2 Fall semesters, 2 Spring semesters, and 1 Summer semester:

• Methodological Coursework
  • MAS 4105 Linear Algebra (4)
    This course could be waived, provided students pass a written exam in the course material.
  • One of:
    • STA 6166 Statistical Methods in Research I (3)
    • STA 6167 Statistical Methods in Research II (3)
    • An equivalent research methods course (3)
  • MAA 5228 Modern Analysis I (3)
  • ECO 7408 Mathematical Methods and Applications to Economics (2)
  • One of:
    • ECO 7404 Game Theory (2)
    • ECO 6409 Game Theory Applied to Business Decisions (2)
  • Any four of the following six courses:
    • ECO 7119 Information, Incentives, and Agency Theory
    • ECO 7115 Microeconomic Theory (3)
    • ESI 6417 Linear Programming and Network Optimization (3)
    • STA 6326 Introduction to Theoretical Statistics I (3)
    • ESI 6546 Stochastic Systems Analysis (3)
    • COT 5405 Analysis of Algorithms (3)
  • One of:
    • AEB 7572 Econometric Methods II (3)
    • MAR 7626 Multivariate Statistics (3)
• Substantive Coursework: IS/IT Students
  • Doctoral Seminars, as offered.
• Substantive Coursework: OM Students
  • Doctoral Seminars, as offered.
  • ESI 6912 Models for Supply Chain Management (3)
  • One of:
    • ESI 6418 Extensions to Linear Programming (3)
    • ESI 6429 Introduction to Nonlinear Programming (3)

End of Summer A semester: Written Qualifying Exams

End of fall semester: Supplementary Methodological Coursework and Teaching Seminar

Supplementary Methodological Coursework and Teaching Seminar

• Complete the remaining required coursework
• BTE 7171 – Preparing to Teach in Business

Defend dissertation proposal.

All required coursework must be completed before the proposal defense can be scheduled.

Defend dissertation.

Some students may be able to complete all requirements, including completion of the dissertation in four years. For such students it is expected that they will have at least one research paper in the second round or better in a high-quality research journal.

To be taken during the beginning of summer, typically by June, between the student’s second and third year.

These exams will consist of open-ended research questions based on the research seminars, and additional readings prescribed by faculty members. Each faculty member will give one exam lasting maximum of four hours. Grades for each of the qualifying exam taken (i.e. given by each professor) will be based on a scale of High Pass (HP), Pass (P), Low Pass (LP), and Fail (F).

To satisfactorily pass the exam, the student will need to obtain a HP or P score on all sections of the qualifying exam. If this is not the case, then the PhD coordinator will convene a faculty meeting to discuss the results of the qualifying exam. The outcome of the meeting will be one of the following:

• The student will be given one additional chance (i.e., retake the sections of the qualifying exam for which the assigned score was a LP or F or some other remedy suggested by faculty). If the student’s second attempt is also deemed unsatisfactory, the student will be asked to leave the doctoral program.
  Or,
• The student will be asked to leave the doctoral program.

If the decision is to ask the student to leave the doctoral program, he/she has the option to continue taking courses to complete the requirements for the MS-ISOM degree.

Must be presented no later than Fall Semester of third year.

Students must prepare and present a research paper to faculty members to demonstrate their research skills. Students are required to identify a faculty committee (of two faculty members) by the end of the spring semester of their second year. In evaluating this paper and the presentation, the faculty committee will focus primarily on the originality of the research and/or the research plan, the model and/or the methodology involved, the potential for current or future publication, the ability to think creatively, and to communicate and carry out research independently. A student will have satisfactorily completed this requirement when a majority of faculty members on the committee agree that the research paper satisfies these requirements. After evaluating this paper, the committee will make specific suggestions for improvement. A student who does not satisfy this requirement might be given one additional semester to revise the paper based on the faculty committee’s recommendations. If given the extension, he/she will be asked to resubmit the paper and make a presentation to the committee by the end of the extension period. If this revised paper/presentation is evaluated as being unsatisfactory by the majority of faculty on the committee, the student will be asked to leave the doctoral program but can continue taking courses to obtain an MS-ISOM degree.

Since the focus of the Program is to produce high-quality researchers with active streams of research, the students need to satisfactorily pass both the written qualifying exams and the oral qualifying exams/research paper requirement in order to be admitted into Candidacy.