Program Schedule

Each student’s schedule varies according to the student’s preparation and the courses needed for major and minor areas. Generally, however, students should expect to spend about two years on course work, then write the major area comprehensive exam, then perhaps take a few more particularly useful courses while working on the dissertation proposal (candidacy exam) over the next two years. Four years is a reasonable target for completing the PhD, though many students take five years and sometimes more.

Provisional Candidacy

In the provisional candidacy stage, major and minor area course work is completed. A student's program of study is directed by the supervisory committee, in consultation with the Doctoral Program Director; program changes must generally be approved by this committee and by the Doctoral Program Director.

Each student is required to choose one of the major areas of accounting, finance, marketing, operations and information systems, or organizational analysis. Requirements for the major area are determined by the relevant department and are described subsequently in this website. Upon completion of the course work, a written comprehensive examination is required in the major field.

In addition to the major field, two minor fields must be selected for study. Guidelines for the selection of disciplines or functional minors that complement the major field are provided by each major area. The choice of minors is made by the student, in consultation with the department and with the Doctoral Program Director. Courses taken to satisfy the requirements of the major may not be used to satisfy the requirements of either minor.

Beyond the business background requirement, exact course requirements are set by the student's supervisory committee and generally consist of from ten to eighteen courses. Students are encouraged either to take or audit additional courses that will further their career objectives.

All students in the Business PhD program must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.3 out of a possible 4 on the University of Alberta marking system throughout the program.

The University of Alberta has a two-term, September-to-April schedule; it is therefore important that students carefully plan the sequence of their courses according to times offered, so as to avoid delays in completing their programs.

The Candidacy Stage

To advance to candidacy, a student must pass a candidacy examination. This examination is scheduled when a student has completed the requirements for his or her major and two minors and has achieved satisfactory performance on the comprehensive examinations.

A candidacy examination is an oral examination administered by the supervisory committee and at least two additional faculty members, one of whom is from the University of Alberta, but external to the School of Business. The examination's purpose is to determine the student's ability to carry on advanced research for his or her dissertation topic. In general, it is administered after the student has prepared a dissertation proposal. Upon successful completion of the examination, the student focuses on research necessary to complete the doctoral thesis.

Thesis and Final Oral Examination

The thesis, written in the major area of study and supervised by the student's supervisory committee, must merit publication in a relevant scholarly journal. An examining committee consisting of the supervisory committee and at least two other examiners, including one from outside the University of Alberta, reads the thesis and conducts the final oral examination.