Business Administration

This program will set a solid research foundation in disciplinary theories and methods and train you to apply them in academic research on critical business problems. You will choose from four areas of study: accounting and management, marketing, strategy, and technology.

The accounting and management track examines how information impacts resource allocations and stakeholder behavior. The marketing track explores how goods, services, and information are exchanged to satisfy individuals and organizations. Researchers in strategy study the mechanisms through which firms create value and sustain superior performance. Technology and operations management prepares students to examine how and why firms create and deploy innovative products and services and how the diffusion of technological novelty generates economic growth and transforms society.

Examples of student projects include examining the hiring and organizational practices of firms and how they interact with the firms’ strategies, how information is used by capital market participants and how those forces shape the information production processes of firms, as well as conducting a study of sales compensation.

Graduates of the program have secured faculty positions at such prestigious institutions as Harvard Medical School, Duke University, London Business School, University of Hong Kong, and University of California, Berkeley.

Graduates of the program have secured faculty positions at such prestigious institutions as Harvard Med, Duke, London School of Business, University of Hong Kong, and University of California Berkeley.

Students in business administration are enrolled in and receive their degree from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and work with faculty from both the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Business School (HBS). GSAS has offered PhD programs in collaboration with HBS since 1916. In addition to business administration, GSAS and HBS collaborate on programs in business economics, organizational behavior, and health policy (management track). 

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Business Administration and requirements for the degree are detailed in GSAS Policies.

Areas of Study

Accounting and Management | Marketing | Strategy | Technology and Operations Management

Admissions Requirements

Please review GSAS admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Business Administration.

Academic Background

Applicants with bachelor’s degrees in the social sciences, engineering, sciences, as well as business are encouraged to apply.

Standardized Tests

GRE General or GMAT: Required
iBT TOEFL preferred minimum score: 100
IELTS preferred minimum score: 7.5