Emphasis in Management and Organization

We Develop Great Scholars

Our faculty are passionate about excellent research. It shows: the M&O department is consistently in the top 10 in the world for publications in top management journals.

We do it by collaborating. Our doctoral students consistently publish with two, three, or four faculty members  while they are in the program, and for years afterward. 

Our faculty are world-renowned and consistently win awards for their scholarship. Examples:

• Stanford’s list of the top 2% of research scientists in the world: Denny Gioia, Raghu Garud, Don Hambrick, Linda Trevino, Wenpin Tsai. 
• Fellows of the Academy of Management: Linda Trevino, Don Hambrick, Denny Gioia.
• Distinguished Scholars for the Academy of Management divisions: Barbara Gray, Raghu Garud, Denny Gioia, Don Hambrick, Linda Trevino.
• Don Hambrick is the former President of the Academy of Management (1992-1993), and received Lifetime Distinguished Scholar and Distinguished Educator Awards.
• Early Career Award, Research Methods Division:  Margaret Luciano
• Best Paper awards: Raghu Garud, JBV, JMI, and Emerald Literati Award; Denny Gioia, ASQ; Stephen Humphrey, AMJ;  Linda Trevino, AMR, AMLE;
• Teaching awards; Carolyn Dang, Raghu Garud, Denny Gioia, Don Hambrick, Margaret Luciano, Vilmos Misangyi and others.
• Faculty have served as Co-Editors, Associate Editors and Editorial Board Members of key field journals including: AMJ, AMR, ASQ, SMJ, Org. Science, AoM Annals, and JBV. 
• Several faculty are known for producing seminal papers establishing new lines of inquiry or new directions for existing theoretical domains.

We study challenging managerial and societal problems combining insights from Organizational Behavior, Organization Theory, Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and other disciplines to generate and test interesting theory.  Our collegial sharing helps us create more interesting, relevant, and path-breaking work. Watch the videos below to see faculty members discussing their work with doctoral students.

How We Help You Build Your Scholarship

From your first day in the PhD Program you are involved in research working collaboratively with your advisor on a research project for publication.

The course work is structured to optimize your research.

• In year 1, you take foundational courses in Strategy, Organizational Behavior, Organization Theory, Research Design and Methods, and write a qualifying exam. Electives and additional methods courses in your second year support your research development (see Program of Study).
• You drive your own independent research project for a second-year paper, which you defend in the fall of your third year (your comprehensive exam), giving you the chance to publish first-authored research by the time you enter the job market.
• This deep focus on research is great preparation for your dissertation. Multiple students have had their dissertations recognized in the prestigious INFORMS dissertation proposal awards, including Priyanka Dwivedi (A. Joshi), Abhinav Gupta (F. Briscoe), Tiffany Johnson (A. Joshi), and Chad Murphy (G. Kreiner).

Program of Study for the PhD

Program of Study (at least 37 credits)

We set you up for success in teaching. We offer a teaching camp and mentoring to give you the skills you need to succeed. You teach two courses during your program, giving you two sets of teaching evaluations to include with your application for faculty positions. 

We build a vibrant community. We foster a strong collegial and social environment to enrich your scholarship and also your life. Social events, seminars and meetings with your advisor, other faculty and other students will help you build connections and test your own research with others. At Smeal College’s M&O department, you become a member of the department and interact with everyone.

Potential Advisors

Finding the right advisor is critical. Typically, senior faculty act as primary advisors while pre-tenure faculty may collaborate so students have creative input from different people. See our faculty bios and research interests here. 

We Support You

We provide a graduate assistantship and enhanced scholarships for five years, waive your tuition fees, and subsidize your healthcare insurance benefits (see more details here: https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellness/health-insurance/graduate-assistant-fellows-and-trainees). In addition, we provide computer resources and annual conference funding. Funding for your research expenses may come from your advisor, the department or the college, upon approval. We also offer supplementary payments in the summer (typically around $2,000-$3,000). 

We Prepare You for Your First Tenure Track Position

See where past M&O PhD students are working today.

Meet Our Current Students

See our current students, their research interests, and their advisors.

Contact Us

We can put you in touch with relevant faculty and/or current doctoral students. For more information on the Smeal PhD Emphasis in Management and Organization, contact:

Vilmos Misangyi, PhD Program Coordinator
Management & Organization Department
Smeal College of Business
The Pennsylvania State University
433 Business Building
University Park, PA 16802

Email: vfm10@psu.edu