The PhD in Business Information Systems (BIS) at Mississippi State University offers students the opportunity to learn in a challenging and dynamic academic environment. The program prepares students to conduct research and teach in a variety of academic settings, and our graduates have taken jobs at schools such as University of Cincinnati, University of Texas - San Antonio, Creighton University, Northern Illinois University, University of New Mexico, and University of Tennessee. Our faculty boasts degrees from a variety of schools that reflect a diversity of academic philosophies including University of Nebraska, Iowa State University, Florida State University, and Arizona State University.
Our doctoral program prepares students for the academic career, focusing on research, teaching and service. As an R1 research institution, we focus on helping our students develop strong research capabilities, including grounding in the theories and research methods necessary for conceiving and implementing research projects leading to manuscripts publishable in top scholarly journals. Students will write papers in their doctoral research seminars and will also work with faculty outside the classroom experiences to prepare manuscripts suitable for submission to academic conferences and scientific journals. We also support travel to academic conferences, where our students gain valuable experiences to prepare them for the academic life. Additionally, we work with our students to help them publish their dissertation papers in top journals.
Our doctoral program also emphasizes teaching, and faculty work closely with students to help them learn how to excel in the classroom. The program offers courses about teaching methodologies, and faculty provide students with teaching materials that they can adapt for many of the courses they teach. By the time doctoral students graduate, they are qualified to assume responsibility for the foundational courses that most universities expect new faculty to teach and manage, as well as more specialized or advanced courses such as programming classes, systems analysis and design, data base, analytics, and business telecommunications.
Because the doctoral program is small (6-8 students at a time), students can expect to receive one-on-one attention. They can also expect an atmosphere of camaraderie and collegiality among their fellow doctoral students. This facilitates close relationships not only during the program, but after as it is completed as well. Many of our students continue to work on research with each other and with our faculty long after they graduate. These opportunities build lasting working relationships, and a network of colleagues is becoming rarer as doctoral programs at many schools become larger and more comprehensive. Thus, the choice to pursue a PhD in Business Information Systems at Mississippi State University provides a complete, high- quality doctoral experience with a personal touch.
Contact
For specific information about the Business Information Systems PhD program at Mississippi State University, please contact the coordinator, Dr. Merrill Warkentin.
Visit MSU's Office of the Graduate School website for information on admission requirements for US students and International students.