The course of study for the PhD requires completing 16 graduate course units, comprising a four-course unit core in the Legal Studies and Business Ethics Department, 2 courses in statistics, a course in economics, a five-course major disciplinary cluster, 2 courses in ethical theory, and 2 electives. Students may enroll in courses beyond these 16 graduate courses.

In addition, PhD students must take preliminary exams in ethics and in legal studies, write and defend a dissertation proposal, and write and defend a dissertation.

Sample Program Sequence
Years 1 and 2
Coursework Examinations Research Papers Research Activities Completion of Other Requirements by Field	Up to 4 courses per semester may be counted toward the overall requirement of 16 courses. YEAR 1 2 Ethical Theory, 2 Major Disciplinary Cluster courses, Economics (e.g. MGMT 900), Ethics in Business and Economics (LGST 920)and an Independent Study with selected faculty member. YEAR 2 2 Major Disciplinary Cluster courses and 1 Statistics course, Foundations of Business Law (LGST 921), 1 Statistics course, and Candidacy Research Paper. End of Year 2 Spring: Take 2 preliminary exams in Ethics and Legal Studies. Preliminary Exam – The preliminary exam will be given in two parts. Part one will be given after student completes LGST 920 and reads the articles contained in the Preliminary Exam Readings List in Ethics. Part two will be given after student completes LGST 921 and reads the articles contained in the Preliminary Exam Reading List in Law.
Year 3
Directed Reading & Research Admission to Candidacy Formulation of Research Topic	Dissertation Research. By end of the third year, students will form a dissertation committee and submit a preliminary draft of a dissertation proposal to the committee.
Year 4
Continued Research Oral Examination Dissertation	Dissertation

Ethics & Legal Studies Course Requirements:
Area		Course Units
Ethics and Law in Business Courses		4
Statistics		2
Economics		1
Major Disciplinary Cluster		5
Ethical Theory (taught by the Philosophy Department)		2
Electives		2
Dissertation		--
Total		16

Students may apply for credit for graduate-level work done at other institutions.

Ethics and Law in Business Courses

Students must take four LGST courses, including these two core course seminars:

1. Ethics in Business and Economics (LGST 920)
2. Foundations of Business Law (LGST 921)

Students must take two additional LGST courses from a list of approved courses held by the Doctoral Coordinator. Students without basic law work will be required to take LGST 101 in their first semester. Students will take LGST courses, other than Ph.D. seminars, under an independent study number, meet with the instructor periodically outside class, and write a paper. These requirements should be satisfied through courses taught by members of the LGST standing faculty, though exceptions will be made in special circumstances. The requirements may be adjusted for students with law degrees.

Major Disciplinary Cluster

The purpose of the cluster is to ground students in a single academic specialty other than Business Ethics. Clusters include the following: 

•  Management
•  Law
•  Philosophy

Students must choose a disciplinary cluster during the first year, in consultation with a faculty advisor. Required courses may not be double-counted. For example, a student choosing Philosophy as the cluster may not use the two required courses in ethical theory as part of the five course cluster requirement.

Statistics and Economics

Students must satisfy the Wharton requirement of two courses in statistics. The economics requirements can be met with Economic Foundations of Research in Management, Managerial Economics and other courses approved by the Doctoral Coordinator.

Student Involvement in the Department

1. Assistantship
   During the first year, students are expected to spend full-time on course work and research. In subsequent years during which they are supported, students are expected to work with faculty either as teaching assistants or research assistants.
2. Requesting Assistantship
   No later than two weeks before the beginning of the semester, each eligible student will submit a request to serve as a teaching or research assistant for a particular faculty member. The Doctoral Coordinator, acting in consultation with the Chair, will make assistantship assignments. There is a presumption of rotating assignments. Unless there is a substantial likelihood that a research assistantship will result in a faculty-student co-authored article, there is a presumption in favor of teaching assistantships rather than research assistantships. 
3. Research Paper
   Each student will present a research paper to the Department no later than the end of the Fall semester of his or her second year of studies. In addition, near the end of each academic year, we will have a meeting of all students in residence. Faculty will be encouraged to attend this meeting, at which students will describe their evolving research interests.
4. Choosing Courses
   Each student must have his or her choice of courses approved in writing by both Advisor and Doctoral Coordinator two weeks before the start of each semester. Any subsequent changes to a course schedule must also be approved in writing by both Advisor and Coordinator.
5. Selecting a Dissertation Committee
   By the end of his or her third year, each student will form a dissertation committee. Membership on the committee must be approved by the Ph.D. Coordinator. Also, by the end of the third year, students will submit a preliminary draft of a dissertation proposal to the committee.
6. Timing of Dissertation Proposal
   By the beginning of his or her fourth year, each student will submit the final draft of a dissertation proposal, and defend it.
7. Dissertation
   Each student is expected to complete and defend a dissertation no later than the end of the fourth or fifth year in the program.