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Founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

A non-profit university with on-campus and online degree programs

Home of Consciousness-Based Education

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

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Founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

A non-profit university with on-campus and online degree programs

Home of Consciousness-Based Education

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

Request Info > Apply > Visit Us >
Request Info > Apply > Visit Us >

Study & research holistic management

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  • Learn to research, measure and communicate business sustainability outcomes
  • Grow holistically through daily practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique
  • Develop leadership skills to help move organizations and the business world toward sustainable practices

Expertise in holistic management

Are you ready to become a leader in the field of holistic management? In MIU’s PhD in Management program, you’ll explore how organizations can profit while producing positive impacts for society and the environment, develop the skills that you need to succeed in sustainable business, and grow as a person through daily meditation practice.

Get started by contacting Pedro

Pedro Ugalde, admissions counselorPedro Ugalde is this program’s admissions counselor for US students. Pedro will provide you with all the details of becoming a student, including connecting you with the program director or faculty.

Contact Pedro >

International applicants may connect with us through our international inquiry form.

Program structure

The PhD in Management has four phases:

  • Doctoral Course Work. Students take a program of courses that consists of a PhD Core of 6 courses covering consciousness-based managing for sustainability. There is also a required Research Methods Core of 4-5 courses, Professional Development seminars in teaching and writing, and a sequence of courses in the Science and Technology of Consciousness, which students learn to integrate with their academic studies in sustainable management. Classes are offered at a part-time pace, meaning 4 credit courses over a period of 2 months and 2 credit courses taught over 1 month.
  • Written Comprehensive and Oral Qualifying Exams. Students undertake a written comprehensive exam and a written and oral qualifying exam. When a student successfully completes the qualifying examination, the student is advanced to PhD candidate status. The core work and qualifying exams can be completed in the first two years of enrollment in the program.
  • Dissertation Proposal. When a dissertation proposal is accepted, the student is advanced to PhD researcher status.
  • Dissertation Research and Defense. The PhD researcher must write the dissertation research and successfully complete an oral defense of the dissertation.

Practical management for a changing world

This program prepares students to utilize high-level management knowledge and skills in their careers, but with an added “green” twist. Students will learn about organizational behavior and theory, implementing sustainability in business, multiple regression analysis, multivariate analysis, quantitative research design, and more. By bringing sustainable and traditional business methodologies together, students will be prepared to lead the businesses they work with into the future.

Get started by contacting Pedro

Pedro Ugalde, admissions counselorPedro Ugalde is this program’s admissions counselor for US students. Pedro will provide you with all the details of becoming a student, including connecting you with the program director or faculty.

Contact Pedro >

International applicants may connect with us through our international inquiry form.

Next entry: Aug 2026Apply Now >
Next entry: Aug 2026Apply Now >

More about the program

  • Research sustainability
    • Our PhD program prepares each student to conduct original and significant research through courses in management theory, sustainability, and research methods and statistics. Early on in the program, you’ll identify your own field of study in which to focus your research papers. Through your own work, you’ll be gathering new data and advancing academia in the ever-growing field of sustainable business.
  • Block system – Full immersion into each subject
    • In our block system, you’ll take only one course at a time, fully immersing yourself in that subject. This approach enables you to learn more with less stress, with deeper understanding and better retention of the course material. You’ll also enjoy stronger connections with ​your professors and classmates—and you’ll never have to contend with a ​nerve-wracking ​finals week.
  • Practice Transcendental Meditation
    • Academia doesn’t have to be stressful — that’s why all MIU students, staff, and faculty practice the Transcendental Meditation technique twice daily. This scientifically-validated technique has been shown to lower stress, enhance brain functioning, and support overall health. After regular meditation practice, our students often report feeling less stressed and more creative than ever.
  • Become a leader
    • A major emphasis of our PhD program is preparing graduate students to become teachers and leaders in business, academics, and beyond. You’ll be trained in principles and practices for successful writing and teaching, which can be applied in a variety of leadership, consulting and academic situations.
  • Examples of dissertation research topics sustainability and consciousness
    • CSR and Financial Performance in China
    • The role of HRM in implementing sustainability
    • Conceptions of sustainability in Cameroon
    • Meditation and trust in supply chain relationships
    • Consciousness and Success
    • Brain integration and management integrity
    • Consumers and non-genetically modified food
    • Effects of green-certified building
    • Moral development of CPA’s
    • ISO-14001 Environmental Management System and corporate financial performance
    • Development economics based on natural law
    • Self development and leadership behaviors
    • The effects of the Transcendental Meditation on stress in managers
  • Online students – study according to your time zone and schedule
    • The online classes can be taking synchronously (in real-time), as well as, asynchronously. While we encourage our students to take classes synchronously we understand that sometimes a student may not be able to do so. In such a scenario, they can watch the class recordings at their convenience. In other words, the class sessions are recorded and can be watched by the students anytime.

