Department of Management

All graduate programs in Management are accredited by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business—and conform to recommended guidelines.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Management and Organization Studies

The Department of Management at UTSA offers aspiring scholars the opportunity to complete a Ph.D. degree in management and organization studies. The Department of Management’s doctoral program places special emphasis on the development of research competence. This rigorous program is not intended for professionals targeting industry careers or consulting, but rather a scholarly career in higher education, with specific interests in organizational behavior, human resources, strategic management, organization theory and related areas. The program’s mission is the development of students into scholars who will undertake faculty positions at leading research universities.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited institution. All applicants must submit:

  • Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework completed.
  • Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores from a recent (no more than five years old) administration of the examination.
  • Three letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources familiar with the applicant’s background.
  • A résumé or curriculum vitae and a statement of academic interests and goals.
  • International applicants are required to prove proficiency in the English language by taking either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The minimum acceptable scores for admissions consideration are 79 TOEFL iBT or 6.5 IELTS. Test scores may not be more than two years old.

Students work closely with faculty members through a research assistantship. Application materials are reviewed to ensure a good fit between students' goals and research interests and those of faculty members in the department.

Degree Requirements for Students that have Obtained a Bachelor's Degree

The Ph.D. in Management and Organization Studies requires 84 graduate credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, a comprehensive examination, and the completion of a dissertation. Specific course requirements are determined by the Department of Management’s Ph.D. Program Committee. No course for which a grade of less than “C” was earned can be applied to the Doctoral degree program, and no more than two courses with a grade of “C” may be applied to the program. It is expected that the student will begin to develop and conduct research while undertaking coursework.

Program of Study

A. Foundational Courses (18 semester credit hours)18
This requirement may be met by a master’s degree in business or business-related discipline. A minimum of 9 semester credit hours outside of the student’s major discipline are required, and 9 hours of discipline background courses (5000-level courses or higher) in the major field or in a field directly related to (or relevant for) the major field are required.
The Ph.D. Program Committee may consider approving prior graduate coursework for some or all of the credit hours of this requirement.
B. Additional Course Requirements (45 semester credit hours)45
An additional 45 credits of coursework from graduate (5000- to 7000- level) Management, Statistics, Research Methodology, and related fields are required as directed and approved by the Ph.D. Program Committee.
C. Doctoral Research and Dissertation (21 semester credit hours)21
A minimum of 9 hours of Doctoral Research and a minimum of 12 hours of Doctoral Dissertation are required. The initial Program of Study must be approved by the Ph.D. Program Committee and must be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School for final approval.
Total Credit Hours84

Degree Requirements for Students that have Obtained a Master's Degree

The Ph.D. in Management and Organization Studies requires 66 graduate credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, a comprehensive examination, and the completion of a dissertation. Specific course requirements are determined by the Department of Management’s Ph.D. Program Committee. No course for which a grade of less than “C” was earned can be applied to the Doctoral degree program, and no more than two courses with a grade of “C” may be applied to the program. It is expected that the student will begin to develop and conduct research while undertaking coursework.

Program of Study 

A. Course Requirements (45 semester credit hours)45
45 credits of coursework from graduate (5000- to 7000-level) Management, Statistics, Research Methodology, and related fields is required as directed and approved by the Ph.D. Program Committee.
B. Doctoral Research and Dissertation (21 semester credit hours)21
A minimum of 9 hours of Doctoral Research and a minimum of 12 hours of Doctoral Dissertation are required. The initial Program of Study must be approved by the Ph.D. Program Committee and must be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School for final approval.
Total Credit Hours66

Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy requires a student to complete all University and program requirements and to pass a comprehensive examination following completion of course requirements in the candidate’s major field of study. The examination is administered by the Ph.D. Program Committee. No more than two attempts to pass qualifying examinations are allowed. Results of the examinations must be reported to the Ph.D. Program Committee, the Dean of the College, and the Dean of the Graduate School. Admission into the doctoral program does not guarantee advancement to candidacy. Doctoral students advance to candidacy upon completing their comprehensive examination and successfully defending the dissertation proposal.

