Ph.D. Program

	FAQ Update

	The contents of this website are current as of

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General Information about Ph.D.s

'What is a Ph.D. Degree?'

A Ph.D. degree certifies your training as a scholar who is qualified to conduct research and teach at colleges and universities. Individuals who pursue a Ph.D. degree are those whose call is the creation and dissemination of knowledge.

A good resource for information about being a Ph.D. student is offered by www.phds.org

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'How is a Ph.D. degree different from an MBA degree and an MS?'

The difference between the masters degree (MBA or MS) and the doctoral degree (Ph.D.) is focus. Both the MBA and the MS are pre-professional degrees that prepare individuals to perform managerial functions in businesses and organizations. If your ultimate goal is to work as a senior manager or entrepreneur, a masters degree will provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary for that function.

The Ph.D. degree, on the other hand, prepares you to do research and investigation in either academic or non- academic research centers.

A Ph.D. is not a "super MBA." In fact, upon completion of a doctoral degree, the individual gains such a narrow specialization on a particular field (versus a broad proficiency in the practice, for example) that his/her ability to perform as a manager need not necessarily be enhanced over that of a person who completed a masters degree.

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'What does one do with a Ph.D. degree?'

Our Ph.D. program is designed to train scholars who as a career will conduct research to advance the frontiers of the discipline, teach at premier universities in the United States and around the world, and who in the future will be responsible for preparing the next generation of doctoral students.

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'What are the different types of institutions that hire Ph.D. students and what are future faculty members expected to do?'

Upon completion of their Ph.D. degree, individuals may be hired by a variety of academic institutions, ranging from 4-year colleges to research universities. Depending on the academic orientation of the institution, faculty at these colleges and universities may be expected to devote different amounts of time to teaching and/or research.

At "teaching universities," faculty members devote most of their time to preparing and teaching classes. They may typically teach four courses or more a year, with little or no time devoted to research. At these institutions, your performance as a professor is evaluated based on your teaching evaluations, your ability to design courses, and diverse services that you may provide to students (i.e., counseling, etc.).

At "research universities," on the other hand, the faculty are primarily devoted to research activities. These professors may teach courses for one term, and devote a whole semester exclusively to academic research, with the goal of advancing knowledge in the field and divulging their findings through publications in academic journals. At these institutions, your performance as a faculty member is primarily evaluated based on your research productivity, the quality of your research, the caliber of the articles you produce, the impact your work has on your field, and the prestige of the outlets that accept your work for publication.

A few Ph.D. graduates take positions at institutions where no teaching is expected, and the focus is primarily research (e.g., the research departments of investment banks, financial services firms, the Federal Reserve banks, etc.). Placement at the leading research universities, however, is the primary goal and focus of our program.

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'What should I look for in determining whether a Ph.D. is right for me?'

First, you need to decide whether a Ph.D. really is what you're looking for. You must understand why you want to pursue a doctoral degree: What are your career goals? Are you interested in an academic career? Is your primary interest to do research? To teach? Or are you an individual with more of an entrepreneurial bent, who enjoys doing business more than studying it? It is important that you understand what you want to do, and what a Ph.D. degree (versus an MBA or MS degree) is about before you go on.

Second, once you know what you want to do (and if in fact a Ph.D. degree is what's best for you) you must find the program that best suits your interests.

For example, you may want to know:

Do you enjoy doing research more than teaching, teaching more than doing research, or do you prefer a balanced mix of both?
Upon graduation, what type of institution would you like to work for? A major research university? A four- year college?

Once you have answered these questions, you can start looking for universities with Ph.D. programs that cater to your particular profile of skills and interests. This can be a long process, as there are many Ph.D. programs around the country and the rest of the world. It is vital that you devote sufficient time to gather information that will allow you to make a sound decision.

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Where can I find out more about pursuing a Ph.D.?

Where can I find out more about pursuing a Ph.D.? The American of Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) provides valuable information on their website about accredited programs http://www.aacsb.edu/

A sister site of AACSB is http://www.bestbizschools.com/doctorate/default.asp where you can research the latest news about PhD programs.

