Human Resources & Industrial Relations, PhD
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major in Human Resources and Industrial Relations
The Ph.D. is an in-residence, interdisciplinary degree, which typically leads to a career in teaching and research, especially at business schools or industrial relations schools. Research-oriented careers outside the academic world are also available. The program can be completed in six years beyond the baccalaureate degree or five years beyond the master's degree. Doctoral students are required to complete 96 graduate hours of credit beyond the baccalaureate degree. Coursework is usually completed in two years. There is a second year paper requirement, one examination that focuses on the candidate's selected area of specialization, and the preliminary and final exams. Examples of areas of specialization include the effects of technological change on the human resource function; motivation, morale, and job satisfaction; labor-management relations in the public sector; labor markets and employment; and international comparative labor problems. Each student's program of study is chosen in consultation with their advisor and the Ph.D. Advisory Committee at the School.
Graduate study in Human Resources and Industrial Relations (HRIR) is based on a multidisciplinary approach to human resources/industrial relations problems and a flexible curriculum. To achieve this, the School has joint faculty appointments or course cross-listings with economics, psychology, law, business administration, and history.
Admission
Students with outstanding academic credentials, with or without a master's degree, are encouraged to apply to the Ph.D. program. Students must meet the general admission requirements of the Graduate College, as well as the specific requirements of the School. Applicants to the doctoral program must submit an academic statement, personal statement, CV and submit evidence of research ability, such as a master's thesis, an undergraduate thesis, special reports, or published articles. Three letters of recommendation are required and the Ph.D. applicants are also required to submit either a GRE or GMAT general test score. International applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirements as outlined by the Graduate College. It is recommended that applicants meet a minimum score of 96 on the internet-based TOEFL exam (iBT) or a 6.5 overall score on the IELTS Academic Exam. Admission to the doctoral program is made for the fall semester only. An exception is made for current HRIR master's degree students at Illinois, who may submit an internal application in the spring.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Although the School has no teaching requirement, doctoral students are encouraged to gain teaching experience in this program.
Financial Aid
The School offers research assistantships, scholarships, and fellowships to graduate students with superior academic credentials in the Ph.D. programs. Department research and teaching assistantships are available to Ph.D. students only. A School research/teaching assistant receives a stipend plus waiver of resident or non-resident tuition and some fees. The Graduate College also has fellowships that carry stipends plus tuition and service fee waivers.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major in Human Resources and Industrial Relations
For additional details and requirements refer to the Graduate College Handbook.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LER 542 | Collective Bargaining | 4 |
| LER 556 | Industrial Relations Theory | 4 |
| LER 557 | Human Resources Theory | 4 |
| LER 558 | Faculty-Student Workshop | 4 |
| LER 540 | Labor Economics I | 4 |
| or LER 541 | Labor Economics II | |
| or LER 545 | Economics of Human Resources | |
| One year sequence in statistics | 8 | |
| Statistical Methods I and Statistical Methods II | ||
| Econometric Analysis I and Econometric Analysis II | ||
Or another approved sequence | ||
| Research Methods | 8 | |
| Micro Research Methods | ||
| Macro Research Methods | ||
| Two theory courses in a social science discipline, one micro | ||
| Founds of Organizational Behav | ||
| Found of Ind Org Psych | ||
and one macro | ||
| Seminar in Business Admin (section MK1) | ||
| Seminar in Organizational Behavior and Theory | ||
| Recent Developments in Soc (section EM) | ||
| Or another approved micro/macro sequence | ||
| Two related courses outside discipline. See Course List tab. | 8 | |
| Electives | 0-16 | |
| LER 599 | Thesis Seminar (min/max applied toward degree) | 32-48 |
| Total Hours | 64 | |
Other Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| Masters Degree Required for Admission to PhD? | No, but M.S. equivalent hours are required, in addition. Contact department for details |
| Qualifying Exam Required | Yes |
| Preliminary Exam Required | Yes |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required | Yes |
| Dissertation Deposit Required | Yes |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major in Human Resources and Industrial Relations
Courses outside of discipline
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACE 562 | Applied Regression Models I | 2 |
| ACE 564 | Applied Regression Models II | 2 |
| BADM 504 | Phil of Science and Bus Admin | 2 |
| BADM 545 | Found of Strategy Research | 2 |
| BADM 546 | Strategy Content Research (Entrepreneurship) | 2 |
| BADM 549 | Current Strategy Research (Management of Technology) | 2 |
| BADM 549 | Current Strategy Research (Economic Foundations of Strat ) | 2 |
| BADM 549 | Current Strategy Research (Corporate Strat Research ) | 2 |
| BADM 549 | Current Strategy Research (Empirical Meth in Strat Res) | 2 |
| CMN 529 | Seminar Communication Theory (Social Sci Theory Construction) | 4 |
| PSYC 594 | Multivar Anlys in Psych and Ed | 4 |
| PSYC 587 | Hierarchical Linear Models | 4 |
| PSYC 588 | Covar Struct and Factor Models | 4 |
| PSYC 501 | Best Psych Research Practices (Applied Structural Eq Modeling ) | 2 to 4 |
| PSYC 581 | Applied Regression Analysis | 4 |
| SOC 581 | Survey Research Methods (Survey Research Methods I) | 4 |
| EPSY 586 | Theories of Measurement II | 4 |
| EPSY 590 | Advanced Seminar in Educational Psychology (section BAY) | 0 to 4 |
| EPSY 590 | Advanced Seminar in Educational Psychology (section GCM) | 0 to 4 |
| EPSY 590 | Advanced Seminar in Educational Psychology (section SEM) | 0 to 4 |
| EPSY 582 | Advanced Statistical Methods | 4 |
| PSYC 541 | Personality and Behav Dynamics | 2 or 4 |
| PSYC 593 | Seminar (Multilevel & Networks in Orgs) | 2 or 4 |
| PSYC 490 | Measurement & Test Develop Lab (section AL1) | 4 |
| STAT 542 | Statistical Learning | 4 |
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major in Human Resources and Industrial Relations
The purpose of the PhD in Human Resources and Industrial Relations is to train research competence (conducting and communicating research) and the writing of analytical papers of publishable quality. Toward this end, PhD courses and program milestones are designed to impart knowledge and skills that individuals may use to conduct world-class research, primarily in the academic subfields of Human Resources/Organizational Behavior, Industrial Relations, Economics, Psychology, and/or Sociology.
The following are intended student learning outcomes.
- Develop skill in writing analytic papers of publishable quality, and publishing those papers.
- Develop skill in publicly presenting analytical research of publishable quality.
- Gain foundational knowledge in Human Resources Theory and Industrial Relations Theory.
- Develop knowledge and skill in using statistics and research methods to conduct research and draw appropriate inferences.
- Gain specialized knowledge in a social science discipline (e.g., economics, psychology, sociology).
Graduate Degree Programs in Labor & Employment Relations
- Majors
- Human Resources and Industrial Relations, MHRIR (on-campus & online)
- Human Resources and Industrial Relations, PhD (on-campus only)
- Certificates
- Joint Programs
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major in Human Resources and Industrial Relations
School of Labor and Employment Relations
Dean: Ingrid Fulmer
Director of Graduate Studies: Amit Kramer
On-campus Programs Contact: Becky Barker
Online Programs Contact: Eden Haycraft
Labor & Employment Relations website
Labor & Employment Relations Faculty
504 East Armory Avenue, Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-2381
Labor & Employment Relations email
Admissions
Graduate College Admissions & Requirements