Dissertation Requirements

Students are required to present a dissertation to satisfy the research requirement for the doctorate. Dissertation requirements and guidelines are set by the Ph.D. Program Committee. The dissertation is defended in an oral examination.

Maximum Time Limit

As noted in the Doctoral Degree Regulations in this catalog, doctoral students at UTSA have a time to degree completion of eight years, comprised of six years from admission to candidacy and two years for dissertation. If the student takes an approved leave of absence, the time limit for reaching candidacy or completing the degree will be extended by the number of terms the student is on approved leave of absence. All completed work that is included in a doctoral student’s degree program at the time of admission to candidacy must have been taken within the previous six years (exclusive of a maximum of three years of military service). The Ph.D. Program Committee will review the programs of students who have not completed the degree at the end of two years from admission to candidacy. The committee will review the status of the student’s program yearly thereafter. At those times, the committee may recommend additional coursework, further examinations, or termination of candidacy.

Entrepreneurship (ENT) Courses

ENT 5113. Entrepreneurship. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. An introduction to entrepreneurship, with an emphasis on identifying, evaluating and developing new venture opportunities. Topics may include opportunity identification and evaluation, startup strategies, business valuation, business model and business plan development, financing the venture, and exit strategies. Case studies and guest lectures by entrepreneurs and venture capital partners provide a real-world perspective. The major deliverable of this course is usually an early stage business model of a venture of the student’s choosing. Differential Tuition: $387.

ENT 5313. Global Entrepreneurship. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Addresses various aspects of entrepreneurship in the global environment. Explores the opportunities that entrepreneurs create, the challenges they encounter, and the ways in which they conduct business across national borders and cultures. All topics are covered from an international perspective and may include: entrepreneurial opportunity identification and evaluation; market analysis and intelligence; joint ventures and partnerships; agents, value added resellers and representatives; regulations, laws and customs; regional and cultural issues; financing foreign ventures; and choice of domestic and international legal entities. Differential Tuition: $387.

ENT 6953. Independent Study. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisites: Graduate standing and permission in writing (form available) from the instructor and the student’s Graduate Advisor of Record. Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or writing under the direction of a faculty member. For students needing specialized work not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to the Master’s degree. Differential Tuition: $387.

Management (MGT) Courses

MGT 5003. Conceptual Foundations of Management. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course examines the evolution and development of conceptual frameworks for understanding managerial work and organizational processes within the context of changing environments. An integrated strategic management perspective is emphasized. Differential Tuition: $407.10.

MGT 5043. Management and Behavior in Organizations. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

The course focuses on factors affecting individual and group behavior in organizations. It includes organizational behavior topics such as motivation, perception, job attitudes, job design, leadership, and individual differences. It also includes organizational theory topics such as organizational structure, design, culture, and environmental influences. (Same as MBA 5213. Credit cannot be earned for both MBA 5213 and MGT 5043.) Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 5093. Leadership. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: MGT 5043 or consent of instructor. An advanced course in organizational behavior that examines traditional and contemporary perspectives on leadership and the group process toward which leadership is directed. The course includes applications of leadership theory to contemporary organizational problems. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 5183. Global and Comparative Management. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: MGT 5043 or consent of instructor. Examination of management challenges facing multinational and international business. Includes the study of organization options, political risk and strategy, staffing, communication, multicultural negotiations, and cross-cultural behavior and management. Emphasis on different countries’ approaches to competing, notably East Asia, Mexico, and Europe. Differential Tuition: $407.10.