The Consortium of Business Doctoral Programs (DocNet) is an organization of universities granting doctoral degrees in business administration and economics. The website provides helpful information about how and why you should apply to a business PhD program http://www.businessdoctoralprograms.org/id36.html.

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Required Documents and Exams

What documents do I need to include with my application? How do I submit them?

A completed application includes the following:

Online Application: The online application will be available on this website around September 15th each year.
Three Letters of Recommendation: Applicants should secure at least three letters of recommendation. The Ph.D. committee prefers that all recommendations be written by academics familiar with the applicant's scholastic and research capabilities. It is particularly valuable to have letters of recommendation from faculty members with whom the student has worked in a research capacity. An applicant who has been away from an academic environment for a long period of time may substitute references from non-academics. Please use the online recommendation system within the online application to submit your recommendations. Online submittal ensures our admissions committee will have access to your documents much faster than with traditional mail.
Unofficial Transcripts: Applicants must submit unofficial (student) copies of their transcripts via our online application upload system. You will be notified later in the application process if official copies are required for verification of your transcript. Please note that official transcripts are NOT required for your application at this time.
GRE or GMAT: Please be prepared to upload a copy of your scores to our online system and enter your scores when directed to do so.
TOEFL (if international): TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the intended date of enrollment. In addition to requesting official scores sent to USC from the testing agencies, please be prepared to upload a copy of your scores to our online system.
Application Fee: $85

Please note that your materials should be submitted electronically whenever possible. In the event that you must submit a hard copy of part of your application, please mail it directly to our office. Please do not submit multiple copies or versions of your materials as it will only delay the processing of your application. When mailing documents to our office, please do not use staples (paper clips are acceptable).

Our address is:
The Ph.D. Program Office
Marshall School of Business
University of Southern California
3660 Trousdale Parkway, ACC 214
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0442

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'What standardized test should I take? Do I have to take the GMAT or GRE?'

The Ph.D. program accepts either the GMAT or the GRE, but you must take one of them. Our code for the GMAT is 389-9C-89. Our institution code for the GRE is 4852. Applicants are not required to select a department code, however if prompted to enter a department code, applicants should select the code for graduate schools of management "02". Please refer to www.ets.org/gre or http://www.gmac.com/gmac/thegmat/ for additional information.

Please remember that the GMAT and GRE testing services discard records of test scores that are invalid (more than five years old). You may submit an expired GRE or GMAT score for review purposes, but you will be required to submit a new score if you are admitted before your official offer letter from the university will be sent to you. However, we strongly encourage you to submit a valid score at the time you submit your application because the faculty members that will review your application prefer to see scores for tests taken within 5 years.

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Do you have a minimum GRE or GMAT score?

We do not have a minimum for the GRE or GMAT, but it would be helpful if your scores are competitive compared to our previous incoming class. You can view the class profile here http://marshall.usc.edu/phd/students-and-faculty.htm.

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'Do I have to take the TOEFL if I received a master's degree from a university within the United States? What if I have been working in the U.S.?'

ALL INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT A TOEFL SCORE. If you are not a U.S. citizen or a U.S. permanent resident then you must submit a TOEFL score regardless of any graduate degrees you may have earned. TOEFL waivers are only given if you have completed a bachelor’s degree at a U.S. institution. We do not give waivers for any other reason. Please do not ask for a waiver because of a master’s degree, PhD degree or coursework, work experience in the U.S. or living in the U.S. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the intended date of enrollment, so, for instance, applicants for the fall of 2010 must have taken the TOEFL after August of 2008.

You may, however, submit an expired TOEFL score for review purposes and your application will be sent to the review committee with that score. If you are admitted to the program you will need to submit a new TOEFL score before your official offer letter from the university and I-20 will be sent to you.

Our institution code for TOEFL is 4852. For more information, visit http://www.ets.org/toefl.

We do have minimum score requirements for the TOEFL score:
Paper-based test – 600
Computer-based test – 250
Internet-based test – a total score of 100 with no less than 20 on each of the four test components

It is unlikely that you will be admitted if your score does not meet our minimum requirements, but if you are admitted you may be required to do one of more of the following:

Retake the TOEFL before we allow you to enroll and hopefully achieve a higher score
Take the USC International Student Exam upon arriving to campus in August
That you take English language coursework in conjunction with your PhD coursework

Our Ph.D. program is designed to prepare students to one day teach and publish in English. It is critical that our students have the ability to read, write, and speak English fluently. We have found that a strong TOEFL score is an excellent indicator of a solid understanding and knowledge of English.

