Purdue University

OBHR PhD Program

Program Summary

The PhD program in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management (OBHR) educates students to be world-class scholars who can conduct leading-edge research and effectively pass on this knowledge as respected teachers in the universities of the world.  Our students are exposed to state-of-the-art thinking, theories, research methods, and literature from the behavioral and organizational sciences.  Topics studied can range from micro-level topics such as employee work attitudes to macro-level topics such as advanced labor economics and organizational theory.  Our students also are developed as teachers through participation in teaching skills workshops, observation and feedback by faculty and direct experience.  Traditionally, every student is given the opportunity to teach and learn as an instructor in their own course.  PhD students are immersed in an intense, hands-on educational experience where one-on-one learning with faculty members is the norm.  Challenge and support are the cornerstones of Krannert's OBHR PhD program.

Program Goals

• To provide PhD students the knowledge and skills that will prepare them to succeed as OBHR scholars and teachers at premier universities around the world;

• To challenge and inspire PhD students to realize their full potential as OBHR scholars;

• To fully support PhD students in their endeavors in the program and beyond as valued alums;

• To provide a collegial and warm learning community where students and faculty interact as mentors, protégés, and friends.

Program Traditions

• Funding for all PhD students through graduate assistantships or fellowships that provide a monthly stipend and also waive tuition charges (consult with the Krannert PhD office for details;

• A PhD education that is singularly focused on both organizational behavior and human resource management;

• A strong emphasis on theory building coupled with state-of-the-art quantitative empirical research;

• Faculty members who contribute consistently to theory and empirical research in leading-edge journals and serve as journal editors, journal board members, and leaders within the profession;

• PhD students who work hard to become accomplished scholars, excellent teachers, and prized future faculty members;

• An enduring tradition of faculty-student collaboration on research and teaching with students encouraged to work with multiple faculty members;

• A history of award-winning teachers among both the faculty members and PhD students;

• A focused and fun learning community with better than a 1:1 student/faculty ratio where co-authoring a paper and having a drink together are common occurrences;

• Strong ties and frequent collaboration with distinguished faculty members in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Organizational Communications programs.