Ph.D. Programs

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Focused on Research and Teaching

The doctoral programs in Walton College focus on developing the student as a professional with emphasis on research and teaching. Developing the skills to conduct superior research is of paramount importance.

Our goal is for each doctoral student to have multiple publications and professional conference presentations completed at graduation. Walton College provides travel funding, eighteen hours of coursework related to research methods and analysis, and compelling faculty mentors.

Your teaching assignment begins after you have established your research base. Prior to asking you to step into the classroom, we prepare you to teach effectively by requiring participation in our Doctoral Teaching Seminar. This seminar, along with support from our Center for Teaching Effectiveness and Faculty Development, provides the resources you need to excel.

Behavioral Research Lab

The Behavioral Business Research Laboratory (BBRL) at Sam M. Walton College of Business is a resource for studying decision making in a controlled and replicable environment. The mission of the BBRL is to enhance the research capabilities of the Walton College by providing a nourishing environment to foster innovative behavioral research across business disciplines. The physical space in the Laboratory consists of a retail staging area, a computer lab, a series of breakout rooms, a conference room and a control room. Each of these spaces is outfitted with appropriate technology and sufficiently flexible to serve a wide array of research needs.

The BBRL uses a SONA system for its subject pool of 3,400 people. Most people in the pool are students along with some non-student local residents and staff at the university. Researchers can utilize the subject pool for their research studies.

Available physiological equipment in the BBRL includes Biopac MP150 data acquisition system that can be used to capture measures like galvanic skin response, ECG and heart rate. The MP150 can perform complex data acquisition, stimulation, triggering and analyses. New technologies are being added every year and we are constantly updating current equipment to ensure that our lab remains among the best in the nation.

Travel Grants to Advance Your Career

Attending conferences allows doctoral students to network within the academic community, to gain experience presenting at conferences, and to begin developing an academic identity. The Walton College provides travel grants to doctoral students to present papers at professional conferences.

Our Corporate Partners: An Unparalleled Resource

Northwest Arkansas is home to the corporate headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Tyson Foods, Inc., and J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. Additionally, over 300 Fortune 500 companies have offices close to the University. This extraordinary corporate environment gives the Walton College unrivaled access to innovative research opportunities and data sets that exist nowhere else. Walton College faculty are valuable partners in moving our corporate partners forward with fresh ideas and academic inquiry.

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Ph.D. Project

Our work with the Ph.D. Project began in 1994, and today it underscores our dedication to providing assistance and support to underrepresented students in business, so they may thrive and succeed. Through this commitment, we have been able to attract many outstanding Ph.D. students.

What kind of student should consider pursuing a Ph.D. at the Walton College?...YOU!

We have an unparalleled business environment in Northwest Arkansas, home to the headquarters of Fortune 500 companies like Walmart, Tyson, and J.B. Hunt. Approximately 1,500 national and global companies have offices here, primarily working on the Walmart/Sam's Club accounts. With more than 400 executives representing over 250 companies on our Research and Outreach advisory boards and Dean's Executive Advisory Board, our access to global corporate leaders and business data for research is extraordinary.

Why Did You Choose Walton?

The Walton College takes a holistic approach to the development of our Ph.D. students. During your first semester, you enroll in our Doctoral Teaching Seminar to give you a strong background in pedagogy and classroom management with immediate access to some of our best faculty from across the disciplines. We ensure this preparation period to provide you ample opportunity to begin working with faculty on research projects immediately.

 

A GREAT PLACE TO CALL HOME

Fayetteville, Home to the University of Arkansas, boasts a small town population of 73,372 (2010). However, the population of Northwest Arkansas surpasses 450,000, giving our small town the advantages of a major city. Fayetteville and surrounding cities are regularly ranked in publications like Money, Kiplinger's and Forbes as a "best place to live," "best place for doing business," and "hotbed of innovation."