About the Technology Management Doctoral Program
The Technology Management doctoral program is designed to produce exceptional scholars with a deep knowledge of technology’s effects on organizations and work, and technology entrepreneurship and innovation. Our program integrates organizational studies with technology and innovation studies in an interdisciplinary environment. Our faculty have academic backgrounds in organization theory, technology management, strategy, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
We seek students who understand research and aspire to become exceptional scholars doing research and teaching at top universities across the country and around the world. You would fit our program well if you are interested in technology-related work regardless of whether you have a background in the social sciences, physical sciences, management or engineering.
If you come from a technology or scientific background we will teach you about the importance of organizations and social systems. If you have a social science or management background you will learn to understand the role of technology and innovation in shaping organizational action. Our recent graduates have taken faculty jobs in business schools.
Interested?
Please browse our PhD pages here on the site, and make sure to contact the PhD Admissions team if you have any additional questions.
How do I apply to the PhD in Technology Management?
Key Application Requirements
- Application Deadline: The deadline for Fall 2026 admission consideration is January 15, 2026 (11:59 Pm Pacific Time).
- GRE Scores: Required for admission consideration and the scores cannot be older than 5 years.
- Statement of Purpose: This document is crucial for outlining your research interests and how your experiences have prepared you for the program.
- Letters of Recommendation: Three letters are required, and letters from faculty who have supervised you in research or coursework are highly valued.
- Personal Statement: This statement allows you to discuss your unique experiences and how they relate to your interest in Technology Management and your career goals.
- Application Fee: A non-refundable application fee is required, and there are fee waivers available for qualified U.S. citizens and permanent residents, but not for international applicants.
For more detailed admissions requirements, please navigate to Graduate Division’s full FAQ and their details page on our department. If you have additional questions, please contact and/or schedule a virtual meeting with our PhD Admissions team.
Doctoral Student Job Placement
Our doctoral program is both small (an average of two students a year) and relatively new (we accepted our first student in 2017), so our number of graduated students is still very small. The Graduate Division statistics on our student outcomes can be found here.
Two of our early graduates include:
Dr. Virginia Leavell, Ph.D. 2022
Dissertation: The future isn’t what it used to be: Anticipatory organizing in the digital transformation of water infrastructure (Chair: Paul Leonardi)
Initial job placement: Assistant Professor, Judge Business School, Cambridge University
Dr. Danielle Bovenberg, Ph.D. 2023
Dissertation: The role of scientific support occupations in the creation and dissemination of knowledge in core facilities (Chair: Steve Barley and Matt Beane)
Initial job placement: Post-Doctoral Scholar, School of Management, Yale University
Current institution: University of Colorado, Boulder
General FAQs
UCSB is world renowned for its interdisciplinary culture. Faculty and students are encouraged to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries and to pioneer exciting new interdisciplinary fields and programs. The Technology Management Department is just such a place. The faculty have backgrounds that range from engineering and management to the social sciences. We encourage our students to explore courses and to make links to faculty in the social sciences, environmental science, and other engineering departments. The Technology Management Department is housed in the College of Engineering. The National Research Council ranks all the College of Engineering’s research programs among the top five for their disciplines. Not to mention, Santa Barbara is a beautiful place to live.
The job market for doctoral students with training in technology and organizations is strong. We anticipate that most graduates will pursue academic positions in Schools of Communication, in Schools of Information (which are being rapidly founded across the country), in Schools of Engineering, and in Business Schools. An interdisciplinary degree expands the types of academic jobs available to graduates.
There is a Technology Management Admissions Committee that holistically reviews and makes admission recommendations to the Graduate Division Dean.
Yes, we accept all complete applications received by the January 15 deadline for holistic consideration by the Department’s Admissions Committee. Please visit UCSB’s Graduate Division website for statistical information.
The Graduate Division site provides answers to many of the questions we receive about applications. Since these rules and regulations are often subject to change, their site remains the most accurate place to acquire general information before applying. If your question falls into a topic listed below, please refer to its hyperlinked page for more information.
Yes, to be considered for admission, all applicants must submit valid GRE scores with no exceptions. UCSB accepts only the most recent and complete score set reported. Official GRE scores are valid for five years after the testing year. We no longer accept the GMAT.
