1998 - 2000 Catalog Archive

Doctor of Philosophy in Manufacturing Management

The purpose of the Ph.D. program is to train scholars to meet traditional standards of excellence in, and contribute to, the manufacturing management field through research, teaching and publication in academic and professional journals. The program is designed for individuals who seek to contribute to the advancement and dissemination of knowledge in manufacturing management through an integrative approach with sound foundations in business, engineering and research methodology. Graduates are expected to pursue careers in academia, consulting, research or manufacturing organizations.

The basic philosophy underlying the doctoral program is that researchers in manufacturing management require a careful and creative mix of functional management specialties, economics, engineering, manufacturing and information technologies, and analytical tools such as statistics, optimization and research methodology. Therefore, the program is designed to provide the students with abilities and skills to integrate and synthesize manufacturing, engineering and business functions (e.g., finance, organizational behavior, strategy, marketing, managerial accounting and information systems).


Admission Requirements

Applicants should have a baccalaureate degree, preferably in engineering or business. Application must be made on the form provided by the Graduate School. Letters of reference from college faculty acquainted with the student's character and ability, and official transcripts of all prior college work must be supplied. Applicants are expected to demonstrate preparation for, and a high promise of, success in the doctoral program. The following will be considered in evaluating an application to the Ph.D. program on an individual basis: (a) The student's undergraduate and graduate record with general academic performance as well as the trend and comparison of grades over a period of time; (b) Student's verbal, quantitative and total scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). In certain cases, depending on the academic background of the student, GRE scores may be substituted for GMAT scores. It is to be stressed that, although GMAT and GPA are important, they alone will not be the basis of admissions decisions; (c) Evidence of the ability to do research (publications, presentations, etc.); (d) Statement of purpose explaining why the student wants to pursue a Ph.D. in Manufacturing Management; (e) Letters of reference; (f) Appropriate experience in a manufacturing organization; (g) In the case of students whose native language is not English, performance on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is mandatory unless the student has a degree from a U.S. institution.

While students may come from many academic disciplines, those students with baccalaureate degrees in fields other than business or engineering may require more than 91 semester hours. Any student wishing to enter the program from a discipline other than engineering or business may do so with the approval of the program director and upon completion of the prerequisite courses. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program will not receive graduate credit for any undergraduate courses they take.

A student should take the Ph.D. comprehensive examination as soon as he/she and his/her adviser believe the student has mastered all the required subject areas and completed all coursework. The format and other details of the examination are given in the handbook for Ph.D.students and is available from the program director. Following successful completion of the comprehensive examination, the student is admitted to the candidacy for the Ph.D. and undertakes dissertation research. It is the student's responsibility to initiate the application to candidacy on a form available from the Graduate School.

Each student will be assigned a faculty adviser by the Ph.D. program director at the time of admission. When a student enters the program, he will consult with the faculty adviser to determine which courses should be taken during the first year of study. Depending upon the level and type of preparation of the entering student, these courses will include foundation courses in business, engineering, and manufacturing technology. During this first year of study, the student will choose an adviser who will assist the student in preparing a Plan of Study, choosing a dissertation topic, forming a dissertation committee, and in other matters concerning the program.


Program Requirements

The program requires at least 91 semester hours of study beyond the baccalaureate degree. For a full-time student with only a baccalaureate degree, the course requirements before entering the dissertation stage can be completed in three years; the entire program in about four years. Full time students with an M.B.A., or a relevant M.S. degree should be able to complete the course work in two years.

During the first year, the students without prior appropriate undergraduate or graduate work in business or engineering will acquire the foundation knowledge in business, engineering and manufacturing technology. Course waivers are possible at the foundation stage by passing competency examinations in appropriate areas.

Prerequisites

· 1 year (2 semesters) Calculus

· Statistics (through regression & analysis of variance)

· Background in Physics or Chemistry

· One semester/quarter of Computer Systems with Applications

Note: Prerequisites must be complete before starting the Ph.D. program.

Foundation Courses

Business: ACCT 7000, MGMT 7110, FINA 7310, MKTG 7210, MKTG 7410, ISOM 7520

Engineering: MIME 5060, 5160, 5750, 5980, 7660, 7750, 7760, 8980


Ph.D. Program

Research Tools and Methods: Course No. Title ISOM 8860 Advanced Statistics ISOM 8630 Management Science ISOM 8880 Research Methods and Theory Building

Manufacturing Core Competencies: ISOM 8270 Simulation and Facility Planning ISOM 8680 Total Quality Management & SPC ISOM 8690 Manufacturing Resource Management

Integrative Seminars: ISOM 8480 Information Systems Issues in Manufacturing MGMT 8830 Organizational Theory and Behavior for Implementing Advanced Manufacturing Technologies MGMT 8840 Manufacturing Strategy ISOM 8890 Advanced Manufacturing System Design

Field Research: (8 credits)

Dissertation: ISOM 8990 (16 credits)


Proficiency Examinations

Within the first year, students may take standardized examinations to demonstrate proficiency in foundation courses for which they have gained knowledge through experience or by studying on their own, and thereby obviate the necessity for taking these courses.


Dissertation Research

The dissertation must be based on work initiated and undertaken specifically for that purpose. It must reflect a high level of scholarship, must constitute a substantial piece of work, and must indicate and document its claim to be a significant contribution to knowledge in its subject area.

Details regarding the dissertation research, starting with dissertation proposal and ending with the final defense, are available in the handbook for Ph.D. students available from the program director.

Last Updated: 11/15/23