Ph.D. Programs
“I would describe our Ph.D. candidates as intellectually curious, inventive and passionate in both research and academic pursuits. Through their hard work, they have advanced and encouraged our students, industry and the University of Arkansas as a whole.
The Carnegie Foundation ranks the University of Arkansas as having the highest possible level of research, placing us in the top 3% of colleges and universities nationwide. Our Ph.D. students contribute to this recognition and to Walton College’s mission of advancing and disseminating business knowledge. They cultivate and display innovation in their research, classrooms and their respective industries.”
- Dean Brent Williams
Collaboration and Support
Doctoral programs at the Sam M. Walton College of Business are supported with strong financial, physical and intellectual resources in an unparalleled collegial atmosphere. Each program is designed to prepare selected students for careers in academia or government/industry research. Walton College faculty are committed to moving doctoral students’ careers forward with opportunities for collaborative research and effective teaching.
At Walton College, the goal for each doctoral student is to create multiple opportunities for publications and professional conference presentations prior to graduation. Walton College provides travel funding, eighteen hours of coursework related to research methods and analysis, and compelling faculty mentors.
Prior to stepping into the classroom, we prepare students 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 students need to excel. Small teaching loads create an environment that allows Ph.D. candidates to concurrently hone research skills.
Ph.D. Programs
Accounting
We offer a four-year Ph.D. program in accounting for students interested in archival research. Topical areas primarily supported include audit, data analytics, financial accounting, information systems and tax. According to BYU’s accounting research rankings, research productivity among recent graduates from our program (over the past 9 years) ranks between 9th and 12th globally.Since 1985, the William Dillard Department of Accounting has held the first (and to date, the only) accounting undergraduate and master’s programs in the state of Arkansas to be accredited by the AACSB. Its Ph.D. program was launched in the 1950s under the leadership of Professor Nolan Williams. It was then--and still is--the only accounting doctoral program in the state of Arkansas.
Economics
The economic doctoral program for the Department of Economics at Walton College focuses on two main research areas: international trade/development and behavioral/experimental economics.
Through the doctoral program, students gain technical proficiency in core disciplines, learn to develop independent models and undertake empirical research in an applied field of study. Students benefit from our Behavioral Business Research Lab – an interdisciplinary resource for studying human behavior and decision making – and enjoy Walton College’s strong connection with industry.
We are proud of our career placements for recent graduates. Our doctoral students have advanced their careers in:
- Academia (West Virginia University, University of Pittsburgh, Western Illinois and others),
- Government (Federal Energy Regulatory Committee, U.S. Trade Administration, U.S. Energy Information Administration), and
- Industry (Walmart, Amazon, Arkansas Blue Cross/Blue Shield)
Finance
Doctoral students in the Department of Finance focus on the areas of corporate finance, investments and financial institutions. They gain the concepts and skills needed to conduct independent research through apprenticeships with faculty.
Our faculty’s research focus is on financial management, real options, investments, hedge funds, mutual funds, portfolio management, artificial intelligence, venture funding, bank risk, financial crises and corporate finance. Their research has been in top business publications such as the Journal of Finance, Financial Review, Journal of Economics and Business, Journal of Banking Regulation, Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Financial Management, Journal of Corporate Finance, Review of Economic Design and Journal of International Business Studies.
Information Systems
A degree from the Department of Information Systems offers students many opportunities to be part of a program comprised of outstanding faculty, a positive nurturing environment, a structure that is geared toward students’ scholarly development, and a long rich tradition of student success.
- Over the past 10+ years, the department has been consistently ranked in the top five programs globally based on publications in premier IS journals.
- Students collaborate with faculty while learning to conduct independent research.
- Students work on cutting-edge topics (e.g., artificial intelligence, digital impacts, metaverse) that address important business problems.
- We offer competitive stipends for the duration of the program.
- Our outstanding faculty are thought leaders in the field, have broad expertise in a variety of IS research topics, and have held top positions in professional entities (e.g., program or conference chairs, editors of major journals).
