PHD IN BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION
 INTERNATIONAL
RANKINGS BUSINESS #6 #3 #4 #5
EDUCATION 2020 European Master in Master in Executive
Business School Management Finance Education
Programs

ESSEC
BUSINESS SCHOOL
Key figures

ESSEC is a business school with ESSEC is a school with French Roots

programs ranging from Bachelor that trains responsible leaders.
to PhD, a wide range of Masters Being a responsible leader means

62,OOO 7,O5O
programs including our flagship Master being able to see beyond business
in Management and Global MBA as usual. Responsible leaders are
programs. ESSEC also offers executive able to value long-term benefits
education and custom training over short-term profits; they are able
designed and developed on-demand to blend corporate performance graduates worldwide students in full-time undergraduate
for our partners from the private with employees’ well-being. To and graduate programs
sector. ESSEC holds the “Triple crown” prepare its students for the world of

4 +1 39% +1oo
of accreditations for global business tomorrow, ESSEC’s pedagogy seeks
education: EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA. to awaken and develop creative
and critical thinking, together with
Vincenzo Vinzi At the core of the ESSEC learning the learning-by-doing method.
campuses in augmented international nationalities
Dean and President experience is a combination of Responsible leaders are those who Cergy, Paris-La Défense, digital students represented
of ESSEC Business School excellence and distinctiveness. can see the broader picture. Singapore and Rabat campus
ESSEC’s unique educational model

76 +1oo
is based on education by experiences, ESSEC is a full ecosystem at the

245
that foster the acquisition of crossroad of rigorous and relevant partner universities
CREATED IN 19O7, ESSEC cutting-edge knowledge with the research, innovation, business and in 42 countries
PhD student
development of know-how and life society. At ESSEC we believe in
BUSINESS SCHOOL IS A skills. At ESSEC, we aim to empower bringing research and companies into students organizations
WORLD-SCHOOL WITH students and give them the keys the classroom, we also believe that

2,OOO
to imagine, create, lead and have a learning doesn’t end with a degree: degrees awarded each year,
FRENCH ROOTS. ITS PURPOSE positive impact in the business world learning at ESSEC means becoming including 1,600 at graduate level
of tomorrow that will be more complex a life-long learner and joining a
IS TO INFUSE TOMORROW’S and changing ever more rapidly. close-knit community of more than
LEADERSHIP WITH MEANING. 62,000 Alumni all across the globe.
ESSEC is a world-school. Our
International campuses in Asia-Pacific
and Africa are dual gateways that

+2O
allow students to really immerse

5,OOO
themselves into different cultures learning and research chairs
worldwide and develop genuine
expertise about business in those
regions. They allow our school to build
deeper alliances with academic, private

27
double degree programs managers in executive education
and public partners in those regions
(20 international, 7 national)
that are growing at an accelerated

+5oo
pace and will be leaders of economic
growth in tomorrow’s world. ESSEC
has built a network of alliances with

142
academic partners worldwide so permanent faculty of 37 nationalities partner companies in education
that its students’ learning journey including 21 emeriti professors and recruitment
is a true international one.

2 ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - GLOBAL BBA ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - GLOBAL BBA 3
 MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
OF THE PHD PROGRAM
ESSEC Business School belongs to a select group of European institutions
delivering a PhD degree that meets the highest international standards. Our
faculty is deeply committed to the training of future research and professors
who will then work in the field of business and management education.

The ESSEC PhD Program targets and breeds excellence at every stage of the PhD journey.
You will be part of a select group of able and motivated students from across the world,
coming from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. The 70 students currently enrolled
come from 23 countries. As an entering PhD student, you immediately become part of a
vibrant intellectual community. You will be mentored closely by several of our distinguished
faculty. You will work on research projects with your advisors, develop your knowledge
of your chosen field, and hone your research skills. At the same time, you will follow a
rigorous theoretical and methodological training. Over time, you will define and execute a
Anca METIU dissertation study that will make a significant contribution to knowledge and to practice.
Professor of Management, By the time your will be writing your dissertation you will have become an expert in a
Associate Dean particular area, a scholar able to function and reinvent yourself in the complex academic
of the PhD Program world of tomorrow, an educator ready to impart knowledge with your own students.
During the time in the PhD Program you will also become an active member of the ESSEC as
well as the global research community. You will participate in international conferences and
workshops where you will present and refine your work with the input of leading experts in
your field. You will be encouraged to be an exchange visitor in some of our partner schools,
to further your knowledge and your connections to the broader scholarly community.

