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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA 2008-2009 graduate bulletin
graduate bulletin index

updated 8/15/2008

Hildy Teegen, Dean
V. Scott Koerwer, Deputy Dean
Gregory R. Niehaus, Associate Dean of Research and Academics
Carolyn S. Jones, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Division
Christine LaCola, Assistant Dean and Director of Graduate Programs

Professors
John T. Addison, Ph.D., London School of Economics, 1971, Hugh C. Lane Sr. Professor of Economic Theory
Sanjay Ahire, Ph.D., University of Alabama, 1992
William O. Bearden, Ph.D., University of South Carolina, 1975, Bank of America Professor of Business Administration
Allen N. Berger, Ph.D., University of California-Berkeley, 1983, H. Montague Osteen Jr. Professorship in Banking and Finance
McKinley L. Blackburn, Ph.D., Harvard University, 1987
Henry W. Chappell Jr., Ph.D., Yale University, 1979
Helen I. Doerpinghaus, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1989
Timothy S. Doupnik, Ph.D., University of Illinois, 1983
Timothy D. Fry, Ph.D., University of Georgia, 1984
Brian S. Klaas, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 1987
Timothy W. Koch, Ph.D., Purdue University, 1976
M. Audrey Korsgaard, Ph.D., New York University, 1990
Tatiana Kostova, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1996
Chun-Yau Kwok, Ph.D., University of Texas, 1985
Robert A. Leitch, Ph.D., University of Tennessee, 1973
, Donald H. Cramer Professorship in Accounting
Thomas J. Madden, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, 1982
Manoj K. Malhotra, Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1990,
Jeff B. Bates Professor of Business Administration
Steven V. Mann, Ph.D., University of Nebraska, 1987
Randolph C. Martin, Ph.D., Washington University, 1971
John H. McDermott, Ph.D., Brown University, 1979
Bruce M. Meglino, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, 1975
William T. Moore, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1982, David and Esther Berlinberg Distinguished Professorship
Gregory R. Niehaus, Ph.D., Washington University, 1985
Dennis H. Oberhelman, Ph.D., Purdue University, 1978
Patrick R. Philipoom, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1986
Richard B. Robinson, Ph.D., University of Georgia, 1980
Robert J. Rolfe, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, 1983
Randall L. Rose, Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1986
Kendall Roth, Ph.D., University of South Carolina, 1986, J. Willis Cantey Professorship in International Business and Economics
Martin S. Roth, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, 1990
David M. Schweiger, D.B.A., University of Maryland, 1980
Subhash Sharma, Ph.D., University of Texas, 1978,
James F. Kane Professor of International Business
Caroline D. Strobel, Ph.D., University of Georgia, 1978
Brad M. Tuttle, Ph.D., Arizona State University, 1991
Hoyt N. Wheeler, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1974
Richard A. White, D.B.A., Arizona State University, 1981
Douglas P. Woodward, Ph.D., University of Texas, 1986

Associate Professors
Janice B. Breuer, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, 1987
Nancy R. Buchan, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1998
David K. Crockett, Ph.D., University of Arizona, 2001
Joan M. Donohue, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1989
Kirk D. Fiedler, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, 1991
Scott B. Jackson, Ph.D., University of Nebraska at Lincoln, 1997
Satish Jayachandran, Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1999
Jayanth Jayaram, Ph.D., Michigan State University, 1998
Yasemin Kor-Sebeczek, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001
John E. Logan, Ph.D., Columbia University, 1969
Thomas J. Lopez, Ph.D., Arizona State University, 1998
Gerald McDermott, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1998
Melayne M. McInnes, Ph.D., Yale University, 1997
William H. Phillips, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1980
Robert E. Ployhart, Ph.D., Michigan State University, 1999
Eric A. Powers, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999
Elizabeth C. Ravlin, Ph.D., Carnegie-Mellon University, 1986
Ronald C. Rogers, Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1983
William R. Sandberg, Ph.D., University of Georgia, 1984
Andrew C. Spicer, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1998
Sergey D. Tsyplakov, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 2001
Scott D. Vandervelde, Ph.D., University of Iowa, 2002
Kathleen M. Whitcomb, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1989
Stacy L. Wood, Ph.D., University of Florida, 1998
Mun Y. Yi, Ph.D., University of Maryland, 1998

Assistant Professors
Cam Bahadir, Ph.D., Emory University, 2007
Wendy J. Bailey, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, 2000
Timothy Carroll, Ph.D., Duke University, 2002
Marcus L. Caylor, Ph.D., Georgia State University, 2006

