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Business Administration
In a small cohort, students benefit from sharing experience with others studying in various areas of business through a small number of common core courses. In addition, students study in their area of specialization and research methods that are tailored to the needs of individual students and the research strengths of the faculty. Also included is a teaching development component involving a certificate program. This is for graduate students without substantial teaching experience, or for experienced teachers who wish to upgrade their skills.
The PhD program develops outstanding students in research and teaching for future employment at leading international academic institutions by designing a unique program of study under the guidance of their supervisor and the academic chair.
丁香园AV Requirements
The minimum doctoral admission university requirements are provided in 1.3.4 丁香园AV to a Doctoral Program . Students are admitted in the fall term only. A minimum GMAT score of 600 and 5 on analytical writing is required. Interviews and a statement of interest is used to determine fit between students and faculty.
Application
Students must submit the following when applying.
- 丁香园AV’s graduate application form
- official transcript of undergraduate and graduate grades (mailed directly from the granting institution). It is advisable to include an unofficial copy of your transcript(s) with your application
- three confidential letters of reference using the Faculty of Business Administration PhD Reference Form, at least two of which are completed by faculty members at universities that comment on the student’s ability to conduct original research
- Faculty of Business Administration PhD Application Supplemental Information Form and Check List
- official score on the graduate management admissions test (GMAT). It is highly advisable to schedule testing well in advance of the application deadline. If available, please include an unofficial copy of the test result upon application.
English Language Competence
English is the language of instruction and communication at the University. Accordingly, an applicant whose primary language is not English must demonstrate command of English sufficient to pursue graduate studies in the chosen field. Please refer to the Graduate General Regulations (1.3.12 English Language Competence) for minimum language requirements and further information:
Program Requirements
The program combines a small number of cohort courses, a research methodology minor, and specialty courses selected by the senior supervisor and the doctoral candidate鈥檚 committee to create a curriculum which will be flexible within certain limits.
Candidates typically complete three core courses, three courses in the research methods minor, and three to five courses in their specialized area as determined by their senior supervisor and doctoral committee.
A research project with a pass/fail grade is required in the third term, and a candidacy exam. The candidate must fulfil the university qualifications regarding a thesis and its public defence.
Those who lack a business degree may, at the discretion of the PhD director, be asked to complete qualifying courses (see qualifying courses).
Core Courses
Students complete all of
The effective use of empiricism, positivism, and interpretive explanations in generating, defending and clarifying logically rigorous arguments is explored. Participants from diverse fields (marketing, international business, management studies, accounting, policy analysis, finance, etc.) within the administrative sciences will look at the processes which have guided theory development and theory testing within their field of inquiry. Attention will focus on what criteria are used to assess the adequacy of explanations and useful theories. The seminar seeks to advance the participants' interest in putting theory into practice. Prerequisite: Enrolment in PhD program.
Provides an overview of the major quantitative and qualitative analytical methods associated with empirical research in Business Administration. This seminar is aimed at providing an overview of the research process, an introduction to a range of research techniques and data analysis appropriate to those techniques. It should develop participants' skills for designing research as well as an ability to critically assess research reported in the literature. To do this, the course will focus on various approaches to research design, discuss the kinds of analyses appropriate to those designs, and introduce computer packages for data analysis, such as Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Prerequisite: Enrolment in PhD program.
This seminar is intended to support doctoral students in the early stages of the development of their dissertations. Practical and conceptual issues with respect to the integration of theory, research design, and methodology will be explored. The seminar will provide a forum for students to share their dissertation work in progress, and learn from each other with respect to theoretical, analytical, and methodological problems, successes and trade-offs. Prerequisite: Enrolment in the PhD program or consent of the instructor.
Core courses will be offered once a year.
Core Courses (for finance students only)
Finance students only complete all of
A study of optimum portfolio selections and diversification of financial assets including cash vis-a-vis different classes of utility functions of final wealth. Also, an examination of the behavior of speculative prices and rates of return. Offered once a year. Prerequisite: ECON 331. Students with credit for BUS 815 may not take this course for further credit.
The course subsequent to ECON 802 which covers advanced Microeconomic theory on a dynamic and general equilibrium basis. Prerequisite: ECON 802. Offered once a year.
The theory of the general linear model and the implications of basic econometric problems such as multicollinearity, autocorrelated residuals, errors in variables and heteroscedasticity. The use of dummy and lagged variables, simultaneous equation models. The identification problem. Estimation of over-identified equations. Offered once a year. Prerequisite: ECON 835 or equivalent.
Core courses will be offered once a year.
Research Methods
The research methods minor area requires three research methods courses approved by both the PhD program director and the student鈥檚 senior supervisor. These courses are deemed pertinent to the student鈥檚 specific research. Other courses will be considered if they meet the needs of the PhD candidate. Examples of some possible courses are as follows.
An introduction to econometric theory. Applications of econometric methods to both time series and cross-section data. Offered once a year. Prerequisite: ECON 435 and ECON 798.
