Doctoral Frequently Asked Questions
Below are frequently asked questions from students interested in the doctoral program in Management Information Systems (MIS).
If you don’t find the answer to your question below, please contact us.
General Admissions Topics
- When is my application due?
- Why is the MIS admissions deadline so early?
- What are the prerequisites of the program?
- What are my chances of being accepted into the program?
- How long will it take to complete the MIS doctoral degree?
- Do you accept international students?
- What is the background of your students?
- Is work experience required?
- Are your classes on the semester system or the quarter system?
- Do you offer online or virtual degree programs?
- Can I apply now, but start the program in the spring or summer?
- Where can I get a graduate catalog for the University of Arizona?
- How is “residency” determined by the University?
- I am not a US citizen, but I am living in the United States. Do I still need to apply as an international student?
- What financial aid and/or assistantships are available?
- What is my estimated yearly cost for the program?
Testing and Score Reports Topics
- Do I need to take the TOEFL?
- Do you accept test scores from the GRE, LSAT, or MCAT?
- How long are my test scores valid? How old can my GMAT/GRE score be?
- How old can my TOEFL score be?
- Do I need to send my official test score reports?
- Can I send photocopies of my tests scores?
- Do my official test scores need to be in your offices by the deadline?
Preparing/Submitting and Application
- How is my GPA calculated for application eligibility?
- Does my application need to be complete in order to apply?
- When is the earliest that I can apply for the program?
- What is the “letter of intent” document that you need for my application?
- To which address should I send my application supporting materials?
- Where do I send my supporting documents to if I am an international student?
- Is my application complete? Have all of my supporting materials been received?
General Admissions Topics
The deadline for all students (domestic and international) is January 1. Your application must be received by 5:00 p.m. MST on that day in order to be considered. Please allow sufficient delivery time to ensure that your application supporting documentation is delivered by the deadline.
Why is the MIS admissions deadline so early?
The University of Arizona mandates that every department have their admissions applications submitted to the Graduate College NO LATER THAN February 1st. Although some of the other doctoral programs within the Eller College of Management have a deadline of February 1st, the MIS department has always been required to submit them earlier.
The MIS doctoral program uses the January 1st deadline because of the large number of applications we traditionally receive. Thus, it takes our admissions committee longer to complete the review process. So, be sure to get your materials submitted by the January 1st deadline.
What are the prerequisites of the program?
There are no specific prerequisites for the program. A strong knowledge of a high level programming language is important. A master’s degree is not necessary to apply to the doctoral program.
What are my chances of being accepted into the program?
Until we have received your complete application, we are not able to predict your chances of being admitted into the program. The selection committee will consider all parts of every application submitted, including the essays and letters of recommendation. We want the best students in our doctoral program, but we do not have a maximum or minimum number of students that we accept each year.
Due to enrollment limits, the Eller College does not find it possible to admit all applicants who meet the minimum entrance requirements. The Eller College, therefore, reserves the right to:
- Refuse admission to any applicant
- Require the withdrawal of any student whose condition endangers his or her well-being or the well-being of others
- Require the withdrawal of any student whose condition precludes him or her from doing the required work
How long will it take to complete the MIS doctoral degree?
On average, the MIS program usually takes around four to five years to complete, although this varies from student to student. Typically, the first year is spent taking the core course work. During the second year, students typically complete elective classes as well as their minor coursework. By the third year and fourth years, students are usually working on research and/or dissertation projects.
Do you accept international students?
Yes.
What is the background of your students?
The background of our students is very diverse. The program attracts students from all over the world of various age groups, having different levels of education, work experience, and technical/professional expertise.
Work experience is not required for our program. However, many students do have some work experience.
Are your classes on the semester system or the quarter system?
The University of Arizona is on the semester system. The fall semester starts in late August and ends in December. The spring semester starts in January and ends in mid-May. Whereas The University of Arizona has two summer sessions, the MIS department does not normally offer MIS courses during the summer sessions.
Do you offer online or virtual degree programs?
All of our classes are in Tucson, and the nature of this program requires that our students be in residence here. We do not have a virtual or online degree programs at this time.
Can I apply now, but start the program in the spring or summer?
Yes and no. You can apply any time throughout the year, but the MIS doctoral program’s curriculum begins only in the fall semester. The core courses in the spring term build upon the core courses taken in the fall term, so starting in the spring term is simply not practical. The MIS department does not normally offer MIS courses during the summer sessions.
Where can I get a graduate catalog for the University of Arizona?
Please click here for the graduate catalog for the university.
How is “residency” determined by the University?
The Office of the Registrar is the SOLE authority in all residency decisions at the University of Arizona. Neither the MIS department nor the Eller College of Management has any influence in these determinations. For more information on residency rules and requirements, please visit the following site: www.registrar.arizona.edu/residency/residenc.htm
I am not a US citizen, but I am living in the United States. Do I still need to apply as an international student?