© Denis ALLARD/REA
ESSEC is particularly well-equipped to accompany you in this life-transforming journey.
We are a leading global business school (ranked #3 for its MiM Program by the Financial
Times) boasting a top-level and highly international faculty. Furthermore, the ESSEC PhD
Program has fostered a research community that is both highly active internally and
broadly open through a dense web of international networks. Therefore, as a PhD student,
you can take advantage from our double location (France and Singapore) and you can
leverage our dense international network of outstanding partner institutions in Europe,
Asia and the Americas. While you will be working closely with your advisors, you will have
ample opportunities to engage in exchanges and collaborations with other members of
the faculty, with your colleagues, with visiting professors and research seminar speakers. PHD PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
In France, the ESSEC PhD Program is a partner to the joint Doctoral School of ESSEC -
CY Cergy Paris University. This allows our students to leverage from a broader pool of
resources. It also means that our graduating students are eligible for two diplomas at the We believe that quality research in business administration and economics demands
same time – an ESSEC PhD and a Doctorat ESSEC (French standard). Finally, the ESSEC a wide-ranging perspective and understanding. Only this kind of broad-based
PhD Program offers full-tuition scholarships as well as a tax-free stipend to cover living knowledge can nurture the complex issues of modern business and society.
expenses so that when you enter our program, you can focus entirely on your research.
The curriculum thus starts with an intensive period of interdisciplinary training.
Alumni of the program now work as research professors in leading business schools This is followed by rigorous research training in the chosen field of specialization.
and universities around the world, while others have taken positions in research The goal is to prepare students to master methodologies, advance knowledge,
organizations. According to the AACSB, we are facing a global chronic shortage of and play an active role in the international academic community.
doctorally qualified business school faculty. Hence your dedication and motivation
will be rewarded by very attractive career prospects. The ESSEC PhD Program Fostering openness to ward the European and international environment, both academic and
offers entrance into an exciting and fulfilling international academic career. economic, is also an important goal. Research conducted within the framework of the Ph.D. Program
addresses current challenges in modern management, business, and economic administration.

Research is both theoretical and empirical, acknowledging the importance of both

scientific rigor and relevance to individuals, organizations, and society.
ESSEC PhD Program is supported by Initiative d’Excellence Paris Seine
Students have the opportunity to meet their colleagues and professors from a variety of other
institutions, either directly or at specialized academic colloquia and conferences, so they can
develop direct experience of the issues shaping the debates in the scientific community.

4 ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 5
 ORGANIZATION OF THE PHD PROGRAM
THE PROGRAM IS A FULL-TIME PROGRAM IN ENGLISH AND MEETS THE HIGHEST INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.
SIX CONCENTRATIONS ARE OFFERED: “ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING”, “ECONOMICS”, “FINANCE”, “MANAGEMENT”,
“MARKETING”, “OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT AND DATA ANALYTICS”. BEFORE STARTING THEIR DISSERTATION WORK,
STUDENTS MUST FOLLOW A TWO-YEAR PROGRAM OF COURSES AND SEMINARS THAT ENDS WITH PRELIMINARY EXA-
MINATIONS AND A DISSERTATION PROPOSAL.

