Ph.D. in Business
Source: https://business.rice.edu/graduate-programs/phd-business Parent: https://business.rice.edu/
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Melinda Peña
Assistant Director, Faculty Administration and Ph.D. Program
Our Ph.D. Programs Are For Those Who Aspire To Be Professors At Top Business Schools
The doctoral program in business at Rice is intended for those aspiring to become faculty members at business schools in prestigious research universities. Students engage in both coursework and research as part of their doctoral training. As graduation approaches, students interview for faculty positions hoping to start a career as an assistant professor at business schools around the world. The career of an assistant professor involves conducting research that is eventually published in well-respected, peer-reviewed academic journals, imparting management wisdom (informed by research) in the classroom.
We are currently accepting applications in the areas of Accounting, Finance, Operations Management, Organizational Behavior and Strategic Management for Fall 2026 admissions. The PhD application deadline is December 15, 2025.
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Application Deadline
We are currently accepting applications in the areas of Accounting, Finance, Operations Management, Organizational Behavior and Strategic Management for Fall 2026 admissions. The PhD application deadline is December 15, 2025.
The business school accepts students for full-time study beginning in the fall semester each year. Selected candidates will be notified of admission decisions via e-mail no later than April 15. Rice University is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). Rice abides by the CGS Resolution, "Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants." Candidates who submitted an application to the doctoral program and were not offered admission may re-apply for a later year.
Areas of Study
Accounting
Accounting Research involves the systematic and scientific study of accounting systems, institutions, standards and regulations for the purpose of understanding and characterizing their decision-facilitating and decision-influencing roles within organizations, in product and capital markets, and across economies. For instance, financial reporting systems play many roles in publicly held organizations characterized by separation of ownership from control.
Finance
The Ph.D. in Finance at Rice University prepares doctoral graduates to be superior classroom instructors and research scholars in financial economics upon graduation. Our emphasis on research productivity, collaboration and collegiality is reflected in the students’ high completion rate in the program and the faculty’s commitment to the success of their students.
Operations Management
Operations Management research investigates how organizations produce goods and services to benefit society. It covers areas like manufacturing, supply chains, healthcare and technology management. The Ph.D. concentration in operations management blends rigorous theoretical training with practical application. Students develop and apply innovative methods to real-world contexts, preparing them to explore fundamental questions about organizational processes. This program spans strategic design to operational execution across business, government and non-profit sectors.
Organizational Behavior
The Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior prepares students to research fundamental questions about complex organizations as well as the groups and individuals that behave within them, drawing from both psychological and sociological perspectives. Students pursue high-quality research to advance theoretical understanding of the interdisciplinary behavior of organizations, the environments that shape their behaviors, and the mechanisms that explain them.
Strategic Management
The Ph.D. program in strategic management provides course work in the base theories in strategic management. The field of strategic management studies big picture issues facing managers of firms, such as deciding what markets and industries to enter, how to enter and exit various markets, how to position the firm in the market in order to gain competitive advantage, and the timing, sequencing, and orchestration of competitive initiatives.
I have learned how to shift my mindset from consumer to producer of research in the field of financial intermediation and banking. The faculty and my Ph.D. colleagues have always encouraged me to be an independent and critical thinker.
Yessenia Tellez
Ph.D. in Finance
Timeline
A student is expected to be in residence throughout the calendar year (exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the student's dissertation chairperson, area advisor, and the director of the JGS Ph.D. program).
| Year | Tasks |
|---|---|
| Year One | - Complete course work during Fall and Spring semesters. - Begin working on research with area faculty. |
| Year Two | - Complete course work during Fall and Spring semesters. - Continue working on research with area faculty through the year. - Take comprehensive exam (if required by area). |
| Year Three | - Take specialized courses as needed during Fall and/or Spring semesters. - Produce working paper(s) on research with area faculty. - Work on dissertation research. |
| Year Four and Beyond | - Finish work on dissertation research. - Successfully pass dissertation proposal by the end of fourth year. (Three months must lapse between dissertation proposal and dissertation defense.) - Defend dissertation. |
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Melinda Peña
Assistant Director, Faculty Administration and Ph.D. Program