Programme Goals and Main Features
The Ph.D. in Business (Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources) aims to equip doctoral students with the knowledge, skills, and ability to conduct highly-rigorous research in OBHR. The programme is designed to prepare students for an academic career in OBHR in major research universities worldwide. We aim to provide students with the ability to publish in the top OBHR journals of our field such as Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Organisation Science, and Organisational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, to present their research at academic conferences worldwide, and to teach university-level OBHR classes.
The programme includes:
- Intellectually-stimulating curriculum emphasizing the core foundations of organisational behaviour and human resources, statistics, and research methods
- Training in research from the very beginning of the programme, including idea generation, research design, data collection, manuscript writing, and navigating the journal review process
- Preparation for and experience in teaching OBHR at the university level
Our Ph.D. programme is intentionally small, with an average expected intake of about three to four students per year. This allows us to select very high-potential students, and enables each student to develop close working and mentoring relationships with OBHR faculty members.
Each student will be involved in multiple research projects with multiple faculty members beginning with the first term of study. Through these assignments, students will have ample opportunity to learn the craft of research through hands-on work (idea generation, research design, data collection, data analysis, manuscript preparation, conference presentation, manuscript publication) in addition to the required Ph.D. coursework.
I have to say the most satisfying aspect of my job is working with and mentoring PhD students and seeing them mature into top-notch researchers and succeed in our field. Our PhD programme is purposefully designed to make this happen. By the time you graduate from this programme, you should be able to develop and lead your own research programs that you will work on in collaboration with other researchers around the world and the results of which you will publish in our field's top journals. This will make you a valuable colleague at any research university.
- Kenneth Tai, Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources
Testimonials
"SMU’s PhD programme was one of the most defining experiences of my life. The programme delivers rigorous training through a curriculum that is thoughtfully designed to prepare students for long-term success. Every aspect of what we learned was purposefully structured to equip us with the skills, mindset, and confidence to thrive in our academic careers. The faculty are exceptional scholars and mentors — deeply committed, generous with their time, and unwavering in their support. They challenged me to grow while always providing guidance when I needed it. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to learn, develop, and be part of such a collegial and inspiring community."
- Hye-Jung EUN (PhD 2021). Assistant Professor, NEOMA Business School, France
"The SMU OBHR PhD programme transformed my academic approach by blending rigorous training with genuine collaboration. Beyond just research skills, it immersed me in real-world problem-solving through interactive seminars and hands-on methodology training. The global classroom - where Asian, European and American perspectives collided daily - constantly challenged my thinking. But what made it special was the human element: professors who invested in my growth, classmates who became true collaborators, and countless coffee-fueled discussions that proved academia thrives on connection. This experience didn’t just teach me scholarship - it shaped how I think, work and contribute as part of a worldwide academic community."
- Na Zhao (PhD 2023). Assistant Professor, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, China