Overview of the Program Dissertation Supervision

General Requirement Courses. Doctoral students work with one ESSEC professor who
Specialized Courses and Seminars for the chosen guides and directs their research. They benefit from rigorous
concentration. supervision, the support of a dissertation committee, a
By enrolling in ESSEC PhD, Preliminary Examinations (end of second year). diversified and international faculty, contacts with professors
you are choosing to join a stimulating Dissertation Proposal (beginning of third year). from leading universities, library research facilities and
Dissertation Defense (expected by the end of fourth year). first-rate computer services. In addition, PhD students in the
intellectual environment, the ideal
dissertation preparation stage are required to present their
arena within which to create your own
The General Requirement Courses give students an overview work in the “Student Research Seminar”.
cutting-edge research. Through this of the different fields of business administration.

© Tomas1706
program, you will prepare yourself for
a fulfilling academic career at some The specialized courses and seminars in the concentrations Dissertation Defense
4-5
years full time
of the world’s best universities and
business schools.
focus on methodological issues and advanced research
tools in the specific fields. They also examine theoretical The dissertation defense takes place when the dissertation
developments in each field. advisor informs the Dean of the PhD Program that the
objective of the research work has been achieved. The
Success in the Preliminary Examinations in the chosen field dissertation advisor, in concert with the student, invites the
Fully taught in English is rewarded by the MS BAR. It is a prerequisite to enter the other members of the dissertation committee. The time of
candidacy and dissertation phases. These phases start the dissertation defense is posted publicly and members
with the Dissertation Proposal. Finally, the Dissertation of the public can attend. After this public examination, the
Full scholarship Defense takes place following authorization by the Dean of committee recommends whether or not the PhD Degree
the PhD Program after recommendations from two outside should be awarded.
examiners.
Around

70
students
ESSEC PHD PROGRAM
AT A GLANCE The Degrees
24
nationalities 2016: 10 years Birthday of the PhD Program in its current format.
The degrees awarded are
the “Mastère Spécialisé in
Business Administration
Research” and the “PhD in
Degrees granted: PhD (international format) and Doctorat (Accredited
Business Administration”
by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research).
of ESSEC Business School.

87%
internationals
Nested in the Nautile building (Academic affairs) with
close interaction with Departments and Faculty.
Students can also enrol
for the French national
doctorat and obtain a
“Doctorat en Sciences de
Five years program that can be totally funded by ESSEC.
Gestion” or a “Doctorat en
Conferences and international internships financed by the
Sciences Economiques”.
program. Specific support for PhD students is offered by ESSEC

6
concentrations
Research Center, ESSEC Learning Center and IT services.

Preparation for the job market with individual coaching.

6 ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 7
 GENERAL REQUIREMENT
COURSES AND SEMINARS*
These courses/seminars give an interdisciplinary perspective on the business administration field. They allow students to co-
ver a broad range of epistemologies and research methodologies, providing them with the main tools common to all business
research disciplines. All students must take and pass examinations in the subjects covered by these courses/seminars.

From the end of August to the end of September The first quarter of year 2:
SIX CONCENTRATIONS of year 1, students must follow five intensive courses in:
Finance
• Epistemology and Philosophy of Science

Marketing In addition to these courses/seminars, students must

Accounting and Control also attend:
Accounting and auditing Management Strategic Management The Student Research Seminar:
Information Systems • Year 1: only when their own field is concerned
In this concentration, students can specialize in one of the In this concentration, students can specialize in one of the • Year 2: all sessions of their concentration + the sessions of
following subfields: following subfields: (Students demonstrating a good background in these fields the concentration of their choice and present once
Empirical Financial Accounting Strategy may be exempted from some of these courses. Exemptions • Year 3 and 4: all sessions of their concentration and
International Financial Reporting Organizational Behavior are granted only by the Dean of the PhD Program after re- present once
Auditing Entrepreneurship commendation by the course professor). Professional Development Workshops
Financial Statement Analysis Management Control Writing Skills Seminars
Organizational and Social Aspects of Accounting Management of Information Systems The first quarter of year 1:
Microeconomics for Business Research Students must also participate in Department Seminars
Applied Statistics (research presentations by ESSEC professors or by invited
Disciplinary Foundations of Management professors from the international academic world).
Economics Marketing
In this concentration, students can specialize in one of the In this concentration, students can specialize in one of the * For all concentrations.
Students in the Economics and Finance concentrations have special General Requirements courses.
following subfields: following subfields:
Industrial Organization Behavioral track
International Economics (micro or macro) Modeling track
Public Economics

