Ph.D. in Business Administration

Mission • Admission • Prerequisite Common Body of Knowledge • Graduate Committees
Graduate Program • Doctoral Examinations • Doctoral Review • Important Forms

Program of Graduate Study

General Program of Study

The doctoral degree is awarded based on the demonstration of mature scholarship and ability to conduct meaningful and independent research. The degree is not granted as a result of taking a given number of courses or earning a given amount of credit hours. While formal course work is important, the specific courses and number of hours needed will vary for different students. Thus, there is not a total number of courses or hours that will satisfy the degree requirements uniformly for all students. The course work required for each student is based on the following: the student's ability to demonstrate to the graduate faculty a thorough grasp of the fields selected; the student's particular interests with regard to teaching and research; and the student's ability to conduct meaningful and independent research. A minimum of 36 credit hours must be taken in the student's program at Mississippi State University.

The proposed program of graduate study is specified by the student's Graduate Program Committee in consultation with the student. During the first semester of enrollment a proposed program of graduate study, approved by the Graduate Program Committee, is to be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies in Business for approval by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School.

A copy of the fully approved program of graduate study will be provided to the student and each individual whose signature appears on it. The program, at a minimum, consists of a designated major field within the College of Business and Industry, a support area, a research and teaching tools area, and dissertation research. A 12-hour minor may be taken as a substitute for, or in addition to, the support area.

Proposed changes in an approved program of graduate study must be approved in the same manner as the original program.

Course Work Requirements

Following are the minimum course work requirements, beyond the baccalaureate, stipulated by the Graduate Faculty in the College of Business and Industry for the Ph.D.

• Major Minimum Requirement: 24 hours

With the approval of the Program Committee and the Director of Graduate Studies in Business, the student selects 24 hours of coursework in the major field. Some of these courses may be offered by other departments or disciplines. No more than 6 of these hours may be taken outside of the College of Business and Industry.

• Support Area Minimum Requirement: 9 hours

  With the approval of the Program Committee and the Director of Graduate Studies in Business, the student selects at least 9 hours of coursework to support his or her study of the major field. The courses can be chosen from one or several disciplines; hence no examination will be given. No more than 6 of these hours may be taken outside of the College of Business and Industry.

  OR

  Optional Minor: 12 hours

  Students who prefer to attain a traditional minor can, with approval from their program committee and the Director of Graduate Studies in Business, select 12 hours of coursework from a specific discipline within the College of Business and Industry. Completing these courses and passing the preliminary examination leads to the minor. Minors may also be obtained in a discipline outside of the College of Business and Industry but only if a 9-hour support area is also completed.

• Research and Teaching Tools: 18 hours

With the approval of the Program Committee and the Director of Graduate Studies in Business, the student selects 18 hours of research methods, statistics, and teaching methods courses. Six of these hours are specified as BQA 8443 and BQA 9533. Three of these hours are specified as a graduate level instructional methods course. The remaining required 9 hours are selected by the student’s Programming Committee with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies in Business. None of the courses in this area may be counted toward the course requirements in the major or support area. No more than 6 of these hours (excluding the instructional methods course) may be taken outside of the College of Business and Industry.

Total Hours of Graduate Work Required: A minimum of 51 hours of course work, excluding dissertation hours, is required beyond the baccalaureate degree for all majors. Should a student choose to get a minor, in addition to the support area, it will increase this requirement.

Residence Requirement

At some time in the doctoral course work, the student shall be required to devote two consecutive regular semesters (Fall/Spring) with a minimum load of nine hours per semester to the graduate program at Mississippi State University.

Time Limit

The student must complete the doctoral program within eight years of initial entry.

College of Business and Industry

Policies and Procedures