Business Administration (PhD)

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Degree

Doctorate (PhD)

Faculty

John Molson School of Business

Program type

Thesis

Primary campus

Sir George Williams (SGW)

Duration

5 years

Credits

90 credits

Start term

Fall

Program overview

The John Molson School of Business, in affiliation with École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Montréal, McGill University and Université du Québec à Montréal, has offered a joint PhD in Business Administration since 1976. The five-year, full-time program provides students with access to more than 300 professors qualified to supervise doctoral studies. Students in the joint program also have access to the affiliated universities’ library systems, computer facilities and presentations by internationally recognized researchers.

The John Molson PhD in Business Administration offers five specializations: Accountancy, Finance, Management, Marketing or Supply Chain & Business Technology Management. Our students work closely with expert faculty from many prestigious research institutions and maintain outstanding international reputations for their innovative research, publishing in some of the best journals and sitting on the boards of many Learned Societies. With seven research centres brimming with talent and ambition, John Molson's faculty and graduate students are busy creating innovative solutions to many contemporary business problems.

Program structure

Degree Requirements

Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 90 credits.

Please see the Business Administration PhD Courses for course descriptions.

The program consists of three consecutive phases: the Qualifying Phase, the Course Phase, and the Thesis Phase.

Qualifying Phase

Given their academic background, some students may be required to take up to five 3-credit courses, usually at the MBA, or MSc level before qualifying for the program. The minimum number of credits will be determined upon acceptance to the program and is formally communicated to the student by the PhD Office before entry in the program.

Course Phase and Thesis Phase

The minimum course requirement of this phase is 30 credits, corresponding to a minimum of 27 credits for courses and 3 credits for the Comprehensive Examination, as outlined below.

Business Administration PhD (90 credits)

30	credits: Course Phase‌
60	credits: Thesis Phase‌

Course Phase (30 credits)

6	credits of Required General Courses: These courses are required for all PhD Business Administration students: • ADMI 871 Foundations of Business Research (3.00) ‌ • ADMI 880 Pedagogical Methods (3.00) ‌
12	credits of Required Specialization Courses chosen from the following: Accountancy Specialization: Business Administration PhD‌ Finance Specialization: Business Administration PhD‌ Management Specialization: Business Administration PhD‌ Marketing Specialization: Business Administration PhD‌ Supply Chain and Business Technology Management (SCBTM) Specialization: Business Administration PhD‌
9	credits of Business Administration PhD Elective Courses‌ Students may choose from scheduled graduate courses offered by their Department, another Department or Faculty at Concordia University, or by a University affiliated through the Joint Program. The course selection depends on the candidates research interests and background, subject to Faculty approval. A limit of 6 credits may be taken from MSc level courses with prior approval of the Graduate Program Director
3	credits Comprehensive Examinations: • ADMI 8890 Comprehensive Examination (3.00) ‌
0	credits Professional Development: • ADMI 872 Doctoral Professional Development (0.00) ‌

Thesis Phase (60 credits)

60	credits: • ADMI 8902 Thesis Proposal (0.00) ‌ • ADMI 890 Thesis (60.00) ‌

Accountancy Specialization: Business Administration PhD (12 credits)

12	credits of Required Accountancy Specialization Courses: ADMI 860 ADMI 861 ADMI 8601 ADMI 8602

Business Administration PhD Elective Courses (9 credits)

credits of elective courses chosen from the following:

• ADMI 873 Teaching and Learning with the Case Method (3.00)

‌

• ADMI 8502 Advanced Topics in Management (3.00)

‌

Students may also choose from courses offered by their Department, another Department or Faculty at Concordia University, or by a University affiliated through the Joint Program. The course selection depends on the candidates research interests and background, subject to Faculty approval. A limit of 6 credits may be taken from MSc level courses with prior approval of the Graduate Program Director.

Finance Specialization: Business Administration PhD (12 credits)

12	credits of Finance Specialization Courses: • ADMI 840 Corporate Finance (3.00) ‌ ADMI 8401‌ ADMI 8402‌ ADMI 8403‌

Management Specialization: Business Administration PhD (12 credits)

12	credits of Required Management Specialization Courses: • ADMI 812 Foundations and Current Topics in Organizational Behaviour (3.00) ‌ • ADMI 852 Debating Strategic Management (3.00) ‌ • ADMI 870 Research Methods in Management: Core and Advanced Issues in Quantitative Studies (3.00) ‌ ADMI 8501‌

Marketing Specialization: Business Administration PhD (12 credits)

12	credits of Required Marketing Specialization Courses: ADMI 8301‌ ADMI 8302‌ ADMI 8303‌ ADMI 8304‌

Supply Chain and Business Technology Management (SCBTM) Specialization: Business Administration PhD (12 credits)

12	credits of Required Supply Chain and Business Technology Management Specialization Courses: • ADMI 821 Artificial Intelligence for Business: Methods and Applications (3.00) ‌ ADMI 8201‌ ADMI 8202‌ ADMI 8203‌

Admission requirements

Admission Requirements

Master's degree in business administration or equivalent with high academic standing, from a recognized university.
Applicants with a Master's degree in a field related to the proposed area of research may be admitted subject to satisfactory completion of qualifying requirements, if necessary, by taking up to five prerequisite courses in addition to the required coursework in the graduate program. The specific courses to be taken are determined by the Program Director depending on the student’s background and area of specialization.
Applicants must submit proof of satisfactory performance on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)within the previous five years.
Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the English language proficiency page for further information on requirements and exemptions.

Application process

Review the steps before applying and program specific requirements

Application deadlines

FALL

January 15

WINTER

n/a

SUMMER

n/a

Priority will be given to complete applications submitted by the deadline. In some cases, programs may continue to accept applications as long as there is space available.

International students: Considering the waiting period involved in meeting the entry requirements to Canada and Quebec, we strongly encourage international applicants to apply early and submit supporting documents prior to the deadline.

Tuition & funding

Tuition and fees

Tuition and fees of the program may depend on your student status, among other key factors. Estimate these costs based on the most common situations.

Use the tuition & fee estimator

Awards and funding

Funding packages are generally available for students in thesis-based programs. They come in the form of awards, teaching and research assistantships are offered at the time of admission to most students to allow them to focus on their research and studies. Research and thesis-based students are automatically considered for all entrance graduate awards when they apply to Concordia, provided they meet eligibility criteria. No separate application is required.

Learn more about entrance awards

The Quebec and Canadian governments offer a number of competitive graduate scholarships. We encourage you to apply for these awards at the same time you are preparing your application.

Consult the list of awards available

Business Administration (PhD)

Program overview