Ph.D. Program: Areas of Specialization

• Accounting
• Decision Sciences
• Economics
• Finance
• Management Information Systems
• Marketing
• Organization and Strategy

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Accounting Area of Specialization (33 credits)

The objective of the Ph.D. specialization in accounting is to help motivated individuals develop the skills critical to a successful career in academia. In particular, the specialization provides students with opportunities to develop and refine skills necessary for academic research, while also providing opportunities to enhance competence in university teaching.

The faculty of the Department of Accounting has a strong commitment to academic research. Accordingly, a principal goal of our students should be to make scholarly contributions to their field of interest through research. Students work closely with faculty members to achieve this goal. Recent research published by our faculty focuses on current issues in the areas of financial accounting, international accounting, taxation, and auditing. Faculty members investigate these issues using two primary methods: experimental (judgment and decision making) and archival (economics-based) research methods. These two research methods provide students the opportunity to choose between two courses of study: an economics oriented track geared toward archival/capital markets research and a behaviorally oriented track geared toward experimental research.

Students whose research interests are economics-oriented take the following courses in addition to the Ph.D. core courses:

• ECON 910 Advanced Microeconomics I
• ECON 940 Econometrics I
• MGMT 903 Research and Analysis in Behavioral Science
• ACCT 910 Research Methodology in Accounting
• ACCT 921 Economics-Based Research in Accounting I
• ACCT 922 Economics-Based Research in Accounting II
• ACCT 931 Judgment and Decision Making Research in Accounting I
• ACCT 932 Judgment and Decision Making Research in Accounting II
• Three electives (with the approval of the adviser), generally in economics, finance, and/or statistics

Students whose research interests are behaviorally-oriented take the following courses in addition to the Ph.D. core courses:

• MGMT 903 Research and Analysis in Behavioral Science
• STAT 924 Multivariate Analysis
• ECON 940 Econometrics I
• ACCT 910 Research Methodology in Accounting
• ACCT 921 Economics-Based Research in Accounting I
• ACCT 922 Economics-Based Research in Accounting II
• ACCT 931 Judgment and Decision Making Research in Accounting I
• ACCT 932 Judgment and Decision Making Research in Accounting II
• Three electives (with the approval of the adviser), generally in psychology, statistics, and/or other relevant areas.

Faculty members in accounting are actively pursuing research in a variety of areas, and their research findings have been published in leading scholarly journals.

For further information about the Ph.D. specialization in accounting, please contact:

Dr. Anthony Curatola
Department of Accounting
Phone: 215-895-1453
Email: curatola@drexel.edu
Office: Matheson 400G

Decision Sciences Area of Specialization (33 credits)

The Decision Sciences Department encompasses three academic fields of knowledge: Production/Operations Management (POM), Management Science/Operations Research (MS/OR) and Applied Probability and Statistics (STAT). The Ph.D. specialization prepares students for highly rewarding careers in academic institutions, business, and government. Although most students tend to focus on the functional area of POM as their primary field of competence, with substantive emphases on MS/OR and STAT as tools for performing rigorous academic research, there is sufficient flexibility in the program to allow individuals to customize their doctoral coursework, depending upon their particular needs and interests.

The faculty members within the Decision Sciences Department are strongly committed to academic excellence and are known, nationally and internationally, as experts in their respective fields. They are actively involved in high quality scholarly research in several diverse areas such as supply chain decision models, technology planning and implementation, production planning and scheduling, mathematical programming, financial modeling, quality function deployment, Bayesian statistics, statistical quality control, reliability of statistical software, etc. Students working closely with the faculty develop and sharpen their own research skills and are expected to make significant future contributions to their respective areas of knowledge.

Although it is recommended that Decision Sciences doctoral students take 11 courses from the following list, in addition to the Ph.D. core courses, one may substitute courses (with adviser approval) from other departments within the college or university to suit specific individual research needs and interests:

• ECON 910 Advanced Microeconomics I
• ECON 940 Econometrics I
• ECON 980 Game Theory
• STAT 924 Multivariate Analysis
• OPR 922 Operations Research Methods I
• OPR 924 Operations Research Methods II
• OPR 926 Operations Research Models in Finance
• OPR 990 Systems Simulation
• OPR 992 Applied Mathematical Programming
• POM 900 Decision Processes in Operations Management
• POM 922 Inventory Models
• POM 925 Supply Chain Decision Models
• POM 930 Scheduling Theory
• STAT 932 Stochastic Processes
• STAT 930 Experimental Design

Faculty members in Decision Sciences are actively pursuing research in a variety of areas, and their research findings have been published in leading scholarly journals.