Mark Cecchini,
Ph.D., University of Florida, 2005
Yongqiang Chu, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2008
Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999
Stephen Finger,  Ph.D., Duke University, 2008
Michael Galbreth, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, 2006
Bikram Ghosh, Ph.D., Purdue University, 2006

Shingo Goto, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 2002
Omrane Guedhami, Ph.D., Laval University, 2007
Marco Habermann, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2008
William R. Hauk Jr., Ph.D., Stanford University, 2005
Caglar Irmak, Ph.D., City University of New York, 2007
Christian Jensen, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University, 2007
Kartik Kalaignanam, Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 2007
Curba M. Lampert, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 2003
Douglas M. Mahony, Ph.D., Rutgers University, 2001
Chun-Hui Miao, M.A., Northwestern University, 2000
Thomas O. Moliterno, Ph.D., University of California-Irvine, 2005
Alokparna Monga, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2004
Ashwani Monga, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2004
Jason Murray, Ph.D., University of California-San Diego, 2007
Anand Nair, Ph.D., Michigan State University, 2003
Rebecca W. Naylor, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 2006
Anthony Nyberg, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 2008
Orgul D. Ozturk, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2006
Joshua Pierce, Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2007
Terence J. Pitre, Ph.D., Michigan State University, 2004
Theodore C. Rodgers, Ph.D., University of Arizona, 2006
Donald L. Schunk, Ph.D., University of Tennessee, 1999
Matthew B. Semadeni, Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 2003
David Sluss, Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2006
Solomon Tadesse, Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park, 1998
Scott Turner, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, 2007
C. Annique Un, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2001
Jennifer Winchel, Ph.D., University of Texas-Austin, 2008
Hong Yan, Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 1999
Shu Yan, Ph.D., University of California Los Angeles, 2000
Donghang Zhang, Ph.D., University of Florida, 2002


Overview

The Moore School of Business offers programs of study leading to the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration, Doctor of Philosophy in Economics, Professional Master of Business Administration, International Master of Business Administration, Executive International Master of Business Administration, Master of Accountancy, Master of Arts in Economics and Ph.D. in Economics, and Master of Human Resources. Joint programs such as the J.D./I.M.B.A., J.D./Master of Accountancy, and J.D./ Master of Human Resources are offered in cooperation with the law school.

Admission Requirements

Requirements for admission conform with the general regulations of The Graduate School and the accreditation standards of the AACSB International--the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Applicants must submit an official transcript of their complete academic record and satisfactory scores on the the appropriate GMAT/GRE exam required for that program. Because additional information is required, prospective students should either contact the graduate division of the Moore School of Business directly to request an application for graduate study or apply online at www.gradschool.sc.edu.

A graduate of a foreign university or college who has completed an academic program equivalent to an American four-year bachelor's degree may apply for admission. International applicants are required to submit with their application a certified transcript indicating the nature and scope of their academic training. International applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or the IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam. The TOEFL is not required of international students who have an undergraduate or graduate degree from an American college or university. Prior to enrollment in a graduate program in the Moore School of Business, international students whose native language is not English are required to take an English diagnostic test administered by the English Program for Internationals. The results of this diagnostic test and an interview of the student by a member of the Office of International Students staff will be used to determine the student's level of English-language proficiency. Based upon this evaluation, a course of study will be recommended for those who have demonstrated deficiencies in oral communication and/or reading. Students for whom a course of study is designed are required to begin taking the recommended English courses during their first semester of graduate study and complete the course of study by the end of their second semester.

Degree Programs and Requirements

Professional M.B.A. Program

The Professional Master of Business Administration program is an evening M.B.A. program designed for working professionals and attracts students from a broad range of business and industry. The program is broadcast live to more than 20 locations in South Carolina and Charlotte, N.C. Each location is equipped for two-way communication with the professor during class. 

Admission

Applicants to the Professional M.B.A. Program must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited university/college and at least two years of full-time work experience. Prospective students may apply for admission to the P.M.B.A. program for entry in January, April, July, or September. Applications should be submitted at least 45 days prior to beginning of the proposed entry term. Admission applications are evaluated on GMAT score, work experience, references, and undergraduate GPA. The GRE score may be substituted for the GMAT.

Graduates of foreign universities or colleges who have completed an academic program equivalent to a bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution may apply for admission. International applicants whose native language is not English are also required to submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or the IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam. The TOEFL is not required of international students who have an undergraduate or graduate degree from an American college or university.

