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Welcome to the Smeal College of Business at Penn State

We can carry more as leaders when we choose the right partners.

Penn state smeal executive dba.

The measure of a business leader is the ability and ambition to grow - to get better - and, as a result, make their organization, community and world better. An effective leader has the foresight to see what's next, the intelligence and motivation to prepare for it, and the confidence to embrace it when it arrives.

The Executive Doctorate of Business Administration from the Penn State Smeal College of Business is a flexible, hybrid program designed for senior-level leaders around the globe. With Smeal as your business partner, you will develop research skills grounded in theory and methodology for impactful business application.

• Complete in 3 years
• Flexible format with blended delivery of in-person and remote learning
• Choose from 16 concentrations and opportunities to specialize
• Internationally ranked research institution
• Optional global and leadership immersions
• Personalized adviser matching to your research interests from day one

Let's go into business, together.

Don't just take our word for it.

Smeal professors rank among the best in the world.

Smeal faculty rank internationally for research productivity.

Professionals rank Smeal as one of the best for supply chain education.

DBA Program Structure

Years 1 & 2.

• Complete core courses and your chosen elective
• Attend 4-5 days of in-person instruction at Penn State's University Park campus at the start of each semester. The remaining curriculum for that semester will be delivered on alternating weekends in a highly engaging remote synchronous format.
• Complete the program's culminating capstone experience by working remotely with faculty advisors on a personalized research project or dissertation

Why partner with Penn State Smeal?

More, better options for specialization.

Penn State Smeal offers 16 different concentrations - more than any other program - and includes focus areas in business analytics, business architecture, sustainability strategy, strategic leadership, supply chain management, and more. Customize your education to be as unique as your ambitions.

An education that covers all disciplines.

Unlike most other programs that focus on a single or narrow array of business disciplines, Penn State Smeal's interdisciplinary approach will connect you with experts in accounting, finance, management & organization, marketing, risk management, and supply chain & information systems.

Reputation matters.

The AACSB-accredited Penn State Smeal College of Business is an internationally ranked research institution. Our world-class faculty are consistently ranked in the top 10 for research published in leading academic journals. We are also a proud member of the Executive DBA Council , whose mission is to foster excellence and innovation in executive doctoral programs worldwide.

DBA or Ph.D.?

A DBA is separate and distinct from a traditional Ph.D. program. Here's how you can tell the difference:

Smeal Executive Doctorate Degree

• Time to complete: 3 years
• Career objective: Advanced executive leadership and/or teaching faculty
• Scope of study: Interdisciplinary approach that covers all business disciplines with an emphasis on applied research
• Culminating project: Complete capstone research project
• Degree awarded: Doctorate of Business Administration

Smeal's Traditional Ph.D.

• Time to complete: 5-7 years (full-time)
• Career objective: Academic researcher, tenure-line faculty
• Scope of study: Singular focus in a specific business discipline with an emphasis on research and discovery
• Culminating project: Write and defend a dissertation
• Degree awarded: Doctor of Philosophy

92,000 Smeal alumni in your network. 92,000 business partners for life.

Our Penn State Smeal community is your greatest business asset. Our graduates are everywhere in the world and always in your corner - ready to open doors, offer advice and cheer you on.

Preparing you for your next great opportunity. And the one after that.

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Industrial-Organizational

Welcome to the home of Penn State Industrial/ Organizational Psychology. The I/O PhD program has a  long history and strong culture  of success as well as wonderful group of  faculty  and  graduate students  that continue that culture of success. 

Please use “Navigate to” in the top right-hand corner to learn more about our program.

Contact the I/O Area

• Graduate Office, Graduate Records
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• 814-863-1721
• 133A Moore Building, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802

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PH.D. PROGRAM

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Emphasis in Marketing

Program overview.

The goal of the Ph.D. program in Marketing is to prepare doctoral students to become productive researchers and teachers at top research universities. Students work closely with our faculty to identify areas of research interest and choose to specialize in one or more of the three core areas of Marketing:

• Consumer Behavior: focuses on developing theories to understand consumer behavior, drawing upon a blend of literature in marketing and psychology including cognitive and social psychology.
• Marketing Management and Strategy: focuses on developing theories to understand firms and markets, with an emphasis on managerial and strategic issues, and draws upon theories and methods from industrial economics, strategic management, political science, and organizational behavior.
• Marketing Models and Quantitative Methods: uses techniques from statistics, economics, computer science, management science, and operations research to develop quantitative models to solve marketing problems.

About the Marketing Department

The Smeal Marketing Department is noted for its productivity, the achievement of faculty members, and its service to the broader research community. The department is consistently ranked among the top marketing departments in the world in terms of research productivity, and prides itself on having one of the best marketing faculties in the country. The scholarship of the department’s faculty has been recognized by leading journals and associations such as the American Marketing Association and Marketing Science Institute. 