Entrance Requirements

To enter the Doctor of Philosophy in Management program, a student must:

  • Hold an MBA, master’s degree in a business-related field, or a master’s degree and substantial business-related work experience
  • Have taken the GMAT or GRE and received an adequate score
  • Have written a substantial research paper as evidence of academic writing.
    The paper may have been submitted for required course assignments or as a thesis in the student’s master’s degree program. This should be a paper written by the student alone, not a project by a team of students. This writing sample may be accepted as a substitute for scores on GMAT or GRE.
  • At least two years of professional work experience in a business is preferred.

Additional requirements

English language verification

International applicants must submit official English proficiency test scores within the past 2 years of at least 110 on Duolingo, 6.5 on IELTS Academic, 90 on TOEFL iBT or 58 on PTE.

Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique

All MIU students practice the Transcendental Meditation® technique. If you have not learned it yet:

  • Once accepted as a US student, the cost of TM instruction is covered through a grant offered by MIU
  • Students can either learn TM upon arrival or prior to enrolling
  • Contact your admissions counselor for details
  • Find information on the TM technique or search for a TM teacher at TM.org

FAQ

  • Is the online program the same as the on-campus? How are they the same? How do they differ?
    • The online and on-campus PhD program are run simultaneously. Online students can interact with the professor and on-campus students when they attend the online classes live. Online students may attend the classes asynchronously if their time zone doesn’t allow live participation.
  • What is the class schedule?
    • View the schedule for online and on-campus classes. All classes are held on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am-12 noon.
  • What is the delivery system for the online courses?
    • Both on-campus and online classes are following the same schedule. The online classes can be taking synchronously (in real-time), as well as, asynchronously. While we encourage our students to take classes synchronously we understand that sometimes a student may not be able to do so. In such a scenario, they can watch the class recordings at their convenience. In other words, the class sessions are recorded and can be watched by the students anytime.
  • Is the entire PhD taught online? Or is some campus time required?
    • You can opt to take the online PhD, then there is no campus time required. If you decide to sign up for the on campus PhD, you are required to attend classes on campus.
  • How long does it take to complete the online PhD?
    • The required coursework for a PhD takes two years, and defense of a thesis proposal, completion of thesis research and defense of the final thesis usually takes 12 to 18 months at a minimum. It is reasonable to expect to take four to five years to complete the PhD.

Featured faculty

jane-schmidt-wilke

Jane Schmidt-Wilk

jane-schmidt-wilke

Jane Schmidt-Wilk is Professor of Management, Dean of Teaching and Learning, and Director of the Center for Management Research at MIU. Her publications explore the role of the development of consciousness in business and management education. She teaches management and organizational behavior, qualitative research methods, communication skills, teaching, and academic writing. She was past editor of Management Teaching Review and the Journal of Management Education and serves on the editorial boards of other academic journals. Jane is an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors of the MOBTS Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society, a member of the Academy of Management, and a member of the Midwest Academy of Management. Curriculum Vitae >

Cost & Aid, 2025-26

  • US On-Campus Students

    • US On-Campus PhD

    PhD entry-level lasts one to two years. After passing comprehensive exams, the PhD Candidate may be eligible to apply for a teaching position that provides a waiver of tuition while working on the dissertation proposal. After the proposal is approved, the PhD Researcher with a teaching position would continue to have a waiver of tuition. The tuition listed here is for one academic year (two semesters) at the current year rate, subject to change in future years.

