Prospective Candidates

  1. How does one secure admission to the Ph.D. Program in the Department of Management.
  2. What about financial aid?
  3. How long does the PhD program take?
  4. Who should get a PhD?
  5. How can I improve my chances for getting into the PhD program? 
  6. Who should apply to the Department of Management specifically?
  7. Where can I get more information?

1. How does one secure admission to the Ph.D. Program in the Department of Management.

The primary admissions process for the School of Business is managed by the Office of Doctoral Programs.  http://www.gwu.edu/%7Ebusiness/doctoral/

Prospective PhD candidate must work closely with this office.  Deadlines and application packet completeness are essential.

Once the application file is complete the PhD Office sends applicant materials to the various Departments for review.  This is guided by the applicant’s statement of intention.   Once received by the Department the packets are reviewed and ranked by the Department Faculty.  Recommendations are then returned to the PhD office where a School-wide committee of faculty review all recommendations and issue acceptance letters.   While Departments recommend candidates, they do not have sole responsibility for selecting candidates.

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2. What about financial aid?

GWSB does provide a generous financial packet to accepted applicants.  Details are available from the PhD Office.  These grants are very competitive.

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3. How long does the PhD program take?

Candidates should plan on a 3-5 year commitment.  Most candidates take 4-5 years to complete the program.  The degree must be completed by the 7th year.  Course work typically takes a minimum of two years with the remaining time devoted to research and, very often, teaching.

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4. Who should get a PhD?

Candidates who seek an academic career should seek a PhD at GWSB.  Success as an academic professional requires demonstrated abilities to conduct research, teach, and serve the University and the profession.  Research is a critical and highly valued skill. Candidates who want to pursue a career solely as a teacher should not apply to the GWSB Doctoral Program. 

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5. How can I improve my chances for getting into the PhD program? 

Admission to the program does not rely on a single indicator, or for that matter a single set of indicators.  All applicants are evaluated independently and in their totality.  That said, candidates are advised to pay particular attention to the application essay and to their GMAT scores.  The essay is important because it reveals the applicant’s area(s) of interest and the GMAT is important because it signals the applicant’s ability to complete the rigorous course work required as part of the program.

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6. Who should apply to the Department of Management specifically?

The Department of Management at GWU is particularly interested in candidates intrigued by the topical areas of Organizational Behavior and Development, Human Resource Management, Leadership and Entrepreneurship. 

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7. Where can I get more information?

Candidates are encouraged to do preliminary research and make direct calls to the faculty member in the Department with a portfolio of interests most similar to those of the candidate.  Assistance of a more general nature can be secured by calling 202-994-7375 and asking for the Department Chair.   Professor Stuart Umpleby is the current Chair of the doctoral commitee, his direct number is 202-994-1642, and his email is umpleby@gwu.edu.

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