General Information about PhDs
- What is a PhD degree?
- What should I look for in determining whether a PhD is right for me?
- Do I need an MBA to be admitted?
Application Requirements and Enhancements
- If I already have an MBA, will that shorten the program?
- Can I apply to your program as an undergraduate student?
- My undergraduate degree is not in business. Can I still apply?
- Is work experience required?
- Are campus interviews required?
- What is the application deadline?
- How do I apply?
- What should I submit?
- Where do I send my materials?
The Online Application
- What documents do I need to include with my application? How do I submit them?
- Do my recommenders have to submit their letters online?
- Can I submit more than three letters of recommendation?
- On the graduate school application, how do I apply for my area of study?
- Can I apply to more than one area?
GRE, GMAT, and TOEFL
- Should I take the GMAT or the GRE?
- Do you have a minimum GRE or GMAT score?
- Do I have to take the TOEFL if I received a Master's degree from a university within the United States? What if I have been working in the U.S.?
Admissions Criteria
- What will make me a successful candidate for your program?
- If I reapply to your program, do I need to submit my scores and other application information again?
- How can I find out the status of my application?
- What happens after I am accepted?
- When will I know if I am accepted or denied?
Program Structure
- How many years does it take to get a PhD degree?
- Do I need to apply for financial assistance?
- What kind of assistance and benefits do you offer?
- Can I take this program part-time or online?
- Can I keep my job and still pursue a PhD?
- How many students do you accept?
- Will I have much interaction with faculty?
- Will I gain teaching experience?
- How does faculty help with student placement?
- What will this program cost me if admitted?
- Do PhD students go on to work in the commercial sector?
- Can I start the program in the winter or spring?
General Information about PhDs
Q: What is a PhD degree?
A: A Doctor of Philosophy degree is the highest degree obtained at a university. Upon receiving your PhD, you will be qualified to instruct students and conduct research as a faculty member at a college or university. An individual who pursues a PhD is one interested in the dissemination and furthering of knowledge. For more information visit www.PhDs.org
Q: What should I look for in determining whether a PhD is right for me?
A: The decision to receive a PhD should be determined by your desire to teach business courses at a university, and continue conducting research in your area of expertise. If you are more inclined to pursue a career in the commercial sector, obtaining a PhD may not help you meet your goals.
Application Requirements and Enhancements
Q: Do I need an MBA to be admitted?
A: No. Applicants are not required to have an MBA or another Master's degree. However, applicants do need to have an undergraduate degree.
Q: If I already have an MBA, will that shorten the program?
A: No. Our PhD program is designed to be completed in 4-5 years regardless if you already have a Master's degree or not.
Q: Can I apply to your program as an undergraduate student?
A: Yes. Your undergraduate degree will need to be complete prior to the start of the PhD program.
Q: My undergraduate degree is not in business. Can I still apply?
A: Yes. We consider applicants with degrees from all disciplines.
Q: Is work experience required?
A: No, although it is acceptable for applicants to have work experience prior to starting our program.
Q: Are campus interviews required?
A: No, they are not.
Q: What is the application deadline?
A: For Fall entrance to the program, the application deadline to the Business Administration PhD Program is December 31 of the prior year. Applications received by December 31 will receive first consideration. Any applications received after the deadline will be considered only on the basis of availability.
Q: How do I apply?
A: Application information and instructions can be found on the admissions webpage.
Q: What should I submit?
A: Materials for the Business Administration PhD Program Application:
- Business Administration PhD Program Application Form
- Application Fee
- Official Transcripts
- TOEFL scores
- Goals Statement
- 3 recommendation letters with reference forms
- Official GMAT score (GRE score only accepted for Organizational Behavior specialization)
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Note: If any of the above are not included in your online application it will be considered incomplete. You may not edit the online application once submitted.
Q: Where do I send my materials?
A: All materials should be submitted through the online application. Either official or unofficial transcripts should be uploaded with the online application. If admitted, you will be required to submit official transcripts.
University of Utah Graduate School
Admissions Office
201 S. 1460 E. Rm 250SSB
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-9057
The Online Application
Q: What documents do I need to include with my application? How do I submit them?
A: Refer to question above: How do I apply?
Q: Do my recommenders have to submit their letters online?
A: Yes, on the online application form you will be asked to submit the name and email address of each recommender. An email will be sent to those recommenders with instructions on how to electronically submit the letter. We will not accept any letters that are not sent through the ApplyYourself network.
Q: Can I submit more than three letters of recommendation?
A: Three letters is the maximum we will accept.
Q: On the Business Administration PhD Program application, how do I apply for my area of study?
A: When you fill out the online application, select "Business Administration PhD" as the graduate degree. In the application, you will indicate your specialization (Accounting, Finance, OB, Strategy, Marketing, IS, Operations).