Operations and data analytics

Finance
In this concentration, students can specialize in one of the
In this concentration, students can specialize in one of the following subfields:
following subfields: Operations Management & Operations Research
Asset pricing and investments Data Analytics
Corporate Finance
Financial Econometrics
Market Microstructure
Risk Management

“As an American, I have often been asked why I completed a PhD in France. People often do not have time
to listen to all of the reasons why the ESSEC PhD Program was absolutely the best choice I could have made
for myself! Modeled after a “North-American style” PhD program, the ESSEC program was everything I could

‘‘
have hoped for in terms of matching the rigor and quality of U.S. institutions set within an environment
of cultural and intellectual diversity that is present in few places. This combination highly prepares future
scholars to reach their objectives working in top institutions worldwide. That, and the care that the AA
concentration put into sharing the knowledge and resources needed to ensure their student’s success, means
you really can’t go wrong with this program.”

Lisa Baudot (PhD14), Assistant Professor, Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting, University of Central Florida.

8 ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 9
 © Les Chics Types
THE ACCOUNTING
AND AUDITING CONCENTRATION Courses and seminars Advanced courses/Seminars in
cover three components accounting and auditing
Basic Philosophy General Requirements (see above) Corporate Finance and Governance
Advanced Courses and Seminars Empirical Research in Financial Accounting
The ESSEC PhD program in accounting and auditing is devoted to training doctoral candidates to conduct research at Advanced Courses and Seminars in accounting Readings on contemporary accounting and ­auditing re-
the highest level on questions dealing with the role of accounting and auditing. It is broadly based and offers inter- and auditing search*
disciplinary training in order to apply basic knowledge from various fields of business studies to address a variety of Auditing and Regulation
accounting and auditing issues.

Research in accounting and auditing attempts to address a large spectrum of questions including: - the impact of Advanced courses/Seminars
accounting information of financial market participants and other users, - the problems of information asymmetries Elective courses
among managers and users and the effects of managerial discretion, - the structure of incentive and monitoring sys- Econometrics
tems, - the difficulties in reporting on increasingly complex financial transactions and instruments and their valuation Game Theory Three electives to be taken among ESSEC PhD courses
effects, - the convergence of national financial reporting systems towards an international standard of reference and Quantitative Research Methods in Management
its impact on capital markets, - the role of auditing and the economic effects of regulation of accounting information.

10 ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 11
 Subfields Compulsory courses in each subfield:

In this concentration, students can Industrial Organization

specialize in any of the following main areas: Industrial Organization
Empirical Industrial Organization
I ndustrial Organization
International Economics (with micro or macro emphasis) International Economics
Public Economics. (microeconomics or macroeconomics)
International Finance
International Trade

Overview of the Program Public Economics

Public Economics
Compulsory courses across subfields: Labor Economics

Preliminary courses
Mathematics for Economics Electives
Choice and Decision Theory
For each subfield of specialization, students
Advanced courses/seminars (first quarter of Year 1) chose five electives from the following:
Microeconomics I Compulsory courses from other specializations
Macroeconomics I Economics of Information
Econometrics Corporate Governance
Applications of Econometrics I Numerical Methods
Monetary Economics
Advanced courses/seminars (Year 1 and 2) Environmental Economics
Microeconomics Economics of Education
Macroeconomics Health Economics
Micro-Econometrics Financial Economics
Time Series Analysis
Research Seminar 1 : Professors Seminar
Research Seminar 2 : Student Seminar
Reading Seminars on Specialized Subjects Faculty
Applications of Econometrics II
The ESSEC Economics department is affiliated with THEMA
(Center for Research in Applied Economics). THEMA is one

© stnazkul
of the best research centers in economics from the French
National Center of Scientific Research (CNRS) and it is based
in Cergy-Pontoise, between the University of Cergy-Pontoise
and ­ESSEC.

