The Quantitative Analysis PhD program offers the opportunity to focus on operations research or applied statistics. Graduates of our program have been highly successful both in academic and industrial positions. The fundamental course work in mathematical programming, stochastic models, and applied statistics are offered along with seminars on the latest developments in the field. A strong background in mathematics is good preparation for the program. Recent dissertations in QA include:
Curriculum
Rev. 12/97
Students are able to tailor their programs according to their own particular interests but general knowledge and competence in each aspect of the subject area must be demonstrated. Course programs must therefore be designed with a faculty advisor in order to assure both coverage of fundamental aspects of the chosen area as well as to reflect the student's research interests. Each student should first have or obtain a copy of the CoB 'college Policy and Guidelines' for the PhD program. This document contains all College of Business rules and guidelines and provides advice in designing your program.
Program Requirements
The degree will be granted for no less than the equivalent of three years of full-time graduate study, i.e., a minimum of 135 graduate credits. The last 45 credits, exclusive of research credits, must be completed at the University of Cincinnati or under its direction. In the College of Business, these credit hours will be distributed as follows:
Minimum Requirements
| Introductory Doctoral Seminar | 3 |
| Core Statistics Requirement | 6 |
| Additional Research Methods | 9 |
| Philosophy of Science Seminar | 3 |
| Business Core | 21 |
| Area of Concentration | 24 |
| Support Area1 | 5 |
| Area-specified courses/seminars | 9 |
| Total Seminar/course credit hours | 90 |
| Dissertation work | 45 |
| Total Graduate Credit Hours | 135 |
Prerequisite Requirements
Students must have completed the following topics as a necessary foundation for the PhD program.
Introductory Doctoral Seminar: Preparation for Research and Teaching
This seminar will focus on the key issues and topics of the profession, the role of writing in research and publishing, and an introduction to and experience in successful teaching. It will also introduce the new doctoral students to the portfolio of research being conducted by faculty and graduate students and to the research resources available at UC.
Core Statistics Requirement
All doctoral students are well served by high-quality statistics courses taken early in their program. The courses required to meet the statistics component of the doctoral program are:
Research Methods and Design
Each student is required to complete a minimum of 9 credit hours of advanced research methods and design to gain proficiency in research methodology. These courses will be selected and approved by the student's program director.
Philosophy of Science
In addition to the statistics courses above, all doctoral students will need further exposure to issues in philosophy of science. This course will be offered in the first summer or fall of the second year of doctoral study.
Business Core Requirements
All students receiving a PhD in Business should have substantial understanding of the functional areas of business and its global context. Graduate course work from the MBA core will generally fulfill this requirement. Doctoral students without MBA degrees will be required to take 21 credit hours from the MBA core. The specific courses should be drawn from across the business disciplines and are to be selected in consultation with the department/area coordinator. The 21 credit hours (7 courses) are selected from the MBA core listed below:
| Course# | Course Description | Credit Hours |
| 15-080-808 | Microeconomics | 3 |
| 15-080-809 | Macroeconomics | 3 |
| 22-405-802 | Managerial Communication | 3 |
| 22-405-870 | Competitive Analysis | 3 |
| 22-405-890 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| 22-410-801 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| 22-410-821 | Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| 22-415-805 | Organizations | 3 |
| 22-417-850 | Legal & Regulatory Environment | 3 |
| 22-430-811 | Financial Analysis | 3 |
| 22-430-821 | Financial Management | 3 |
| 22-455-822 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| 22-485-812 | Information Systems for Managers | 3 |
Area of Concentration
The area of concentration is the focal point of the PhD program. A high level of expertise is achieved through both course work and research, culminating in the dissertation. The area of concentration normally is chosen from the areas of Operations Management, Applied Statistics, or Quantitative Analysis. The student may also have the opportunity to develop an area of interest that overlaps these traditional areas. A minimum of 24 credit hours of course work at the graduate level must be taken in the area of concentration, with the specific courses approved by the student's program committee.
Support Area
The purpose of this area is to support the student's area of concentration and to complement the research effort. The area consists of a minimum of 15 advanced credit hours in an area related to, but different from, the area of concentration. Courses may be selected from any discipline or combination of disciplines within the University, with the approval of the student's Program Committee.
Area-Specified Courses/Seminars
An additional 9 hours of area courses or seminars are required. Each student's program of study must include Research in QAOM (QA 971 – 3 hours), Linear Programming (at the QA 750 and 751 level), Simulation Modeling (at the QA 771 level), and an 800-level course in Operations Management.
Dissertation Requirement
A doctoral dissertation is required. The dissertation is the culmination of the student's research efforts. It represents a unique contribution to the field, and meets the general standards of the discipline. A total of 45 credit hours is granted for successful completion of the dissertation.
Credit Hours
The PhD degree will be granted for no less than the equivalent of three years of full-time graduate study, i.e., a minimum of 135 graduate credit hours. The last 45 credits, exclusive of research credits, must be completed at the University of Cincinnati or under its direction. In no case, however, will a degree be granted solely on the basis of the accumulation of the required number of credits. The Advisory Department will recommend students for degrees only after they have developed the necessary intellectual maturity and have fulfilled all other requirements of the academic department, the College of Business, and the Division of Research and Advanced Studies.
For more information, please see Student Handbook for Doctor of Philosophy Program of Study in Quantitative Analysis and Operations Management.
