Please, help me decide!

[Roman_]

Hi, I'm new here, so I've got some critical questions for me.

First, let me describe myself:
I'm working on my Bachelor degree now, it'll be finished by this spring.
My current specialization is Applied Informatics in Economics. This speciality is very close to Computer Information Systems and Project management both. Thus, I had many business, economical and information science courses, for example Mathematical economics, Mathematical analysis, Operating systems, Management, Mathematical economics, Statistics, High-level methods of informatics and programming, Information management and so on. My current GPA is 3.5, hopefully it'll be 3.65 by the end of my last term.

1. I'm very intersted in both Computer Science and Business. I want to hear from what do you think about my current specialization - am I able to pursue a PhD in Business? Is my GPA enough to think about PhD in Business?

2. Can you give some information about fields of research in business? I would be very appreciated if you give me some links or another material...

3. maybe one of key questions for me: Is it possible to get financial aid?

[bauble]

1. Yes

2. Your interests align with information technology programs. There are quite a number of these out there. Go to the UT Dallas phd rankings (google it to find it), and click on the journals that sound like IT (or whatever you're interested in), and see the top schools in a field. Go to the websites of these schools to get a sense of what each field is about. This is one (among many way to start exploring.

3. Yes, not just possible but probable. Most places will give you tuition waiver and fellowship/RA/TA, with the possibly tacit understanding that as long as you do well, you continue to get funding (assuming no budget crunch in the dept., which I've not heard happening at many b-schools as far as Ph.D. funding is concerned).

[tkkoh]

Your background is quite suited for economics of IS, if that is your interests. And there is quite a broad field.

For #2 - just look at some of the IS journals. E.g. Information Systems Research, MIS Quarterly, Management Sciences, etc. There are others focusing on say e-commerce, strategic IS, etc.

Financial aids - if the schools accept you, they are likely to provide tuition waivers and some stipends. The question is how much and for how long. E.g. in my case, the stipends is only for 3 years... beyond that, I need to do more RA/TA or get some external fundings.

[spinon]

Hey Roman,

I basically agree with the other replies to your question. But I would like to add a few things.

It would be strategically sound to decide on which particular area you want to target, e.g., "Information Systems," or "Operations Management." As I understand it, there aren't too many schools that have good programmes in Information Systems, and the job market tends to be pretty tight. You might want to seriously consider pursuing Operations Management, given your background. Top journals in OM include "Operations Research," "Math of OR," "Management Science," "MSOM," and "Decision Analysis". A third option to consider is business economics, but this is not a very well-defined area in business schools because a PhD in business economics (other than the ones from Harvard and Stanford) is not as valued as a PhD from Economics Departments.

[doubtful]

my advice is the following.

look for a MS in Information systems management in a top10 school. You can get financial aid sometimes..

then after the MS maybe you can decide whether to continue ... phd... or finding a good job and maybe 4 years later an MBA in a top10 school

[Roman_]

Thanks for your replies!