Change to Program/Graduate Diploma Academic Requirements Proposal Template s1

Change to Program/Graduate Diploma Academic Requirements Proposal Template

1. Program/Graduate Diploma:

PhD in Business Administration;

2. Effective Session of Proposed Change(s):

September 2017

3. Proposed Change(s) and Rationale: Please provide a description of the proposed change(s) and rationale, including alignment with academic plans.

What is changing? 1. Admission requirements are being revised to convey that not only students with masters degrees in business fields, but also those with a four year honours degrees in relevant foundational fields are eligible for admission. Unchanged is the requirement that students, to gain admission, must submit a GRE or GMAT score and that the score must be at or above the minimum acceptable threshold.

2. Degree requirements are being revised to eliminate minor fields of study. Minor fields of study have decreasingly been emphasized owing to the need for greater depth of coursework in the major field of study. In lieu of the requirement that students take minors, it is now required that students take electives in topics related to the major field of study, subject to the approval of the faculty member who coordinates doctoral studies in the student’s major area of study.

3. Degree requirement are also being revised to convey that students must take courses in both their major field of study and in methodology

4. The minimum number of core courses in the major field is being reduced from five to four, to reflect current practices across the areas.

5. Language and cognate requirements are being eliminated as a separate requirement. Previously, “knowledge of statistics or computing methods or another cognate subject” was listed as an alternative to a reading knowledge of a foreign language. Now, courses in relevant methodologies are included as part of coursework requirements.

6. Dissertation proposal and oral defence is being added as a formal requirement. Previously, it was mentioned as one of the four stages in the program, but was not separated out as a requirement

Why are the program requirements changing?

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Over the years since our doctoral program was founded, there have been profound changes in the nature of the scholarly research conducted by business school academics. This research has transitioned from being more descriptive to being more theoretically rigorous. Commensurate changes in the doctoral education have been required, and our program’s practices, like those of our peers, have been evolving. It is timely to update our admission and program requirements to reflect contemporary practice that is required to educate our doctoral students in a manner that equips them successfully compete for jobs in other leading business schools.

How does the program align with current academic plans? The program requirements are in line with the academic plans of the faculty, which strives to have a doctoral program that is successful in attracting highly qualified applicants and in training them so that they can compete effectively for jobs in academe and elsewhere.

Overview of the consultation undertaken with relevant academic units and an assessment of the impact of the modifications on other programs/graduate diplomas The Ph.D. committee is composed of representatives of each major area. The committee met in Fall 2016 to discuss the current admission and degree requirements as reflected in the FGS calendar copy. It agreed on revised admission and degree requirements more aligned with current practices in our program and in other programs.

There is no impact of these modification for other programs/graduate diplomas. d) A summary of any resource implications and how they are being addressed. (Attention should be paid to whether the proposed changes will be supported by a reallocation of existing resources or if new/additional resources are required. If new/additional resources are required, the proposal must include a statement from the relevant Dean(s)/Principal.)

No new resources are required to make these changes. e) A summary of how students currently enrolled in the program/graduate diploma will be accommodated.

All students currently enrolled in the program are on track to meet the academic requirements outlined in the proposed program requirements.

4. Calendar Copy

ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATION

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAM DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAM The doctoral program in Administration at the Schulich The doctoral program in Administration at the Schulich School School of Business, York University offers outstanding of Business, York University offers outstanding students the

yorku.ca/grads 3 students the opportunity to develop the theoretical and opportunity to develop the theoretical and methodological methodological skills that will enable them to conduct skills that will enable them to conduct leading edge research in leading edge research in business. Graduates of the business. Graduates of the program have gone on to successful program have gone on to successful careers in universities, careers in universities, government and industry, in Canada government and industry, in Canada and in other and in other countries. countries. The doctorate is an individualized program of study that is The doctorate is an individualized program of study which composed of the four tightly-linked phases of study. Students is composed of the four tightly-linked phases of study. first take a series of core courses and elective to acquire in- Students first take a series of core courses to acquire in- depth knowledge of the field in which they choose to major. depth knowledge of the field in which they choose to major. These courses also help develop the skills and competencies These core courses also help develop the skills and necessary to conduct research. Second, candidates complete a competencies necessary to conduct research. Second, comprehensive examination to test mastery of their major field. candidates complete a comprehensive examination to test The third phase of the PhD program consists of the preparation mastery of their major field. The third phase of the PhD of the formal research proposal, which must be defended. program consists of the preparation of the formal research Then students go on to conduct the research which will be proposal. Then students go on to conduct the research reported in their dissertation, the culmination of the PhD which will be reported in their dissertation, the degree. culmination of the PhD degree.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS Graduates with a Master of Business Administration or a Graduates with a relevant masters degree from a recognized Master of Public Administration degree (equivalent to university may be admitted as candidates. While masters those awarded by York University) from a recognized degrees in business administration or in a subfield thereof are university may be admitted as candidates. considered relevant, so too are masters in fields such as economics, mathematics, sociology, psychology, depending Exceptional graduates with a master’s degree in a related upon the individual’s proposed major field of study. discipline from a recognized university, and graduates with Exceptional graduates with a four-year honours undergraduate a four-year honours undergraduate degree in business degree in business administration or a related field, from a administration, or its equivalent, from a recognized recognized university, may be considered. These candidates university, may be considered. These candidates will be may be required during the first academic session (12 months) required during the first academic session (12 months) to to take courses to fill gaps in their knowledge of the business follow a program of study designed to raise their discipline corresponding to their major field of study. qualifications to the equivalent of graduates of York University with MBA or MPA degrees. Normally this All applicants to the PhD program must meet the general competence is established by taking Master’s degree admission requirements of the Schulich School of Business, courses in at least five of the subjects of Economics, the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and the University Senate. Quantitative Analysis, Organizational Studies, Accounting, These general requirements include a four-year honours Finance, Marketing, and Management Policy. undergraduate degree from a recognized University, or qualifications accepted as equivalent by the Senate Committee, All applicants to the PhD program must meet the general and a basic understanding of calculus, linear algebra and admission requirements of the Schulich School of Business, analytic geometry at the university level. Applicants are also the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and the University Senate. required to sit for the Graduate Management Admission Test These general requirements include a four-year honours (GMAT), or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). undergraduate degree from a recognized University, or qualifications accepted as equivalent by the Senate In addition, students who have not graduated from a university Committee, and a basic understanding of calculus, linear where the language of instruction is English are required to algebra and analytic geometry at the university level. demonstrate competence in the English language. Usually such Applicants are also required to sit for the Graduate students take the Test of English as a Foreign Language or Management Admission Test (GMAT), or the Graduate International English Language Testing System.

