in academia or industry. This program is open to applicants who have completed a master's degree in information systems, IT, engineering, business, or a related field, demonstrating outstanding performance in their graduate course work.

The Management concentration has three areas of specialization - international business, organizational behavior, and strategic management – and students choose one to be their primary area and another to be their supporting area. The program is available to students with a master’s degree in a business field or related area such as economics, sociology, political science, psychology, or public administration.

For information regarding deadlines and requirements for admission, please see https://grs.uncg.edu/programs/.

Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies Concentration

In addition to the application materials required by the Graduate School, applicants to the Ph.D. in Business Administration with a Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies Concentration must submit a resume, a one to two-page goals statement, three letters of reference, and a GRE score.

The goals statements should clearly:

• Outline career goals, relevant work experience, and reason for pursuing a graduate degree;
• Address why the Consumer, Apparel and Retail Studies program is of interest; and
• Include specific areas of research interest related to the department’s graduate program emphasis.

Of the three letters of reference, one should be written by a former instructor or academic contact.

The applicant must have an earned master's degree.

Economics Concentration

Admission to the Ph.D. in Business Administration with an Economics Concentration requires the submission of a completed application, which includes Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores, a personal statement, 3 letters of recommendation, and an undergraduate degree with the following course work:

• Intermediate Microeconomics
• Intermediate Macroeconomics
• Mathematical Economics (or equivalent course work in mathematics and statistics)
• Econometrics (or equivalent course work in mathematics and statistics)

Admission to the program may also be granted to applicants with equivalent course work at the master’s level. Prior course work in economics may be considered to waive some program course requirements and allow accelerated study. 

Management Concentration

Admission to the Ph.D. in Business Administration with a Management Concentration is highly selective. At a minimum, applicants should possess a completed master's degree in a business field or related area with superior performance in graduate course work.

In addition to the Graduate School application requirements, applicants must submit the following:

• A 1- to 2-page statement of purpose, which should include the applicant's background, goals, research interests, and reasons for applying to the Management concentration at UNC Greensboro.
• Current resume.
• Official results of GMAT or GRE scores. No waivers are allowed.
• Of the three letters of recommendation, one should be written by a former professor or academic contact.

Degree Program Requirements

Required: 45-66 credit hours

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses for all Concentrations (9 credits)
BUS 701	Doctoral Research Methods I (Quantitative Research Methods) *	3
BUS 705	Seminar in Academic Writing and Publishing	3
BUS 751	Special Topics in Research Methods	3
Concentration Requirements (39-57 credits)
Select one of the following concentrations:		39-57
Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies
Economics
Information Systems
Management
Total Credit Hours		45-66

*

May be waived for students in the Economics concentration with advanced undergraduate training in statistical methodology.

Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies Concentration

Required: 36 credit hours

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Concentration Courses (15 credits)
CRS 701	Literature and Thought in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies	3
CRS 712	Theory Development in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies	3
CRS 713	Qualitative Methodology in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies	3
CRS 714	Advanced Quantitative Methods in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies	3
CRS 721	Consumer Behavior in Apparel and Retailing	3
Electives (9 credits)
Select 9 credits of elective courses *		9
Research (12 credits)
CRS 799	Dissertation	12
Total Credit Hours		36

*

Courses to be determined with approval from DGS and/or dissertation advisor. Must be offered online and at the 600- or 700-level. Options include RCS 662, CRS 765, CRS 781, CRS 784, and CRS 790; other BUS, ISM, SCM, or ECO doctoral-level courses; ERM 731.

Economics Concentration

Required: 39-57 credit hours

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Concentration Courses (18 credits)
ECO 701	Microeconomics *	4
ECO 702	Macroeconomics *	4
ECO 705	Econometric Methods *	4
ECO 745	Topics in Advanced Econometrics	3
ECO 748	Research Methods in Applied Economics	3
Electives (0-9 credits)
Select up to 9 credits of elective courses **		0-9
Supervised Independent Field Research (12 credits)
ECO 797	Seminar in Empirical Economics	6
ECO 798	Seminar in Economic Research	6
Dissertation Research (12-18 credits)
ECO 799	Dissertation	12-18
Total Credit Hours		39-57

*

May be waived for students with equivalent prior course work in economics.

**

Courses to be determined with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies and/or dissertation advisor. Select sufficient electives to satisfy concentration requirements.

Information Systems Concentration

Required: 42-54 credit hours

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Concentration Courses (12 credits)
ISM 753	Information Systems Research Seminar I	3
ISM 754	Information Systems Research Seminar II	3
ISM 755	Information Systems Research Seminar III	3
ISM 756	Information Systems Research Seminar IV	3
Research Methods (6 credits)
BUS 702	Doctoral Research Methods II (Qualitative Research Methods)	3
ISM 760	Contemporary Research Methods in Information Systems	3
Supporting Area (9 credits)
Select three courses (9 credits) from the following courses:		9
ISM 638	Cloud Computing and Security Analytics
ISM 645	Principles of Predictive Analytics
ISM 646	Visualizing Data to Design Strategy
ISM 647	Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Applications for Business
ISM 663	Deep Learning Applications for Business
ISM 664	Generative AI for Business
ISM 665	Principles of Cyber Security
ISM 666	Blockchains and Cryptography
ISM 667	Global Cyber Threat Analysis
ISM 670	IT Driven Disruptive Innovation Management
Research Seminar (3 credits)
ISM 789	Research Seminar in Information Systems *	3
Dissertation (12-24 credits)
ISM 799	Dissertation	12-24
Total Credit Hours		42-54

*

Taken three times; 1 credit each time for a total of 3 credits.

Management Concentration

Required: 45-51 credit hours

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Research Methods (6 credits)
BUS 702	Doctoral Research Methods II (Qualitative Research Methods)	3
BUS 703	Doctoral Research Methods III (Applied Research Methods in Business)	3
Concentration Courses (12 credits)
BUS 720	Seminar in Organization Theory	3
BUS 721	Seminar in Organizational Behavior	3
BUS 730	Seminar in International Business Theory	3
BUS 740	Seminar in Strategic Management I	3
Field Courses (12-15 credits)
BUS 722	Seminar in Organizational Leadership	3
BUS 731	Seminar in Cross-Cultural Management	3
BUS 741	Seminar in Strategic Management II	3
BUS 789	Advanced Topics in Management	3-6
Supervised Directed Research (3-6 credits)
BUS 790	Doctoral Research Independent Study *	3-6
Dissertation (12 credits)
BUS 799	Dissertation	12
Total Credit Hours		45-51

*

May be repeated for up to a total of 6 credits.

Required Milestones*

• Residency (Immersion)
• Research Competency
• Plan of Study
• Comprehensive Exam (Written & Oral)
• Dissertation Proposal
• Admission to Candidacy
• Dissertation Defense
• Filing the Final Approved Dissertation

*

General information about milestones for doctoral programs is available in Section III of the Graduate Policies page in the University Catalog. For information about how milestones are accomplished for a specific program, please refer to the doctoral program's handbook.