Graduate Catalog

2006-07 Academic Year

College of Business Administration

Marcia Staff, Regents Professor of Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Law in classroom with student.

Main Office
Business Administration Building, Room 229
P.O. Box 311160
Denton, TX 76203-1160
(940) 369-8977
Fax: (940) 369-8978

E-mail: MBA@cobaf.unt.edu

Web site: www.coba.unt.edu/advising/MBA

Kathleen B. Cooper, Dean

Mary Thibodeaux, Associate Dean

Cengiz Capan, Associate Dean

Derrick D’Souza, Associate Dean

Mission

The mission of the University of North Texas College of Business Administration is to create, extend, and transfer knowledge through bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral education, research, service and collaboration with the larger business community.

Vision

The Vision of the University of North Texas College of Business Administration is to be the leading comprehensive college of business administration in the North Texas region and to have a national and international reputation. We will produce graduates who have the capabilities, knowledge and character to succeed in their chosen fields in today’s technological and global business environment. We will support faculty who produce quality scholarly work that enhances the educational experience of our students and is of value to business. We will provide outreach services to alumni and other relevant stakeholders.

The College of Business Administration offers graduate programs leading to the following degrees:

Concentrations at the master’s level are available in accounting, strategic management, health services management, organizational behavior and human resource management, marketing, operations and supply chain management, logistics and supply chain management, e-business, decision sciences, decision technology and information technology.

The college is accredited by the AACSB International — The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business [777 South Harbour Island Blvd., Suite 750, Tampa, FL 33602; (813) 769-6500] at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

The Department of Accounting holds professional accreditation by the AACSB International — The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Responding to a great demand by people employed in the Dallas–Fort Worth–Denton area, the College of Business Administration inaugurated an evening schedule of graduate classes in 1960. Since that time, individuals employed on a full-time basis have been able to earn Master of Business Administration or Master of Science degrees by scheduling classes entirely in the evenings. Courses are also available in the afternoon, online and on Saturdays.

For further information about evening and Saturday classes, contact the College of Business Administration (COBA) Graduate Programs Office or the dean of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies.

Admission Requirements

Admission Deadlines

Before being admitted to either a master’s or a doctoral program in the College of Business Administration, the applicant must meet the requirements for admission to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies.

All students seeking on-time registration must submit application materials according to the dates specified in the Admission section of this catalog. PhD candidates must submit application materials by April 1 to be considered for the following fall. Students submitting applications after these dates, if accepted, will have to register during the late registration period and pay a late registration fee.

Criteria for Admission to Master’s Degree Programs

In the determination of an applicant’s eligibility for admission to the College of Business Administration for the MBA/MS degree, the following measures are of critical importance.

1. Overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) or GPA on approximately the last 60 semester hours. (The academic record must meet minimum requirements of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies.)

2. A satisfactory score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Scores more than 10 years old (seven years for the Master of Science with a major in accounting) at the time of application for admission will not be considered.

3. Applicants whose native language is not English must either present a score of at least 550 (paper version) or 213 (computer version) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language or be a graduate of a college or university in the United States.

Procedure for Applying

Students may enter the master’s degree programs at the beginning of any term/semester or summer sessions. Applicants should complete the requirements listed below and meet the deadlines set forth in “Admission Deadlines” above.

1. Obtain admission to the university and the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies by filing the following items with the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies:

a. complete official transcripts of college and university credits;

b. online application for admission to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies; and

c. results of the Graduate Management Admission Test.

Information about the GMAT may be obtained from the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies or the COBA Graduate Programs Office. Undergraduate students who intend to enter a master’s degree program in the College of Business Administration should take the GMAT in the final term/semester of the senior year. Students who hold an undergraduate degree and intend to enter a master’s degree program in the College of Business Administration must file a GMAT score in sufficient time for the graduate admission application to be considered prior to the term/semester of intended first enrollment.

