About Our Program

At the Johnson School at Cornell, we prepare our PhD candidates to lead in this dynamic intellectual landscape. Our doctoral program is geared primarily toward highly motivated, self-directed individuals interested in a career in university teaching and research. The majority of graduates pursue the scholarly advancement of their fields at top business schools. Current starting salaries range from $120,000 to $150,000, and the demand is strong: Johnson School graduates typically choose from several offers at major universities.

The Johnson School doctoral program combines the best of theory and practice, building on a three-pronged foundation:

• A focus on reality-based education creatively fuses innovative research with hands-on experience;
• Candidates devise their own course of study, with guidance from a faculty committee, and undertake in-depth study in one of five primary areas: accounting, finance, management and organizations, marketing, and operations management;
• Candidates can draw on the vast array of graduate-level courses throughout Cornell, including those offered by the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the School of Hotel Administration, the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Law School.