Yes. In order to qualify and apply as a domestic student, you must be a U.S. Citizen.
What financial aid and/or assistantships are available?
Doctoral students in the MIS program receive financial aid through either research or teaching assistantships. These assistantships include a stipend, an out-of-state tuition waiver, and student medical insurance. Please refer to the web site below for more information on fees and expenses. www.bursar.arizona.edu/
Can you help me with my VISA questions?
Unfortunately, the complexity of these international regulations (and the frequency with which they change) prevents us from speaking authoritatively regarding this topic. Thus, we suggest that you visit the following site for more information:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html
What is my estimated yearly cost for the program?
Please click here to see the estimated costs of the program as per the Graduate College's student's basic budget requirements.
Testing and Score Reports Topics
The TOEFL is required only for international students. If you have a degree from an accredited US institution, you do not have to take the TOEFL.
Do you accept test scores from the GRE, LSAT, or MCAT?
We accept official score reports from both the GMAT and the GRE, there is no preference given to either test. However, we do NOT accept or consider scores from the LSAT or MCAT.
How long are my test scores valid? How old can my GMAT/GRE score be?
The GMAT/GRE score must be less than 5 years old at the time of starting to take your first class.
How old can my TOEFL score be?
The TOEFL score must be less than 2 years old at the time of starting to take your first class. For example, classes begin on August 24, 2009, and you took the TOEFL test on August 23, 2007, that score would be invalid and you would have to take the test again.
Do I need to send my official test score reports?
Yes. We will need to receive your official test scores (GRE/GMAT/TOEFL) to complete your application review.
Can I send photocopies of my tests scores?
The score reports that you receive are "unofficial" and are not sufficient for our complete admissions process. However, please include a copy of your unofficial score reports with your application supporting documents. The admissions committee will review your application with your photocopies, but will be unable recommend you to the Graduate College until we receive your OFFICIAL copies of score reports, submitted directly to us from the ETS.
Do my official test scores need to be in your offices by the deadline?
We do prefer to have your official test scores in our offices by the deadline. However we will accept your application and we will start the application review process if we have your test score photocopies. We will not be able to submit our recommendation for your admissions to the Graduate College until we receive your official score reports. We encourage you to submit your application by the deadline and make certain that you have made arrangements with the ETS to have official score reports sent to us.
Preparing/Submitting and Application
How is my GPA calculated for application eligibility?
The admission GPA that we use to determine your eligibility may be calculated in one of the following ways:
- Undergraduate GPA is calculated over the last 60 semester units or last 90 quarter hours of the US undergraduate degree. In this situation, only the highest grade of repeated courses is counted.
- If the undergraduate degree was completed outside the US, grades are converted to the US grading system and the GPA is calculated using the last two years of course work.
- If you have completed 12+ semester units or 16 quarter hours of graduate level coursework for graduate credit in the US, the Graduate College will ignore your undergraduate grades and use this GPA for admissions purposes. If you have completed a master's or doctorate degree in the US, the Graduate College will admit you based on this GPA. Grades that are excluded from the GPA calculation include: S, P, Audit, grades awarded for professional programs (i.e., law, medicine, etc.)
Does my application need to be complete in order to apply?
Yes. All parts of your application must be completed by our deadline. We will accept unofficial scores for the GMAT and the TOEFL, but official score reports need to be sent to us (directly from the ETS) before we can make a final decision. Please feel free to use the Ph.D. application checklist to ensure you have all the necessary documents completed.
When is the earliest that I can apply for the program?
You can submit your application at any time during the year. We review the applications throughout the year, however only completed applications will be reviewed.
What is the “letter of intent” document that you need for my application?
The "letter of intent" is really nothing more than a cover letter. However, it should clearly state somewhere that "it is your intent to apply for admission to the University of Arizona's doctoral program in MIS." Please include this "Letter of Intent" with you other application supporting documentation.
To which address should I send my application supporting materials?
If you are using a traditional mail service (like the US Postal Service), send them to the following address:
Department of MIS
Admissions Team
The University of Arizona
McClelland Hall 430
1130 E. Helen St.
Tucson, AZ 85721-0108
Where do I send my supporting documents to if I am an international student?
Many times, international students want to send their application supporting documents via an express mail service (like UPS, FedEx, or DHL). But these carriers do not ship to P.O. boxes so please use the address below to do so.
Department of MIS
Admissions Team
University of Arizona
McClelland Hall 430
1130 East Helen Street
Tucson, AZ 85721-0108
Phone: (520) 621-2748
Is my application complete? Have all of my supporting materials been received?
As a rule, the MIS department does not provide its applicants with notices of application completeness. We suggest that you double-check any packages that you send to us (to insure that they are complete), and obtain a delivery confirmation receipt directly from the mail service. We also suggest that you use the Ph.D. application checklist to make sure you have all required documents prepared.
For additional information, please contact us.
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