Designed to prepare students for academic careers, the Ph.D. Program in Organization Studies at Boston College is recognized worldwide for its rigorous curriculum and exceptional faculty who are leaders in their fields.
The program emphasizes a strong foundation in organizational theory, research methods, and statistics. Students begin the program with a set of complementary courses in micro- and macro-organizational theory, qualitative and quantitative research methods, statistics, and teaching skills. In the third year, students complete a major empirical research project and teach a course of their own.
Throughout the Ph.D. program, students pursue research on their own and in collaboration with faculty. All students are encouraged to deliver papers at national and international professional conferences, as well as to submit articles for publication in top-tier research journals. Our graduates emerge as creative, independent scholars who can craft and pursue their own research agendas.
All students complete a variety of required theory, methods, and application courses as well as graduate level electives. Students take a total of 13 full-credit courses in their first two years. Electives may be taken from other departments and universities, subject to approval.
The comprehensive examination is given at the end of the second year. To pass the exam, students must demonstrate a substantial knowledge of theory and methods involved in the study of organizational behavior and theory.
The culmination of the program is the dissertation: a substantial, significant, and original contribution to the body of knowledge in organizational studies that is prepared under the guidance of a dissertation committee of three faculty members.
Doctoral students at the Carroll School are expected to serve as research assistants, teaching assistants, and/or instructors throughout their studies. Students work for a set number of hours per week, throughout the duration of their Ph.D. programs. In exchange, the Carroll School provides financial support for doctoral students in the form of a stipend and tuition remission.
YEAR 1: FALL |
Organizational Behavior Writing and Theorizing in Management Research Elective Research in the Community (1 credit) |
YEAR 1: SPRING |
Quantitative Research Methods Statistics I Flexible Core |
YEAR 1: SUMMER |
Independent Research (Summer Paper I) |
YEAR 2: FALL |
Organizational Theory Qualitative Research Methods Statistics II Flexible Core |
YEAR 2: SPRING |
Flexible Core Elective Proseminar in Management Research |
YEAR 2: SUMMER |
Independent Research (Summer Paper II) |
YEAR 3: FALL |
Independent Research |
YEAR 3: SPRING |
Independent Research |
YEAR 3: SUMMER |
Dissertation Research |
YEARS 4 & 5 |
Dissertation Research |
Electives may be taken from other departments and universities, subject to approval.
Note: The following information reflects data for the entering classes of 2020–2024. Updated September 10, 2024.
Year | Size |
2020 | 1 |
2021 | 1 |
2022 | 1 |
2023 | 3 |
2024 | 1 |
Overall Selectivity | 9.5% |
Item | Data |
Average GMAT (10th Edition) Score | 720 |
GMAT (10th Edition) 80th Percentile Range | 712–726 |
Average GRE Score | 316 |
GRE 80th Percentile Range | 305–323 |
Average Undergraduate GPA | 3.49 |
Average Full-Time Work Experience | 5.8 years |
Students Holding Master's Degree | 60% |
Item | Data |
Average Age | 33 |
Age Range | 29–46 |
Women | 70% |
International Students | 30% |
EDHEC Business School (France)
IESE Business School (Spain)
Kookmin University (South Korea)
Loyola University New Orleans
New York University
United States Coast Guard Academy
University of Kentucky
University of Maryland
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Boston
University of Michigan
University of Western Ontario (Canada)
University of Virginia
Western Michigan University
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Yonsei University (South Korea)
Application Deadline: The deadline to apply for Fall 2025 was on January 7, 2025 and we are no longer accepting applications. Questions? Email us at email@example.com.
Application Fee: All applicants are required to pay a nonrefundable application fee of $100 USD.
Interviews: If selected, applicants will be invited to interview in early spring.
Admission Decisions: Applications are generally reviewed after the final deadline has passed. There is no specific decision notification date for Ph.D. programs. Final decisions are typically available by mid-spring.
Your current curriculum vitae should include your education, research, and professional information.
We also require a separate Employment History, using the form provided within the online application.
Recommendations from two individuals who can provide an objective appraisal of your capacity for intensive graduate study and potential for professional success.
All applicants must possess a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. You must submit transcripts from every institution where you were enrolled in a degree-granting program. At the time of application, only a self-reported transcript is required but if you are admitted, we will require an official transcript sent directly from your degree-granting institution. Transcripts should include:
All grades received (including transfer credits and study abroad programs)
Degree conferral information
Graduates of non-U.S. institutions must possess a college or university degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree. If admitted, international students are required to submit an official English translation of all academic credentials, along with a third-party degree verification from an agency such as SpanTran/TEC or World Education Services (WES).
Applicants must submit GMAT or GRE scores from within the past five years. We accept both the GMAT Exam and GMAT Focus Edition. Our test codes are:
While Graduate Admissions does not have a preference between the GMAT or GRE, we encourage you to consult class profile data for average test scores in order to gauge where you stand.
If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you are required to submit an English language proficiency exam score with your application. We accept TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores. We do not accept the Duolingo English Test.
Scores must be from within the past two years, and applicants must meet the following minimum scores:
TOEFL, iBT, and TOEFL iBT Home Edition: 100
You are eligible to waive the language test requirement if you meet either of the following criteria:
You have completed a four-year bachelor’s degree or a two-year master’s degree (or higher) at an institution where the medium language of instruction is English. You must have completed your degree in its entirety at the English-medium institution. The medium language of instruction must be indicated on your transcript or verified in an official letter from the institution.
You have worked in a full-time, post-degree position for at least two years in the United States or a country where English is an official language. NOTE: Working for a company that conducts its business in English in a country where English is not an official language will not qualify you for a language test waiver.
If you are eligible to waive the language test requirement, you do not need to submit a waiver request beforehand and can simply move forward with your application.
Applicants must submit a required essay discussing their research interests and career objectives. You may also submit an optional essay that addresses aspects of your candidacy that have not already been covered in other parts of the application.