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Record Examination (GRE).

In addition, students who have not graduated from a university where the language of instruction is English are required to demonstrate competence in the English language. Usually such students take the Test of English as a Foreign Language or International English Language Testing System.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS DEGREE REQUIREMENTS Candidates for the PhD degree must complete studies in Candidates for the PhD degree must complete studies in one of three fields; one field shall be designated as the major field the following major fields: accounting, organizational studies, and the other two as minor fields. The major field must be finance, marketing, operations management and information selected from among accounting, organizational studies, systems, and strategic mananagment. They must also complete finance, management policy, marketing, operations a series of methodological courses relevant to that major field. management and information systems. The minor fields may include other disciplines within the Schulich School of Candidates for the PhD degree must fulfil the following Business, or may, with permission of the Graduate minimum requirements: Program Directors concerned, be taken in other graduate programs. 1. Courses Students must successfully complete the following course Candidates for the PhD degree must fulfil the following requirements: minimum requirements: (a) A core of courses designed to support necessary 1. Courses methodology training. Students must successfully complete the following course requirements: (b) A minimum of four courses in the major field.

(a) A core of courses designed to support necessary (c) A minimum of two electives in topics related to the major research skills training. field, approved by the PhD program coordinator in the candidate’s major field of study. (b) The equivalent of five term courses in the major field. These courses will normally be chosen from those offered at (c) The equivalent of at least two term courses in each of the 7000-level at the Schulich School of Business. With two minor fields. permission, some may be chosen from those offered at the graduate level by other graduate programs or at other academic These courses will normally be chosen from those offered institutions. at the 6000- or 7000-level at the Schulich School of Business. With permission, some may be chosen from 2. Comprehensive Examinations those offered at the graduate level by other graduate Each student must pass a comprehensive examination before programs. proceeding to formal work on her or his dissertation. Comprehensive examinations are designed to demonstrate 2. Comprehensive Examinations competence and knowledge in the field. The examination is Each student must pass a comprehensive examination set and administered by the faculty within the student’s major before proceeding to formal work on her or his field. dissertation. Comprehensive examinations are designed to demonstrate competence and knowledge in the field. The The Faculty regards the comprehensive examination as a examination is set and administered by the faculty within pivotal point for deciding whether students should be allowed the student’s major field. to proceed with their studies or be encouraged to withdraw from the program.

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The Faculty regards the comprehensive examination as a pivotal point for deciding whether students should be 3. Dissertation Proposal and Oral Defence. allowed to proceed with their studies or be encouraged to Candidates must prepare a written proposal to conduct original withdraw from the program. dissertation research carried out under the supervision and a supervisory committee, and must defend this to the satisfaction 3. Language and Cognate Requirements of the thesis supervisory and members of the supervisory Candidates must satisfy the language or cognate committee. requirements of the Schulich School of Business by demonstrating either: 4. Dissertation and Oral Examination Candidates must prepare a dissertation based on original (a) a reading knowledge of a foreign language; or research carried out under the supervision of a supervisory committee and submit the results in appropriate dissertation (b) a knowledge of statistics, or computing methods, or form. After the formal submission of the dissertation, an oral another cognate subject in so far as these are deemed examination is held. It is expected that all or part of the necessary for the conduct of the candidate’s research. dissertation will be published following professional or scientific review. 4. Dissertation and Oral Examination Candidates must prepare a dissertation based on original research carried out under the supervision of a supervisory committee and submit the results in appropriate dissertation form. After the formal submission of the dissertation, an oral examination is held. It is expected that all or part of the dissertation will be published following professional or scientific review.

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