Though the demand for doctoral students in business has
increased in recent years, many believe business schools across the
country have not organized sufficient forums and recruitment
efforts to attract potential candidates. The UCLA Anderson School
of Management hosted the 2004 National Recruitment Forum for
Doctoral Programs in Business and Management on Oct. 7 in response
to the growing demand for doctoral students.
No business school in Southern California had previously hosted
such an event. Over 200 people registered to attend, said Lydia
Heyman, associate director of doctoral programs at the Anderson
School.
“This event is the first of its kind in Southern
California,” Heyman said. “Doctoral programs typically
do not recruit in the same way MBA programs do, in forums such as
this,” she added.
A panel, featuring two professors ““ one from USC’s
Marshall School of Business and one from the Anderson School
““ and two Anderson doctoral students, discussed their
experiences and shared information about doctoral programs.
Only two such recruitment events have been previously held
nationwide, Heyman said.
A similar event was held at Stanford University’s graduate
school of business Oct. 6. Harvard University hosted a similar
event in June.
The goal of this forum and others was to provide interested
students with information about a doctoral degree in business and
management.
The forum resulted from the current high demand that exists for
doctoral programs.
Pursuing a doctoral program today “couldn’t be
better,” said panelist Richard Chase, a professor from the
Marshall School of Business. Though the need for doctoral faculty
has risen, the number of doctoral students in recent years has
declined, he said.
“No one can take education away from you,” Chase
said, encouraging students to go back to school and pursue a
doctorate in business.
Having a doctoral degree can open the doors to careers in
research and teaching in all disciplines of business and
management, the panelists said.
At the end of a four-year program, graduates try to join as
junior faculty at business schools across the country. Students
work with professors to build faculty-student relationships.
Representatives from 24 of the country’s leading business
schools were present, from the University of California to Ivy
League schools on the East Coast such as Columbia University. Each
school had its own booth with packets of information, and
representatives were available to answer questions.
A diverse group of students were present at the event. Those who
attended had backgrounds in various disciplines, such as economics,
math, sociology and engineering.
Some students were also recruited to attend the forum.
Recruitment focused on other Southern California UC’s and
members of the business honor society Beta Gamma Sigma.
In the past, similar events have only been put on by masters in
business administration (MBA) programs for potential candidates,
Heyman said.
The forum allowed doctoral candidates to learn more about the
admissions process.
During the event the panel moderator, Professor Bert Swan,
associate dean of the doctoral program at Anderson, highlighted
that beginning a doctoral program “takes substantial
commitment.”
The price for educating doctoral students is on the rise. It is
estimated the cost of educating a doctoral student is approximately
$250,000, excluding faculty costs, said Anderson officials.
Chase discussed the admissions process in doctoral programs. He
said programs look for candidates with “a good
background” and the “basic horsepower to do the
job.”
Anderson Professor Antonio Bernardo discussed his motivation for
obtaining a doctoral degree. He said “intellectual
curiosity” and “pursuing ideas” were his
ambitions, and a doctoral program fulfilled his goals.
Albert Sheen, a doctoral student in finance, graduated as an
undergraduate eight years ago. After careers in consulting and
equity research, he realized they “didn’t have the
rigor I was looking for.” Though returning to school had been
a possibility for years, he said he realized “a research
career would suit me better.”
Still, pursuing a doctoral program is not easy, many students
say.
Garrett Sonnier, a doctoral student in marketing, admits the
program requires “the ability to think critically. It was
terrifying when I started,” he said. But he enjoys the
“independence and flexibility” of a doctoral
program.
Sonnier added that students can conduct research in areas they
have interest in and the hours are very flexible.
The event was sponsored in part by the Graduate Management
Admissions Council.