MGT 5243. International Business Strategy. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: MGT 5043, an equivalent, or consent of instructor. Emphasis on how firms create global bases of sustainable competitive advantage. Examines strategic problems unique to global business competition, including dimensions of perceived environment uncertainty, international entry-mode choices, global sourcing, and creating entry barriers to defendable product markets. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 5253. Ethics and Globalization. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores the differing standards of permissible behavior of companies attempting to remain competitive in a global marketplace. How leaders make responsible decisions in conflicting environments is examined through interactive learning experiences that include group discussions, group projects, self-directed evaluations and problem-solving exercises. Students will have the opportunity to gain an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their own personal values and beliefs as well as the importance of accountability for responsible leadership. In addition, students will be provided with foundations for ethical reasoning laying the groundwork for responsible decision-making. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 5633. Effective Negotiating. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: MGT 5043, an equivalent, or consent of instructor. An advanced course on the theory and processes of negotiation as it is practiced in a variety of settings. The course is designed to be relevant to the broad spectrum of negotiation problems that are faced by the manager and professional. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 5643. Management of Personnel and Human Resources. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: MGT 5043 or consent of instructor. Management’s approach to and the techniques for handling the human resources in an organization. An examination of the primary management activities involved in the procurement, development, utilization, and maintenance of its human resources. Course focuses on behavioral and social science findings as they relate to the policy and practice of managing the employment relationship. Differential Tuition: $407.10.

MGT 5813. Strategic Human Resources Management. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: MGT 5643 or consent of instructor. An examination of the overall role and functions of human resource management in relation to an organization’s strategic planning process. Emphasis is on human resource issues of strategic importance to an organization’s top management. Course focuses on the broader issues of human resource management policy, practice, and trends. Differential Tuition: $407.10.

MGT 5903. Strategic Management and Policy. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Completion of the degree program's core courses or consent of instructor. A course intended to integrate material taken in the degree program, as well as to broaden the horizons of the student beyond the focus on the firm. The macroeconomic aspects of the economy and contemporary problems and trends of business are covered. Students who earn a grade of "B" (3.0) or better in this course will satisfy the comprehensive examination requirement. A student who receives a grade of "B–," "C+," or "C" may still satisfy this requirement by successfully passing a comprehensive examination as set out in this catalog. (Same as MBA 5613. Credit cannot be earned for both MBA 5613 and MGT 5903.) Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 6123. Healthcare Strategic Management. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: MGT 5003, an equivalent, or consent of instructor. Strategic management of healthcare organizations involves both making good decisions about where you want your organization to go and deciding how to get there. This course will focus on both direction issues and execution issues. Students will do case studies of current healthcare organizations. (Same as BOH 6123. Credit cannot be earned for both MGT 6123 and BOH 6123.) Differential Tuition: $407.10.

MGT 6133. Organizational and Managerial Issues in Healthcare Delivery. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: MGT 5003, an equivalent, or consent of instructor. An analysis of the organizational and managerial implications of clinical issues in the delivery of healthcare. Students have the opportunity to examine quality of care issues and concerns related to patient care that affect how healthcare organizations are managed. (Same as BOH 6133. Credit cannot be earned for both MGT 6133 and BOH 6133.) Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 6943. Management Internship. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisites: Graduate standing, 15 semester credit hours of graduate work, and consent of instructor. Internship must be approved in advance by the Internship Coordinator and the student’s Graduate Advisor of Record. Supervised full- or part-time off-campus work experience and training in management. Individual conferences and written reports required. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 6951. Independent Study. (0-0) 1 Credit Hour.

Prerequisites: Graduate standing and permission in writing (form available) of the instructor and the student’s Graduate Advisor of Record. Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or writing under the direction of a faculty member. For students needing specialized work not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit, but no more than 6 hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to the degree. Differential Tuition: $129.

MGT 6953. Independent Study. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisites: Graduate standing and permission in writing (form available) of the instructor and the student’s Graduate Advisor of Record. Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or writing under the direction of a faculty member. For students needing specialized work not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit, but no more than 6 hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to the degree. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 6961. Comprehensive Examination. (0-0) 1 Credit Hour.