For further information about the Ph.D. specialization in decision sciences, please contact:
Dr. Seung Lae Kim.
Department of Decision Sciences
Phone: (215) 895-2181
E-mail: kimsl@drexel.edu
Office: 232 Academic Building

Economics Area of Specialization (33 credits)

The specialization in economics, housed in the Department of Economics and International Business, prepares economists for careers in research, teaching, business, and government. It is designed to provide students with not only a broad understanding of modern economics, but also the opportunity to explore a number of specific fields of study including industrial organization, international economics, and health economics.
Students specializing in economics take the following six courses in addition to the Ph.D. core courses:

• ECON 910 Advanced Microeconomics I
• ECON 911 Advanced Microeconomics II
• ECON 920 Advanced Macroeconomics I
• ECON 921 Advanced Macroeconomics II
• ECON 940 Econometrics I
• ECON 941 Econometrics II

Plus five additional courses from the following list:

• ECON 950 Industrial Organization
• ECON 960 International Economics
• ECON 980 Game Theory
• ECON 930 Monetary Economics
• ECON 955 Public Economics
• ECON 952 Health Economics
• ECON 962 Open Economy Macroeconomics
• ECON 964 Economic Development
• ECON 990 Special Topic-Ph.D.-Economics
• ECON 992 Independent Study-Ph.D.-Economics
• Other courses with the permission of the adviser

Faculty members in economics are actively pursuing research in a variety of areas, and their research findings have been published in leading scholarly journals.

For further information about the Ph.D. specialization in economics, please contact:
Dr. Konstantinos Serfes
Department of Economics
Phone: (215) 895-6816
E-mail: ks346@drexel.edu
Office: 503 Matheson Hall L

Finance Area of Specialization (33 credits)

The Ph.D. specialization in finance prepares students to conduct significant financial research. Through their course work and by working closely with the finance faculty in research, our students gain a strong understanding of the theoretical foundations of finance, an intimate knowledge of the theoretical and empirical research literature, and the ability to effectively utilize the software and data bases used in financial research. Faculty members in the Department of Finance currently pursue research in such areas as risk management, commercial banking, investment banking, initial public offerings, corporate governance, mutual funds, real estate finance, mergers and acquisitions, asset and capital restructuring, multinational financial strategy, global capital markets, and economic and business forecasting. Their research findings have been published in leading scholarly journals.

Students specializing in finance take the following 11 courses in addition to the:
Ph.D. core courses:

• ECON 910 Advanced Microeconomics I
• ECON 920 Advanced Macroeconomics I
• ECON 940 Econometrics I
• ECON 941 Econometrics II
• FIN 920 Foundations of Finance Theory
• FIN 924 Seminar in Macro Finance
• FIN 928 Applied Capital Markets
• FIN 922 Corporate Finance Theory
• Three electives with the permission of the adviser

For further information about the Ph.D. specialization in finance, please contact:

Dr. Jacqueline Garner
Department of Finance
Phone: (215)-895-1747
E-mail: Jacqueline@drexel.edu
Office: Academic Building, Room 219

Management Information Systems Area of Specialization (33 credits)

The objective of the Ph.D. specialization in Management Information Systems is to prepare students to conduct quality research in information systems as a faculty member at a research-oriented business school. Students in our program work closely with faculty and other students in a stimulating intellectual environment to create outstanding research. An active group of academics is the distinguishing feature of the MIS faculty at Drexel's LeBow College of Business. These researchers investigate a wide variety of topics, including systems analysis, data bases, telecommunications, electronic commerce, economics of information systems, intelligent systems, strategic and organizational issues, and planning for MIS, utilizing research methods that include laboratory experiments, field studies, survey methods, econometrics, and modeling. This rich portfolio of topics and research methods allows substantial flexibility for our Ph.D. students in selecting research topics.

Students specializing in Management Information Systems take the following 11 courses:

• MGMT 903 Research and Analysis in Behavioral Science
• STAT 924 Multivariate Analysis
• MGMT 905 Advanced Research and Analysis in Behavioral Science
• MIS 901 Research Seminar in MIS
• Two of the following Research Seminars in MIS:
  • MIS 910 Qualitative research methods in MIS
  • MIS 920 MIS Adoption and Internalization
  • MIS 930 MIS Implementation Management
  • MIS 940 Economics of IT and Electronic Commerce
• Two of the following:
  • MGMT 910 Readings in Strategic Management
  • MGMT 920 Cognitive perspectives in Strategy
  • MGMT 950 Technology & Strategy
  • MGMT 940 Seminar in Organization Behavior
• Three Independent Study Courses in Management Information Systems.

Faculty members in management information systems are actively pursuing research in a variety of areas, and their research findings have been published in leading scholarly journals.

For further information about the Ph.D. specialization in Management Information Systems, please contact:
Dr. Murugan Anandarajan
Department of Management
Phone: (215) 895-6212
E-mail: ma33@drexel.edu
Office: 326 Academic Building

Marketing Area of Specialization (33 credits)

Marketing as an academic discipline can be viewed from both micro and macro perspectives. From the micro viewpoint, marketing exists at the nexus between an organization and the markets because its offerings include not only physical products but also services, ideas, causes, and people. The fundamental role of the marketing process as it occurs within any given organization is to understand and interpret the needs and wants of the markets it serves and then formulate appropriate product, pricing, promotion, and distribution strategies to satisfy those needs and wants. This process occurs within a competitive and dynamic environment so marketing management must continuously adjust its strategies to adapt to and exploit changing situations and contexts.

