Ph.D. Business Administration In Information Systems

Ph.D. Program Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission, an applicant must submit:

1. The general Office of Graduate Studies online application.
2. A resume that highlights professional and personal accomplishments, linguistic abilities, computer expertise and leadership experience.
3. An official score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
4. Official transcripts from undergraduate and master's studies
5. Important Institutional Codes:
   • GMAT Institutional Code 90BFN70
   • GRE Institutional Code 6013
   • TOEFL Graduate School Institutional Code 6013

Criteria used to make admission decisions:

1. There are no set minimum scores for GMAT or GRE required for admission.
2. There are no cutoff scores on grade point averages required for admission.
3. Quantitative measures are evaluated (GMAT or GRE score and grade point averages on undergraduate and master's level work as calculated by the Office of Graduate Studies).
4. Interviews with prospective students are encouraged and given consideration in the decision process. Prospective students are encouraged to contact their track's major field coordinator to work through the admission process.
5. The Ph.D. Graduate Studies Committee and the major field coordinator for the student's track in the Ph.D. program give consideration to these and other factors (educational objectives, letters of recommendation, etc.) in the entire applicant's file to arrive at a decision.

How the Admission Decision is Made:

1. Applicants must be accepted for admission by the departmental Ph.D. committee headed by the Major Field Coordinator. The early application deadline is January 15 for the fall semester. However, late applications can be considered at the discretion of the Major Field Coordinator.
2. An applicant may be unconditionally admitted when all factors for consideration indicate a very strong potential for academic success as a business doctoral student and faculty resources are available.
3. When multiple factors indicate lack of potential or resources are constrained, admission will be denied.
4. Probationary admission is not available for the doctoral program.

University and College Fellowship/Scholarship Awards

International applicants must achieve a TOEFL iBT of at least 79, with at least a 23 in spoken English if a Graduate Teaching Assistantship is desired. International applicants that score below minimum acceptable levels on the verbal portion of entrance examinations may be admitted under the condition that they pass an English proficiency exam or complete UT Arlington's Graduate English Skills Program prior to beginning graduate course work. For general admission, an official test score must be submitted as proof of English language ability. If an international applicant earned their undergraduate degree from a university in the United States, this requirement is waived.

Doctoral students who are unconditionally admitted, have a minimum undergraduate and graduate grade point average of 3.25 as calculated by the Office of Graduate Studies and enroll for a minimum of nine semester credit hours may be eligible for available fellowship and/or scholarship support. A standardized test score (GMAT or GRE) will not be used as the sole criterion for determining fellowship and/or scholarship eligibility.

Use the following checklist as you complete the application process.

I.  For Office of Graduate Studies:

The following REQUIRED items should be sent DIRECTLY to the Office of Graduate Studies by the application deadline:

II.  For Graduate Business Services:

Graduate Business Services
UT Arlington
Box 19376
Arlington, TX 76019-0376

Subsequent Steps:

If admitted to the Ph.D. program, the student will receive a letter from the College of Business instructing the student to contact the appropriate major field coordinator to discuss the chosen degree plan and semester registration.

A doctoral student orientation, "Ph.D. Boot Camp", is scheduled for incoming students the two weeks prior to the beginning of the fall semester. Students will be notified of the exact dates and requirements for this orientation. The Boot Camp will cover topics such as program specifics, teaching and research, professional ethics, and academic integrity. The Boot Camp will also give new students the opportunity to meet and interact with returning Ph.D. students and graduate faculty.

Application Deadlines

Fall Applicants:

January 15 is the early application deadline for Fall applicants. Applicants are encouraged to submit all materials no later than December to ensure that all items have been received and processed prior to January 15.

Spring Applicants:

Most fields of study do not accept Spring applicants. Information Systems may accept students for Spring enrollment. Early application deadline for Spring consideration is October 31.

Summer Applicants:

We do not accept students for a summer start in the program.

Additional Admission Information by Department:

• The Accounting Department will accept applications for new students for Fall 2024. The early application deadline is January 15, 2024.
• The Finance Department will accept applications for new students for Fall 2024.
• The Information Systems Department will accept applications for Fall 2024.
• The Management Department will accept applications for Fall 2024.
• The Management Sciences Department will accept applications for Fall 2024.
• The Marketing Department will accept applications for new students for Fall 2024.