- We offer seven dedicated field-based research and methods seminars taught by top scholars in the IS field.
- We are the only department to have two AIS LEO Award Winners for lifetime achievement and four AIS Fellows.
- Students have access to a world-class Enterprise Systems infrastructure.
- Our graduates have held positions at prominent universities, such as Indiana, Pittsburgh, HEC, UNLV, Cincinnati, and McGill.
- The Walton College has access to organizations such as Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, IBM, and Microsoft.
- Students can conduct research through centers such as the Behavioral Business Research Lab.
Two independent international rankings from Research.com, an international academic platform created to assist researchers, and Elsevier, a Dutch publishing and analytics company, highlight several faculty members from the Department of Information Systems as some of the most cited information systems researchers in the world in 2023. Those faculty include Distinguished Professors Varun Grover, Mary Lacity and Rajiv Sabherwal.
Marketing
The main focuses for the Department of Marketing’s research are relationship marketing, retail/sales/services, branding, consumer decision-making and digital marketing. The primary objective of the Ph.D. in Marketing is to prepare candidates for academic careers in research, teaching and service at universities. Candidates for the Ph.D. in marketing will study a variety of areas within marketing in research methods, quantitative and qualitative analyses and foundational areas including, but not limited to, marketing strategy, marketing theory, marketing communications, consumer behavior, retailing, pricing, sales/sales management and their area of focus/specialization. Students get the opportunity to work with scholars who have published in the Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research and Journal of Consumer Research.
Over the period of 2020-2024, we are ranked #73 in North America for number of publications in the four premier marketing journals according to the UTD Research Ranking. The department offers a collaborative environment to conduct research with top scholars and supported through our Behavioral Business Research Lab, a unique facility to study human behavior and decision making.
Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Venture Innovation
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Resources for International Scholars
The University of Arkansas and Walton College value the contributions and culture of students from around the world. International Students and Scholars (ISS), a department within the University’s Graduate School and International Education division, helps students integrate into our campus culture. They host events and provide basic information regarding on or off-campus living, bus schedules, visa and immigration policies and more.
Take a few moments to learn more about the ISS office. They can answer your questions about:
- housing,
- health insurance and immunizations,
- non-resident taxes and Social Security Numbers,
- graduate assistantships and other important information to know before you arrive!
Walton College Resources
Why Northwest Arkansas?
The University of Arkansas is in the northwest corner of Arkansas, nestled in hills of the Ozark Mountains and surrounded by a thriving business community. Three Fortune 500 companies – Walmart, J.B. Hunt Transport Services and Tyson Foods – make Northwest Arkansas their home. These industry giants and hundreds of their vendors contribute to the dynamic business environment our students enjoy.
The region is also known for its natural beauty, complete with majestic mountains, clear lakes and rivers and outstanding outdoor recreation. Northwest Arkansas claims the Crystal Bridges art museum, the Walton Arts Center live theatrical performances and the Walmart AMP concerts, adding to the area’s cultural, theatrical and musical entertainment scene.
Learn why Northwest Arkansas is a great place to live!
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Cost and Funding Resources
It is never too early to start looking for funding resources — even if you are not yet enrolled in a graduate program.
Financial Resources
Assistantships
Students admitted to a Walton College Ph.D. program may receive graduate assistantship funding which includes a full tuition waiver and an annual stipend. Highly qualified students may be nominated for fellowship funding in addition to the assistantship award. Learn more.
University Resources
The University of Arkansas Graduate School and International Education outlines in great detail the many types of financial assistance available to qualified graduate students.
Fellowships
Highly qualified students may be nominated for fellowship funding in addition to an assistantship. Visit Graduate School and International Education for details.
Financial Aid
U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens can apply for student loans. To apply, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Visit the Office of Financial Aid to learn more.
The University of Arkansas Graduate School and International Education outlines in great detail the many types of financial assistance available to qualified students.
Important Deadlines
Important Deadlines
Find application deadlines, program duration, required entrance test and required summer courses for each Ph.D. degree. Learn more.