Why Consider a Ph.D. in BIT

The Ph.D. in BIT is one of the few US-government certified STEM-based Ph.D degrees that is housed in a leading business school, greatly increasing its academic and industry market value.

The Ph.D. in BIT is one of the few USgovernment certified STEM-based Ph.D. degrees that is housed in a leading business school, greatly increasing its academic and industry market value.
Generous financial support! Full tuition waivers and full financial funding for four to five years.
- First two summers students are given additional summer funding for full-time research.
- In subsequent summers additional summer funding for research is awarded on a competitive basis and additional compensation for voluntary teaching is available.
- Generous funding for multiple conference visits and presentations.
- We only require you to teach one to two courses before graduating; instead, we invest in your research training and do not burden you with the heavier teaching most other programs require.
Several innovative and interdisciplinary emphases can be chosen as fields of study, including but not limited to:
- Operations Management, Supply Chain, Management Science
- Information Systems, Information Technology, and Design Science
- Business Analytics, Data Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence
- Security, Privacy, and Trust
World class faculty, who have attended the top Ph.D. programs, including:
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Purdue University
- University of Arizona
- University of Cambridge
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of North Carolina
- University of Virginia
- University of Washington
- University of Wisconsin
- Virginia Tech
BIT faculty focus on ground-breaking research and have published in all of the elite journals in their fields such as:
- Information Systems Research (ISR)
- Journal of Management IS (JMIS)
- Journal of Operations Mgt (JOM)
- Management Science (MS)
- MIS Quarterly (MISQ)
- Production & Operations Mgt (POM)
BIT faculty are members and leaders involved in all the major affiliated academic organizations, including their conferences and journals:
- Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
- Association for Information Systems (AIS)
- Institute for Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE)
- Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)
- The Decision Sciences Institute (DSI)
We attract top Ph.D. students from a diversity of backgrounds and experience, providing an outstanding Ph.D. cohort. A better cohort provides more engagement in seminars, more social support, and better training.
BIT faculty have received many international recognitions, including but not limited to:
- In 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 Dr. Lowry ranked 1st or 2nd in the world in research productivity in top information systems journals.
- In 2017, Dr. Matheson received the Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award in recognition of his global activities.
- In 2017, Dr. Wang received the INFORMS Information Systems Society Design Science Award.
- In 2018, Dr. Lowry won the Operational Research Society’s Stafford Beer Medal for the best paper published in the European Journal of Information Systems.
- In 2019, Dr. Adjerid received the MIS Quarterly best paper award.
- Dr. Rees and Dr. Taylor received the Stanley T. Hardy Award, a national award for the greatest contribution to the field of production and operations management.
- BIT has more past presidents and fellows of the Decision Sciences Institute than any other university in the world (e.g., Dr. Ragsdale, Dr. Rakes, Dr. Taylor, and several other faculty).
Multiple Ph.D.-student seminars taught within the department on topics, such as the following:
- Information systems and information technology
- Operations and supply-chain management • Advanced business analytics
- Design science and text mining
- Theory building for behavioral, organizational, and technical research
- Econometrics applications of IS, OM, and business analytics
A large number of college-level Ph.D. methodology courses that are provided year-round and allows for three different methodological tracks in additional to the department’s multiple BIT Ph.D. seminars:
1. Behavioral or organizational research methods (5 courses)
2. Quantitative and econometric research methods (5 courses)
3. Data and decision science research methods (5 courses)
With appropriate qualifications, one can enroll in a large number of elective courses in several master’s and Ph.D. programs in reference disciplines, including, but not limited to:
- Accounting and IS
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Management
- Marketing
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Statistics
For students interested in analytics and big data, the Department of Statistics offers a joint master’s degree in Data Analysis and Applied Statistics (DAAS), allowing our BIT Ph.D. students to obtain a second graduate degree while strengthening their analytics abilities.
