Below please find the program requirements for students in Management. Students in Management generally complete the program in five years.

A minimum of 13 semester courses at doctoral level are required. Each semester students will consult with an advisor to receive approval of their course selections.

Foundational Courses (2 courses)

Organizational Analysis and Behavior: A comprehensive two semester series on organizational theory and behavior:

• Macro Topics in Organizational Behavior (HBS 4480)
• Micro Topics in Organizational Behavior (HBS 4482)

Research Methods Courses (4 courses)

Students must take four research methods courses.

Design of Field Research Methods (HBS 4070)

Students must take three additional research methods courses from either behavioral sciences research methods or econometric research methods. Research methods courses that meet this requirement include, but are not limited to:

Behavioral Science Research Methods

• Seminar in Applied Statistical Methods (HBS 4809)
• Intermediate Statistical Analysis in Psychology (Psychology 1950)
• Multivariate Analysis in Psychology (Psychology 1952)
• Intermediate Quantitative Research Methods (Sociology 202)
• Advanced Quantitative Research Methods (Sociology 203a)
• Analysis of Longitudinal Data (Sociology 203b)

Econometric Research Methods

• Introduction to Econometrics (Economics 1123)
• Introduction to Applied Econometrics (prerequisite Economics 2110) (Economics 2120)
• Advanced Quantitative Methods II (KSG API 210i)
• Probability Theory (Statistics 210)
• Incomplete Multivariate Data (Statistics 232)

Research Design Courses

• Design of Field Research Methods (HBS 4070)
• Experimental Methods (HBS 4435)
• Field Experiments (HBS 4430)
• Advanced Quantitative Research Methodology (Gov 2001)

Additional Doctoral Courses (7 courses)

Management students are required to take seven additional elective doctoral courses, including two breadth courses, and are strongly encouraged to take one of the following series:

Microeconomics

• Microeconomic Theory I (HBS 4010/Economics 2020a)
• Microeconomic Theory II (HBS 4011/Economics 2020b)

Psychology

• Social Behavior in Organizations: Research Seminar (Psychology 2630)
• Advanced Social Psychology (Psychology 2500)

Sociology

• Sociological Theory: Seminar (Sociology 204)
• Organizational Analysis: Seminar (Sociology 243)

MBA Courses (2 courses)

All students without an MBA degree are required to complete two case-based HBS MBA courses.

Research Seminars (recommended 1 course)

Students are strongly encouraged to attend and participate in seminars throughout their program. Students are expected to attend the:

• Organizational Behavior Unit Seminar

To remain in good academic standing, doctoral students are expected to maintain a B grade point average.

Students must teach or assist with teaching in a formally offered course for one full academic term. This engagement should include, at least, 8 hours of front-of-class teaching and 16 hours of teaching preparation time. The requirement may be fulfilled by completing a teaching fellow or instructor assignment at a Harvard University.

Students are required to pass the Special Field Exam at the end of the second year or beginning of the third year. This exam has two parts: a written exam and an oral exam based on a research paper a student has written.

By the end of their third year, all students are required to obtain approval of their dissertation proposal by their Dissertation Chair.

Students are required to write a dissertation, which typically takes the form of three publishable papers, to the satisfaction of their Dissertation Committee. The dissertation defense is oral and open to the public.