    Annual Tuition
    Entry Level$10,800
    Candidate Level$10,000
    Researcher Level$6,000
    Additional Costs
    Housing, meals, books, and personal expenses$14,000
    Federal student loans are available for tuition as well as for the $14,000 for housing, meals, books, and personal expenses.
    Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date. For more information, contact us at finaid@miu.edu for a quick reply — normally one business day — or see more about financial aid.

  • US Online Students

    • US Online PhD

    IMPORTANT: PhD entry-level lasts one to two years. After passing comprehensive exams, the PhD Candidate may be eligible to apply for a teaching position that provides a waiver of tuition while working on the dissertation proposal. After the proposal is approved, the PhD Researcher with a teaching position would continue to have a waiver of tuition. The tuition listed here is for one academic year (two semesters) at the current year rate, subject to change in future years.

    Annual Tuition
    Entry Level$10,800
    Candidate Level$10,000
    Researcher Level$6,000
    Federal student loans are available for tuition.

    Additional Financial Aid Information

    • Federal Student Loans
      • Your FAFSA automatically qualifies you for the majority of federal student loans for this program. The remaining portion is composed of Federal Graduate PLUS loans which require “no adverse credit” or an endorser. Repayment begins after your enrollment ends.

    • Education Tax Incentives
      • There are a variety of money-saving tax benefits to assist in reducing the cost of education expenses. More about education tax benefits.
    • Veterans
      • Veterans should contact the VA for information on Veterans Education Benefits. Veterans eligible for BAH monthly benefits: The VA utilizes a scale of credits per block of courses; therefore, the VA sometimes pays part-time benefits for an individual month while the university delivers full-time federal aid for an entire semester. Our Veterans Certifying Official is our Director of Financial Aid.

    Loan Repayment Options

    • Standard
      • Payments are a fixed amount that ensures your loans are paid off within 10 years (within 10 to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).
    • Extended
      • Payments may be fixed or graduated and will ensure that your loans are paid off within 25 years.
    • Graduated
      • Payments are lower at first and then increase, usually every two years, and are for an amount that will ensure your loans are paid off within 10 years (within 10 to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).
    • Income-Based
      • Your monthly payments will be either 10 or 15 percent of discretionary income (depending on when you received your first loans), but never more than you would have paid under the 10-year Standard Repayment Plan.
    • Income Contingent
      • Payments are recalculated each year and are based on your updated income, family size, and the total amount of your Direct Loans. Any outstanding balance will be forgiven if you haven’t repaid your loan in full after 25 years.
    • Income Sensitive
      • Your monthly payment is based on annual income, but your loan will be paid in full within 15 years.
    Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date. For more information, contact us at finaid@miu.edu for a quick reply — normally one business day — or see more about financial aid.

  • International On-Campus Students

    • International On-Campus PhD

    PhD entry level lasts one to two years. After passing comprehensive exams, the PhD Candidate may be eligible to apply for a teaching position that provides a waiver of tuition while working on the dissertation proposal. After the proposal is approved, the PhD Researcher with a teaching position would continue to have a waiver of tuition. The tuition listed here is for one academic year (two semesters) at the current year rate, subject to change in future years.

    Annual Tuition
    Entry Level$10,800
    Candidate Level$10,000
    Researcher Level$6,000
    Additional Costs
    Housing and Meals$7,400
    Health Insurance (estimate)$1,992
    Personal expenses, books, unexpected needs (estimate)$3,500
    Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date.

  • International Online Students

    • International Online PhD

    PhD entry-level lasts one to two years. After passing comprehensive exams, the PhD Candidate may be eligible to apply for a teaching position that provides a waiver of tuition while working on the dissertation proposal. After the proposal is approved, the PhD Researcher with a teaching position would continue to have a waiver of tuition. The tuition listed here is for one academic year (two semesters) at the current year rate, subject to change in future years.

    Annual Tuition
    Entry Level$10,800
    Candidate Level$10,000
    Researcher Level$6,000
    Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date.

