Major Area Written Examinations
Once students have completed their coursework, they must pass written area and oral examinations in Entrepreneurship and Research Methods. The purpose of these examinations is to enable the student to demonstrate a command of the subject matter. Students are expected to be familiar with major research findings, theory, and appropriate research methods. The breadth and depth of the comprehensive examinations will be defined through recommendations of the program faculty.  As an important quality control point, the rigor and content of the theory and methodological comprehensive exams will be standardized for all candidates.

Written examinations are not required for entrepreneurship as a co-discipline.  However, some major areas of specialization require a written exam covering the basic tools (economics, mathematics, psychology, research methods, statistics, etc.) that are important for that business discipline. If required, the basic tool exam will be administered by the faculty in the student’s major area.

Other Requirements
A faculty supervisory committee is appointed by the Program Director at the end of the first year to assist each student in constructing a program of study that fits that individual’s background and interests. Students select one major area of specialization and complete requirements in an additional minor area that supports their major area of specialization. In addition, students may be required to participate in doctoral seminars, independent studies, and research.
 

Research Paper
Each student must complete at least one academic paper per year.  The first-year paper must be submitted to a national research conference by the end of the first year of the program.  All other papers must be submitted to top refereed academic journals.  Each student must have at least one “revise/resubmit” academic paper before graduating from the program.  These research papers could be part of the student’s dissertation with approval of the dissertation committee.  Failure to meet these research and publication requirements will result in the student being placed on probation or being dismissed from the program.

Faculty will set a deadline by which doctoral students must complete an independent research paper and present their findings in a research workshop. The research project is supervised by a faculty advisor on a topic selected by the student and approved by the faculty advisor.

General Examination and Admission to Candidacy

To be eligible to apply for candidacy, students must maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.3.  Admission to candidacy is a formal University process signifying that a student has completed specific degree requirements and that the faculty expects that the student will successfully complete the degree program. A student will be admitted to candidacy upon completion of the major area examinations in Entrepreneurship and Research Methods and a successful defense of the student’s dissertation proposal.

Dissertation

After earning candidacy, students must successfully complete a dissertation that demonstrates their ability to identify a significant research question or problem in Entrepreneurship and apply appropriate research techniques to its resolution. The dissertation must be an original and independent piece of work. Dissertations are supervised by a five-member reading committee. After the dissertation has been written to the satisfaction of the reading committee, the student defends his or her dissertation research in a final oral examination by program faculty.

In-Residence Study

A doctoral student must spend at least three years of in-residence study beyond the baccalaureate degree, at least two of which must be in full-time continuous residence at the UMKC. Experience has shown that the probability of successful completion of the program diminishes substantially unless the student is committed to full-time, in-residence work until all requirements are fulfilled. Prospective students should plan on full-time studies, including the summer semester, from the time of enrollment until the completion of the dissertation.

Expected Time to Completion

Students in the Entrepreneurship IPh.D. program are expected to complete all course, examination, and dissertation requirements within four years.  The maximum time to completion is six years.
 

Teaching Effectiveness Training
Each year the academic market places increasing weight on teaching skills. Many business schools, in fact, now require teaching presentations of all prospective faculty.  All first-year students are required to participate in the Teaching Effectiveness Training Program. The program begins with intensive training during the Fall Semester with the Teaching Effectiveness Seminar. Weekly sessions address crucial issues in teaching and course development in preparation for the student’s teaching assignment Winter Semester. Students will observe other instructors, including someone teaching their Winter course assignment, draft a syllabus, and receive feedback on a microteaching session. Teaching assistants assigned to teach core courses will receive additional guidance from faculty course coordinators.

During the doctoral program, students will be required to teach two courses. They will receive feedback from peer classroom observations and an opportunity to share experiences and ideas informally at lunch gatherings of teaching assistants. Students are expected to put together formal teaching presentations that aid them both in the interview process and in the transition to full-time tenure-track faculty.