PhD Program in Business

About the Program

The newly revised program enables students to complete their doctoral coursework in two years. Students can begin specializing in a chosen area as early as the first year of study. Specializations are available in five areas: accounting, decision sciences, finance, marketing, and organization and strategy.

PhD students complete a minimum of 60 quarter credits beyond the master's degree. Students who enter the program without a master's degree must complete 90 credits beyond the bachelor's degree. The degree requirements describes the basic structure of the PhD in Business curriculum.

Time Requirements for Program Completion
Time requirements are placed on graduate programs of study to ensure that students receive instruction in, and graduate with, the most up-to-date, current knowledge available in their discipline. It is expected that all graduate students will be able to complete their degrees within the stated time requirements.

University policy provides that students who enter the PhD program without a master's degree must complete their studies for their PhD within seven years after initial graduate registration. Those who enter the PhD program with a master's degree from Drexel are permitted five years after initial registration to complete the PhD degree.

Students who find that these time requirements are inadequate due to special circumstances must discuss this with their specialization coordinator and the director of the PhD program. Together they may request an extension prior to the end of the student's stated time limit (either seven or five years). All formal extension requests must give a reasonable time for completion with an accompanying revised plan of study. Should an extension be required, please be aware that all courses will be reviewed for timeliness; some earlier coursework may have to be repeated.

Extension requests must be forwarded, after approval by the specialization coordinator and the LeBow PhD Director, to the Graduate Studies Office, which will make the final decision. The extension request for doctoral students must consist of a new plan of study and a letter of request, signed by the student, the specialization coordinator and the LeBow PhD Director.

Full-time Status
The PhD Program in Business expects all PhD students to maintain full-time status during their course of study. PhD students are considered to be full-time if they are registered for nine or more credits during three terms of the academic year.

Registration Requirements
University policy requires that doctoral students register for at least one credit in the term in which they take their candidacy exam. Students must also be registered for one credit in the term in which they graduate.

If PhD candidates are not working on campus, taking courses or otherwise using campus facilities during the summer, students may petition to take the summer off by completing the summer registration release form. This form is available in the Graduate Studies Office. With the support of the supervising professor and graduate adviser and final approval granted by the Graduate Studies Office, a doctoral student may be released from the registration requirement for summer term only.

In Absentia Status
PhD candidates who have completed all coursework and residency requirements, who will not be using campus facilities, but may occasionally consult with their supervising professor, may request in absentia status. Such requests take the form of a letter from the student, with the supported of the supervising professor and graduate advisor indicated by their signatures or accompanying letters. The Graduate Studies Office grants final approval. Doctoral candidates in absentia must register for two credits each term they are in this status. Doctoral candidates may not be considered in absentia during the term in which they defend their dissertation.

Leave Of Absence
Doctoral students may take time off from their studies for family or medical emergency, military service or other extenuating cause. The time clock does not stop except for military service. Students will be expected to finish the degree in the normal time allotted.

For additional information about the program visit the PhD Program in Business page.