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Ph.D. Curriculum

Coursework Phases

First Phase
Formal coursework includes core courses, breadth courses, and domain/methodology courses. The time devoted to formal coursework depends in large measure on a student’s prior preparation but generally requires two years.

Second Phase
In the second phase, which is devoted to directed study, students work in close consultation with faculty members to prepare for research in their selected fields and take additional courses needed to prepare for a research career in their specialties.


Final Phase
Individual research required for the student’s dissertation. This includes identification of topic, theory development and supporting data collection, as well as completion of analysis, interpretation and written dissertation.

Core Courses

The core curriculum consists of a mathematics review and two course sequences designed to ensure that students are educated in the fundamentals of economic and social sciences. Individual students may be required to take additional courses depending upon educational background. Any changes to these required core courses will need to be formally submitted by the student and approved by the faculty adviser and the doctoral program director.

The required core courses consist of the following:

Behavioral Students (Marketing and Management)

  • POLI 270. Mathematics and Statistical Foundations
  • ECON 100 A-B. Microeconomics
  • PSYC 201 A-B. Quantitative Methods in Psychology

Quantitative Students (Finance, Economics and Strategy, Quantitative Marketing, and Innovation, Technology and Operations)

  • ECON 205. Mathematics for Economists
  • ECON 200 A-C. Microeconomics
  • ECON 220 A-C. Econometrics

Domain/Methodology Courses

The domain/methodology course requirement helps the student acquire the deep domain knowledge and methodological skills required to conduct research in his or her areas of interest. Students are required to complete the domain/methodology classes relevant to their research area (listed below) prior to advancement.

In addition, students are required to complete a minimum of six additional domain/methodology courses prior to advancement, or the end of the second year based on normative time. Students will work directly with their faculty advisers on course selections that best match their areas of research interest and their development as research scholars. 

Economics and Strategy

  • MGT 225. Behavioral Economics
  • MGT 227. Topics in Behavioral Economics Research
  • MGT 228. Experiments in Organizations

Finance

  • MGT 285. Financial Economics
  • MGT 287. Empirical Finance
  • MGT 289. Topics in Financial Economics Research

Innovation, Technology, and Operations

  • MGT 248. Topics in Innovation and Operations Management Research
  • MGT 249. Topics in Technology Strategy and Information Systems Research

Management

  • MGT 258. Topics in Social Psychology
  • MGT 255. Psychology and Decision Making
  • MGT 259. Topics in Management

Marketing

  • MGT 256. Consumer Behavior
  • MGT 260. Quantitative Methods in Marketing
  • MGT 262. Topics in Marketing Research

Individual Directed Study/Dissertation Research

MGT 299, Individual Directed Study

MGT 299, Individual Directed Study, is a course for pre-candidacy students wishing to participate in individual study or research under the direction of a selected faculty member. The faculty adviser is the final judge of whether a specific project meets the standards of MGT 299. A pre-candidacy student may apply for up to twelve units of Independent Study total but may be evaluated for additional units upon the completion of all required courses.

MGT 296, Research/Management for Dissertation

MGT 296, Research/Management for Dissertation, is for individual students who have advanced to candidacy and completed their required courses. Students may apply for up to twelve units a quarter with adviser(s) approval.

The full curriculum requirements for the degree are published in the Course Catalog (scroll to bottom for Rady PhD curriculum).

If you have any questions, please contact the Rady Ph.D. Graduate Coordinator at radyphd@ucsd.edu.