2. The following additional admission materials are submitted to the COBA Graduate Programs Office:

a. essay – please share with the admissions committee any unique events, life experiences, and qualifications that you feel distinguish your candidacy and will add value to the class;

b. three letters of recommendation; and

c. resume (work/academic experience). Applications forwarded by the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies cannot be considered until the above information is submitted.

Applications and supporting documentation will be reviewed by the COBA admission committee. The Graduate Programs Office will notify applicants of their status once the information has been reviewed. Applicants may also check the status by visiting my.unt.edu.

Students admitted under the graduate non-degree (GNDE) classification may take up to 12 hours of 5000-level business courses prior to admission in the MBA or MS programs. The 12 hours chosen may consist of the background courses or the 36 hours required of the MBA/MS degree. No additional 5000-level business courses may be taken prior to admission to a graduate degree program. See the graduate academic adviser for further information.

Comprehensive Examination

Candidates in all business administration MBA degree programs and the MS accounting program are required to complete BUSI 5190, Administrative Strategy, with a minimum grade of C for the course and a minimum grade of B for the comprehensive experience. Candidates in the MS programs will take a capstone course specified by the major. These courses must be taken during the student’s last term/semester in order to meet the comprehensive examination requirement of the College of Business Administration and the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies.

The COBA Graduate Programs Office can furnish information concerning the comprehensive examination.

Minimum Academic Standards for Master’s Students

The master’s programs in the College of Business Administration require that a student maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) or better. The master’s program committee of the College of Business Administration will recommend withdrawal of a student from the master’s program if the student receives two course grades below C (for purposes of this rule, the first grade received in a course is used).

Master’s students may not graduate with more than two C’s in their program requirements, although a course may be repeated to raise a grade of C or less.

Master’s students whose academic performance falls below a cumulative 3.0 GPA on all graduate work attempted will be notified by the COBA Graduate Programs Office that they have been placed on academic probation. Probationary students will be blocked for registration purposes and must meet with their departmental adviser to have the block removed. Students who register for courses other than those permitted by advisement will be administratively withdrawn from the courses.

The probation status is removed when the student’s cumulative GPA on all graduate work attempted has been raised to 3.0 or better.

Students will remain on probation and be allowed to re-enroll for a subsequent term/semester as long as they achieve a minimum 3.0 GPA on all graduate work attempted during the term/semester even if their overall graduate GPA remains under 3.0.

Students on probation who fail to make a 3.0 GPA in graduate work attempted during a term/semester (fall, spring or summer) will be notified by the COBA Graduate Programs Office that they have been placed on academic suspension for one long term/semester (fall, spring or summer) during which the student may not enroll at UNT.

Probationary students who have previously been placed on suspension will be notified by the COBA Graduate Programs Office that they have been terminated from the program should they fail to make a 3.0 GPA on all graduate work attempted during an academic term/semester (fall, spring or summer). A suspended student may reapply to a College of Business Administration master’s program after a period of three years from the date of suspension.

Course work taken at another university by a student on suspension cannot be applied toward the degree program.

Degree Programs

Master of Business Administration

Objectives

The complexities of the economic, social and scientific world of today are increasing the demand of the business community for students with advanced business degrees. The overall objective of the graduate program leading to the Master of Business Administration degree is to prepare its graduates to serve effectively in the business world or in the business aspects of government or other agencies. The specific objectives are as follows:

1. to provide the candidate with the theory, principles and knowledge required for effective management of modern business;

2. to develop an appreciation for the role and responsibilities of business leaders in the social and economic order; and

3. to foster the techniques of basing decision and action on careful analysis of pertinent data.

Background Requirements

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and admission to the UNT Toulouse School of Graduate Studies are needed for graduate standing. The Master of Business Administration degree requires, as a minimum background, the equivalent of the Common Body of Knowledge in Business Administration. Students may have acquired this background in their undergraduate programs by the completion of courses equivalent in content to UNT’s business foundation requirements for the bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Graduate students should remove any deficiencies by completing special courses at the 5000 level designed for this purpose. Contact the COBA Graduate Programs Office for any current changes in these courses. These graduate courses in the College of Business Administration, plus the background courses in economics and mathematics follow.