From the macro perspective, marketing institutions can be seen as engaging in a matching function which helps to foster equilibrium between aggregate production and aggregate desired consumption. This matching process enhances economic efficiency by reducing the amount of misdirected production output and enhances effectiveness in terms of more congruency between output and consumer needs and wants. The doctoral level curriculum offered by the Department of Marketing addresses both perspectives in most of the courses it offers, but the primary emphasis is from the micro point of view.

Students specializing in marketing can either choose a track that is economics-oriented or a track that is behaviorally-oriented.

 

Students whose research interests are economics-oriented take the following courses in addition to the Ph.D. core courses:

• ECON 910 Advanced Microeconomics I
• ECON 940 Econometrics I
• MKTG 920 Conceptual Foundations of Buyer Behavior
• MKTG 922 Seminar-Development of Marketing Thought and Theory

Plus seven additional courses (with the approval of the adviser) from the following list:

• MKTG 926 Seminar-Strategic Marketing Planning
• MKTG 928 Transportation and Distribution Theory
• MKTG 930 Multinational Marketing
• MKTG 932 Development of Marketing Channel Systems
• MKTG 934 Conceptual Foundations of Product Planning
• MKTG 936 Conceptual Foundations of Sales Management
• MKTG 990 Special Topics in Marketing
• Courses from other departments in the college or the university (maximum of two).
  

NOTE: A maximum of two courses within or outside the Marketing Department can be taken on an independent study basis. 

Students whose research interests are behaviorally-oriented take the following courses in addition to the Ph.D. core courses:

• MGMT 903 Research and Analysis in Behavioral Science
• STAT 924 Multivariate Analysis
• MKTG 920 Conceptual Foundations of Buyer Behavior
• MKTG 922 Seminar-Development of Marketing Thought and Theory
  

Plus seven additional courses (with the approval of the adviser) from the following:

• MKTG 926 Seminar-Strategic Marketing Planning
• MKTG 928 Transportation and Distribution Theory
• MKTG 930 Multinational Marketing
• MKTG 932 Development of Marketing Channel Systems
• MKTG 934 Conceptual Foundations of Product Planning
• MKTG 936 Conceptual Foundations of Sales Management
• MKTG 990 Special Topics in Marketing
• Courses from other departments in the college or the university (maximum of two).

NOTE: A maximum of two courses within or outside the Marketing Department can be taken on an independent study basis.

Faculty members in marketing are actively pursuing research in a variety of areas, and their research findings have been published in leading scholarly journals.

 

For further information about the Ph.D. specialization in marketing, please contact:
Dr. Hyokjin Kwak
Department of Marketing
Phone: (215) 895-6006
E-mail: Hyokjin.Kwak@drexel.edu
Office: Matheson Hall 502 B

Organization and Strategy Specialization (33 credits)

The specialization in organization and strategy, housed in the Department of Management, prepares students to conduct significant research on behavioral and strategic issues facing contemporary organizations. Our students pursue a blend of coursework that enables them to understand the interplay between organizational behavior and strategic management. Most of our students focus their dissertation research on either organizational behavior or strategic management, although students may choose to examine topics that combine elements of organizational behavior and strategy.

Our students draw on extensive faculty resources within the Department of Management. The organizational behavior faculty currently pursues research in such areas as job design, work stress, organizational justice, cultural diversity, career development, business ethics, and work-family dynamics. Our strategy faculty focuses on high technology firms, with specific interests in alliances and joint ventures, knowledge-based view of the firm, start-ups and corporate entrepreneurship, the strategy process, and the strategic management of technology. Our students also have close contact with our colleagues in management information systems.

• MGMT 903 Research and Analysis in Behavioral Science
• STAT 924 Multivariate Analysis
• MGMT 905 Advanced Research and Analysis in Behavioral Science
• MGMT 910 Readings in Strategic Management
• MGMT 920 Cognitive Perspectives on Strategy
• MGMT 930 Seminar in Human Resource Management
• MGMT 940 Seminar in Organizational Behavior
• MGMT 950 Technology and Strategy
• Three additional PhD-level courses (with the approval of the adviser), no more than two of which are outside the organization and strategy area. The following list of potential electives is not exhaustive:
  • MGMT 990 Special Topics in Management
  • Independent Study in Organization and Strategy (maximum of two)
  • Psychology
  • Statistics
  • Management information systems
  • Course in other departments within the college or the university

Faculty members in organization and strategy are actively pursuing research in a variety of areas, and their research findings have been published in leading scholarly journals.

For further information about the Ph.D. specialization in organization and strategy, please contact:

Dr. V. K. Narayanan
Department of Management
Phone: (215) 895-6763
E-mail: v.k.narayanan@drexel.edu
Office: 313 Academic Building