To learn more about the Marketing faculty, visit:

• Core Areas of Marketing
• Research Achievements of our Faculty

To learn more about the Marketing Ph.D. Program, visit:

• Marketing Program Structure
• Marketing Department Frequently Asked Questions

For more information on the Smeal Ph.D. Emphasis in Marketing, contact:

Dr. Stefan Wuyts Professor, Director of  Institute for the Study of Business Markets Ph.D. Program Coordinator Department of Marketing Smeal College of Business The Pennsylvania State University 435 Business Building University Park PA 16802-3603 Telephone: 814-867-0226 E-mail: [email protected]

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Earn a Penn State master’s degree through stackable credentials

Online learners can now earn multiple Penn State credentials while working toward master’s degrees in eight academic areas through stackable credentials.

Students can complete graduate certificates in fields of study like engineering, artificial intelligence, information science, data analytics, and human resources.

The certificates and degrees that can be earned by stacking credentials are being offered through Penn State World Campus, which has been providing a Penn State education online for more than 25 years.

Through stackable credentials , a student takes courses in sequence to complete a graduate-level certificate of either 9 or 12 credits. Some certificates can be completed in a year or less. The certificates can be combined, or stacked, in the same discipline toward the completion of one of eight master’s degrees.

The goal is to streamline the time it takes for students to get a credential they can use to market themselves to employers with their new skills and knowledge.

27 graduate certificates in 8 academic disciplines

Students who use the stackable credential pathways can choose from a comprehensive selection of 27 graduate certificates offered through eight master's degree programs.

By stacking credentials to earn the certificates, students can gain in-demand, employer-desired skills as they seek to upskill themselves and advance their careers.

Stackable credentials are available in the following master’s degree programs:

• Artificial Intelligence
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Earn multiple credentials while getting a Penn State master’s degree

Penn State’s stackable credentials through Penn State World Campus provide a new path for working adults to earn a master’s degree. Students can, for the first time, complete a master's degree by stacking credentials to earn multiple graduate certificates.

For example, someone interested in artificial intelligence can use the stackable credentials pathway to earn a master's degree through three certificates. The first certificate that can be completed is the foundations of artificial intelligence, which consists of courses in the foundations, analytics programming in Python, predictive analytics, and applied statistics.

The student would complete two additional certificates, natural language processing and computer vision, plus the required capstone course to earn the master’s in artificial intelligence.

Students interested in a degree program must apply and be accepted prior to completing 15 credits.

Once an applicant is accepted to enroll in one of the certificate or degree programs among the participating stackable credentials programs , the application fee for any associated programs in the stackable credential pathway will automatically be waived.

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Penn State World Campus offers a Penn State education online, with a comprehensive selection of more than 200 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs.

The stackable credential program is the latest addition to the academic portfolio, which includes programs in business, health care and nursing, the liberal arts, engineering, communications, and more.

Learn more about earning stackable credentials online from Penn State through Penn State World Campus.

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Management, B.S. (Business)

Program Code: MGMT_BS

At which campus can I study this program?

Begin Campus

Any Penn State Campus

University Park

Program description.

This major provides students with knowledge and skills managers need to deal with contemporary management challenges, such as leading and motivating people of different ages and backgrounds, developing strategies for competing in the global economy, and balancing the interest of multiple stakeholders in a complex legal, political, and ethical environment. The management core provides a foundational knowledge, skills and competencies essential for being effective and ethical managers and strategic leaders of organizations in a global environment. Students then choose from a host of electives designed to provide the requisite supplementary knowledge, skills and abilities for a wide range of career trajectories.

What is Management?

Organizations need managers and leaders: people who can effectively lead organizations and manage the people in them, as well as develop and implement strategies that will lead to success. Management majors gain the knowledge and skills that will enable them to deal with the contemporary challenges facing organizations including leading and motivating people, working effectively in teams, developing effective organizational cultures, thinking ethically, inclusively, strategically, and sustainably, balancing the interests of multiple stakeholders in complex, legal, political, and ethical environments, and leading change.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT

Entrance to Major

To be eligible for entrance into the Management (MGMT) major, a degree candidate must be enrolled at Penn State as a pre-major in the Smeal College of Business or the Division of Undergraduate Studies and satisfy requirements for entrance to the major.

Administrative Enrollment Controls

This program currently has administrative enrollment controls. Administrative Enrollment Controls are initiated when limitations of space, faculty, or other resources in a major prevent accommodating all students who request them. Students must follow the administrative enrollment controls that are in effect for the semester that they enter the university.