The Pamplin College of Business is in the final process of fund-raising a new four-building $250M campus, called the Global Business and Analytics Campus. Three of the four buildings are already funded; and two will break ground in 2020. The first academic building to be built will be 100% dedicated to business analytics and data science, giving great resource support to BIT students and faculty.
We have highly successful in attracting undergraduate BIT majors, who can specialize in Decision Support Systems / IT or Operations & Supply Chain Management: We have over 1,400 fulltime BIT undergraduate students, which places the BIT department in a strong position in terms of resources, faculty slots, strategy, and influence.
We also just launched an undergraduate degree in “Cybersecurity Management and Analytics (BIT-Cyber)”, which is bound to increase our enrollments and resources.
VT is a STEM-oriented, very comprehensive R1-university with nearly 35,000 students.
VT is the third leading provider of engineering students in the US, with twelve different, large engineering departments. VT also has a comprehensive Medical school, Veterinary school, College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Architecture, Pamplin College of Business, College of Science, College of Natural Resources and Environment, and College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.
VT belongs to the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) and has FAAdesignated test sites for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)s, collaborating with Google’s innovation lab, Wing, to launch air delivery services in Christiansburg, Virginia.
VT’s Hume Center for National Security and Technology collaborates with federal agencies and industry and has current research initiatives in machine learning and artificial intelligence, assured and secure communications, space and undersea missions, and 5G security.
VT and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) formed the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, where they test autonomous vehicles on smart roads and develop solutions to today’s transportation challenges.
For these reasons, technology, science, and data science/analytics permeate VT unlike most universities in the world. Our graduates likewise have unusually high employment rates and salaries.
VT has one of the largest (2,600 acres) and most beautiful university campuses in the US. Its stunning neo-gothic architecture made of trademarked “Hokie Stone” is offset by the rolling, green mountains and clean air of Southwest Virginia.
VT has a research portfolio of over $531M a year, and an annual operating budget of $1.66 billion. In Fall 2019 VT announced a $1.6B Capital Campaign to fund several innovative initiatives.
Aside from its 2,600 acre Blacksburg campus, VT operates seven campus facilities in the Washington DC area, including several groups involved with grant-based research.
VT is in the process of funding and building a new $1B+ Innovation Campus by the new HQ2 for Amazon outside of Washington DC. This campus will focus only on master’s and Ph.D. programs related to CS, Technology, Analytics, and Security.
VT is building an Innovation and Creativity District that will serve interdisciplinary needs related to innovation and entrepreneurship.
VT is consistently ranked in the top-10 universities for on-campus food and dining, fitness, and quality of life.
Blacksburg is consistently ranked as one of the top-10 college towns, and its downtown is integrated with the VT campus.
Blacksburg’s clean air, water, mountains, and abundant forests are complemented with four seasons but with mild summers and winters because of the temperate mountain location.
VT has over 2,000 different campus clubs to join through Gobbler Connect.
Access 24/7 to the Graduate Life Center and everyday access to grad school leaders and peers
VT is a Division I athletics program and a member of the prestigious ACC whose leading academic schools include Notre Dame, Duke, Boston College, North Carolina, Wake Forest, U. of Virginia, U. of Pittsburg, Syracuse, Clemson, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Florida State, and North Carolina State.
VT is one of only two R1 universities in the US that also operates as a US Senior Military College, offering the same standards and programs of the US Federal service academies (West Point, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy).
VT has rich history and strong cultural traditions that unite the campus. “Ut Prosim” is VT’s school motto, and it means “that I may serve.” Service to others is embedded in our ethos.

Choose STEM and Business

Choose a Ph.D. in Business Information Technology

Choose Virginia Tech ---

In summary, a Ph.D. will take 4–5 years of hard work, so make sure you choose a world-class STEM-oriented Business Ph.D. program that can fully support and develop you. While you are at it, why not also enjoy the experience, exercise, breath clean air, spend time in nature, avoid commuting and traffic, embrace the environment and sustainability, serve others, and have a social life?

If you have further questions or need help with your application, please contact: Dr. Paul Benjamin Lowry, BIT Ph.D. Program Director Paul.Lowry.PhD@VT.edu