Degree Requirements

The degree requirements include the following courses in the Moore School of Business: ACCT 728, ACCT 729, MGSC 711, ECON 720, FINA 760, MBAD 702, MGMT 770, MGSC 791, MGSC 796, MKTG 701, and elective courses in the Moore School of Business (18 hours). These electives are chosen from a number of approved elective offerings of the Moore School of Business.

To complete the international business concentration, students are required to take four of their six electives in international business. One of these electives must be IBUS 750, an offshore learning experience.

For more information about the P.M.B.A. program, go to http://mooreschool.sc.edu and click on "MBA Programs."

International Master of Business Administration

The degree program prepares its graduates for global business careers. Each graduate has the opportunity to develop competency in a second language and will complete a rigorous program of graduate business study, develop an understanding of another culture and business environment, and integrate academic course work through the experience of an extensive internship. For U.S. nationals, the internship is outside the United States. For non-U.S. nationals, the internship may be in the United States.

Each candidate for the degree is admitted to a language track or the global track. The language selected determines the culture to be studied and the region of the world where the internship is located. Language tracks currently offered are French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish (two-year programs), and Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese (three-year programs). Rather than learn another language, students in the global track pursue additional course work that focuses on the political, economic, and business factors affecting the investment climate of various regions of the world. Global track students have an internship in a country where English is the native language. International students in the global track typically have their internship in the United States.

The program must be taken on a full-time basis only, with classes beginning each July. The courses in the program are taken in sequence over a two- or three-year period, depending on the track to which the candidate is admitted.

Graduates of the I.M.B.A. are generally placed in managerial positions whose responsibilities have a global component. The Moore School of Business has demonstrated its ability to equip graduates to perform in positions of leadership in global business. The I.M.B.A. program differs from more traditional graduate business degrees in the extent to which a global perspective is taken on all issues. The language and global issues components offer superb preparation for the internship. Significant assignments are undertaken in the internship. The numerous elective courses in international business and the high-quality elective courses available in all areas of the Moore School of Business allow I.M.B.A. participants who so choose to develop a significant area of specialized expertise. Graduates of the I.M.B.A. program are true internationalists, equipped to operate in the culturally diverse markets now open to the global firm.

Admission

Requirements for admission to the program conform to the general regulations of The Graduate School and the accreditation standards of AACSB International--the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Applicants submit the official graduate application, an official transcript of their complete academic record, and satisfactory scores on the GMAT. The average GMAT score of participants entering the program for the past three years was 630. Their average undergraduate GPA was 3.34 on a 4.00 scale. At least three years of meaningful work experience is expected. International applicants whose native language is not English are also required to submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or the IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam. Otherwise-qualified candidates are required to achieve a TOEFL score of at least 600 (250 computer-based score) or a score of at least 7.0 on the IELTS exam. The TOEFL is not required of international students who have a degree from an American college or university. Graduates of foreign universities or colleges who have completed an academic program equivalent to a bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution are encouraged to apply for admission.

Degree Requirements--Language Track

Candidates in the language tracks will complete a 68-credit-hour curriculum as follows:

DMSB 700, 706A, 706B, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 721, 722, and 723 and elective courses in the Moore School of Business (21 hours). These electives are chosen from the list of approved elective offerings of the Moore School of Business.

Candidates in the Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese tracks must also complete a prescribed overseas curriculum to meet the degree requirements. These three language tracks are full-time programs that normally require 36 months to complete. Students spend approximately one-and-a-half years abroad developing language competency and cultural understanding and completing their internship.

Degree Requirements--Global Track

Candidates in the global track will complete a 68-credit-hour curriculum as follows:

DMSB 706A, 706B, 709, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 721, 722, and 723. Global track students must also take 6 hours of the following classes: DMSB 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 732, 733, and 734. At least 4 of those 6 hours must be from DMSB 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, and 732. In addition, students must take elective courses in the Moore School of Business (21 hours). These electives are chosen from the list of approved elective offerings of the Moore School of Business.

Executive International Master of Business Administration

The Moore School of Business in cooperation with the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (Tec de Monterrey) Campus in Guadalajara, Mexico, offers a joint degree program. The Tec de Monterrey will confer a Maestria en Adminstracion. The University of South Carolina will confer an Executive International Master of Business Administration.

