The intersection of people and enterprise

Should companies use artificial intelligence (AI) to help make hiring decisions? How does experience working together improve a surgical team's performance? What makes top performers burn out, and how can managers head it off?

Management is about answering questions. Specifically, questions about humans and their impact on the organizations they comprise.

The research topics tackled by our own management & entrepreneurship (M&E) faculty are as fascinating as they are varied. We have a reputation for one of the strongest M&E departments in the country, with a concentration of some of the best faculty in the field. As a Management PhD candidate here, you’ll be part of the excitement. You can turn your curiosity about how people and companies can work better into a successful career as an organizational researcher.

# 9

Research Productivity Ranking

Texas A&M/University of Georgia/NUS Rankings of Management Department Research Productivity

Our PhD students work alongside some of the most accomplished researchers in the field.

Faculty productivity and recognition

Our faculty are among the most productive management departments in the field, consistently ranking among the top 10 in the world for publication in top-tier journals.

Recognizing our productivity, several faculty are fellows of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) and the American Psychological Association (APA). Our faculty know what it takes to publish and have served as editors of the top journals in the field, including Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, Journal of Management, and Psychological Bulletin.

Faculty impact

Our faculty’s impact extends beyond academic publications and awards. Their research is regularly featured in outlets such as CNBC, CNN, Harvard Business Review, National Public Radio, and The Wall Street Journal. Some examples include:

Amy Colbert on "Small Wins" in Wall Street Journal 

Jennifer Nahrgang on "Side Hustles" on CNBC

Michele Willams on "Rebuilding Trust" in CNN

Chad Van Iddekinge on "Boomerang Employees" in Harvard Business Review

Our faculty’s research has attracted outside funding from agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Faculty diversity

We have a diverse faculty, not only in terms of research interests, but in terms of background and experience. For example, more than 50% of our department are women. In addition, we are strong throughout the ranks, including early-career faculty who are “rising stars” in the field, mid-career faculty who have established themselves as leading experts in key content areas, and later-career faculty who possess successful track records mentoring doctoral students.

What do you do?

Associate Professor Daniel Newton talks management research.

Preserving a faculty ratio of 1:1

We compete with the nation’s highest-ranked business schools for the brightest PhD students. But our selectivity keeps the program small. We admit 2-3 students annually from 50 or more applications.

We support 14–15 PhD candidates, allowing us to maintain a one-to-one student-faculty ratio. That means you can count on attention and engaged mentoring as you progress through the program.

Top-tier placement

Graduates of our program have gone on to assume positions in universities and research firms around the world. Our primary goal is to prepare students to compete for faculty positions at R1 or equivalent universities. In the past decade, we have placed students in tenure-track positions at the following research-intensive universities:

  • Brigham Young University
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Indiana University
  • Mississippi State University
  • Oklahoma University
  • Oklahoma State University
  • Oregon State University
  • Purdue University
  • Penn State University
  • University of Hong Kong
  • University of Illinois-Chicago
  • University of Nebraska
  • Rutgers University

“I really enjoy talking one-on-one with professors and getting the chance to creatively come up with ideas for projects. That's been really enriching and valuable, my favorite part so far.”

Faculty interests

Our faculty are internationally recognized for their work in areas such as teams, leadership, artificial intelligence, voice, diversity and inclusion, employee selection, entrepreneurship, and research methods (e.g., meta-analysis). Learn more about our faculty’s research and interests by selecting the profiles below. 

Portrait of Jennifer Nahrgang.

Jennifer Nahrgang

Department Executive Officer, Henry B. Tippie Excellence Chair, and Professor
Portrait of Kenneth G. Brown.

Kenneth G. Brown

Tippie Children Professor of Management
Portrait of Emily Campion.

Emily Campion

Assistant Professor
Portrait of Amy Colbert.

Amy E. Colbert

University of Iowa Distinguished Chair, Faculty Director Social Impact Community, and Professor
Portrait of Eean Crawford.

Eean R. Crawford

Henry B. Tippie Research Fellow and Associate Professor
Portrait of Arturs Kalnins.

Arturs Kalnins

Henry B. Tippie Research Fellow and Professor
Portrait of Beth A. Livingston.

Beth A. Livingston

Ralph L. Sheets Associate Professor of Industrial Relations and Faculty Director of the Dore-Tippie Women's Leadership Program
Portrait of Daniel Newton.

Daniel Newton

Cannon Faculty Scholarship for Teaching Excellence and Associate Professor
Portrait of Yiduo Shao.

Yiduo Shao

Assistant Professor
Portrait of Rong Su.

Rong Su

Mahoney Fellow and Associate Professor
Portrait of Chad Van Iddekinge.

Chad Van Iddekinge

Director, Graduate Studies and Henry B. Tippie Research Professor in Management
Portrait of Miranda Welbourne Eleazar.

Miranda J. Welbourne Eleazar

Assistant Professor
Portrait of Michele Williams.

Michele Williams

Henry B. Tippie Research Fellow in Entrepreneurship and Associate Professor

Getting in

Admission is competitive and selective. We don't "weed out" after admitting—we'll only admit you if we're confident you'll succeed. We consider the entire applicant package to assess candidate competency and fit with our current faculty.

First, you need to meet the minimum PhD admission requirements. Other criteria for admission include:

Academic record

The minimum GPA is 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. We also consider the rigor of your undergrad or master's institution(s).

GMAT or GRE score

We accept both tests for the purposes of admission. The average GMAT of our admitted students is approximately 700, but we do not employ a minimum GRE or GMAT cut score. We consider the relative strength of applicants' quantitative and verbal ability scores, in conjunction with other application materials.

Letters of recommendation

We're interested in their assessment of your strengths, weaknesses, motivation, and ability to succeed. Please arrange for three letters of recommendation that can speak to your academic and research abilities.

English proficiency

This requirement applies only to international applicants whose native language is not English. We follow the Graduate College's English proficiency requirements

Statement of purpose

Content and overall seriousness are considered. Please tell us why you want to complete a PhD in Management and why you think the Tippie College of Business is the best place for you.

Curriculum and sample plan of study

The PhD in management requires 72 semester hours of credit, in addition to a dissertation. The typical time to complete the degree is five years.

Management Department Handbook

Year 1
  • Required and elective coursework
  • Mentored research: Collaboration with a faculty member on a research project, providing exposure to designing and executing studies, analysis, and writing for publication
  • Select topic for second year research project

 

Year 2
  • Completion of required coursework; continued elective coursework
  • Summer: Submit second year project

 

Year 3
  • Continue research and determine dissertation topic
  • Teach standalone course

 

Year 4
  • Fall semester: Continued progress toward dissertation proposal
  • Spring semester: Oral defense of dissertation proposal

 

Year 5
  • Spring semester: Defense of completed dissertation
  • Summer: Submit job applications and interview at Academy of Management conference
  • Fall semester: Continue job search process and secure job for after graduation