Ph.D. in Industrial Relations and Human Resources

Course Work

The program of study in IRHR requires all students to complete (a) seven courses to fulfill their interdisciplinary distribution requirements, (b) at least three statistics and research methods courses, (c) two advanced seminars, and (d) four electives. Electives should be chosen in the student’s area of interest and must be approved by the Graduate Director. In addition, all enrolled Ph.D. students attend a Proseminar. The Proseminar meets approximately every other week during the fall and the spring semesters, and consists of research, theoretical, or pedagogical presentations by SMLR faculty, outside scholars, and advanced Ph.D. students. Students enroll in the Proseminar during each fall and spring semester for four years. They do not have to prepare papers or take exams, but students must actively participate to receive the required 1 credit per year.

Students choose their courses in consultation with the Graduate Director. The minimum course requirements and guidelines are shown below.

Detailed version of the course work

Courses Available at Other Area Universities

Download The Inter-University Doctoral Consortium list in Adobe pdf format.

Master's Thesis
During their second year in the program, students complete an empirical research project under the guidance of a three-person thesis committee. A member or associate member of the SMLR graduate faculty may serve as the committee chair and direct the research project. A satisfactory oral defense of the thesis is required. Usually, the oral defense is scheduled as a presentation in the Proseminar. The defense is open to the public and must be announced at least two weeks in advance. Upon completion of the thesis and oral defense, students become eligible to take the qualifying exam. Students must pass the qualifying exam in order to be awarded the master of science degree

Qualifying Exam
After completing their master’s thesis and required course work, students take a qualifying exam. The qualifying exam assesses students’ knowledge of, and ability to synthesize, the theory and methods covered in their required and elective courses and in their specialized fields of study. It covers the IRHR literature that is considered to be the foundation upon which the student’s career and future research are based, as well as the research methods and data analysis techniques that are relevant to the student’s chosen area of specialty. The qualifying exam is tailored to the research interest of the student. The exam is offered twice annually, in January and May (or at a time agreed to by the student’s advisory committee and the Graduate Director.) The format is take-home, with 48 hours for completion. Normally, students take the qualifying exam in December of their third year. The qualifying exam is graded and must be approved by at least four members of the IRHR graduate faculty. Students who fail the exam must retake it. Students are allowed to retake the exam within four months. After passing the qualifying exam, students are awarded the M.S. degree and admitted to Ph.D. candidacy.

Qualifying Exam Policy and Procedures
All Policies and Guidelines

Dissertation
Students complete a dissertation during their fourth and fifth years. The dissertation committee must be chaired by a member of the IRHR graduate faculty and include at least three other faculty. At least one member of the committee must be from outside the IRHR graduate faculty. Members from outside Rutgers are preferable. All students present and defend their dissertation proposals in a seminar format. The proposal defense is open to all interested faculty and Ph.D. students, although only the committee members vote on the acceptability of the proposal. A final oral defense takes place upon completion of the dissertation. The defense is open to the public and must be announced at least two weeks in advance

Thesis and Dissertation Style Guide
All Policies and Guidelines

Research Involvement
Students are expected to be actively involved in research throughout the entire time they are enrolled in the program. To facilitate this, students are assigned to a research advisor upon their admission into the program. Students may change their research advisor, by mutual agreement, at the end of their first year and any time thereafter. Research advisors provide annual assessments of students' research activities, and satisfactory performance is required in order for students to remain in good standing in the program and continue to receive financial assistance.