Q: Can I apply to more than one area?
A: You must narrow down your choice before applying and apply to one area only. Even when affiliated with one department, you can still take courses in other departments.
GRE, GMAT, and TOEFL
Q: Should I take the GMAT or the GRE?
A: To apply to our program, you must take the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Records Exam (GRE) by December prior to the year you would like to begin. GRE will only be accepted for the Organizational Behavior specialization. All other specializations require the GMAT. If you do not include your score with your application it will be considered incomplete.
Score reports cannot be older than five years at the time of application.
Q: Do you have a minimum GRE or GMAT score?
A: No, although competitive applicants generally have GMAT scores of 650 or above and GRE scores that are at least at the 80th percentile or above (in both the verbal and quantitative areas). Most admitted applicants score close to 700.
Q: Do I have to take the TOEFL if I received a Master's degree from a university within the United States? What if I have been working in the U.S.?
A: International applicants, whose native language is not English, must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Exception: The TOEFL can be waived for students holding a degree from a U.S. institution or an institution in an English speaking country. Score reports must be sent directly to the University of Utah Graduate School by the Educational Testing Service. Use the institution code 4853. Applicants must score at least 600 on the paper based test, 250 on the computer based test, or 100 on the TOEFL iBT for admission to the Business Administration PhD Program. Test scores must not be more than two years old. Work experience in the U.S. will not waive the TOEFL exam. For more information, please contact the International Admissions Office at 801-581-3091 or by emailing International Student Admissions.
International applicants, whose native language is not English, are required to take the Versant test prior to starting the PhD program. This test is used along with the TOEFL iBT in assessing the applicant's speaking skills. Accepted students take the test at the University of Utah prior to the first fall semester of the program. The test is only valid at the University of Utah and cannot be waived.
Admissions Criteria
Q: What will make me a successful candidate for your program?
A: Successful applicants usually have a minumum GMAT/GRE score of 650 or higher and a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. However, on average, those admitted have an average GMAT score above 700 and an average undergraduate GPA above 3.6. It is not possible to estimate your chances for admission to the program without information contained in the application and supporting documents.
Q: If I reapply to your program, do I need to submit my scores and other application information again?
A: You will need to submit a new application and pay the application fee. Your transcripts should still be on record. Note: You will want to verify that they are still on record with the Graduate Admissions Office. Your GMAT/GRE scores will still be valid if they are not older than five years.
Q: How can I find out the status of my application?
A: To check your status with the graduate school, check the ApplyYourself Application Network.
Q: What happens after I am accepted?
A: After the admissions process is complete, you can expect to receive two letters in the mail. The first letter will be from the David Eccles School of Business PhD Program and the other from the University of Utah Admissions Office indicating whether you were accepted or denied admission. These letters will be sent mid-March. If admitted, you will receive an orientation packet letting you know what to expect next, and when to arrive.
Q: When will I know if I am accepted or denied?
A: Letters will be sent out mid-March.
Program Structure
Q: How many years does it take to get a PhD degree?
A: The program generally takes 4-5 years of full time study.
Q: Do I need to apply for financial assistance?
A: You do not need to apply separately for financial assistance.
Q: What kind of assistance and benefits do you offer?
A: Admitted students receive
- Research or teaching assistantship with a $22,000 stipend and tuition waiver for four years
- $500+ annual research account
- Health Insurance for student
Q: Can I take this program part-time or online?
A: No, the PhD program is full-time, and requires your presence for the entire period of study.
Q: Can I keep my job and still pursue a PhD?
A: As our PhD program is full time, students cannot work while enrolled in the program.
Q: How many students do you accept?
A: All of our areas of specialization are very selective. Most years we have over 200 applicants and approximately 15 students enroll each fall.
Q: Will I have much interaction with faculty?
A: Yes, the faculty are involved extensively in the students' academic pursuits. The classroom sizes are small, and there is a lot of collaborative research.
Q: Will I gain teaching experience?
A: Yes. All students are required to teach at least one year.
Q: How does faculty help with student placement?
A: The faculty members are very involved in student placement. They write letters of recommendation and draw from their connections and relationships with colleagues at other universities to help connect students with the best institution for the student.
Q: What will this program cost me if admitted?
A: To help with the costs, your will receive
- Research or teaching assisantship with a $22,000 annual stipend and tuition waiver for four years
- $500+ annual research account
- Health Insurance for student
Q: Do PhD students go on to work in the commercial sector?
A: No, the PhD program is intended for students planning to work in a university or academic setting. An MBA is more suited for students desiring to work in the commercial sector.
Q: Can I start the program in the winter or spring?
A: No, the program always begins in the fall.
