Jason Ridge
Department Chair
Willard J. Walker Hall
jridge@walton.uark.edu
Oleg Petrenko
Ph.D. Program Director
Willard J. Walker Hall
opetrenko@walton.uark.edu
Degrees Offered:
M.S. in Product Innovation (PRINMS)
Ph.D. in Business Administration (BADM)
Program Description: The primary objective of the Ph.D. program in Business Administration with an area of study in Strategy and Entrepreneurship is to prepare candidates for careers in university research and teaching. The program of study is designed to ensure that students receive an exposure to the broad areas of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship, develop the conceptual skills and methodological tools necessary to design and conduct independent research, and develop the skills and experience necessary to teach at all levels of higher education.
Requirements for Ph.D. in Business Management (Strategy and Entrepreneurship)
Admission Requirements: Students must apply to the Graduate School of Business (GSB) and meet the requirements of both the Graduate School and the Graduate School Business. Students must be admitted by the departmental admissions committee. The Strategy and Entrepreneurship Ph.D. program requires an educational background in business, sociology, political science, or economics. Students without this educational background may also be admitted but may be required to take up to 3 master’s level courses in one of these areas.
Program of Study: The nature of the program of study will vary somewhat depending upon the objective of the prospective candidate, but it will consist of a minimum of 72 graduate semester credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree and 42 graduate-only semester hours beyond the master's degree. Program requirements must balance credit hours for required coursework, research, and dissertation preparation. The primary objective of the Ph.D. program in Strategy and Entrepreneurship is to prepare candidates for careers in university research and teaching. The program of study is designed to ensure that students receive an exposure to the broad areas of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship, develop the conceptual skills and methodological tools necessary to design and conduct independent research, and develop the skills and experience necessary to teach at all levels of higher education.
For a complete list of University Graduate School and International Education degree requirements, please visit the Objectives and Regulations section of the Graduate Catalog.
| Required Courses (13 hours) | ||
| SEVI 6123 | Seminar in Entrepreneurship Research | 3 |
| SEVI 6133 | Seminar in Strategy Research | 3 |
| SEVI 6323 | Seminar in Non-Market Strategy Research | 3 |
| BUSI 6111 | Seminar in Business Administration Teaching I | 1 |
| Choose one of the following two courses: | 3 | |
| Seminar in Organizational Behavior | ||
| Seminar in Human Resource Management | ||
| Supporting Fields | 12 | |
| Supporting courses can include the below options or equivalent courses as approved by the Ph.D. Coordinator. | ||
| Choose four courses from the following: | ||
| Advanced Social Psychology | ||
| Seminar in Personality and Social Psychology | ||
| Special Investigations | ||
| Theory in Supply Chain Management | ||
| Theory Development | ||
| Graduate Colloquium | ||
| Special Problems in Management (repeatable for 12 hours total within the degree program) | ||
| Special Topics in Strategy and Entrepreneurship (repeatable for 12 hours total within the degree program) | ||
| Seminar in Human Resource Management | ||
| Seminar in Organizational Behavior | ||
| Courses for the supporting fields requirement are selected in consultation with the student’s Ph.D. Advisory Committee. All courses taken for the Supporting Fields must be at the graduate level and/or taken for graduate credit. In certain circumstances, and with the approval of the student’s advisor and Ph.D. coordinator, a student may request and be granted permission to substitute a graduate course not listed here. | ||
| Research Requirements | 18 | |
| Research methods courses can include the below options or equivalent courses as approved by the Ph.D. Coordinator. | ||
| Seminar in Research Methods | ||
| Seminar in Applied Research Methods | ||
| Choose 12 hours from the following: | ||
| Seminar in Research Methods | ||
| Inferential Statistics for Psychology | ||
| Advanced Descriptive Statistics for Psychology | ||
| Qualitative Methods in Communication | ||
| Quantitative Methods Analysis | ||
| Emerging Topics | ||
| Qualitative Research | ||
| Advanced Multivariate Analysis | ||
| Advanced Research Methods in Political Science | ||
| Multiple Regression Techniques for Education | ||
| Special Problems in Management (repeatable for 12 hours total within the degree program) | ||
| Special Topics in Strategy and Entrepreneurship (repeatable for 12 hours total within the degree program) | ||
| Courses used to meet the Research Requirements will be selected in consultation with the student's Ph.D. Advisory Committee and should support the student's program of study. The courses should provide the student with a knowledge of advanced descriptive and inferential statistics, research design, and research methods. In certain circumstances, and with the approval of the student's advisor and Ph.D. coordinator, a student may request and be granted permission to substitute a graduate course not listed here. | ||
| Candidacy Exam | ||
| Students will be required to take a candidacy examination in the summer following the second year coursework as a requirement of the Ph.D. program. The exam will cover the student's major and minor content areas as well as research methods. Successful completion of all parts of the candidacy exam are required to begin dissertation research. | ||
| Dissertation | 18 | |
| Doctoral Dissertation | ||
| Total Hours | 61 | |
Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship
The Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship is designed to give graduate students a foundation in the core aspects of entrepreneurship they will need to start successful enterprises, to create and promote new products or service offerings in existing organizations, or to engage in social entrepreneurship. The Certificate program is open to all graduate students at the University of Arkansas, and graduate students from all majors are encouraged to participate. Students who complete the Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship will have explored the context, tools, and processes of entrepreneurial activity and will have learned how to apply them to commercial and non-commercial enterprises.
The Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship is designed to give graduate students a foundation in the core aspects of entrepreneurship they will need to start successful enterprises, to create and promote new products or service offerings in existing organizations, or to engage in social entrepreneurship. Students who complete the Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship will have explored the context, tools, and processes of entrepreneurial activity and will have learned how to apply them to commercial and non-commercial enterprises.
Admission Requirements: The Graduate Certificate is open to individuals with backgrounds in any discipline. Students must apply and be admitted to the Graduate School of Business. Refer to the Graduate School of Business admission requirements.
Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship: (12 hours) To receive the Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship, students are required to take 9 hours of coursework in the Walton College of Business and 3 hours of electives related to entrepreneurship in either the Walton College or in another college at the University of Arkansas. Elective courses other than those listed below may be approved by the Director of the Certificate program. Some elective courses have prerequisites that are not met by courses in the certificate program. Students are advised to check prerequisites prior to enrolling in a course.
*Students pursuing the Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship while completing a master's degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering are required to choose an elective from Electrical Engineering. Likewise, students completing a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering must choose an elective from those listed under Public Health or another relevant course with Biomedical Engineering Program Advisory Committee approval.
| Required Courses | 9 | |
| For business students: | ||
| Strategic Management | ||
| New Venture Development | ||
| New Venture Development II | ||
| For non-business students: | ||
| Business Foundations for Entrepreneurs | ||
| New Venture Development | ||
| New Venture Development II | ||
| Elective Course * | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences | ||
| Financial Management in Agriculture | ||
| Agribusiness Strategy | ||
J. William Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences | ||
| Fine Arts Gallery Internship | ||
| Organizational Communication Theory | ||
| Multiculturalism in Advertising and Public Relations | ||
| Documentary Production I | ||
Walton College of Business | ||
| MBA Internship | ||
| Innovation & Creativity | ||
| Consumer and Market Research | ||
| New Product Development and Strategy | ||
| Sustainability in Business | ||
| Cross-Sector Collaboration for Sustainability | ||
| Entrepreneurship Practicum | ||
College of Education and Health Professions | ||
| Administration and Leadership in Athletic Training | ||
| Theories of Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health | ||
| Public Health: Practices and Planning | ||
| Sports Facilities Management | ||
College of Engineering | ||
| Systems Engineering and Management | ||
Any 5000 level Electrical Engineering 3 credit course | ||
| Graduate School and International Education | ||
| Research Commercialization and Product Development | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Graduate Faculty
Chen, Diana, Ph.D., M.S. (University of Arkansas), B.S. (Colorado State University), Lecturer, 2020.
Cummings, Michael, Ph.D. (University of Minnesota), J.D. and M.P.A. (Brigham Young University), B.S. (Utah Valley), Assistant Professor, 2017.
Ellstrand, Alan E., Ph.D. (Indiana University at Bloomington), M.B.A. (North Illinois University), B.S. (University of Illinois-Urbana), Professor, 2000, 2002.
Garcia Contreras, Rogelio, Ph.D., M.A. (University of Denver), B.A. (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico), Teaching Assistant Professor, 2015.
Goforth, Sarah, M.A. (University of Wisconsin-Madison), B.A. (Hendrix College), Instructor, 2017.
Grandy, Jake, Ph.D. (University of Southern California), M.A. (University of New Mexico), B.S. (University of British Columbia), Assistant Professor, 2020.
Johnson, Jon, Ph.D. (Indiana University at Bloomington), M.B.A., B.S. (University of Arkansas), Professor, Walton College Professorship in Sustainability, 1996, 2007.
Petrenko, Oleg, Ph.D. (Oklahoma State University), M.B.A., B.S.B.A. (University of Central Oklahoma), Assistant Professor, 2020.
Reeves, Carol, Ph.D. (University of Georgia), M.A. (University of South Carolina), B.S. (Georgia Southern College), Professor, Cecil and Gwendolyn Cupp Applied Professorship in Entrepreneurship, 1990, 2012.
Ridge, Jason, Ph.D., M.A., B.A. (Oklahoma State University), Associate Professor, 2015, 2017.
Worrell, Dan, Ph.D., M.S., B.S. (Louisiana State University), Professor, Corporate Responsibility Professorship in Management, 2005.
Zweig, Mark, M.B.A., B.S. (Southern Illinois University at Carbondale), Executive in Residence, 2005.