The ESSEC Economics faculty regularly publishes articles

in the highest-level international academic reviews as

THE ECONOMICS CONCENTRATION well as books, chapters and economic reports (a total
of 150 publications between 2008 and 2013). ESSEC
professors work in different areas: applied microeconomics;
industrial organisation; game theory; monetary economics;
Courses and seminars cover three components: macroeconomics; international trade and finance ;
Basic Philosophy international institutional economics ; and health
 eneral Requirement Courses and Preliminary
G economics. ESSEC professors are connected with the
The Economics concentration of the PhD Program provi- Course/Seminars academic community by doing research with colleagues
des doctoral students with a solid grounding in economic Advanced Courses and Seminars from all over the world, regularly participating in academic
theory, as well as the analytical and statistical tools needed Subfield Electives conferences and being board members of international
to conduct high-quality theoretical and empirical research. journals.
This program is run jointly with the Economic department at * Another asset of the program: PhD students will obtain a Master
the University of Cergy-Pontoise, one of the leading French in Research awarded jointly by ESSEC Business School and the
universities in Economics. It aims to develop multiple skills, University of Cergy-Pontoise (UCP) after successful completion of
notably the mastering of the concepts of economic theory the first year of studies in our Ph.D. Program.
and analysis; the methodology of model building at the
highest scientific level ; and data analysis using advanced
econometric methods and tools.

12 ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13
 Courses and seminars
Preliminary courses Advanced courses and seminars - year 2
Financial Theory Empirical Asset Pricing
Mathematics for Economists Empirical Corporate Finance
Choice and Decision Theory Microstructure of Financial Markets

General requirements Research seminars of the Finance department

Macroeconomics Brownbags of the Finance department
Microeconomics I
Econometrics I Electives - 2 among
Introduction to Decision Theory
Advanced courses and seminars - year 1 Time series
Discrete Time Asset Pricing Macroeconomics I & II
Continuous Time Asset Pricing Microeconomics II
Corporate Finance
Microeconometrics
Behavioral Finance

THE FINANCE
CONCENTRATION Doing a PhD is a rich and
challenging experience for me. There
have been ups and downs on the road,
Basic philosophy but the faculty members are always
willing to extend their help. Also, as
The PhD program in finance aims to train innovative scholars, an international student, I love the
able to produce top-quality research in finance. To achieve cultural diversity at ESSEC.
this objective, students need to develop deep understanding
of contemporaneous finance and related fields, demonstrated Runqing Wan (PhD19),
through the successful completion of required courses and a Assistant Professor, Capital
University of Economics
comprehensive exam. Further, they need to show their skills in
and Business, Beijing
producing original research through a secondyear paper and a
dissertation. Students are required to participate in the acade-
mic activities of the finance department (seminar, brownbag,
conferences) and they will have the possibility to cooperate with
the faculty both at the Paris and the Singapore campuses.
© VLADGRIN

14 ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 15
 Advanced courses/seminars Subfields in Management
(For all students of the Organization Behavior:
Management concentration) International management, institutions and regulations
Human resources strategies and organizational performance
Fundamentals of Management Identity processes in individuals, groups and organizations
Classics of the Social Sciences Organizational change and learning
Classics of Administration and Business history, ethics and organizational governance
Management Theory Network analysis.
Contemporary Management Theory
Strategy/Entrepreneurship:
Qualitative Research Corporate and business strategy
Methods in Management Strategic management processes
Approaches Entrepreneurship
Modes of Analysis and Techniques Game theory
Industrial organization and economics
Quantitative Research
Methods in Management Management Control:
Methodology and Design Types of control and performance management systems
Multivariate Analysis Planning, budgeting, information systems and learning
Management accounting change and innovation
Econometrics Social and psychological approaches in
management accounting research
Electives (Seven electives to be taken
among ESSEC PhD courses) Information Systems:
Modeling, designing, developing and evaluating IT applications
Knowledge management

