Entrepreneurship and Organization - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Engineering 7

Engineering 7 (E7) Building on Waterloo's East Campus.

Are you an emerging entrepreneurship researcher interested in conducting independent scientific research? 

The PhD in Entrepreneurship and Organization gives you the opportunity to study alongside the world-class faculty within Waterloo’s distinctive innovation ecosystem.  

The first of its kind in Canada, this Conrad School program is different from traditional management PhD programs as it applies an entrepreneurial lens and studies behaviour in entrepreneurial contexts.  

Through intensive coursework, a comprehensive exam, a thesis proposal, and rigorous search, you’ll gain a strong understanding of the strengths and limitations of a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as theories used in entrepreneurship research, while also developing skills to carry out your own independent research.

Program overview

Department/School: Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering
Admit term(s): Fall (September - December)
Delivery mode: On-campus
Program type: Doctoral, Research
Length of program: 48 months
Registration option(s): Full-time
Study option(s): Thesis

Application deadlines

  • February 1 (for admission in September)

Key contacts

For more information contact: conrad@uwaterloo.ca

Admission requirements

  • Applicants will ideally hold a graduate degree in Business, Management, Economics, Psychology, Sociology or a related social science discipline, and must have a minimum overall average of 75%, or equivalent, in the previous degree. Those with more technical degrees (e.g., Engineering, Computer Science, Statistics) may also be considered where there is clear evidence of interest in the application of those fields to human behavior and choice in organizational or entrepreneurial settings. Applicants should highlight any prior research or research assistantship experience in their applications. The graduate degree could be a one or two-year program.
  • In exceptional cases, where a student has performed extremely well in a 4-year Honours degree in one of the domains listed above, and excelled in a scholarly research project, applicants can gain direct admission to the PhD program with the agreement of the Committee, Associate Director, Research and Doctoral Studies, and the Director of the Conrad School.
  • Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) results are required for domestic and international applicants to the PhD program. Applicants should have written these tests within the past five years.

Degree requirements

  • Review the degree requirements in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree

Application materials

  • Curriculum vitae
  • Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
  • Supplementary information form
    • The SIF contains questions specific to your program, typically about why you want to enrol and your experience in that field. Review the application documents web page for more information about this requirement
    • If a statement or letter is required by your program, review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion
  • Transcript(s)
  • References
    • Three references are required; at least two should be academic references and one can be professional 
  • Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
    • TOEFL 100 (writing 26, speaking 26), IELTS 7.5 (writing 7.0, speaking 7.0)

Tuition and fees