PhD Program

The VSB PhD Program was established in 1995 to train highly motivated people to conduct frontier research in business and prepare them for a career in the academic sector. Through a rigorous selection process, the program chooses the individual who has a strong inclination to teach and a drive to excel in research. The selected individual goes through a program of study that is composed of core and field courses. Basic core courses include economics, statistics and mathematics. At the end of their study program, the individual is expected to have published in an academic journal. 

Program of Study (PhD)

Year 1 (Breadth Courses)

Entering bachelor's degree holders are required to take breadth courses. These requirements are met by the satisfactory completion of MBA or MS Finance courses offered by the VSB MBA & MSFin Programs, or an equivalent Master's degree from a reputable institution. Students earn 2 units for every master's level course. A total of 18 units (nine 200-level courses) need to be completed before the student can proceed to Year 2. Master's degree holders in fields other than management or economics may be required to enroll in these courses.

Year 2 (Ph.D. Program Courses)

First Semester

  1. BA 302 Microeconomic Analysis

  2. BA 311 Management Science I

  3. BA 312 Management Science II

Second Semester

  4. BA 303 Macroeconomic Analysis

  5. Field Course (1) 

  6. Field Course (2)

Year 3 (Ph.D. Program Courses) 

First Semester

  7. Field Course (3)

  8. Field Course (4)

Second Semester

  9.   Field Course (5)

  10. Field Course (6)

Year 4 and beyond 

Completion of required research paper

Comprehensive examination

Dissertation research

Program of Study (PhD) Flowchart