© Denis ALLARD/REA
Data warehousing and decision support
Information systems in the organizational context
Social studies of information system

THE MANAGEMENT
CONCENTRATION
As I joined the ESSEC PhD
program, I was inspired by the
Basic Philosophy great diversity of backgrounds and
personalities that I found both among
The ESSEC PhD program in Management provides comprehensive faculty members and fellow PhDs.
coverage of an extremely broad range of human and This diversity broadened my horizon,
strategic issues, relating them to major contemporary enriched my thinking and made me a
questions of sustainable organizational performance. more confident aspiring scholar.
Grounded in the research traditions of the fundamental disciplines
of Economics, Philosophy, Psychology and Sociology, the program Caecilia Drujon D’Astros,
proposes in-depth specialization in one of the following subfields: PhD candidate in
Organizational Theory and Behavior, Strategy, Human Resource Management Control.
Management, Information Systems, Management Control.
The PhD Program in Management provides an all-round
education covering both methodological and theoretical
debates – familiarity with the full range of qualitative and
quantitative techniques is coupled with extensive analysis of
the major intellectual paradigms in the social sciences.

16 ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 17
 Overview of the program
Fundamentals of Marketing Research Multivariate Statistics in Marketing Electives
Consumer Behavior Experimental Methods (4 to be taken over a two-year period)
Marketing Strategy Reading Seminar in Marketing 1
Qualitative Research Methods in Marketing Models 1
Marketing Econometrics

‘‘
“The PhD program at ESSEC
is both a challenging and an
exciting prospect. As an aspiring
scholar, I have gained a unique
perspective on business through
rigorous coursework and close
research collaboration with
THE MARKETING CONCENTRATION renowned faculty.”
Alina Ferecatu (PhD 14), Assistant
Professor, Department of Marketing
Management,
Basic Philosophy Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus
University, Rotterdam.
The ESSEC PhD program in Marketing is
devoted to training doctoral candidates to
conduct rigorous and impactful research. The
program accommodates candidates with both
quantitative and qualitative orientations, and
provides them with the tools, concepts, and
theories that are necessary for an academic
career in marketing. A key objective of the
program is to nurture the students’ scholarly
interests within a collegial environment and
encourage interactions and exchanges with the
faculty and other PhD students.

The Marketing Department comprises world-

renowned scholars who have demonstrated
excellence in research. The faculty regularly
publishes in the most highly regarded
marketing journals such as Journal of
Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research,
Marketing Science, Journal of Consumer
Research, and Management Science.
The PhD students actively participate in
conferences and research seminars organized
by the department. To support and nurture
students’ research interests, a wide range
of statistical software, specialized research
databases, and access to both the student
subject pool and state-of-the art ESSEC
Experimental Research Lab are provided to the
students in the program.

The program offers an in-depth specialization in

one of the following sub-fields: Behavioral track
and Modeling track.

18 ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 19
 The two specializations: OM/OR and DA
The two specializations have a few courses in common, but are well separated in terms
of content with specific introductory and advanced courses in each field.

Operations Management & Operations Data Analytics (DA)

Research (OM/OR)
Data Analytics combine mathematical, statistical and
Operations Management not only concerns the traditional computer tools to solve economics and business problems.
creation, production, and delivery of products and services, The approach may involve e.g. model building, analysis of
but it takes a broader view that comprises supply chain big data, empirical testing of theories, risk management,
management (SCM), logistics, purchasing management, stochastic processes, econometrics and forecasting.
project management, and new product development. All
these fields have a strong operational focus and a potential This subfield is hosted by the IDS department and the
impact on the successful management of operations. Recent CREAR research center.
research interests of our faculty include: Environmental Recent research interests of our faculty include:
management and monitoring, Humanitarian logistics Agent based models of learning
and relief operations, coordination in SCM, New product Multivariate Statistics
development, Digital operations. Predictive Path Modeling
Advanced econometrics models
Operations Research aims at solving optimization Assessment of Climate Change
problems for operations planning and management. Our Extreme Value Theory
faculty develops new models and methods that can apply Risk analysis & Risk Management
to production planning, transportation and routing, facility
location, network design, sustainable operations, with The courses in the DA specialization cover the following
a focus on uncertainty. Recent research interests of our topics: advanced statistics, time series analysis, forecasting,
faculty include: Advanced Decision Theory, Continuous- stochastic processes, introductory and advanced

THE OPERATIONS AND time Dynamic Games, Optimal control, Robust optimization,
Selection problems with choice models, Bilevel programming,
econometrics, big data analytics, quantitative risk
management, statistical modelling.