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'Is any prior coursework required?'

Depending on your particular field of interest, one year of college calculus or its equivalent is required. Experience with matrix algebra, introductory mathematical statistics, and intermediate economic theory is also desirable.

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'Do I need an MBA or other Master's degree to get admitted?'
No. The MBA or any other master's degree is not required for enrollment to the Ph.D. program. The courses of study and the degree objectives are quite different.

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'I already have an MBA. Will that shorten the program?'

The Ph.D. Program is a four to five-year program. However, different number of coursework units are required depending on whether you enter with a Master's or a Bachelor's degree. For students whose highest degree is a Bachelor's degree, a minimum of 60 units of course work, including 4-8 units of GSBA-794 Doctoral Dissertation, beyond the baccalaureate, is required. For students who already possess a Master's degree, a minimum of 36 semester units of course work beyond that degree is required exclusive of GSBA-794 Doctoral Dissertation. Generally, we recommend that, regardless of the number of required units, students take those courses that will best prepare them for an academic career.

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'I'm currently an undergraduate student. Am I eligible for admission?'

Yes. Anyone who has earned a bachelor's degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. undergraduate degree from an accredited institution may be considered.

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'I’m having trouble uploading my transcript, what should I do?'

The file size exceeds 500KB:
First, make a low-resolution photocopy of your transcript (this will suppress the background which will help reduce the file size). Then scan the photocopy (experiment with different settings until you find one that results in the smallest file size such as reducing the resolution).
If the above doesn’t work:
Using Word or a similar word processing program, type your course and grade history and then upload the Word document.
I don’t have my transcript, but I can access my grades online:
If an institution you attended has an online grade reporting system, you may upload a report from that in lieu of a transcript.
If none of the above resolves the problem:
Please download the Transcript Override Form. Upload the TOF in place of a transcript and mail, fax or email a copy of the transcript to our office. If you use the TOF it is your responsibility to ensure that we receive a copy of the transcript by the deadline.

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Do my recommenders have to submit their letters online?

Please make an effort to encourage your recommenders to submit their letters online. It is to your advantage to have them uploaded by the deadline because your application will be processed faster. Processing time for a hard copy of a letter received via mail is 3-5 days. In the event that they are unable to submit a letter using the online system, the preferred back up method is to have your recommender email the letter directly to us at phd@marshall.usc.edu. If neither of those two methods are an option then we will accept a hard copy of the letter. Again, it is in your best interest to have the letters submitted online.

If your recommender will be mailing a hard copy of a letter to us it is imperative that they fill out and include the recommender form. Letters received without this form will not be processed.

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What if I want to submit more than 3 letters of recommendation?

In the case of recommendation letters, quality is much more important that quantity. It is recommended that you limit your letters to no more than three.

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What if I need to replace a recommender?

Please email us at phd@marshall.usc.edu and provide the following information about your new recommender:
Name
Salutation
First name
Last name
Suffix
Industry
Name of Organization or Institution
Title or Position
Mailing Address
Street 1
Street 2
City
U.S. State/ Territory (For addresses outside of the United States, please include the province, territory and postal code after the City name)
Postal code
Country
Phone Number
E-Mail Address

Don’t forget to let us know which recommender should be deleted.

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Additional Admissions Criteria

'What do faculty members look for in applicants?'

Marshall's faculty selects qualified students based on evidence of outstanding intellectual ability and a strong commitment to a career in research. Standardized test scores, the strength of the recommendation letters, the academic record at the applicant's undergraduate/graduate institution, and his/her research goals, including its fit within the general research interests of the faculty, will be evaluated. However, there are other considerations not easily measured quantitatively, such as creativity and independence, that are significant as well.

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'Can you tell me about my chances for admission?'

