Graduate Studies: Program Outline

The Social and Decsion Sciences graduate program is a small one, emphasizing empirical and multi-disciplinary approaches to complex problems. A typical cohort has four students. One hallmark of the program is that it is research-centered. The small size of the program makes it possible for students to work closely with its internationally distinguished faculty on diverse projects and to engage in research during their first year of graduate school. A second hallmark of the program is its flexibility. Although there are core requirements for all students, the program is designed to make it easy to combine interests in several academic areas, including psychology, economics, organizational behavior, and public policy.

SDS offers three areas of focus for its graduate program:
  • Behavioral Decision Research
  • Strategy, Entrepeneurship, and Technological Change (SETchange), an interdisciplinary program focused on technological change
  • Social and Decision Sciences
Students may also create an individually tailored program with other groupings of our faculty that are not suggested here.

Each of the doctoral fields of study have the same general requirements and milestones. The first stage of requirements is known as precandidacy for the Ph.D. To reach precandidacy, students must:
  • Complete a minimum of twelve Ph.D. level courses, including four courses in methodology;
  • Attend the first two semesters of the Social and Decision Sciences Ph.D. seminar, which is not counted as part of the above twelve courses;
  • Complete a research paper by January 10 of the second year;
  • Pass the Doctoral Qualifying Examinations by December 10 of the third year;
  • Have the Dissertation Proposal accepted by June 1 of the third year.
Students achieve candidacy for the Ph.D. upon completion of the above requirements. The remaining Ph.D. requirements include writing and defending a doctoral dissertation within a recommended four years after entry into the program.

If you have general questions about the SDS graduate programs, our application page includes several "frequently asked questions." You may also send us your questions via email.

Doctoral program contacts
George Loewenstein
Chair of the Graduate Admissions Committee

John Miller
SDS Department Head

Wändi Bruine de Bruin
Graduate Admissions Committee
Questions regarding the academics or research of the SDS graduate program

Connie Angermeier
Coordinator of Student Programs
Graduate students' academic audits, SDS course scheduling, and all registration questions.

Mary Anne Hunter | Email
Administrative Coordinator
All other graduate questions.


 GRADUATE APPLICATION
Graduate application form (PDF)

Graduate Appraisal Form (for letters of recommendation)


Social and Decision Sciences revamps website!