Answers to Prospective Ph.D. Student - Frequently Asked Questions

What materials should be submitted as part of my application to the PhD Program?

What is the early application deadline?

Most fields of study only accept students for a fall semester start. The early application deadline is January 15 of the year in which the applicant wishes to enter the program. It is suggested that all documents be submitted in advance of the deadline as it can take up to a month for the applicant's documents to be processed and their file to actually be received by the College of Business. Some major areas will consider applications after the deadline for self-funded students.

How do I submit letters of recommendation?

The Request Recommendation form may be used. It may be submitted electronically to the Ph.D. Programs Coordinator or via postal mail to:

Do any fields of study accept students for the spring semester?

Information Systems may do so. Please contact the field coordinator for the particular field to confirm before you apply.

Do you accept students to begin in the summer semester?

We do not accept students to begin the Ph.D. program in the summer.

When will a decision be made about my application?

Most decisions are made by April. You can contact the Major Field Coordinator for an update on your application status.

Who evaluates my application?

Applications are reviewed by a committee of professors from the applicant's chosen field of study.

Is the applicant required to take the GMAT (or GRE) before they can be accepted into the Ph.D. program?

Yes, a valid GMAT or GRE score for an exam within the past 5 years is required for admission to the Ph.D. program.

Is the applicant required to take the TOEFL exam to be accepted into the Ph.D. program?

If your native language is not English, you must demonstrate a level of skill with the English language to assure success in the Ph.D. program. An official TOEFL or IELTS score is required.

Is there any way to get an exception to taking the TOEFL exam?

The only exception is if the non-native speaking applicant has earned their undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. college or university.

May an applicant receive a probationary admission decision without a GMAT (or GRE) score, and then take the GMAT after being admitted?

An applicant may not enter the Ph.D. program on a probationary or provisional admission without the GMAT or GRE.

I have (5, 10, 15) years of experience in the field. Do I still need to take the GMAT (or GRE)?

Yes, an official test score must be received before your application can be considered.

What is the approximate cost to get my Ph.D.?

Feel free to use the UTA Cost Estimator for an approximate cost.

What is the duration of the Ph.D. Program?

Four years is the anticipated full-time timeframe, to earn a Ph.D.

• Coursework - 2 years
• Comprehensive exams - 1 year
• Dissertation writing, Proposal and defense - 1 year

How do I change the semester I am enrolling?

Contact the Major Field Coordinator in your area to discuss this.

Where do I submit my application?

Is funding available?

Funding in the form of teaching assistantships (TAs) is limited and highly competitive. All teaching assistantships include a stipend. Some TAs allow in-state tuition rates, and others waive tuition. A few College of Business Scholarships are available.

What may have prevented me from getting admitted?

The Major Field Coordinator may be able to share information on this. However, common reasons for being denied admission include:

• Not meeting the application deadline
• Applying for a semester in which the major field is not accepting students
• Incomplete application
• Competitive qualifications of other applicants
• Combined academic record and test scores not acceptable

General Admission Criteria

Admission to the PhD Program is competitive and the attainment of a specific set of minimum qualifications does not assure admission. Admission is granted to candidates deemed to be most qualified to achieve success from within the applicant pool in a given application cycle. If no candidates are deemed sufficiently qualified to be successful in the PhD program in given pool of applicants, it is possible that no candidates will be admitted during the cycle. In general, all applicants must:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a satisfactory grade point average.
2. Have completed a master’s degree or at least 30 semester credit hours of graduate level work with a satisfactory grade point average.
3. Have an acceptable score on the Graduate Management Admission Test or the Graduate Record Exam.
4. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit an acceptable TOEFL, TSE or IELTS score if he or she does not hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution.
5. Provide three letters of recommendation.
6. Provide a statement of purpose indicating the application’s chief academic interests, strengths, and limitations, reasons for selecting their major field, and for choosing The University of Texas at Arlington.

English Proficiently

Assistantship

1. TSE(Test Spoken English) > 45
2. TOEFL IBT Spoken > 23
3. IELTS Spoken > 7
4. Spoken English Assessment (SEA) > 45
5. (or) ELI(English Lang Inst) score = P