The candidate selection process is done by a faculty committee and approved by the school, after the application deadline. We follow university rules and guidelines, and we do not have racial, ethnic or sex-based quotas, nor do we discriminate based on such external characteristics. We do not prejudge, pre-admit, or prescreen students, nor do we make subjective probability assessments or give private assurances to prospective applicants.

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'Can I send in some of my prior research?'

Yes, you are welcome to, but please do not send hard copies. We prefer that you e-mail any relevant research to us or upload it while completing the online application.

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'What is the deadline for applications?'

Only complete applications will be submitted to the committee for review. Applicants are encouraged to sign up early for the GMAT/GRE/TOEFL and arrange for the timely submission of transcripts and letters of recommendation. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all required documents are received by the Ph.D. Office before or by the deadline. Materials that are either postmarked on or received after December 15th will be considered late; there is no guarantee that they will be reviewed.

Applications will be reviewed in the order they are received. Priority will be given to completed applications submitted by December 1st. All other applications will only be reviewed after the on time submissions. Late applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. All applications must be submitted by 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time on Dec. 15 as the application system will close after that time.

Applications will be reviewed in the following order:

Complete applications received by December 1st
Complete applications received by December 15th
Applications submitted online by December 15th, but with late supplemental materials (recommendation letters, test scores, transcripts, etc.)

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'What is my USC ID # and what is it used for?'

The University assigns each applicant a personal USC ID # upon receipt of any part of the application or its supporting materials. That ID number will be automatically sent to the applicant and can then be used when sending in additional information or checking on application status.

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'Are official transcripts required?'

No, do not submit official transcripts unless they are specifically requested for verification later in the admissions process.

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'Are campus interviews required?'

After reviewing the applications, the individual departments usually contact the most qualified candidates for interviews. Campus interviews will be scheduled for the top applicants who can come to campus. In cases where in-person interviews cannot be arranged, telephone interviews may be substituted. Even though in- person interviews are not required, we encourage applicants to visit the campus if possible.

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'If I am denied admission, can I reapply?'

Yes, but you must submit all new application materials, including responses to the essay questions, as well as the application fee. If you applied for the previous year, transcripts may not need to be resent. Contact the Marshall Ph.D. Program office to request a file search.

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What happens after my application is submitted?

Your application will be reviewed for completeness and if all documents have been submitted then they will be compiled for the departmental review committee. The committee will begin reviewing applications on December 15th and will continue to do so through the end of January. You will be contacted by a faculty member if a phone or campus interview is required. Once your application is submitted and you receive notification that your application is complete there is nothing else you need to do.

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How can I find out the status of my application?

Status is not discussed over the phone. We cannot address questions on application status via phone because it is not possible to verify identity. We will keep you notified of your application status with periodic emails. The first status email will be sent out around December 10th. You will be notified at that time if you are missing documents or if your application is complete. All documents must be received by the deadline on December 15th. This includes letters of recommendation. It is your responsibility to ensure that your recommenders submit their letters online by the deadline. Applications that are missing documents as of the deadline on December 15th will be considered incomplete and may not be reviewed by the committee.

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What happens after I am accepted?

You will be notified that you have been accepted by an email with your offer letter attached. You may receive a phone call or email directly from a faculty member shortly before or after receiving the email. You will be required to submit your offer letter with your signature by April 15th if you choose to accept our offer. If you submitted unofficial transcripts and/or test scores you will have to submit official scores at this time. If you are in the process of completing a degree program, you will need to send us an official transcript after that degree has posted as confirmation of degree completion. You will receive another email in early May with details about housing, orientation, registration, etc.

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How can I find out why I was not accepted?

We receive approximately 450 applications each year and we only admit approximately 20 people (3-5 people per department). Please don't consider the lack of admittance a failure or any lack on your part. The admission decision is multidimensional and is affected by so many factors—including who on the faculty is able to take on a new student this year. Typically, we consider factors that include prior experience, letters of recommendation from faculty who can speak to the candidate's motivation and abilities to do academic research, research interests of the candidate and fit with our faculty, GRE/GMAT scores, grades, TOEFL scores, and the essay. We also consider factors such as the resources we have to support PhD students-- including space, faculty availability, and funding. Please keep in mind that the admission process is very competitive and we only admit 3-5% of the applicants each year.