Prerequisite: Approval of the appropriate Graduate Program Committee to take the Comprehensive Examination. Independent study course for the purpose of taking the Comprehensive Examination. May be repeated as many times as approved by the appropriate Graduate Program Committee. Enrollment is required each term in which the Comprehensive Examination is taken if no other courses are being taken that term. The grade report for the course is either “CR” (satisfactory performance on the Comprehensive Examination) or “NC” (unsatisfactory performance on the Comprehensive Examination). Differential Tuition: $129.

MGT 6971. Special Problems. (1-0) 1 Credit Hour.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. An organized course offering the opportunity for specialized study not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. Special Problems courses may be repeated for credit when topics vary, but not more than 6 hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to the degree. Differential Tuition: $129.

MGT 7013. Seminar in Organizational Behavior. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Critical examination of the theory and research pertaining to individual and group behavior within the context of a larger work organization system. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 7023. Seminar in Organization Theory. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Critical examination of the theory and research pertaining to the relationships of organization structure and processes to complex environmental conditions. Multiple theoretical paradigms will be examined. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 7033. Seminar in Human Resource Management. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. A critical examination of research examining human resource management philosophies, policies, programs, practices, and processes in the context of internal and external environments and organizational performance. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 7043. Foundations of Strategy. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. A critical examination of the theoretical foundations of corporate strategy, especially the relationship between strategy and organizational performance. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 7053. Empirical Approaches to Strategy. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. A critical examination of the empirical foundations of corporate strategy. Emphasis will be placed on the design of empirical studies of strategy. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 7073. Seminar in Organization and Management Studies. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Organized course offering the opportunity for specialized study not normally available as part of the regular course offerings. This seminar may be repeated for credit when topics vary, but not more than 6 hours will apply to the Doctoral degree. Topics can include: International Management, Knowledge Management, Ethics, or Strategic Management of Human Capital among others. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 7211. Doctoral Research. (0-0) 1 Credit Hour.

May be repeated for credit upon approval of the Doctoral Studies Committee, but not more than 24 hours may be applied to the Doctoral degree. Differential Tuition: $129.

MGT 7213. Doctoral Research. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.

May be repeated for credit upon approval of the Doctoral Studies Committee, but not more than 24 hours may be applied to the Doctoral degree. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 7216. Doctoral Research. (0-0) 6 Credit Hours.

May be repeated for credit upon approval of the Doctoral Studies Committee, but not more than 24 hours may be applied to the Doctoral degree. Differential Tuition: $774.

MGT 7311. Doctoral Dissertation. (0-0) 1 Credit Hour.

Prerequisite: Admission to Candidacy for the Doctoral degree in business. May be repeated for credit upon approval of the Doctoral Studies Committee, but not more than 12 hours may be applied to the Doctoral degree. Differential Tuition: $129.

MGT 7312. Doctoral Dissertation. (0-0) 2 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Candidacy for the Doctoral degree in business. May be repeated for credit upon approval of the Doctoral Studies Committee, but not more than 12 hours may be applied to the Doctoral degree. Differential Tuition: $258.

MGT 7313. Doctoral Dissertation. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Candidacy for the Doctoral degree in business. May be repeated for credit upon approval of the Doctoral Studies Committee, but not more than 12 hours may be applied to the Doctoral degree. Differential Tuition: $387.

MGT 7314. Doctoral Dissertation. (0-0) 4 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Candidacy for the Doctoral degree in business. May be repeated for credit upon approval of the Doctoral Studies Committee, but not more than 12 hours may be applied to the Doctoral degree. Differential Tuition: $516.

MGT 7316. Doctoral Dissertation. (0-0) 6 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Candidacy for the Doctoral degree in business. May be repeated for credit upon approval of the Doctoral Studies Committee, but not more than 12 hours may be applied to the Doctoral degree. Differential Tuition: $774.