Full-Time Programs

PhD in Business at Koç

Koç PhD program’s main focus is to train students to become influential research scholars in their field of study at top universities worldwide. Interested students should desire an academic position at a top university, and possess the motivation and ability to attain this goal. For this reason, our program is not an appropriate option for people planning to work in industry. Three aspects of the program stand out to help achieve its primary goal of training high-quality researchers:

The Quality of the Faculty

Koç GSB Faculty members have PhDs from reputable PhD programs worldwide, are research-active and publish in top journals in their area of expertise. Additionally, a number of faculty are represented in editorial review boards of top journals.

Program Structure

Koç University PhD in Business Administration program has a flexible structure to accommodate students with unique goals and backgrounds. For example, PhD candidates in marketing can focus on consumer behavior, strategy, or modeling, and customize their course work accordingly. This customization may involve taking courses from related disciplines, including economics, and psychology. Typical curricula can be found on our . Note that our program requirements focus on developing conceptual and methodological skills, which are essential to producing quality academic research.

Koç GSB Faculty is dedicated to the training of Phd students, and collaborate with them on joint projects. Published papers that resulted from such collaborations attest to the success of this approach. PhD students have very limited teaching responsibilities so that they can focus on their research program and develop their research skills without much distraction on their time.

For students interested in experimental methods, there is a dedicated marketing lab with twenty one lab stations. Data collection is simplified thanks to specialized software that handles study announcements, participant sign-ups, and extra credit assignments.

We emphasize a supportive culture among our PhD students, and focus on the collective success of the group rather than individual students. Resulting supportive social environment enables students to establish valuable relationships with their colleagues in the program.

PhD in Business at Koç

Program Overview

The primary objective of the Ph.D. in Business Administration program is preparing students for academic careers as influential researchers in leading business schools. Accordingly, the first two years will include course work with a first year summer paper. Upon the completion of the course work, students complete the qualifying requirement of their specialization. In marketing, students are required to write a conceptual paper. In operations and information systems, as well as in quantitative methods students are required to pass a qualifying exam. Once this requirement is fulfilled, the student moves to candidacy. A thesis must be submitted and defended to the Graduate School before a student can graduate. Most students complete the program in four to five years.

Curriculum

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Courses

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Admissions

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FAQ

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The primary objective of the Ph.D. in Business Administration program is preparing students for academic careers as influential researchers in leading business schools. Accordingly, the first two years will include course work with a first year summer paper. Upon the completion of the course work, students complete the qualifying requirement of their specialization.  In  marketing, students are required to write a conceptual paper. In operations and information systems, as well as in quantitative methods students are required to pass a qualifying exam.  Once this requirement is fulfilled, the student moves to candidacy. A thesis must be submitted and defended to the Graduate School before a student can graduate. Most students complete the program in four to five years.

All students are expected to take the core courses in Microeconomics, Research Methodology, and Quantitative Methods. Depending on the track, these courses can be taken from other departments (e.g., psychology, economics, engineering) at Koç University or at other universities approved by the Graduate School. Students who have limited or no knowledge in business area must also take some of the fundamental courses in the MBA program.

Students will participate in postgraduate seminars in each area of ​​expertise. All elective courses given at Koç University is open to doctoral students.

Students with a master’s degree (with thesis) are expected to take a minimum of 7 courses (21 credits) and students without a master’s degree are expected to take 14 courses (42 credits). Most students complete the program in four to five years. Details of the curriculum can be found .

Studens have the chance to go abroad for a research visit at a top business school for a semester. This visit is intended to strengthen the international profile of students by encouraging international research collobarations. Past destinations include Stanford, Tilburg, Maryland, Michigan, and UCLA.

Although teaching requirements are kept to a minimum to allow more time for developing research skills, it is also important to demonstrate effective teaching skills before students go on the academic job market. To this end, students who have moved to candidacy may be asked to teach an undergraduate course before their graduation.

Our Ph.D. in Business Administration program has a flexible and interdisciplinary structure. Students can specialize in one of the following areas:
  • Marketing: Students can choose to study consumer behavior, behavioral decision theory, marketing strategy, and modeling (analytical and empirical).
  • Operations and Information Systems: Students can focus on logistics, service operations, or supply chain management. – Service Operations – Supply Chain Management – Retail Operations – E-Commerce Analytics – Behavioral Operations – Production Systems – Stochastic Modelling Logistics
  • Quantitative Methods: Students can specialize in data mining (with applications in OM/marketing/finance), decision sciences and mathematical programming.- Data Analytics (with applications in OM/Marketing/Finance) – Optimization – Decision Sciences
  • Finance: Students can engage in research in asset pricing and corporate finance.
  • Management and Strategy: Students can focus on mergers and acquisitions, international market entry strategies, entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, system dynamics, corporate governance and non-market strategies, organizational behavior, occupational health, leadership and behavioral decision making. – Strategic Management – Entrepreneurship – Organizational Theory – Organizational Behavior – Human Resources Management – Cross Cultural Management

The application deadline PhD Program in Business Administration  for the 2022-2023 Academic year are:

·         PhD Program in Business Administration- Marketing
For Fall 2024: May 15th, 2024

·         PhD Program in Business Administration- Management and Strategy:
For Fall 2024: May 15th, 2024

·         PhD Program in Business Administration- Operations and Information Systems:
For Fall 2024: May 15th, 2024

·         PhD Program in Business Administration- Quantitative Methods:

For Fall 2024: May 15th, 2024

·         PhD Program in Business Administration- Finance:
For Fall 2024: May 15th, 2024

Only online applications will be considered.

  • Tuition waiver plus 23.000 TL monthly stipend.
  • Free Dormitory (with limited capacity)
  • All students receive private health insurance
  • Meal Card

The Graduate School of Business offers Ph.D. scholarships to all international admitted students.

For more details, you can visit https://international.ku.edu.tr/ or contact study@ku.edu.tr (international applicants only)

Available scholarships for international Ph.D. applicants include:

  • Turkish Scholarships – Türkiye Bursları (citizens from all countries except Türkiye under 35 years of age) – we encourage all Ph.D. international applicants to submit an application before their application deadline
  • FUNG Scholarship (Chinese citizens only)
  • Fulbright Scholarship (US citizens only)
  • Ghana Scholarship Secretariat Scholarship (Ghana citizens only)
  • HEC Scholarship (Pakistan citizens only)
  • ICETEX Scholarship (Colombian citizens only)
  • Other national scholarship

Accredited