To be considered for the Ph.D. program, applicants must first meet the University's minimum admission standards. This means an acceptable GMAT or GRE score and a graduate GPA of at least 3.4 on a 4.0 scale. Persons meeting the requirements for admission to the Graduate School are eligible to apply for admission to the Ph.D. program in Business Administration.

Admission to the Fogelman College's Ph.D. program is based on:

•  a thorough review of the qualifications of the applicant,

•  space availability in the program, and

•  fit between the Department program objectives and the applicant's objectives.

The Academic Program Admissions Committee makes Ph.D. admission decision recommendations in conjunction with the Associate Dean for Academic Programs to the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies. The applicant's entire academic record is reviewed, including GMAT or GRE score, undergraduate and graduate grades, and three letters of recommendation. Also, a resume and a statement of personal career objectives must be submitted, and a personal interview is normally required. An initial review is based upon an examination of exam score and grade point average of previous work. The higher your exam score, the higher your chances of being accepted and being considered for a departmental scholarship. The average exam score for admitted applicants has been above 600 GMAT and 1200 GRE for the past three years.  The final admission decision recommendation is based on the above criteria and graduate faculty evaluation of the applicant's potential for success in a doctoral program in business administration.

For students without a master's degree, equivalent scores based on undergraduate GPA are required, and students may be admitted initially to the graduate master's program.

How To Apply

Step 1: Complete online Graduate Application to the Graduate School and submit fee.

• Domestic Graduate Application or
• International Graduate Application

Applicants should complete "Planned Course of Study" section of the online application.  Your “Planned Choice of Study:” should be “Business Administration PhD” then indicate your concentration.  

Admission Applications will not be processed without application fee.

Step 2: Departmental Application and Supporting Materials to the FCBE

• Resume
• Test scores (GMAT, GRE) (unofficial copies are acceptable at this step)
• Transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable at this step)
• Statement of career goals and objectives
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
• Department Financial Assistance Application

Note: Some forms (PDF) require Adobe Acrobat Reader which can be downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

Send to:

Ph.D. Programs Office
426 Fogelman College Admin Bldg
The University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152-3120

Step 3: Official Documents to the Graduate School

• Official Transcripts
• Official Test Scores (GMAT or GRE)

Additional requirements for international applicants:

• Official Test Scores (TOEFL)
• Affidavit of Financial Support
• Evaluation of Credentials

Evaluation of Credentials: Applicants whose highest degree is from a foreign university must have their credentials evaluated.  The University will accept evaluation done by any credentialing agency listed on the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services' website (www.naces.org). The course-to-course report is required. For general information on the equivalency of international degrees, go to http://www.memphis.edu/gradschool/intldegrees.php.

Send to:

Office of Graduate Admissions
101 Wilder Tower
The University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152-6627

Financial Assistance

Departmental Financial Aid is awarded to incoming students beginning the Fall semester with at least a 600 GMAT or GRE equivalent score.  Since there are a limited number of graduate assistantships available, Departments encourage students to apply in late February and early March.  To apply for departmental financial assistance, complete the assistantship application form and submit with above listed materials to the Ph.D. Programs Office.

Application Deadlines

The College deadlines for submitting applications for admission are:

Please note: College Deadlines are not the same as University deadlines.

The preferred entry semester is Fall. Most areas begin reviewing applications for the Fall semester as early as February, therefore it is best to apply early and not wait until the deadline.

For more information please see the current Graduate Bulletin or contact the Ph.D. Program Coordinator for your area of concentration:
Accountancy: Dr. Carolyn Callahan 
Economics: Dr. Albert Okunade
Finance: Dr. Thomas McInish 
Management: Dr. David Allen
Management Information Systems: Dr. Bill Kettinger
Marketing: Dr. Daniel Sherrell

All departments do not necessarily admit each year.