DATA ANALYTICS CONCENTRATION

Decomposition methods Several softwares and programming languages are also
presented to the students.
This specialization is hosted by the OMOR research cluster
comprising professors of the IDS and OM departments. The The PhD students in this DA specialization should be able
courses in OM/OR cover the following topics: introductory at the end of the program to combine two skills: a) design
Basic Philosophy optimization methods (Linear Programming,, graphs, and develop new models and methods for statistics and
dynamic programming), advanced optimization methods econometrics with proven analytical properties, and b)
ODA is an interdisciplinary concentration of ESSEC The concentration has two specializations: (decomposition methods, Column generation, Benders apply these methods to applications in economics, finance,
Business School PhD Program. It provides students a Operations Management & Operations Research decomposition, cutting plane methods, robust optimization), marketing, operations or business as a whole.
structured education in quantitative research methods (OM/OR) technology management and new product development,
and management science. It covers all aspects of business Data Analytics (DA) sustainable operations, optimal control, game theory,
analytics: descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics. (Statistics, Big Data, Econometrics and Risk) dynamic games, dynamic methods, advanced decision
It focuses on theoretical, empirical and methodological theory, SCM, applied statistics, econometrics, simulation
research including computational aspects of data science Each applicant has to choose a single specialization for operations management. Coding skills are important to
and decision models. The students should learn to design (OM/OR or DA) in the application file BEFORE entering implement models and methodologies.
new models and methods, possibly applied to economics, the program, explaining her specific motivation for the
marketing, digital business, finance, risk management, selected specialization. There are open positions in both
operations, supply chain management. The period of courses specializations each year.
lasts for 1,5 year, with Research Apprenticeship Modules
(RAMs) that start in the first year (under the supervision of a
Professor) and aim at producing a first research paper before
the Dissertation Proposal, which takes place at the end of the
second year.

20 ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 21
 APPLICATIONS AND ADMISSIONS
Admission Requirements Application Procedure
and how to apply The application materials include:
Candidates need to possess the ability to en- The application form indicating university degrees and grades.
gage in high-quality research and show a real Three letters of recommendation from faculty or research scholars.
vocation for teaching. They must also demons- GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) or GRE (Graduate
trate a solid educational background. Record Examination) scores. These tests are administrated by the ETS
Applicants should have an outstanding (four- (Educational Testing Services, Princeton, USA) and can be taken at va-
year) Bachelor’s degree (BA, BSc or equivalent) rious places around the world. The ETS code center for the ESSEC Ph.D.
or higher qualification (a Master’s degree would Program is X 6R-91-50 (GMAT) and 0839 (GRE). Information about
be an asset). French students can apply with GMAT and GRE can be found on www.gmat.com and www.gre.com
four or more years of post-secondary studies As the program is in English, applicants whose native language is not