Courses may include:

  • Core curriculum
    • MGT 601 Organizational Behavior Theory and Research
      • A review of the classic works in the Organizational Behavior (OB) literature, this course examines the main issues and questions addressed by OB since its inception in the late 1930s, including motivation, small group behavior, leadership, power, and organizational culture and change. Students will develop hypotheses for how expansion of consciousness influences organizational behavior. (2 credits)
    • MGT 607 Assessing Human Development
      • Scientific measurement of individual characteristics provides a research framework for assessing individual and organization development toward higher states of consciousness. Development of the mind toward higher states of consciousness provides the natural foundation for enhancing employee performance, growth of enlightened leadership, and organization transformation toward sustainability. Topics include: the construction and use of valid and reliable assessment instruments. (2 credits)
    • MGT 676 Organizational Development and Change
      • What are the findings of behavioral sciences regarding effective practices for the transformation of organizations and communities to achieve positive holistic outcomes more effectively? We examine selected research on topics such as understanding barriers and enablers, managing behavioral change, positive leadership, stakeholder engagement, and conflict resolution. Development of individual, organizational, and societal consciousness expresses itself in new management practices and forms of organization that enable organizations to innovatively address social and environmental needs. (4 credits)
    • MGT 692 Seminar in Writing
      • This course prepares doctoral students to be competent in the conception, organization, writing, and presentation of scholarly works. (2 credits)
    • MGT 677 Performance Management in Strategy Research
      • Through the study of articles in the current literature on business strategy, this course focuses on operationalization and measurement of research concepts while touching on management theories, research design, and statistical analysis methods. Topics include accounting measures, market measures, hybrid measures (risk-adjusted accounting measures and Tobin’s Q), and composite measures such as the balanced scorecard and sustainability measures. (2–4 credits) The 4-credit version includes a deeper reading of the literature.
    • MGT 621 Literature Review
      • This course prepares students to conduct an exhaustive search of the peer-reviewed research literature in their topic area and identify potential areas of inquiry for their dissertation. The students learn to conduct effective literature searches, develop a plan for writing comprehensive, and synthesized reviews of research literature, critically review and write about the underlying theory/conceptual frameworks, identify gaps in the existing research knowledge base to lay the foundation for future research, and focus on developing a scholarly narrative supporting all points of view of the study. (4 credits)
  • Research methods
    • MGT 5240 Statistical Analysis for Researchers
      • In quantitative research, a key step is a statistical analysis to discern meaningful patterns in the study data and relationships between variables. This course provides a foundational understanding of statistical concepts and methods for data analysis and interpretation.
      Topics include principles of statistical thinking for management research; numerical and graphical tools for describing and analyzing business data; the normal distribution, populations, and sampling; confidence intervals, hypothesis testing; correlation coefficients, and simple linear regression. (2–4 credits) Prerequisite: MATH 152 or the equivalent.
    • MGT 628 Introduction to Multivariate Data Analysis
      • This course provides a conceptual introduction to the multivariate statistical methods most commonly used in management research in order to prepare students to critically read the quantitative management research literature and begin preparation of their own dissertation research proposal. Topics include: review of simple linear regression and correlation, multiple regression, logistic regression, discriminant function analysis, univariate comparison of means (analysis of variance), multivariate analysis of variance, principal components and factor analysis, path analysis and structural equation modeling, and multilevel modeling. (4 credits)
    • MGT 631 Multiple Regression
      • This course examines contemporary procedures of applied multiple regression analysis for business data. Topics include: review of simple regression, hypothesis tests and confidence intervals, modeling nonlinear regression relationships, model specification strategies, diagnostic testing of model adequacy, robust regression, categorical explanatory variables, outliers and influential observations, path analysis, and logistic regression. (4 credits)
    • MGT 635 Quantitative Research Design
      • This introductory course begins with the logic of causation and correlation in social science. We review the steps of scientific inquiry: literature review, theory development, operationalization and measurement of variables, data collection and analysis, interpretation, and write-up. Experimental and quasi-experimental research designs are treated specifically. Topics include: the types of validity, the “control” of extraneous influences by design or by statistical methods, and the relationship between research design and statistical testing. (4 credits)
    • MGT 636 Qualitative Research Methods
      • Qualitative research is often used in research on complex behavioral systems and in the exploration of a new field of study. Using methods such as participant observation, unstructured interviewing, and the examination of documents, a scholar can form theories that may be later tested by quantitative methods or validated on other samples. Particular attention is given in this course to the methodology of grounded theorizing in multiple case studies and problems of data analysis, interpretation, and generalization. (4 credits)
    • MGT 610 Survey Design
      • In this course, students learn the essential elements of developing, analyzing, and validating a survey instrument. The course will explore the options available to the researcher, examine the decisions to be made in designing a survey, and identify sources of error in survey research. The course will also establish how each aspect of a survey can affect its accuracy and credibility, and confront the practical problems of survey research, exploring the theoretical and methodological issues at stake. (2 credits)
  • Additional courses
    • In addition to the required courses and credits listed above, 1 credit of MGT 679 Research Seminar in Management is required every semester. A student’s faculty advisory committee may require additional coursework as required for the student’s dissertation research.
  • Qualifying exam and dissertation research
    • MGT 690 Preparation for Qualifying Examination
      • This course provides the time necessary to prepare for the qualifying examination, which demonstrates research competence. It may be in the form of a research proposal, or in another form at the discretion of the program faculty. After successful completion of this examination, students advance to the status of PhD Candidate.(4 credits per block — may be repeated for credit until the qualifying examination is completed)
    • MGT 700 Preparing the Dissertation Proposal
      • Having gained doctoral candidacy by completing the comprehensive and qualifying examinations, students prepare a proposal for a doctoral dissertation that is acceptable to their major professor and dissertation committee. (8 credits per semester — may be repeated for credit until dissertation proposal is accepted) Prerequisites: PhD candidate status and consent of the dissertation advisor
    • MGT 701 Dissertation Research
      • Students conduct original research and prepare their dissertations. (8 credits per semester— may be repeated for credit until dissertation is completed). Prerequisites: approved dissertation proposal and permission of the dissertation committee

