Fisher PhD students on the steps of Mason Hall

PhD Programs

The PhD programs at The Ohio State University build on a tradition of excellence in scholarship within Fisher College of Business - a tradition that provides you with perspective, expertise and skills necessary to reshape the business world.

The greatest strength of the program is Fisher's top faculty and their emphasis on research and teaching. The facilities and resources of Ohio State's campus enhance the doctoral experience. Another strength is Fisher's proximity to the corporate headquarters of a variety of businesses within the technology, service and manufacturing sectors and our involvement with the business community in Columbus, which offers extensive access to research sites and senior executives.

Fisher strategically manages the size of its PhD program through careful analysis of market and budgetary conditions and other factors. The result is a small and efficient, high-quality program. If you seek to develop your talents and pursue academic inquiry of the highest quality, we invite you to explore doctoral study at Fisher.

  • 11th among public universities
    UT-Dallas Business School Research Rankings, 2020-2024
  • 23rd in North America
    UT-Dallas Business School Research Rankings, 2020-2024
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To compete effectively for positions at top-tier research institutions, tomorrow's educators must have a solid background in theory and practice, as well as a clear research agenda and an established research record.

A selective admissions policy ensures the quality of students entering the Fisher program. Students have the opportunity to work closely with a large number of faculty who are experts in a wide range of fields. Smaller class size means increased opportunities for student financial support.

It is expected that applicants to the PhD program intend to pursue the degree on a full time basis.

PhD application requirements

PhD in Accounting & MIS

Careers and Alumni

Faculty members spend many hours advising and counseling students regarding their programs of study and dissertations. They counsel about teaching and involve students in their research projects.

Each Fisher PhD student has a faculty advisor through his/her program of study. Some departments also have committees that oversee each PhD student's progress. For more than a decade the college has mandated an annual review for each PhD student. Students receive formal feedback on their progress in the program and have the opportunity to respond to the report and the program.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Fisher College's application deadlines?

For Autumn 2026, the application dates are:

 

Header
SpecialtyOpenClose
AccountingAugust 1, 2025December 1, 2025
FinanceAugust 1, 2025January 15, 2026
International BusinessAugust 1, 2025January 15, 2026
LogisticsNot accepting applications 
MarketingNot accepting applications 
Operations and Business AnalyticsAugust 1, 2025December 15,2025
Organizational Behavior/Human ResourcesAugust 1, 2025December 15,2025
Strategy/EntrepreneurshipNot accepting applications 

 

 

What is the PhD admission process for Fisher College of Business?

A brief overview of the admission process is as follows:

  • Fill out the application for non Accounting PhDs or the application for Accounting PhDs
    • You may only apply for one specialty and/or Accounting or non-Accounting
    • Submit your scores and transcripts
    • Submit your application and fee
    • Alert three individuals who will be providing recommendations that an email from The Ohio State University is forthcoming
  • After the application deadline, the PhD specialization committee will review applications and schedule interviews with candidates
    • Interviews are usually done via zoom
  • Second-round applicants are selected and may be brought to campus for a visit
  • Finalists are selected and all applicants are notified of their decision

When can I expect to hear from Fisher?

The PhD program admits new students once per year, in autumn.  Each Department has its own unique process and timeline for reviewing applicant files. Departments will begin reviewing applications immediately following the application deadline and will complete admission decisions decisions by April 15.

Does Fisher pre-evaluate applications for PhD programs?

In other words, if I send you a listing or description of my credentials, can the program indicate the likelihood of my admission prior to application?

No. We review all applications wholistically and compare them with others for available spaces, focusing on each applicant as an individuals to create rich classes.

What kind of financial assistance can I expect if admitted to a PhD program at Fisher? If so, how do I apply for it?

Fisher College of Business automatically provides all admitted students with five years of funding (tuition, fees and a competitive stipend), as long as   satisfactory progress is made from year to year. Top applicants may be nominated for University Fellowship. Otherwise, students would receive funding in the form of a Graduate Research or Teaching Associateship (GRA or GTA). Funding includes full tuition waiver and a monthly stipend.

Am I required to take the Test of Spoken English ("TSE")?

Yes. All admitted PhD students are funded if they requested funding on their application. Part of the funding package is a requirement to teach. The laws of the State of Ohio require that every non-native-English-speaking graduate teaching assistant (TA) pass a competency test in spoken English before that individual is placed in the classroom to teach. An admitted student can take the exam after arriving on campus. However, if you wait to take the exam after being admitted and do not pass, your financial aid package will be at risk. Therefore, we strongly suggest you supply this exam score in your application. Fisher College of Business and The Ohio State University have no authority to waive this exam.

Do I need to take the GRE or GMAT?

Yes. All PhD candidates must submit GRE/GMAT scores taken within five years of the application date regardless of work or academic experiences.

