Management, PhD

Wharton’s Management program prepares students to apply rigorous social science disciplinary theory and research methods to the demands of current management and leadership challenges in the public and private sectors. Our faculty has a broad range of interests ranging from the behavior of individuals, teams and groups to organizational strategy of multinational firms. Major areas of faculty research currently include:

  • new venture formation, growth, and corporate entrepreneurship;
  • human resources and competitiveness;
  • emotions, identity, creativity and motivation;
  • political and social influence strategies;
  • technology and practice adoption, diffusion, and transfer within and across organizations;
  • organizational learning and adaptation;
  • and the strategic management of complementary resources and capabilities within an organization, alliance, network or ecosystems.

Each student draws on the faculty’s diverse expertise and varied interests to develop a program uniquely suited to his or her interests frequently spanning the formal specializations noted above. The program encourages students to gain research experience by working closely with multiple faculty on a variety of projects beginning with a research assistantship assignment in the first year with the hope of entering the job market in year 4 or 5 with multiple research papers in the publication pipeline.

View the University’s Academic Rules for PhD Programs.

Core Requirements
Management
MGMT 9000Economic Foundations of Management0.5
MGMT 9330Psychological Foundations of Research in Management0.5
MGMT 9340Foundations of Organizational Theory0.5
MGMT 9530Seminar in Research Design0.5
Independent Study Project0.5
Subfield Specializations
Select at least 4.0 credit units from the following 0.5 credit unit subfield specializations:4
Personnel Economics A
Personnel Economics B
Seminar in Human Resources Research
Seminar in Corporate Strategy
Seminar in Strategy and Organization Design
Technology & Innovation Strategy
Proseminar in Management in Qualitative Methods
Network Theory and Applications
Entrepreneurship Research Seminar
Seminar in Social Entrepreneurship
Seminar in Entrepreneural Innovation
Special Topics in OB: Theories and Methods
Seminar in Macro-Organizational Behavior
Foundations of Multinational Management
Applied Research Methods and Data Analysis in Organizational Behavior
Non-Market Strategy
Special Topics in OB: Making a Contribution
Multinational Firms Global Economy A
Multinational Firms Global Economy B
Research Methods in Management
Quantitative Research Methods in Management: Econometrics
Statistics
Select a two-course statistics sequence2
Methods
Select two additional research methods courses2
Social Science
Select a two- course social science sequence2
Electives
Select three free electives3.5
Total Course Units16

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.


Sample Plan of Study

First Year
Fall
MGMT 9000Economic Foundations of Management0.5
MGMT 9330Psychological Foundations of Research in Management0.5
MGMT 9340Foundations of Organizational Theory0.5
MGMT 9530Seminar in Research Design0.5
MGMT 9700Research Methods in Management0.5
STAT Course1
Spring
MGMT Subfield Specialization course/ Social Science course/ or Free Elective1
MGMT 9701Quantitative Research Methods in Management: Econometrics0.5
MGMT Subfield Specialization course/ Social Science course/ or Free Elective1
STAT course1
Second Year
Fall
MGMT Subfield Specialization course/ Social Science course/ or Free Elective3
Methods course1
Independent Study Project1
Spring
MGMT Subfield Specialization course/ Social Science course/ or Free Elective3
Methods course1
Third Year
Research Presentations
Dissertation Proposal Development
Teaching Assistantship
Remaining Coursework
Fourth Year and Beyond
Dissertation Proposal Defense
Dissertation Development and Defense
Total Course Units16