First-Year Students Entering Summer 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025

In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, students must satisfy the following requirements:

• 36-59 graded Penn State credits (excludes transfer and AP credits)
• English - ENGL 15 or ENGL 30H or ESL 15 or ENGL 137H or CAS 137H
• Mathematics - MATH 110 or MATH 140 or MATH 140B
• Statistics - SCM 200 or SCM 200H or STAT 200
• completed ECON 102 or ECON 102H
• Accounting - ACCTG 211 or ACCTG 211H
• Management - MGMT 301 or MGMT 301H or MGMT 301M or MGMT 301W
• Marketing - MKTG 301 or MKTG 301H or MKTG 301W
• Finance - FIN 301 or FIN 301H
• earned a minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.20

Students Who Entered Prior to Summer 2024

Students who entered the University from Summer 2018 through Spring 2024 should view the administrative enrollment controls in the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin archive . Students who entered the University prior to the summer 2018 semester should consult with their academic adviser about the administrative enrollment controls in effect for the semester they entered the university.

Degree Completion

Students accepted into the Management major are expected to enroll at University Park the fall semester after gaining entrance to the major. In addition, Senate Policy 83-80.5 stipulates that the college dean and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken in the college where the degree is earned. Based on this policy, the Smeal College of Business has set the following credit earning limitations for MGMT majors:

• Eighteen credits of 300/400 level prescribed and additional courses in the major field must be completed with Management faculty at University Park.
• Six additional credits of 300/400 level related and supporting courses must also be completed at University Park. See the Management Suggested Academic Plan for details.

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Science degree in Management, a minimum of 120 credits is required with at least 15 credits at the 400 level:

15 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 6 credits of GWS courses (( ENGL 15 or ENGL 30H or ENGL 137H / CAS 137H or ESL 15 ) and ENGL 202D ); 6 credits of GQ courses ( MATH 110 or MATH 140 and SCM 200 or STAT 200 ); 3 credits of GS courses ( ECON 102 )).

Requirements for the Major

To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44 .

General Education

Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.

Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

• Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
• Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits

Breadth in the Knowledge Domains (Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

• Arts (GA): 3 credits
• Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
• Humanities (GH): 3 credits
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
• Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits

Integrative Studies

• Inter-Domain Courses (Inter-Domain): 6 credits

Exploration

• GN, may be completed with Inter-Domain courses: 3 credits
• GA, GH, GN, GS, Inter-Domain courses. This may include 3 credits of World Language course work beyond the 12th credit level or the requirements for the student’s degree program, whichever is higher : 6 credits

University Degree Requirements

First year engagement.

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

• United States Cultures: 3 credits
• International Cultures: 3 credits

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80 ). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

Advising Center Smeal College Undergraduate Education 202 Business Building University Park, PA 16802 814-863-1947 [email protected]

Suggested Academic Plan

The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2024-25 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition.

Management, B.S. at University Park Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

Course requires a grade of C or better

Entrance-to-Major Course – complete prior to attaining 59 cumulative credits at Penn State

Attain 12 th credit level proficiency in a world language (0-12 credits). Credits required vary based on predetermined skill level. Balance of remaining credits are taken as electives. American Sign Language does not satisfy the Smeal College world language requirement.

When planning general education and elective courses, students should factor in the following requirements:

• 3 credits of United States Culture (US)
• 3 credits of International Culture (IL)
• 6 credits of Inter-Domain (N) coursework

See the Business Breadth Course list on the Smeal College website.

See the Management Department website for the list of MGMT electives.

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H / CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T / CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15 / ENGL 30H and CAS 100A / CAS 100B / CAS 100C . Each course is 3 credits.

College and Department Notes:

• The Smeal College of Business requires that the following entrance-to-major courses be taken at Penn State: ACCTG 211 , MGMT 301 , MKTG 301 , and FIN 301 .
• Pursuant to the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation standards, the Smeal College of Business requires that all upper division courses within the departments sponsoring the major be completed in residence at University Park under the instruction of Smeal College faculty.

Management, B.S. at Commonwealth Campuses

Career Paths

The Management major prepares students for a variety of career opportunities. Management majors typically find positions across a wide variety of industries in leadership development and rotational programs, corporate human capital management, and consulting; small business management/leadership; and retail, sports, entertainment, or healthcare management. Management majors also pursue graduate school.

Accreditation

The Smeal College of Business B.S. degree in Management (MGMT_BS) is recognized by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) as an accredited program after completing a meticulous internal review and meeting all AACSB standards and requirements.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION TO ADVANCE COLLEGIATE SCHOOLS OF BUSINESS

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 452 Business Building University Park, PA 16802 814-865-1789 [email protected]

https://www.smeal.psu.edu/management

Ask A Question: https://directory.smeal.psu.edu/contact/mando

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