    When the qualifying examination is successfully completed, the student is advanced to PhD Candidate status. When the dissertation proposal is accepted by the faculty, the student is advanced to PhD Researcher status. The amount of time required to complete the dissertation varies according to the research project. A public oral presentation and defense of the dissertation are required, as is acceptance of the dissertation by the dissertation committee, the Graduate School Director, and the Library Director. (See the dissertation manual.)

To graduate, students must also satisfy the general requirements for a PhD

Current class schedule for the PhD in Management

Congratulations 2022 PhD Graduates!

Janet Ho gown

My experience of the PhD in Management

Janet Ho gown

"Upon the completion of my Ph.D. degree, I would like to proclaim the accomplishment of an experiment that I have been performing for ten years at MIU—unknown to anyone else. The first year I was a student in the Master in Maharishi Vedic Science program, I saw the suggested daily schedule in a syllabus.

I started my experiment on the suggested daily routine. The hypothesis was that the more one is aligned with the suggested daily routine, the more significant achievement one gains. Early to bed, Early rise to finish the assignments, regular exercise, regular meals, and practicing Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi twice daily. Thanks to Dr. Cathy Gorini and many others who have been my dear companions in this practice. Their company multiplied in me all the incentives to enjoy the practice, which gave me incredible inspiration and strength. I finished the MA in MVS, the MBA, and the Ph.D. in management programs.

Today if there is anything within me or anything I have done that can be called successful, it is just a piece of evidence to prove that the hypothesis is true. The more one is aligned with the suggested daily routine, the more significant achievement one gains. Thanks to this wonderful daily routine suggested by this great university MIU with an exceptional faculty and staff team, under President John Hagelin's outstanding leadership, together with this fantastic community. Thanks to all!" - Dr. Janet Ho

Blog Articles

Dr. Herriott Publishes Textbook on Sustainable Technologies

Dr. Herriott Publishes Textbook on Sustainable Technologies

Management professor Scott Herriott published a textbook in December called Feasibility Analysis for Sustainable Technologies: An Engineering-Economic Perspective. Business Experts Press published the book as part of their Environmental and... more

MIU PhD Student Featured in "Educating for Responsible Management"

MIU PhD Student Featured in "Educating for Responsible Management"

A new book on global businesses and sustainability from Greenleaf publishing recently hit the market: Educating for Responsible Management: Putting Theory Into Practice. A portion of this treatise on... more

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