Business Administration

The UIC PhD in Business Administration with an area of concentration in Organizational Behavior/Human Resource Management provides its students with the opportunity to explore a variety of topics within the disciplines of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management. Our doctoral program places primary emphasis on the development of OB and HR who are well versed in contemporary research and to communicate their work as educators and published experts in their fields. Students in the doctoral program are required to commit full-time attention to our program; part-time enrollment is not allowed. The student’s assistantship and degree program are expected to be a full-time commitment for 4-5 years.

Year 1

Fall: MGMT 573 (Research Methods) or MGMT 576 (Seminar in Organizational Behavior) statistics/methods course; Elective seminar (MGMT 587or 589), or a seminar from another department/college; generate idea for qualifying paper 

Spring: MGMT 575 (Seminar in HR) and/or Elective seminar (MGMT 587or 589), or a seminar from another department/college statistics/methods course; begin conducting qualifying paper research

Year 2

Fall: MGMT 573 (Research Methods) or MGMT 576 (Seminar in Organizational Behavior) statistics/methods course; elective seminar (MGMT 587or 589), or a seminar from another department/college; work on qualifying paper

Spring: MGMT 575 (Seminar in HR) and/or elective seminar (MGMT 587or 589), or a seminar from another department/college statistics/methods course; complete and present qualifying paper

Year 3

Fall: Take preliminary exam

Spring: Dissertation proposal defense

Year 4

Fall: Dissertation; teach one course

Spring: Dissertation (continue into year 5 if required); teach one course 

Requirements

• Test Scores: GMAT or GRE scores are accepted. GMAT and GRE scores are valid for up to 5 years. Please contact the testing companies for full details.
• Academic Record: A business-related undergraduate degree is not required to be admitted to our masters programs. Applicants should have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0/4.0.
• Letters of Recommendation: We require two letters of recommendation from references who know you in a professional manner and can attest to your professional abilities. Specialized master’s degree programs also accept letters from previous professors who can speak to your academic abilities. You will submit the recommenders’ names and contact information and we will contact them for the recommendation.
• Personal Statement: The personal statement provides you with the opportunity to discuss your career goals and why you think the UIC Liautaud program is a good fit. Guidelines are provided in the online application.
• Interview: MBA applicants only: All completed applications are reviewed by the admissions committee and qualified candidates will be invited for an interview.
• The UIC Supplemental application is a brief application where you will pay the $70 application fee and upload your academic credentials. Applicants will be required to upload their academic credentials (transcripts/marksheets/degree certificates) as one, single PDF file to the "CRDS" checklist link in the supplemental application. While completing two applications may be slightly redundant for the candidate, it allows us to process applications faster, resulting in quicker admissions decisions.
• Baccalaureate Field No restrictions. Prior academic work should include all of the following fields: mathematics/statistics, computing/analysis, and business.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate study.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score
  • TOEFL 600 (paper-based); 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Internet-based), OR,
  • IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores, OR,
  • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.

Scholarships

• Graduate Assistantships. Students who enrolled for eight or more credit hours during the fall and spring semesters are eligible to apply for a graduate assistantship. These on-campus job opportunities provide students with a partial tuition waiver and a stipend that varies in amount according to the time worked. They also provide valuable work experience in areas related to their degree program. Students are responsible for finding their own assistantships, just as one would find a job.

• Partial Tuition Waivers. A number of partial tuition and fee waivers are available for incoming UIC Liautaud students. Funding awards are based on academic merit. Students do not need to apply separately for a waiver. You will be notified during the admissions process if you are being considered for a scholarship or a partial tuition and service fee waiver. We also offer the Liautaud Scholars program for highly qualified full-time MBA students, a program that includes merit-based scholarships providing tuition remission. Ask an admissions representative to learn more about the program.

• Federal Funding. You may be eligible for up to $20,500 per year of federal loan funding whether you plan to study on a part-time or full-time basis and regardless of your economic status. Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) helps students begin the process of determining how to pay for their program. The funds are government loans and are made available to domestic students who are interested in pursuing a degree from an accredited institution who are not in default of past student loans and have correctly submitted the FAFSA form. UIC Federal School Code: 001776