In addition to the core topics shown above, the nature of the MBA program requires that the student possess a proficiency in computer skills, including word processing, spreadsheet and database software. Finally, the program requires students to possess communication skills that allow one to identify relevant information and, in turn, to provide that information to others in written or verbal format. It is the student’s responsibility to acquire these competencies prior to taking courses in the program of study. These competencies will be assumed. However, the departmental advisers will recommend courses for students not possessing the competencies.

Additional advanced undergraduate courses in the proposed major field may be required as prerequisite work of students who have a different specialization at the undergraduate level or who hold a bachelor’s degree in some area other than business administration.

Background requirements must be removed prior to enrollment in courses that count as part of the 36 semester hours required for a master’s degree, unless the consent of the departmental adviser is first obtained.

Program Requirements

Students are required to complete the following core courses.

The remaining 18 hours of graduate course work may be used to pursue specialized interests in the following areas of concentration.

Program Approval

Each graduate student must receive counseling prior to registration each term/semester.

During the first term/semester of a master’s program, the student must submit a degree plan through the departmental adviser. The degree plan must be approved by the associate dean of the COBA Graduate Programs Office and by the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies. A maximum of 9 hours of transfer work may be applied toward the 36-hour portion of the program. The final decision on applicability of transfer work rests with the departmental adviser.

To enroll in graduate courses, the student must be counseled by a departmental adviser. Any degree plan change must have prior consent. Specific information about degree plan changes may be obtained from the departmental adviser or the COBA Graduate Programs Office.

Admission to candidacy is granted by the dean of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies only after the degree plan has been approved.

Concentrations for the MBA Degree

The terms concentrations (MBA degree programs) and majors (MS degree programs) are used to designate the primary area of study.

For specific course and concentration/major requirements, see the respective departmental sections that follow.

Master of Science with a Major in Accounting

The Master of Science with a major in accounting is designed to provide an appropriate base of knowledge for entry into the accounting profession. Students earning this degree will have completed an educational program consistent with recommendations from professional accountants and accounting educators, and will be prepared for entry into careers as professional accountants either in the public or private sector.

The program is open to any qualified student who has an interest in professional accounting, regardless of the student’s previous program of study. Every student completing the program will have fulfilled the professional program requirements outlined below.

Prospective students may contact the COBA Graduate Programs Office for an estimate of the program requirements and the length of time required to complete the program.

Admission Requirements

Students may apply for admission to the MS program in either of two ways. Students pursuing the five-year, 150-semester-hour program are admitted to the graduate portion of the program upon satisfactory completion of 103 hours of the 114-hour undergraduate portion of the professional program. Students who previously have earned a baccalaureate (or higher) degree from an accredited institution in any discipline may apply for admission directly to the graduate portion of the program.

Students who meet the following requirements may be admitted to the MS with a major in accounting program:

1. admission to UNT and to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies as specified previously in this section; and

2. The following additional admission materials are submitted to the COBA Graduate Programs Office:

a. essay – Please share with the admissions committee any unique events, life experiences, and qualifications that you feel distinguish your candidacy and will add value to the class;

b. three letters of recommendation; and

c. resume (work/academic experience).

Applications forwarded by the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies cannot be considered until the above information is submitted.

The applications and supporting documentation will be reviewed by the COBA admission committee. The Graduate Programs Office will notify applicants of their status once the information has been reviewed. Applicants may also check the status by visiting my.unt.edu.

Degree Requirements

The student earning the MS with a major in accounting must meet the following requirements:

1. completion of leveling courses in accounting and business as necessary;

2. completion of at least 36 semester hours of graduate work beyond leveling courses assigned by the department;

3. a GPA of at least a 3.0 on all graduate work taken at UNT;

4. a GPA of at least a 3.0 on all accounting courses taken at UNT after admission to graduate school;

5. a GPA of at least a 3.0 on all courses taken for graduate credit;

6. at least 15 hours in 5000-level accounting courses at UNT; and

7. minimum academic standards for master’s students.