A 'hands-on' course in implementing econometric techniques for empirical investigation of economic issues. Prerequisite: ECON 835 or equivalent.
The theory of the general linear model and the implications of basic econometric problems such as multicollinearity, autocorrelated residuals, errors in variables and heteroscedasticity. The use of dummy and lagged variables, simultaneous equation models. The identification problem. Estimation of over-identified equations. Offered once a year. Prerequisite: ECON 835 or equivalent.
This course presents advanced topics in time series econometrics, with an emphasis on model building, estimation, inference and forecasts in finance and macroeconomics. Univariate and multivariate models of stationary and nonstationary time series in time and frequency domains will be studied. General topics will include specification testing, method of moments estimators, applications of maximum likelihood, simulation and bootstrap methods, and estimation and inference in nonlinear models. These will be presented in the context of ARMA models, impulse-response functions, vector autoregressions and state space models, frequency domain methods, unit roots, cointegration, models of volatility, extreme value analysis and risk management, long-memory models, structural change, hidden-markov models, high frequency finance and wavelets. Prerequisite: ECON 837.
Theoretical analysis of fisheries exploitation, emphasizing the characteristics of a common property resource and the economic expression of biological factors. Problems of productivity against the background of national fisheries regulations and international agreements. Public policies in respect of the fisheries, with their social and economic implications.
An applied course in regional economics. Topics include the following: concepts of regional planning, development planning techniques, study of Canadian regional development problems. Prerequisite: ECON 865.
Focuses on multivariate regression and correlation models. Deals with ways of answering questions when direct experimental manipulation is not feasible, and emphasizes new applications.
Statistical methodology used in analysing failure time data. Likelihoods under various censoring patterns. Inference using parametric regression models including the exponential, Weibull, lognormal, generalized gamma distributions. Goodness-of-fit tests. The proportional hazards family, and inference under the proportional hazards model. Stratification and blocking in proportional hazards models. Time dependent covariates. Regression methods for grouped data. Prerequisite: REQ-STAT 450. Students with credit for STAT 890 may not take this course for further credit.
These three required research methods courses will be completed in the first five terms. The student’s supervisor can add to, or substitute, minor courses in consultation with the director of the PhD program.
Course Specialization
These three to five courses are set and administered by the senior supervisor in consultation with the student’s supervisory committee and the PhD program director. These courses can include Beedie School of Business graduate courses, directed studies courses, special topics, as well as approved graduate courses in other programs or universities. It is highly recommended that at least one of the major courses be given by the student’s senior supervisor. In special cases, the senior supervisor can recommend, in consultation with the PhD director, that the student complete fewer, or more, courses than required in the major. At least two courses should be completed at 丁香园AV.
Qualifying Courses
Students without prior business education or those who lack some specific background, or combination of education and experience, may be required to complete qualifying courses after PhD program admission. These requirements are at the discretion of the PhD director in consultation with potential senior supervisors. The number of qualifying courses may vary widely depending on the student鈥檚 specific background and their intended area of study.
Third Term Project (Summer Project)
PhD students will generate a research project in their third term that will be graded by the senior supervisor on a pass/fail basis. The student can rewrite the project once. If the grade is still deficient, they will be asked to withdraw from the program. Those who pass the research project will present it in an open research presentations. Questions and answers emerging in this context should assist the student to develop their research.
PhD Comprehensive Exam
PhD students must pass a comprehensive exam in the sixth term of the program. This will include written examinations in each student鈥檚 major and methodology minor, followed by an oral exam.
Dissertation Proposal Defence
Prior to registration in BUS 992, the candidate presents an oral thesis proposal defence. The PhD director assigns a faculty member who is external to the candidate鈥檚 committee, but within the faculty, to join in the examination.
The exam will probe a written thesis proposal and may extend into the area in which the candidate intends to do their work. The senior supervisor, committee and external examiner will confer a pass/fail grade upon the candidate鈥檚 presentation and written work. Evaluator suggestions concerning improvement are expected.
Those who fail the proposal defence are given one further opportunity at which to defend. A second failure requires withdrawal from the program. No candidate, unless given special permission, is permitted to complete an oral thesis proposal defence after the eighth term.
Thesis/Thesis Defence
Following graduate general regulation 1.9, the thesis will focus on original research in one long narrative/empirical work or a series of papers.
Residence Requirement
The candidate must be enrolled and in residence at the University for a minimum of five terms (see graduate general regulation 1.7.3).
Teaching Experience Optional Program
PhD students without substantial teaching experience may complete the certificate program for graduate students in University teaching and learning 鈥� instructional development, teaching enhancement and a practicum 鈥� offered by the Learning and Instructional Development Centre.
The program enhances and develops teaching skills. The practicum involves developing and delivering an undergraduate course in the Beedie School of Business.
Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations
All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the (residence, course work, academic progress, supervision, research competence requirement, completion time, and degree completion), as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled, as shown above.
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