CONFERENCES (“Bac+4”). European students with a Master’s

in Research (MRes) are also welcome to apply
– successful applicants would gain exemption
English are required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign
Language). The TOEFL code for the Ph.D. program is 0045. Informa-
tion about TOEFL can be found on www.toefl.com
from certain courses/seminars and depending The application pack can be downloaded from www.essec.edu/bu-
on their background, would follow a sequence of siness-school-paris-program/doctoral-program/phd or requested
Conferences courses/seminars covering approximately one from the Ph.D. Program at ESSEC Business School (see back page for
year instead of two. address).
Fostering openness to the international environment, both academic and economic, is an important objective of our PhD The program is open to top students from Application fees: none.
students. They meet students from other institutions, as well as professors from a variety of international backgrounds, either Business and Economics schools, but also from
directly or through specialized academic conferences; at these events they regularly present their research, in order to get fields such as Engineering, Hard Sciences, Psy-
feedback and become familiar with the most current work in the scientific community. Our students, with the financial sup- chology, Sociology, Philosophy, etc.
port of the program, make regular presentations at numerous prestigious conferences such as: Full Funding
Doctoral students may be eligible for financial
AOM EAA Annual Congress POMS Annual Conference aid according to need and merit:
AMA
EGOS
EMAC
EFMA
European Conference on Operational
Research EURO
Deadlines Tuition fees waiver.
Tuition fees waiver with a living allowance (23,000 euros - non
MSOM INFORMS taxable - for a full year of study). These financial aids are available
Applicants should normally
AFC Annual Congress SCANCOR during the four years of study. A fifth year can be funded by a
apply before:

‘‘
combination of scholarship and teaching contract. The financial
support is conditional upon students’ progress and performance, and
1st session: January 15th is reviewed annually.
Overseas internships 2nd session: May 1st External aid (e.g. French Government scholarships for foreigners,
foreign government scholarships).
Apart from participating to international conferences, students “I never had a true pre-disposition Bank loans.
are encouraged to spend time (from 3 to 6 months) in top towards academia until I joined the Ph.D.
overseas institutions. Some of them went to: programme. It was only at ESSEC that I
discovered how privileged we are in this
Cardiff University, UK profession: we benefit from intellectual Tuition Fees
NHH Norwegian School of Economics, Norway stimulation, opportunities to solve problems
INSEAD, Singapore and access to a very elite and tight-knit The tuition fees for the PhD program amount
University of Virginia, USA community. I learned all these things at to 10,000 euros per year the first two years. For
University of Stanford, USA students from the European Union, reduced
ESSEC from an exceptional group of faculty,
University of Iowa, USA tuition fees of 5,000 euros per year apply. After
students and staff, a group passionate about
University of Florida, USA the first two years, tuition fees for students in
and engaged in the work that they do. Such
University of Alberta, Canada residence amount to 2,400 euros per year; an
Houston University, USA passion is infectious; I’m sincerely grateful exceptional waiver of half this amount applies
University of Toronto, Rottman School of Mgt, Canada for a wonderful five years that has set the for periods of non-residence.
University of South Carolina, USA foundation for the rest of my career.”
Penn State University, USA
Tilburg School of Economics and Management, The Netherlands Joel Bothello (PhD14),
NUS, Singapore Assistant Professor, The John Molson
Emory, USA School of Business,
Concordia University, Montréal.

22 ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL - PHD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 23
 © ESSEC Business School - 1201790421 - April, 2021 - Not printable file.
ESSEC Business School
3 avenue Bernard-Hirsch
CS 50105 Cergy
95021 Cergy-Pontoise Cedex
France
Tel. +33 (0)1 34 43 30 00
www.essec.edu

ESSEC Executive Education

CNIT BP 230
92053 Paris-La Défense
France
Tel. +33 (0)1 46 92 49 00
www.executive-education.essec.edu

ESSEC Asia-Pacific C O N TA C T S
5 Nepal Park
Tel. +33 (0)1 34 43 30 85
Singapore 139408 Tel. +33 (0)1 34 43 32 50
Tel. +65 6884 9780 [email protected]
www.essec.edu/asia www.essec.edu/phd
ESSEC | CPE Registration number 200511927D
Period of registration: 30 June 2017 - 29 June 2023
Committee of Private Education (CPE) is part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)

ESSEC Africa
Plage des Nations - Golf City
Route de Kénitra - Sidi Bouknadel (Rabat-Salé)
Morocco
Tel. +212 (0)5 37 82 40 00
www.essec.edu

The content of this brochure is intended for informational purpose only, is subject to modification and is not legally binding.