Applicants will normally be expected to have an undergraduate degree and 10 years of work experience. The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the PAEP (Prueba de Admision a Estudios de Postgrado) is required of all students. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit TOEFL/IELTS scores. Prospective students must also submit a resume, statement of purpose, two letters of recommendation, and transcripts of undergraduate and graduate work for each university attended.

Applicants must submit a USC Graduate School application, a Moore School of Business supplementary application and an application form from the Tec de Monterrey-Guadalajara M.B.A. office. Prior to obtaining admission to the joint degree program, students must be admitted to both institutions.

The required course work consists of 48 credit hours: 10 core courses (3 credits each), four elective courses (3 credits each), a 1-credit seminar in DMSB 725 Global Business Issues, a 2-credit seminar in DMSB 714 International Management, and three 1-credit seminars regarding doing business in one of the following areas: China (DMSB 727), India (DMSB 728), Japan (DMSB 729), Africa (DMSB 730), Latin America (DMSB 731), Western Europe (DMSB 735), and Central and Eastern Europe (DMSB 736).

International M.B.A. European Track

Note: As of 2008, the European track is no longer admitting students.

Students with significant work experience may not need the on-the-job training that an international internship offers. To meet the needs of these students, the Moore School of Business has developed a joint program with the Wirtschaftsuniversitat Wien (WU-Wien, Vienna Economics and Business University), Austria's leading business school. This all-English, 15-month program builds on the best of European and American management education.

Students gain international experience by taking classes at the WU-Wien for six months. Outstanding faculty from both institutions teach the internationalized business core. A distinguished speakers series and field trips reinforce material learned in class with actual European business practices. After finishing the core classes, students take two semesters of elective classes at the University of South Carolina along with students in the language and global tracks who have just returned from their internships.

Admission Requirements

The objective of the admissions procedure is to identify students who have a high probability of successfully completing the program. With this objective in mind, the following factors are considered in making the admission decision: undergraduate course of study and GPA, GMAT score, work experience, written statement from applicant, and letters of recommendation. All factors are considered in combination. No single deficiency will necessarily disqualify a student from admission. International applicants whose native language is not English are also required to submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or the IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam. Otherwise-qualified candidates are expected to score at least 600 (250 computer-based score) on the TOEFL or at least 7.0 on the IELTS exam. The TOEFL is not required of international students who have a degree from an American college or university. The program in Vienna is designed for students with significant work experience. The goal is to admit students with an average work experience of six years. Students are not required to have taken undergraduate instruction in business administration.

Degree Requirements

Candidates in the program in Vienna will complete a 51-credit-hour business curriculum as follows: DMSB 701, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 721, 722, and 723 at WU-Wien and elective courses in the Moore School of Business (21 hours). These electives are chosen from the list of approved elective offerings of the Moore School of Business.

Master of Accountancy

The Master of Accountancy program is designed to prepare students for careers in public, private, or governmental accounting and for further graduate work. Two different tracks are offered: 1) business measurement and assurance and 2) taxation. Although the program is a natural extension of study for students who have completed an undergraduate major in accounting at the University of South Carolina, the program is open to persons who satisfy the Moore School of Business admissions standards, regardless of their undergraduate major.

For the 2007-2008 academic year, there were 135 applicants; 83 were admitted, and 61 enrolled in the program. The current class has an average GMAT score of 582 and an average undergraduate GPA of 3.66.

Prerequisites

A core of required undergraduate foundation courses must be completed as follows:

ACCT 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, and 406.

In addition to the prerequisite accounting courses, students also must satisfy a business core and math/statistics requirement. Depending on their background, students may be required to complete courses in one or more of the following fields: calculus, statistics, marketing, management, finance, economics, and accounting principles.

Several of the above accounting and business core prerequisites may be taken concurrently with graduate-level courses while enrolled in the program.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Accountancy program consists of 30 semester hours of course work beyond the necessary prerequisite undergraduate courses. In addition, students must demonstrate competency on a simulated professional accounting examination similar to the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination. Students who provide proof of passed sections of the CPA examination will be considered to have demonstrated competency in equivalent sections of the simulated professional accounting examination.

Students in the program must select one of two tracks (business measurement and assurance or taxation) and complete the degree requirements for that track.