Background Courses

Students entering the MS with a major in accounting, after obtaining an undergraduate degree, may need to complete background courses in accounting or business before beginning the 36-hour program of study. Some or all of the following courses may be assigned to remedy deficiencies.

For all graduate courses it is presumed that the student has completed general and/or accounting deficiency course work as assigned upon admission.

The Professional Program

The 36-hour program for the MS in accounting varies with the concentration chosen. However, a minimum of 15 semester hours of 5000-level accounting must be taken. General requirements include the following:

Accounting Requirements
Other Requirements

Presently the department offers concentrations in:

Detailed information on requirements of each concentration is available from the COBA Graduate Programs Office.

Students with areas of interest not represented above are invited to consult with an accounting adviser.

Master of Science with a Major in Taxation

Detailed information on requirements for this major are available from the College of Business Administration Graduate Programs Office.

Master of Science with a Major in Decision Technologies

The Master of Science with a major in decision technologies is designed to provide an appropriate base of knowledge for entry into the decision sciences profession. The program is intended for those students who desire a strong, specialist degree in operational and strategic decision making. Decision technologies blends theory and application, using modeling techniques to structure management problems and decisions. It combines information technology, computer science, statistics, management science, operations research and problem solving. Decision technologies studies individual and group decision making, expert and decision support systems, and human interaction with technology in all areas of business. Because of its specialization and focus, the Master of Science with a major in decision technologies differs significantly from an MBA program, which is designed for those students who desire a more general management background.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking a Master of Science with a major in decision technologies must satisfy the admission requirements of the College of Business Administration.

Degree Requirements

The student earning the MS with a major in decision technologies must meet the following requirements:

1. completion of background courses in BCIS and business as necessary;

2. completion of at least 36 semester hours of graduate work beyond background courses assigned by the department;

3. a GPA of at least a 3.0 on all graduate work taken at UNT;

4. a GPA of at least a 3.0 on all BCIS courses taken at UNT after admission to graduate school;

5. a GPA of at least a 3.0 on all courses taken for graduate credit; and

6. minimum academic standards for master’s students.

Background Requirements

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and admission to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies are needed for graduate standing. The Master of Science with a major in decision technologies degree requires the following business courses:

Students may have acquired this background in their undergraduate programs by the completion of courses equivalent in content to UNT’s business foundation requirements for the bachelor’s degree in business administration. In addition, students are required to have a working knowledge of computer-based business tools and at least one course in a programming language (C, C++, COBOL or a similar language).

Program Requirements

Foundation Sequence (12 hours)
Major Elective Sequence (12 hours)
Application (12 hours)

Twelve hours of electives must be selected from business, computer science or engineering technology that are technically oriented, complementary to the program and approved by the department as elective courses.

Students who have already taken the equivalent of any foundation course will substitute an appropriate course, subject to approval by the Department of Information Technology and Decision Sciences.

Master of Science with a Major in Finance

The Master of Science with a major in finance is designed to provide advanced study for the person interested in developing skills in this specific area. Intended for students desiring a strong concentration in finance, the focus of the program allows the student to gain considerable expertise in the area in a relatively short period of time. A minimum of 30 hours is required to complete the program.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking a Master of Science with a major in finance must satisfy the admission requirements of the College of Business Administration.

Background Requirements

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and admission to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies are needed for graduate standing. Students who do not have a bachelor’s degree in a business field from an accredited institution may be required to complete some or all of the following courses as determined by the department:

Degree Requirements

Required Courses (15 hours)
Elective Courses

Students will select at least four elective courses to complete at least 27 hours of the minimum 30-hour requirement for the degree. The capstone course below comprises the remaining 3 hours. DSCI 5180 is the only prerequisite course that may be used as an elective. The following are some possible elective choices, but other courses would be considered subject to the approval of the major field adviser.

Capstone Course (3 hours)

Prerequisites for the capstone course are FINA 5210, 5310, 5400 and 5500. This course must be taken your final term/semester.