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Program Structure

'How many years does it take to get a Ph.D. degree?'

Our Ph.D. program is designed to be completed in 4-5 years. Typically, students complete their course requirements by their second year, and devote the remaining years of the program to complete their dissertations and fulfill their teaching requirements.

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'What do you do in different years of the Ph.D. program at the Marshall School of Business?'

The curriculum for the first two years in the Ph.D. program includes courses required by the Marshall School of Business, and courses required by the individual departments.

The Marshall School of Business requires that you:

Fulfill all the seminar coursework specified by the different Departments
Complete at least one course in a base discipline (e.g., psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics). This course must be outside the specific department of you doctoral degree, but can include courses in other departments of the Marshall School of Business.
Complete at least one course in research methodology.
Complete at least one course in statistics.

Your third and fourth years are primarily devoted to working on your dissertation, conducting research, and fulfilling your teaching requirement: our program requires that all doctoral fellows teach one course and serve as a teaching assistant for two other courses.

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'Will I have much interaction with faculty?'

Intensive interaction with faculty is one of the most important parts of your training as a Ph.D. student.

The Ph.D. program at USC is designed so that students start working closely with faculty from early in the program.

Upon starting the program, each student is appointed an academic advisor, and works as a Research Assistant with a faculty member that is selected so as to achieve a mutually beneficial match of research interests between student and professor.

Typically, students are appointed as Research Assistants to a different professor every semester. However, it is often the case that the student and the professor will continue to work together in research projects throughout the stay of the student in the program, and even for years to come after the student's graduation.

Indeed, Research Assistantships lead to faculty/student mentorships that result in the development of productive research careers.

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'Will I gain teaching experience?'

As part of the requirements of the program, each student must teach one course, and serve as a Teaching Assistant for two other courses.

These requirements are designed to give you exposure to teaching activities both with undergraduate and graduate students.

As Teaching Assistants, our Ph.D. students work closely with experienced faculty in the instruction of two MBA- level courses.

Once completed that requirement, students are assigned to teach a undergraduate course on their own. The student gains experience in the development of the syllabus, design of class activities, examinations, and grading.

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'How do the faculty help with student placement?'

Our faculty works closely with Ph.D. students, mentoring and guiding them through all the stages of the program, including placement. Our faculty members have networks throughout the academic community that we use to place our students. The faculty provide support and advice, and help the student identify universities or institutions that match his/her profile and interests for a rewarding career.

In fact, student placement starts on day one: the program is designed to groom scholars who will be attractive to the top academic employers. The faculty work together with the students as advisors, research co-authors, coaches and mentors, and enable the students to form networks with scholars from universities across the country and abroad.

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'Can I take this program part-time or online?'

No. This program is a full-time program that must be completed in residency at USC.

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'Can I keep my outside job while pursuing this degree?'

No. As is true of many top schools of business, you are supported by a Graduate Assistantship. The Assistantship provides a generous stipend, coverage of tuition, health and dental insurance, and student fees. The stipend is designed to provide you with sufficient funds to focus on your program of studies without having the need to secure outside employment. Students have opportunities to earn additional money during the summer of their 3^rd - 5^th years, generally through additional research assistantship opportunities.

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'What will this program cost me, if admitted?'

Every admitted applicant is offered a full tuition grant as well as an assistantship that pays approximately $25,500 USD per year in exchange for 10-13 hours of weekly work with a faculty member. While receiving the assistantship, students serve as a research assistant for eight semesters, as a teaching assistant for one semester, and as an assistant lecturer for one semester. Additionally, every admitted applicant will be offered student health benefits (insurance and use of the USC Student Health Center). Funding is guaranteed for four years. Fifth-year support is available for students who are making satisfactory progress on their dissertation.

Ph.D. students who require additional assistance may be eligible to receive loans through the USC Financial Aid Office. Please visit the USC Financial Aid website for more information.

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'Do Ph.D. students go on to work in the commercial sector?'

Not very often. Our program is geared toward students who wish to pursue an academic career. Students who are interested in industry positions might find other programs more applicable to their career goals.

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'How many students are in your Ph.D. program?'

On average, there are approximately 60-70 students in the program.

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