Organizational Behavior & Industrial Relations Curriculum
There are specific requirements for the doctoral program in each concentration. The concentration can specify how certain departmental requirements are to be met and can add requirements or increase minimum standards. Note that optional courses may be taken in addition to the required courses, not instead of them. Students must consult with their field advisor to ensure that their choices make a sensible program.

1. First Stage of Coursework

Common core

Options:

Econ 250 A, B, or C: Labor Economics or Econ 224: Economics of Institutions, MBA 293 or PHDBA 299A: Independent Studies; Additional OBIR courses

Basic discipline

Required:

Two doctoral level courses in the same outside department, usually Psychology or Sociology, sometimes Economics, Political Science, Education, Public Health, Anthropology, or History.

Options:

Additional courses in any outside discipline.

Research methodology

Required:

PHDBA 297B: Research and Theory in Business: Behavioral Science

An advanced methods course in the basic discipline

Options:

Students without adequate backgrounds in statistics should take intermediate statistics courses. Additional courses on research methods in any department are strongly recommended.

Field

Required:

PHDBA 259A: Research in Micro OB

PHDBA 259B: Research in Macro OB (Either PHDBA 259A or PHDBA 259B is offered each semester by different professors; two semesters of each are required)

PHDBA 259D: Special Topics In OB

2. Written Examination

The written examination is usually taken during the summer between the second and third year. The exam is divided into two parts. These are given three days to a week apart. The first part is four hours long and closed book. This part is the same for all students taking the exam in a given year. It tests mastery of the basic subject matter of the field. The second part is eight hours long and open book. This part focuses on the special interests of each student.

3. Second Stage of Coursework

Required:

PHDBA 297D

PHDBA 259S in each semester after the written exam

Options:

PHDBA 602 or PHDBA 299 (Independent Studies)

4. Additional Requirements of the OBIR Field

OBIR students must prepare an empirical paper, written in journal article style, by July 1st of the summer following their second year. This paper must be approved by two OBIR faculty members before the student will be allowed to take the written exams described above (the field advisor has details). OBIR students are expected to participate in research seminars, colloquia, and student group meetings from the beginning of their program.

Oral Examination

Students submit and defend their dissertation proposals in the oral qualifying examination. The objective is to determine whether students have the intellectual capacity and academic preparation to complete the program. Successful completion of prior phases of the program and a well-defined research proposal are required.

Dissertations

A dissertation is the formulation and completion of a major research project and its written presentation. It is the last step in the program.

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