Master of Science with a Major in Information Technologies

The Master of Science with a major in information technologies is designed to provide an appropriate base of knowledge for entry into the management information systems profession. The program is intended for those students who desire a strong, specialist degree in the strategic management of information technology. Because of its specialization and focus, the Master of Science with a major in information technologies differs significantly from an MBA program, which is designed for those students who desire a more general management background.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking a Master of Science with a major in information technologies must satisfy the admission requirements of the College of Business Administration.

Degree Requirements

The student earning the MS with a major in information technologies must meet the following requirements:

1. completion of leveling courses in BCIS and business as necessary;

2. completion of at least 36 semester hours of graduate work beyond leveling courses assigned by the department;

3. a GPA of at least a 3.0 on all graduate work taken at UNT;

4. a GPA of at least a 3.0 on all BCIS courses taken at UNT after admission to graduate school;

5. a GPA of at least a 3.0 on all courses taken for graduate credit; and

6. minimum academic standards for master’s students.

Background Requirements

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and admission to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies are needed for graduate standing. The Master of Science with a major in information technologies degree requires the following business courses:

Students may have acquired this background in their undergraduate programs by the completion of courses equivalent in content to UNT’s business foundation requirements for the bachelor’s degree in business administration. In addition students are required to have a working knowledge of computer-based business tools and at least one course in a programming language (C, C++, COBOL or a similar language).

Program Requirements

Foundation Sequence (12 hours)
Technology Sequence (12 hours)
Technology Management Sequence (12 hours)

Students who have already taken the equivalent of any foundation course will substitute an appropriate course, subject to approval by the Department of Information Technology and Decision Sciences.

Master of Science with a Major in Real Estate

The Master of Science with a major in real estate is designed to provide advanced study for current property professionals and for persons interested in developing their skills in this specific area. The program is intended for students desiring a strong concentration in the real estate area. The focus of the program allows the student to gain considerable expertise in the area in a relatively short period of time. A minimum of 30 hours is required to complete the program. Students may transfer up to 6 hours of successfully completed previous courses with the approval of the department.

Background Requirements

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and admission to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies are needed for graduate standing. Students who do not have a bachelor’s degree in a business field from an accredited institution may be required to complete some or all of the following courses as determined by the department:

Degree Requirements

Foundation Courses (12 hours)

Students already possessing competency in the areas marked with an asterisk (*) may select a more advanced course in the area with the approval of the department.

Concentration Courses (18 hours)

Dual Programs

The College of Business Administration offers two dual programs in collaboration with the School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management and one with the College of Engineering in engineering technology. The programs are as follows:

MBA (any professional field)/MS with a major in hospitality management

54 hours if background courses have already been completed.

MBA (any professional field)/MS with a major in merchandising

54 hours if background courses have already been completed.

MBA (Operations and Supply Chain Management)/MS with a major in engineering technology

Total hours depends on selection of thesis or non-thesis MSET option.

Executive MBA Program

Program is not currently accepting students.

The Executive MBA Program provides an opportunity for experienced professionals to obtain a master’s degree in business administration on a schedule that minimizes disruption of work and personal pursuits. Such programs typically include a cohort class structure that offers a lock-step, planned curriculum in an executive setting.

A unique aspect of the EMBA program is the collective-professional experience of its participants, which greatly enriches the educational environment. A team approach is often used to allow for sharing of diverse perspectives on various topics; this interaction results in challenging and stimulating learning experience providing for maximum return on time and resources invested.

Admission Requirements

A number of factors are considered in selecting candidates for an EMBA program. In most cases, each applicant is evaluated on his or her professional performance, academic records, GMAT scores, professional recommendations and a demonstrated ability to accomplish graduate-level course work. EMBA students enter the program with eight or more years of professional and/or managerial experience.

Evaluation of students for admission to an EMBA program is a very individualized process. While test scores, grade point averages and other objective criteria are all considered, a prospective student’s background, work experience, career goals, desire to succeed and numerous other factors are considered in making an admission decision. Contact the COBA Graduate Advising Office for additional information.