The GMAT institution code for Business Administration is ZLJ-9D-76; the GMAT institution code for Human Resource Management is ZLJ-9D-64. The GRE institution code for both programs is 1592.

If you are applying to the Accounting and MIS PhD program, either the GMAT or GRE is required.  However, the GMAT is strongly preferred. The GMAT institution code for Accounting is ZLJ-9D-02.  The GRE institution code is 1592.

Does Fisher require official GMAT/GRE scores and transcripts before an application can be reviewed?

The Ohio State University will not consider an application complete until it has received grades and scores directly from past institutions attended or from testing centers. Fisher, will, however, review applications with self-reported grades and scores during its first round of reviews. Should an applicant move on to further rounds, official scores and grades must be sent to the university.

What is the target range for test scores?

Fisher does not release this information. Each candidate is reviewed in a wholistic manner against others who have applied for the same program. The wholistic review allows us to build classes that are varied in ideology and experiences. Thus, the GMAT/GRE are only one piece of data that goes into the review and we do not focus on specific ranges.

Does Fisher accept the results on the on-line GRE?

The only specialty that accepts online GRE scores is Fisher's PhD in Accounting. For any other specialty, on-line scores will not be accepted.

Does Fisher accept the results of the GMAT Focus Edition?

Yes. Until 2029, Fisher will accept all versions of the GMAT. After 2029, the older versions will have expired, and all applicants will be expected to have the GMAT Focus test or the GRE.

Do I ned to take a test of English language proficiency?

Ohio State Graduate Admissions requires an official TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo score from all international applicants unless that applicant is a citizen of, or earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from, an English Speaking country (access a list of exempt countries).

Those that have held U.S. Permanent Resident, Asylee or Refugee status for a year by the time of matriculation may have the English Proficiency requirement waived.

What are the minimum English language scores required?

The Ohio State University sets the following score minimums:

  • TOEFL
    • As of January 2026
      • 4.0
    • Prior to January 2026
      • 19 in each section of the paper-based TOEFL
      • 79 on the TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition
      • 550 on the TOEFL ITP for students in the American Language Program
  • IELTS
    • 7.0 on the IELTS Academic test or IELTS indicator
  • Duolingo
    • 120 or higher on the Duolingo English Test

Are application fee waivers available?

No, Fisher does not provide application fee waivers for PhD applicants.

Can an applicant with an undergraduate degree but no masters degree be admitted as a PhD student?

Yes, our wholistic review process makes this possible. The applicant, while only having a bachelor's degree, may have significant life experience as well as strong test scores that make him/her a perfect fit for the the class.

Can I contact professors during the application process or select an advisor prior to being accepted into a program?

Applicants are asked not to contact faculty prior to the interview process. Our faculty pride themselves on making unbiased decisions on applications. We want to create classes that have a broad perspective of knowledge and experience. Contact by some prior to decisions being made can lead to bias (whether conscious or not). The PhD Administrator can answer all of your questions.

Applicants do not need an advisor prior to beginning the program. All admitted and accepted applicants are assigned to the departmental PhD coordinator for their first year or two. This gives the student a chance to get to know the professors in the department and become familiar with their work before committing to them as an advisor.

Are our PhD programs STEM designated? If so, which ones?

All our PhDs are STEM. However, they are not STEM-OPT designated. The purpose of Optional Practical Training (OPT) is to provide F-1 students who have earned a qualifying STEM degree with an extended opportunity for on-the-job training in a field directly related to their major area of study. 

The OPT designation is given by Homeland Security and provides  international students studying in the U.S. on an F1 visa bias two options.  The first, after the completion of their degree program, the students leave the U.S. and return to their home country.  Or the second option, is to choose OPT jobs. OPT is a training program for students through which F1 students can gain on-the-job experience by applying for a job offer in their respective fields of expertise. The OPT period is generally for 12 months which allows eligible graduates to work for a total of 36 months in the U.S. after completing their degree. 

Can a PhD be earned as a part-time student?

No. The program is designed for students who will pursue the degree on a full-time basis. All courses are offered during the day, and students are expected to maintain approximately 10-15 credit hours per quarter, in addition to their research and/or teaching responsibilities.

Is a Fisher PhD suitable if I do not want an academic career?

Likely not; Fisher's programs focus on academic research. The program is best for those interested in roles requiring strong research skills, such as positions at the Federal Reserve, Wall Street or certain military sectors.

Does Fisher accept transfer credits?

Fisher does not accept transfer credits toward the completion of a PhD. However, exemptions from certain introductory classes may be considered if equivalent coursework has been complete at other institutions.

Sarah P. Doyle, PhD

Even after graduation, the faculty’s ongoing support through networking, career guidance, and award nominations has been invaluable, and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without the solid foundation they helped me build.

Do you have questions about Fisher's PhD programs?

Contact Administrative Manager Amy Weisbach:

614-688-2991