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The PhD program at the Leeds School of Business is designed to educate scholars for work as faculty members at other top-tier, research-oriented business schools in the United States and around the world. It is not intended to train individuals whose primary interest is teaching, or who desire to return to work in business and industry.

The LeedsÌýPhD Program is a demanding full-time program intended to train students for a lifetime of scholarship. Given its demands, it is not possible or reasonable to work full-time or part-time in another activity and successfully complete a doctorate at the Leeds School at the same time.

No. Our program is full-time and requires students to be in residence at least during the coursework phase of the program. Most students remain in residence throughout their entire program.

No. A widespread policy of universities around the country is that doctoral programs do not hire their own graduates. This insures that programs do not become ingrown and that scholarship is disseminated widely.

Students applying to the Leeds PhD Program must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited university or college. A masters-level degree is not required. Previous academic studies do not need to be in business, economics, or related fields. Leeds PhD students come from diverse backgrounds including engineering, psychology, political science, other liberal arts, and the sciences. A complete description of the application process can be found on the How to Apply Page.

We evaluate applicants based on their potential to become leading scholars, considering academic performance, test scores, work experience, and indicators of research ability and perseverance. Admission also depends on alignment between an applicant’s research interests and faculty expertise, as students must be supported by faculty mentors. This does not reflect on the applicant’s qualifications, but rather on fit and research support. Admission decisions are holistic and inherently subjective, so no specific credentials guarantee acceptance. Ìý

Application fee waivers are considered in limited cases. Not all program areas offer fee waivers each year. If available, most require a copy of your GMAT or GRE score report before consideration. Applicants to the Information Systems area must first establish faculty support before a waiver will be considered. Please submit your GMAT/GRE scores with your request for an application fee waiver to LeedsPhD@colorado.edu. Ìý

Yes, you must submit either GMAT or GRE official scores that are less than 5 years old regardless of your previous educational experience.ÌýThe GMAT/GRE will only be waived if you have a PhD in a related field.

The language requirement will be waived if your native language is English. International applicants should submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores that are less than 2 years old. For more information about English language requirements, please click here.

No, you do not need to have an advanced degree for admittance to the Leeds PhD Program. Many of our students enter the program with an undergraduate degree only. However, a graduate degree may help your application by demonstrating a foundation for advanced doctoral level work and by indicating your ability to do graduate-level work.

Work experience is not a prerequisite for admission to the Leeds PhD Program, but relevant experience can demonstrate a useful foundation for advanced doctoral level scholarship. Many of our students have worked for at least several years before joining our program.

Admission to any top doctoral program is highly selective and the Leeds PhD Program is no exception. We receive hundreds of applications annually, but can admit an average of only two students per area. Actual admission ratios vary by year and by area.

We admit students once a year. Application materials are due inÌýDecemberÌýfor admission the following fall semester. We typically do not admit studentsÌýfor a spring semester start.

Finalists for admission will be invited to campus in the spring; however, you are welcome to schedule a visit earlier on your own. Campus tours are available from the university's Office of Admission.

No. We cannot offer evaluations or assessments to prospective applicants, nor can we offer feedback on anyone’s likelihood of being admitted prior to receiving a complete application. The admissions decisions are made by a faculty committee in each program area and offers of admission are awarded on a competitive basis, after evaluating all applications. We encourage all interested applicants to apply.

During the first two years, PhD students are enrolled in coursework while also working as research or teaching assistants. Starting in the third year, the structure shifts significantly as students focus primarily on independent research. Because research is exploratory by nature, the path forward is often unclear. Success requires self-motivation, perseverance, and a high level of independence.Ìý

You will need to complete at least 30 credit hours (10 courses) of graduate-level coursework and 30 hours of dissertation credit while enrolled in the LeedsÌýPhD Program. Many students take additional courses beyond this minimum in order to provide a better foundation for their dissertation research. Your curriculum will be determined by the requirements of your doctoral area, by your research interests, and by the advice of your doctoral advisors.

You are eligible to transfer up to 9 credit hours into the Leeds PhD Program, onlyÌýafterÌýone semester of the PhD program has been completed.ÌýThe eligibility of transfer credits is determined by your area of study, by the faculty in your area, and by your research interests. Transfer credit must also be approved by the Graduate School. Approval of transfer credit cannot be done prior to admission. Doctoral students generally take 30 credit-hours of graduate coursework at CU regardless of their previous studies.

A fundamental part of a doctoral education is working closely with faculty on research projects. For the first several years of your program, you will work closely with faculty members on their research projects as a research assistant and during the summers on joint research papers. As you develop your dissertation, you will begin to work more independently, but still under guidance of your faculty advisors. Beyond graduation, many doctoral students choose to work with their dissertation advisors on ongoing research projects.

Yes. All Leeds PhD students are assigned an office space, typically shared with others in their program area cohort.

Leeds does not provide computers or laptops for doctoral students. However, monitors, keyboards, and mice may be borrowed through Leeds Technology Services. Printers and copiers are also available for student use.Ìý

PhD students can earn additional money through paid summer teaching and summer research fellowships. Students must be careful to balance the demands of their doctoral studies with the amount of additional work that they take on.