EMBA Curriculum

Courses offered in an EMBA program are normally the same as those taught in traditional MBA programs–accounting, finance, statistics, management, marketing, and information systems, with specific course modules in addition to core courses offered. However, EMBA courses are enhanced by the extensive professional experience of the participants and are uniquely structured to teach a maximum amount of course material in an accelerated time table.

Program Requirements

Term/Semester One Courses:
Term/Semester Two Courses:
Term/Semester Three Courses:
Term/Semester Four Courses:
Term/Semester Five Courses:

Doctor of Philosophy

Objectives

The doctoral program in business administration is designed to prepare men and women of outstanding ability for careers in teaching and research at the university level. However, the program has enough flexibility to accommodate individuals whose career objectives lie outside academia. Individuals who undertake doctoral study are expected to achieve excellence in the command of the technical aspects of a business discipline and to develop expertise in the conduct of meaningful research.

Procedure for Admission

For admission consideration, the following items are required by the College of Business Administration Graduate Programs Office. The complete PhD application packet can be found at www.coba.unt.edu or may be requested by e-mail from PhDCOBA@unt.edu.

In the determination of an applicant’s eligibility for admission to the College of Business Administration for the PhD degree, the following items are required:

1. Processed application for admission forwarded by the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies.

2. Provide the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies with an official copy of the score made on either the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), an official copy of the TOEFL score, if required, and official transcripts from all universities previously attended. Any test scores (GMAT, GRE, TOEFL) submitted in support of an application for admission to the College of Business Administration PhD program must have been earned no more than five years prior to the date sought for admission.

3. Submit a completed Supplementary Information Form to the Graduate Programs Office, College of Business Administration.

4. Request three individuals (usually university professors) to complete and return a Doctoral Applicant Evaluation Form. These forms are available in the application package located on the web at www.coba.unt.edu or by request from the Graduate Programs Office in the College of Business Administration.

For further information concerning the doctoral program in business administration and specific admission requirements, contact: the Graduate Programs Office, College of Business Administration. Contact information and destination of documents are as follows:

Both U.S. and International Applicants

Graduate Programs Office – Doctoral Program
College of Business Administration
University of North Texas
P.O. Box 311160
Denton, TX 76203-1160

PhDCOBA@unt.edu
www.coba.unt.edu/phd

Phone: (940) 369-8977
Fax: (940) 369-8978

Submit a Supplementary Information Sheet (Form A), statement of purpose essay, resume and three recommendation letters using Doctoral Applicant Evaluation Forms (Form A-1).

U.S. Citizens Only

Toulouse School of Graduate Studies
Graduate Admissions Office
Eagle Student Services Center, Room 354
P.O. Box 305459
Denton, TX 76203-5459

gradschool@unt.edu
www.gradschool.unt.edu

Phone: (940) 565-2636 or toll-free (888) UNT-GRAD [868-4723]

Submit a U.S. application, fee, official transcripts and official GMAT or GRE.

International Applicants Only

International Admissions Office
University of North Texas
Kendall Hall, Room 173
P.O. Box 311067
Denton, TX 76203-1067

International@isp.admin.unt.edu

Phone: (940) 565-2442

Submit an International Application, fee, official transcripts, official TOEFL, financial statement, and official GRE or GMAT. (Please note that all official GRE and GMAT scores are received by the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies, listed above.)

Retention Policy for Doctoral Programs in Business Administration

If during any long term/semester (fall or spring) a PhD student does not enroll in any approved course work, the student must file a leave of absence form (Form E); otherwise, the student will be placed on inactive status. After two long terms/semesters in sequence in inactive status, the student will be removed from the PhD program.

Residence Requirement

While completing course work, every student is required to complete a minimum residency requirement consisting of two consecutive terms/semesters with a minimum course load of 9 hours each term/semester. This can consist of spring and fall, fall and spring, spring and summer, or summer and fall, with the summer counting as a single term/semester.

