BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION - M.S. and Ph.d.

Head of the Department: Huseyin Leblebici

Correspondence and Admission Information: Department of Business Administration, 350 Wohlers Hall, 1206 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820; (217) 333-4240; E-mail: c-shaw2@uiuc.edu

URL: www.cba.uiuc.edu/ba/dept

GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

The Department of Business Administration offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Science (M.S.) in Business Administration and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Business Administration degrees.

ADMISSION

Admission to the graduate business programs requires an undergraduate degree with a scholastic average of a t least B for the last 60 hours, acceptable scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), three letters of recommendation, and a statement of career goals.

Applicants for all programs whose native language is not English are also required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the Test of Spoken English (TSE). Ph.D and M.S. candidates must achieve a minimum score of 600 on the paper-based TOEFL or 250 on the computer-based TOEFL (550 and 213 respectively for the M.S. for International Managers). For the Ph.D. program, a minimum score of 50 (230 before 1996) on the TSE is required.

The Ph.D. program allows fall admissions only. The M.S. has a June start date. The application deadline is February 1 for both the M.S. and Ph.D. programs.

Graduate Teaching Experience

Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this pro gram.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

The Master of Science in Business Administration is a ten- to twelve-unit master's program best suited for those with a strong technical expertise in one of the concentrations offered within the Ph.D. program. The focus is on preparation for advanced study in the doctoral program or for a research-oriented position. The coursework can usually be completed in four semesters. A major must be specified from one of seven areas offered within the Department of Business Administration: organizational behavior/theory, strategic management, marketing, international business, decision sciences and information systems, and production and operation management. A minor is required as well and can be chosen from another area within the Department of Business Administration or a related area outside the department or college. Admission to the program is highly selective.

Within the Master of Science in Business Administration program an option has been developed for international managers. The M.S. for International Managers is a twelve-month master's degree program designed to meet the management development needs of organizations involved in international business. It is intended for experienced international managers and administrators who want to earn an advanced degree while gaining valuable experience in the world of American business. Students typically are experienced managers who possess unusual potential for future achievement in international business. Those who wish to specialize in a functional area may extend their programs to two years.

In addition to formal coursework, students participate in a series of management development seminars, which provide an overview of American business concepts and practices. Business and industry field trips, seminars with American executives, and other special activities provide another dimension to the program.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

This program offers an in-depth education in teaching and research in selected areas of business and administration. Doctoral students can specialize in marketing, organizational behavior/theory, management science/process management, information systems, international business, and strategic management. The program is intensive, flexible, and adapted to individual needs.

Each student's program entails sufficient study and preparation to achieve the following: (1) competence in a common core covering substantive and research methods courses, which are formulated by the faculty in each area; (2) in-depth expertise in a major area; (3) expertise in at least one area in addition to the chosen major area, with this minor area selected from within or outside the department; (4) teaching experience; and (5) research or problem-solving competence.

Competency is determined by comprehensive written and/or oral examinations. Following successful completion of all coursework and compre hensive examinations in major and minor areas, students must propose and gain approval of a thesis topic at a public colloquium. The final program requirement is the successful oral defense of the thesis. The Ph.D. program is currently undergoing review. Applicants should contact the department for current requirements and program design.

For persons entering the program from an undergraduate program, the minimum requirements are 16 course units and 8 thesis units. Persons entering with a master's degree in business generally will need a minimum of eight course units and eight thesis units. The program usually is completed in four years, although students with a master's degree in business may require only three years.

RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT

Ph.D. candidates must maintain continuous registration through the approval of a dissertation proposal, unless a leave has been approved by the department.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Faculty research interests are in the areas of m arketing, organizational behavior, organization theory, decision sciences, information systems, strategic management, risk analysis, judgment under uncertainty, international business, production and operations manage

ment, accounting, economics, entrepreneurship, and finance. The College of Commerce and Business Administration houses computer facilities, a behavioral science laboratory, and a separate library. The college maintains contacts with industry and government through its Executive Development Center, Executive-in-Residence Program, Survey Research Laboratory, Bureau of Economics and Business Research, and several professional and scholarly journals edited by its faculty.

FINANCIAL AID

Most Ph.D. students receive some form of financial assistance. This assistance is likely to be in the form of a teaching or research assistantship, which includes a waiver of tuition and some fees, and/or the award of a merit- based fellowship.