Ph.D. in Industrial Relations and Human Resources (IRHR)

Program Overview

SMLR's IRHR Ph.D. program is an interdisciplinary program that develops research and teaching skills to qualify students for employment as tenure-track college or university faculty. Our program produces distinguished researchers and teachers who merge the worlds of theory and practice. We have a collaborative approach that encourages work across academic areas and across Rutgers. This allows you to tackle the newest trends and biggest challenges in research.  

The IRHR program is designed for people who want to:

• Work with leading scholars who are nationally and internationally recognized experts in a broad range of topics in industrial relations and human resources.
• Become leading scholars by learning how to design, conduct, and publish rigorous research in scholarly journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Industrial Relations, and Journal of Applied Psychology, among others.
• Become impactful teachers by working as teaching assistants and teaching their own courses, translating research into practical applications, and guiding students along their academic journey. 

Ph.D. Program Areas of Specialization

Learn more about our two primary fields of focus:

Virtual Open House Sessions for 2025 – 2026

Click here to register for sessions as they are scheduled

Upcoming Session:
Labor, Work, and Society Concentration
Thursday, December 5th, 2pm - 3pm EST

Why Choose Rutgers?

Productivity

Our faculty produce some of the most frequently cited research in the field, with more than 145 peer reviewed journal articles and books published by leading publishers in the past five years, and more than 175,000 citations to their academic work.

• Our Graduate Faculty

Collaboration

In the past five years, 32 percent of faculty publications were with PhD students, and students have the opportunity to actively partner with nine SMLR research centers.

• Ph.D. student publications and presentations

Impact

Our faculty includes the former editor-in-chief of Personnel Psychology—a flagship journal in the fields of Management and Psychology. It also includes current or former associate editors at premier management, psychology, and labor relations journals, including Journal of Applied Psychology, Academy of Management Review, Journal of Management, World Development, and others.

Relevance

Journalists rely on SMLR as a trusted source of expertise when reporting on the workplace. The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Forbes, Fortune, TIME, NPR, CNN, and hundreds of other national and international news organizations have interviewed SMLR experts and written about research by our faculty and Ph.D. students.

• SMLR In the News

Placements

Rutgers SMLR Ph.D. Program has a consistent history of placing students at top-tier research universities, such as Cornell, Florida State University, London School of Economics, Notre Dame, Ohio State University, and Pennsylvania State University, among others. Those students have gone on to have productive academic careers at their universities, earn promotion and tenure and, in multiple cases, earn career achievement awards.

• Ph.D. Student Placements

Frequently Asked Questions

Recent Student Publications