Research Tool Requirement

The doctoral program in business administration requires satisfactory completion of a research tool requirement.

Program Requirements

The doctoral student must select a major field of study in one of the following program areas: accounting, business computer information systems, finance, management, marketing, or management science. With the approval of an academic adviser, the student will select courses in a supporting area. These courses may come from more than one business administration program area.

Program requirements are designed to accommodate the career plans and background of the student and, at the same time, meet the specific standards and requirements of the student’s program area. Competence achieved, rather than a specific number of hours completed, is the prime criterion; however, a minimum of 69 hours of graduate credit beyond the master’s degree or 99 hours beyond the bachelor’s degree must be earned.

Students entering the doctoral program after receiving a master’s degree will take 9 hours of foundation course work and 24 hours in major and minor areas for a total of at least 33 hours, a research track of 12 hours, a minimum of 12 hours of pre-dissertation research and a dissertation of 12 hours. The pre-dissertation requirement may be met by 12 hours of research seminars (6910) and independent study (6940). The minimum course work consists of the following (69 hours minimum):

The above may include no more than 12 semester hours of 5900, 5910, 6900 and 6910 credit prior to pre-dissertation research.

The foundation courses required of all College of Business Administration doctoral students consist of the following:

The two research tracks consist of 12 hours of course work designed to develop the research capabilities of the student and to prepare the student for conducting research of dissertation quality. The student’s choice of track must be approved by the major area PhD coordinator. The two tracks are described below:

1. Research Track I (12 hours): BUSI 6220, Applied Regression Analysis (3 hours); BUSI 6480, Advanced Issues in Research Design (3 hours); BUSI 6240, Applied Multivariate Statistics (3 hours); and BUSI 6280, Applications in Causal and Covariance Structure Modeling (3 hours).

2. Research Track II (12 hours): ECON 5600, Mathematical Economics (3 hours); ECON 5650, Advanced Econometrics (3 hours); methodological tool elective (3 hours); and MSCI 6000, Theory and Application of Nonparametric Statistics (3 hours).

Students entering the doctoral program upon completion of a bachelor’s degree must complete the MBA core requirements and 12 additional hours in the major and/or minor areas. In addition, all students must demonstrate a calculus proficiency.

The qualifying examination, given upon completion of all course work, is designed to measure attainment of expected levels of knowledge in the major and minor areas and to determine the student’s ability to synthesize information acquired. The examination is both written and oral. Candidates who have taken the qualifying examination may not change their major.

Specific procedural, academic progression and administrative requirements of the doctoral program are listed in the Handbook for Doctoral Students, available in the COBA Graduate Programs Office. All students, at the time of admission, are responsible for obtaining a copy of the Handbook for Doctoral Students to familiarize themselves with all requirements.

Admission to Candidacy

Admission to candidacy is granted by the dean of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies after satisfactory completion of the qualifying examination.

Dissertation

Upon admission to candidacy and with the consent of the student’s committee, the student is required to make a formal presentation of the dissertation proposal at an open forum consisting of graduate faculty of the College of Business Administration and other doctoral students.

As a final requirement, each candidate submits a dissertation. Completion of the dissertation requires original and independent research in the major program area. It should reflect not only a mastery of research techniques, but also an ability to identify an important problem for investigation and to design research that permits the formulation of reasonable hypotheses and the drawing of logical conclusions related to the problem identified. A final comprehensive examination, primarily a defense of the dissertation, is scheduled in coordination with the Graduate Programs Office and the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies.

Teaching Fellowships

Departmental chairpersons assign teaching assistantships and fellowships based on departmental needs.

