PhD in Human Resource Management

The Ph.D. program in Human Resource Management studies the employment relationship and the design and impact of managerial systems, such as recruitment, training, and compensation of employees from a social science foundation.

The curriculum emphasizes both worker and management perspectives and is taught in a series of integrated teaching modules. Topics include contemporary and historical issues in human resources, organizational behavior, and industrial relations. The single track of study provides students with a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the employment relationship, while the modular design affords great flexibility in meeting market demands.

Students take a 30-week core seminar throughout the first academic year. The topics covered include historical, social, psychological, economic, and legal foundations for organizational studies. Attention is then given to the broad themes of organizational entry, individual productivity, attitudes and reactions, reward systems, inter- and intra-group issues, unionism, labor relations, and organizational effectiveness.

In the second year, students take a two-quarter advanced seminar. This seminar looks at current topics in the literature and research interests of faculty and allows students to choose topics of interest to them to explore in greater detail. Expertise in an area of specialization is further developed through independent studies, electives outside the department, and research with faculty and other students. To provide methodological tools, students also take research method courses and a number of courses in statistics.

The Ph. D. program recognizes that a considerable amount of development needs to occur outside of the classroom. To encourage independent research, students are expected to join in on faculty research projects right from the start of the program and initiate their own projects by the end of the second year. They are required also to complete a publishable quality paper early in the program. Through day-to-day coaching and mentoring from the advisor, students will gain professional skills such as networking, grant writing, making academic presentations, responding to review comments, making organization contacts, and classroom teaching. Students will also gain teaching experience through the opportunity to serve as teaching assistants and later in the program, as instructors.

For additional information please contact Professor Mona Makhija at 614-292-8692 or makhija_2@fisher.osu.edu.