Designed for highly motivated, business-oriented students, Alvarez Pre-Ph.D. Research Pathway participants will learn critical research skills currently in high demand for doctoral programs and research-intensive careers.
Students committed to enhancing their research and analytic mindset should strongly consider the pathway, regardless of prior research experience.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree can inquire about this pathway as a special non-degree seeking graduate student.
Inquire today to register for our Spring 2025 cohort! Classes start in January 2025.
Contact Us
For general questions regarding the Alvarez Pre-Ph.D. Research Pathway contact:
Claudia Ortiz
Manager of Strategic Initiatives
Claudia.Ortiz@utsa.edu
Pathway Structure
This pathway is designed for graduate and undergraduate students interested in learning how to conduct and present academic research. It consists of three courses that can be completed in one calendar year for a total of nine credits.
The structured, three-course sequence aims to cultivate a student’s interest and develop their research competency in preparation for a doctoral program or a research-intensive corporate career.
Students in the pathway are part of a cohort and join a network of their peers who become a pillar of collaboration and support throughout the journey. Pathway participants have access to dedicated space to discuss research ideas and are invited to attend academic presentations and events, in addition to having opportunities to present their own research.
Pathway Faculty
Pre-Ph.D. Curriculum
Master's Curriculum
| Course | Title | Credit Hours |
| GBA 6013 | Graduate Academic Research and Programming | 3 |
| GBA 6023 | Research Conceptualization, Development and Practice | 3 |
| GBA 6033 | Research Implementation, Reporting and Engagement | 3 |
Course Descriptions:
GBA 6013 Graduate Academic Research and Programming--3 Credit Hours
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. The course provides an introduction to research in business administration for graduate students who are interested in entering the doctoral programs but do not have prior academic experience in this area. It also explores the nature of doctoral programs and careers in academe. The curriculum examines the nature and scope of research conducted in a variety of business disciplines and involves a broad systematic review of business research literature. Finally, this course presents the foundational work and an array of methods and approaches that students can take to prepare for research projects of interest. Curricula also include development of meaningful research topics.
GBA 6023 Research Conceptualization, Development and Practice--3 Credit Hours
Prerequisites: GBA 6013 and (MS 3043 or MBA 5413 or equivalent), and consent of instructor. This course is the first in a two-part sequence and provides an overview of common research methodologies and their applications in context to the student's degree program. Foundational concepts include examination and application of theoretical frameworks, critical analysis of scholarly literature and collection/processing of data through a theoretical lens. Students also explore quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods and the analytical elements of an effective research scheme.
GBA 6033 Research Implementation, Reporting and Engagement--3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: GBA 6023 and consent of instructor. This course is the second in a two-part sequence and intends to give students hands-on research experience in a pragmatic and professional manner. This course continues with the array of quantitative research skills introduced in GBA 6023 and trains students to apply appropriate research paradigm and conduct scientific business analysis. The analysis of data, data visualization and communication of outcomes are emphasized. Topics related to strategic fit and selection of research outlets are incorporated.
Undergraduate Curriculum
| Course | Title | Credit Hours |
| GBA 3013 | Introduction to Academic Research | 3 |
| and either | ||
| GBA 4023 | Conducting Cutting Edge and Innovative Research and Discovery | 3 |
| GBA 4033 | Communication and Visualization of Impactful Research | 3 |
| or | ||
| GBA 4993 | Honors Thesis | 6 |
Course Descriptions:
GBA 3013 Introduction to Academic Research--3 Credit Hours
Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor. This course will introduce students to the nature and scope of research conducted in a variety of business disciplines. Students will participate in broad review of business research literature. This course will also explore the nature of doctoral programs and careers in academe. Finally, this courses will describe methods and approaches that students can take to prepare for admission into graduate programs of interest.
GBA 4023 Conducting Cutting Edge and Innovative Research and Discovery--3 Credit Hours
Prerequisites: GBA 3013, MS 3043 and consent of instructor. This course is the first in a two-part sequence providing students with practical knowledge, skills and hands-on experience needed to conduct pragmatic and professional research in an application area of interest. Students will meet with their peers, if any, and the instructor for the purpose of facilitating the research work. During this course, students will engage in the following steps of the research and knowledge discovery process: problem definition, question formulation, hypothesis development, methodological selection, preliminary analytics, analytical design, data acquisition, data preparation and pre-processing, visualization, and data analysis.
GBA 4033 Communication and Visualization of Impactful Research--3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: GBA 4023 and consent of instructor. This course is the second in a two-part sequence aiming to give students hands-on research experience in a pragmatic and professional manner. Students will continue and finish their major data analytics project, focusing on post hoc or auxiliary analysis and presentation of results portion of the process. The next steps will be detailed data analysis and feedback, conclusion drawing, report preparation and refinement, presentation preparation and final presentation. The course will culminate in a formal, completed report to the supporting organization, as well as to peers and professionals in the field. Students and mentoring faculty may consider submission to professional conference and/or additional publication or presentation venues to further enhance the research experience.
Meet Alvarez Ph.D. Pathway Alum Victor Feagins
If there was a blueprint for how to have the ideal college experience, Victor Feagins executed the plan perfectly. While pursing his B.S. in Statistics and Data Science from the Carlos Alvarez College of Business, he boldly leveraged every opportunity to pursue his passions.
Wanting to focus on research fundamentals, he joined the college’s Pre-Ph.D. pathway his junior year. Exploring the interdisciplinary nature of research, he also was a fellow with the UTSA IES Pathways program in the College of Education and Human Development.
Pathway Benefits
- Become a highly-competitive candidate for top-ranked business & economics Ph.D. programs and corporate careers
- Gain access to talented faculty mentors
- Interact with current Ph.D. students and build your network
- Learn how to conduct and present formal research
- Enhance your presentation skills
- Receive Ph.D. application guidance
Pathway Features
- Three-course sequence, nine credits total
- Join a cohort of research-minded peers
- Ability to present at a research symposium
- Dedicated meeting space for pathway cohorts
- Apply to attend the Ph.D. Project’s annual conference
- Access to networking events, research workshops and doctoral presentations
Participating in the Pathway
Those interested are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to discuss incorporating the pathway courses into their degree program. Previous research experience is not required. However, students familiar with aspects of statistics, mathematical modeling and analytical coursework have found this curriculum to be most helpful in preparation for the pathway.
Recent UTSA graduates who have received their bachelor’s or master’s degrees may be eligible to participate as Special Graduates and should complete the Pre-Ph.D. Interest Form.
Careers in Research
Participating Institution
As a Carnegie R1 Institution, UTSA is committed to research excellence and academic innovation. With our distinguished faculty, competitive doctoral programs, prestigious academic journal publications and innovative research centers, UTSA is among the top 4% of research universities in the United States. National research collaborations and participation in programs like The Ph.D. Project help students achieve success at UTSA and beyond.