College of Business Administration Computing Center

College of Business Administration Information and Learning Technologies Center
Cengiz Capan, Director

The Information and Learning Technologies Center of the College of Business Administration is housed in the Business Administration Building and comprises a full-time director, a computer systems manager, three computer support specialists and an administrative services officer. A technical support team of three or more upper-division and graduate business students aids the full-time staff in installations, troubleshooting, and working with faculty and staff when problems or questions arise concerning hardware or software. More than 500 Pentium desktop systems in the Business Administration Building and Curry Hall are networked together with a four-node, high-availability cluster under a Novell 6.5 operating system using dual Xeon Compaq/HP servers, each with at least 3 gigabytes of memory and a total of 400 gigabytes in an external storage area network (SAN) disk array. Each of the of the desktop systems is configured as follows: 2 GHz CPU, 80 gigabyte hard drive, 512 megabyte memory, 17-inch flat panel LCD monitors, CD-RW drive, ZIP drive, and 100-megabit network interface cards.

The College of Business Administration provides more than half of the above systems in student labs that are open 100 hours per week and staffed by 50 student lab monitors. These labs are divided into two major areas. The General Access Labs consist of more than 90 computers in three rooms and are designed for the general business student who is required to use computers but may be used by all UNT students. The Business Labs consist of more than 170 computers in seven rooms in three different areas of the Business Administration Building and Curry Hall. These labs are designed for and limited to students taking College of Business Administration courses. The primary Business Lab has 40 systems and includes software to emulate a mainframe environment for appropriate courses. The Special Lab has 18 systems and is designed exclusively for students taking senior- or graduate-level classes such as Introduction to Database Applications; Distributed Systems and Teleprocessing; Data Communications and Networking; Information Resource Management; Decision Support Systems; and Visual Display. The Curry Hall Team Lab provides 20 team cubicles for team projects. Each cubicle consists of two computers and as many as six chairs. There is also a hands-on classroom consisting of 48 student computers, an instructor’s system and data projector.

Professional Development Institute

Ken Robertson, President

Since 1973, the Professional Development Institute (PDI) has provided education, information and training. By attending PDI programs, more than 500,000 professionals, managers and salespeople have gained tools and ideas that increase individual and company performance. PDI works with a diverse network of leading experts from around the world to provide solution- and results-oriented programs.

Working closely with experts in a variety of industries, PDI understands the critical issues and defines the educational needs of professionals within an organization. PDI works directly with clients to further specify and define the needs particular to the customer’s organization. Once needs have been determined, PDI develops and designs educational tools and training and works in conjunction with leading industry, academic and governmental experts globally to provide targeted results.

PDI assists employees in being more efficient and effective. Instructors and staff are in constant contact to ensure that programs address issues and help create solutions. Programs enable employees to immediately utilize the information and positively impact the bottom line.

Institute of Petroleum Accounting

Teddy L. Coe, COPAS of Dallas/PDI Professor of Accounting and Director

The Institute of Petroleum Accounting is a unique organization funded primarily by companies in the petroleum and mining industries. The institute began operations in September 1980, with three principal objectives:

1. to carry out research and encourage others to carry out research in accounting, finance, taxation and economic problems of the extractive industries;

2. to disseminate information about research activities of the institute and about current developments in accounting, finance, taxation and economic aspects of the extractive industries; and

3. to encourage universities and colleges to become actively involved in educational programs related to the extractive industries.

Research fellowships, up to $20,000 per year, are available to students involved in research in the extractive industries.

Beta Gamma Sigma

This national honorary society of business administration students was founded in 1913. The UNT chapter was established in 1962. The primary objective of Beta Gamma Sigma is to encourage and honor high academic achievement by students of business and management through chapters in all American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business accredited schools. Membership is a signal honor and is limited to outstanding students who show promise of success in the field of business and who rank in the upper 10 percent of their junior, senior or graduate class. More information may be obtained from the dean’s office in the College of Business Administration.

Courses of Instruction

All Courses of Instruction are located in one section at the back of this catalog.

Course and Subject Guide

The “Course and Subject Guide,” found in the Courses of Instruction section of this book, serves as a table of contents and provides quick access to subject areas and prefixes.

Graduate Admissions

(888) UNT-GRAD
(868-4723) (toll-free)
gradschool@unt.edu

UNT Switchboard

(940) 565-2000