Business Measurement and Assurance Track

The Business Measurement and Assurance Track is a professional program that provides students with the advanced knowledge and skills necessary for entry-level positions in the areas of auditing, assurance, services, and financial reporting and for further graduate work. Students are required to complete each of the following courses:

ACCT 732, 734, 736, 737 (12 hours)

The remaining 18 semester hours are composed of the following:

1. Each of the following 500-level accounting courses not already taken:

ACCT 501, 502, 503, 504, 505 (0-15 hours)

2. Approved electives (3-18 hours).

The number of electives will range from one to six and depends on the number of 500-level accounting courses that must be taken. At least one of the electives must be a 700-level course.

Taxation Track

The Taxation Track is a professional program that provides students with the advanced knowledge and skills necessary for entry-level positions as tax accountants in the accounting profession and for further graduate work. Students are required to complete each of the following courses:

ACCT 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 756 (18 hours)

The remaining twelve semester hours are composed of the following:

1. Three of the following 500-level accounting courses (if not already taken):

ACCT 501, 502, 504, 505 (0-9 hours)

2. Approved electives (3-12 hours)

The number of electives will range from one to four and depends on the number of 500-level accounting courses that must be taken.

Professional Examination Competency

All Master of Accountancy students must demonstrate competency on a simulated professional accounting examination approved by the School of Accounting, similar to the CPA exam. Students who provide proof of passed sections of the CPA examination will be considered to have demonstrated competency in equivalent sections of the simulated professional accounting examination.

Master of Human Resources

The Master of Human Resources program is designed to train individuals for careers as human resource professionals. Because of the increasingly complex and sophisticated nature of the profession, a high degree of specialization is needed in order to meet the needs of employers. Admission criteria include factors such as GPA; school attended; course of study; work experience; applicant's written personal statement, letters of reference, and scores on the GMAT. Scores on the GRE may be substituted for the GMAT. All factors are considered in combination. In 2003, the entering class had an average GPA of 3.40 and an average GMAT score of 580. The GRE average score was approximately 1100. The M.H.R. program provides the requisite specialization through 36 semester hours of course work and a 6-semester-hour internship.

The required course work consists of the following:

MGMT 719, 720, 721, 722, 726, 727, 772, 779, 801; ECON 506; FINA 745; Electives (6 hours)

In addition, students whose previous academic work does not satisfy the common-body-of-knowledge requirement of the AACSB will be required to take additional course work.

Joint Law/Business Administration Programs

The Moore School of Business in cooperation with the University of South Carolina School of Law offers combined degree programs that permit a student to obtain both the J.D. and either the International Master of Business Administration (I.M.B.A.), Master of Accountancy (M.A.C.C.), or Master of Human Resources (M.H.R.) degree in approximately four years. Through the combined program, the total course load may be reduced from that required if the two degrees were earned separately since 9 hours of electives toward the J.D. may be earned in the business administration program. Prior to obtaining admission to the combined degree program, a student must be admitted to both the School of Law and the Moore School of Business.

M.A.C.C./J.D. Electives Policy

Students in the MACC program may use up to 9 hours of law course credit as electives.

M.H.R./J.D. Electives Policy

Students in the M.H.R./J.D. program may use up to 12 hours of employment-related law courses to satisfy M.H.R. program requirements. These 12 hours of employment-related law courses can be used as electives and to serve as a substitute for up to three required courses within the M.H.R. program. Assuming the normal availability of M.H.R. classes, employment-related law classes may be used as substitutes for the following three required M.H.R. classes: MGMT 721, MGMT 726, and ECON 506.

I.M.B.A./J.D. Electives Policy

Students in the I.M.B.A./J.D. program must take 9 credit hours of electives in the Moore School. An additional 12 credit hours in the School of Law will be used to satisfy the 21 elective credit hours required for the I.M.B.A. degree. All of these elective courses must be included in the I.M.B.A. program of study. Upon approval of the graduate director and dean of The Graduate School, business-related law school electives may be substituted for Moore School electives. Such substitution is permissible only if the business-related law school electives are not counting toward the J.D. degree. Students must supply the I.M.B.A. office with a letter from the law school registrar stating that any substitute business-related law school electives are not also being used to satisfy the J.D. degree.

Joint Program in English and Business Administration

This is a 51-hour program leading to an M.A. in English and M.S. in Business Administration. Interested students will normally be expected to have met the following requirements: 24 hours of successfully completed English courses beyond the lower-division level and/or completion of the major or cognate in business administration, satisfactory scores on the GRE subject test in English and the GMAT examination for business administration, and a personal interview or letter explaining why the student wishes to enroll in the program. Admission is only to the joint program; neither degree will be awarded separately.

Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration

The program leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration is designed for students of outstanding ability who wish to do advanced work in preparation for careers in university teaching and research, business, and/or government. To achieve this objective, the program provides an advanced, integrated education in business administration and intensive training in research methods applicable to business problems.

More specifically, the program is designed to accomplish the following objectives:

  • provide a thorough knowledge and deep insight into the main disciplines underlying the student's fields of specialization built upon a basic understanding of business and its environment
  • develop the skills, professional attitudes, and competence required to design, execute, and evaluate creative and meaningful research in the student's field of specialization
  • promote individual programs of study which encourage students to develop the appropriate skills and motivation for an eventual role in university teaching, business, and/or government.

Normally, the minimum time it will take a student to obtain the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration is four academic years beyond the undergraduate degree (a minimum of 60 graduate hours beyond the undergraduate degree). All students must be in residence at the University of South Carolina a minimum of two academic years of full-time graduate work.

Admission

Criteria for admission vary by major area, and prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the managing director of the Ph.D. program in the graduate division of the Moore School of Business for details. The GMAT is required (GRE may be substituted), and the average score of students admitted recently is 687. The average GPA based on prior graduate course work for students admitted recently is 3.70 (on a 4.00 scale). International applicants whose native language is not English are also required to submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or the IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam. The minimum acceptable TOEFL score is 600 (250 computer-based score, 100 Internet-based score), and the minimum acceptable IELTS score is 7.0.

Degree Requirements

The student, in consultation with a Ph.D. advisory committee, develops a program of study giving consideration to academic background and professional objectives. The program of study must meet the general requirements outlined below.

Prerequisites: Generally, a background in the functional areas of business is needed to enroll in the doctoral program, and some additional mathematics may be required. Specific prerequisites may vary by major areas of concentration, and prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the managing director of the Ph.D. program in the graduate division of the Moore School of Business for details.

Research Tools (18 hours): All doctoral students are required to complete at least 18 semester hours of research-tools course work as specified by the major area of concentration. The specific course work required will include no more than 6 semester hours of research-tools course work from the major area of concentration and must be approved by the student's Ph.D. advisory committee, program director, and associate dean for academic affairs.

Major Area (at least 15 hours): In addition to the research-tools course work specified above, each student must complete at least 15 semester hours of course work in the major area of concentration approved by the Ph.D. advisory committee. The major areas are accounting, business policy/strategy, finance, international business, international finance, management information systems, marketing, operations research, organizational behavior/human resources, probability and statistics, and production/operations management.

Cognate Area (at least 9 hours): Students in all major areas except international business must take at least nine semester hours of cognate course work. Students in international business must complete at least 15 hours of cognate course work. The cognate area may include courses from the areas listed above, other than from the major area of concentration, or they may be taken from insurance, economics, banking, real estate, tax, or areas outside the Moore School of Business, and all must be approved by the student's advisory committee and the associate dean for academic affairs.

Dissertation Preparation (12 hours): Twelve hours of dissertation preparation are required, making the total semester-hour requirement, including the cognate area and research tools, 60 hours beyond the baccalaureate degree.

Examinations

Admission to Candidacy: No later than three semesters, or the equivalent, into the program, all students must pass an admission-to-candidacy examination in their major areas of concentration.

Comprehensive Examination: Upon completion of the required course work, each candidate must pass a comprehensive examination consisting of a written part followed by an oral part. The oral part must be taken within three weeks of successfully completing the written examination. The examination may not be taken more than twice.

Language Requirements: The candidate must demonstrate competency in a computer programming language or statistics as demonstrated by appropriate course work or examination by the student's Ph.D. advisory committee.

The candidate majoring in international business must demonstrate oral/aural as well as written competency in an approved foreign language. This effectiveness can be demonstrated by means of a competency examination or successful completion of DMSB 700 or its equivalent. Selection of the language must be approved by the candidate's advisory committee and the associate dean for academic affairs.

Dissertation: Each candidate must present a dissertation that gives evidence of original and significant research. The dissertation must be completed not later than five years after successful completion of the comprehensive examination. The candidate must defend the dissertation before a committee consisting of no fewer than four members, as prescribed by The Graduate School. General requirements concerning library deposit and publication are available from The Graduate School.

Research and Teaching: Prior to receiving the Ph.D. degree, the student must teach and participate in research under the direction of a faculty member of the Moore School of Business.

Course Descriptions

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