Management

As a PhD student, you become a fully participating member of the dynamic Smith School of Business research community. Course work tailored to help you hone your research skills, the development of an impactful thesis, research opportunities with our world class faculty, research seminar series by visiting professors from around the world, the annual Doctoral Consortium designed for sharing research ideas in a collegial environment, support to attend top academic conferences, and teaching opportunities, are just a few examples of the activities that will help you develop into a successful researcher, teacher, colleague, and mentor.

The faculty at Smith School of Business is comprised of distinguished researchers, ensuring that your experience at Queen’s will be nothing short of exceptional. Our faculty not only publish in the world’s top peer reviewed journals, but also serve as editors, associate editors, and reviewers for these journals. Our faculty members, who have been recognized with international research awards, have earned great respect for the mentorship they provide our PhD students.

Areas of Specialization

As a Queen’s doctoral student, you will select from nine areas of specialization.

• Accounting
• Business Economics
• Finance
• International Business
• Management Information Systems
• Management Science
• Marketing
• Organizational Behaviour
• Strategy

Stage One: The Foundations

The first two years of the PhD program are comprised of the following three stages, each designed to capture the foundational skills you will need for your academic career.

The Common Core

This part of the program, which is common to all PhD students across all areas of specialization, is designed to help you:

• build an understanding of an academic career, which includes understanding the publication process, how to develop interesting and impactful research questions, the development of your communication skills and research mentorship skills, as a few examples;
• develop an appreciation of the ways in which knowledge is generated and communicated in a School of Business;
• develop foundational skills for teaching.

Behavioural / Quantitative Core

This part of the program helps you hone the fundamental skills in research methods that are tailored to your research interests. Students in the “Behavioural” subject areas, such as Behavioural Accounting, Management Information Systems, Marketing, and Organizational Behaviour, will follow the Behavioural Core courses. Students in the “Quantitative” subject areas, such as Business Economics, Financial Accounting, Finance, and Management Science, will follow the Quantitative Core courses.

Stage Two: Testing the Foundations

After completing the first two years of coursework (core plus area specific courses), all students must successfully complete a comprehensive exam in their respective areas of specialization. The comprehensive exam, which is conducted during the second year in the program, is designed to help you solidify the foundational knowledge and research skills you will need to successfully complete your thesis, and ultimately emerge as an independent scholar.

Stage Three: Putting It All Together

After successfully passing the comprehensive exam, students are ready to move on to the thesis development stage of the PhD program. This stage typically takes 2 – 3 years, but includes more than just completing a PhD thesis. In addition to the development of your thesis, you will continue to build on the foundational skills established in the first stage of the program, by working to build your stream of research in collaboration with your faculty mentor; serving as a mentor to students just entering the PhD program; continuing to develop your teaching skills by assuming independent teaching opportunities; participating in academic conferences in order to present your research ideas to other scholars in the field; garnering faculty and program support as you pursue academic career opportunities.

Throughout all 3 stages of the PhD program, you will have the opportunity to develop cutting edge teaching skills, preparing you further for success in your academic career.

Requirements

1. Official transcripts from all universities attended.
2. A GMAT test score in the 85th percentile or above (approximately 640) or a GRE test with a minimum score of 160 Verbal Reasoning and 148 Quantitative Reasoning or preferable higher.
3. An English Proficiency test when applicable from one of the approved English facility tests (TOEFL, IELTS or PTE). The minimum score requirement for TOEFL is 88, however our Admissions Committee prefers a result above 100. The minimum score requirement for the IELTS test is 7, with a score of 8 the preferred result. PTE test a minimum score of 65, a preferred score of 70. Please use code 0279-01 for TOEFL scores. 
4. Two academic reference forms, preferably from referees who are familiar with your academic potential. (Forms and instructions are available online).
5. Resume
6. Statement of Purpose, this is an important aspect of the application. The admissions committee and the area faculty will get to know you and your research interests and goals, as well as any research you have completed to-date.

Scholarships

• Our doctoral students receive generous annual funding of $26,500 plus $5000 toward tuition expenses, renewed each year based on full-time status and satisfactory progression through the program. This funding requires that students work as a teaching assistant or research assistant during the year. 
• SSHRC - Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Scholarship
• NSERC - Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Scholarship
• Ontario Graduate Scholarship
• Richard J. Hand Graduate Bursary
• Richard J. Hand Graduate Awards in Management
• D.D. Monieson Doctoral Fellowship
• Geoffrey H. Wood PhD Scholarship
• Smith School of Business Dean’s Awards
• Molson Canadian Science of Marketing Award in the School of Business
• The Melville S. Hatch Memorial Fellowships
• The E. Gay Mitchell Graduate Fellowship in Finance
• The D.D. Monieson Graduate Business Scholarship