The School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management PhD Program

• Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
• One of the few PhD degrees concentrated in tourism and sport management
• Powered by the Fox School of Business

Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM), in conjunction with the Fox School of Business, offers one of the few PhD degrees in Business Administration with a concentration in Tourism and Sport accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Students take the core business administration curriculum from the Fox School while working on their concentration curriculum with the STHM faculty.

What Sets STHM Apart

Our doctoral program builds upon the strength of the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM) providing, the ideal environment for academic and research training for a successful research-based career. STHM focuses on pairing in-depth research with a dedicated, highly-productive faculty member. The STHM faculty hold editorial board appointments at leading journals and regularly publish in International Journal of Hospitality Management, Journal of Travel Research, Journal of Sport Management, Journal of Leisure Research, Leisure Sciences, Sport Management Review, Sport Marketing Quarterly and Tourism Management. In addition to providing a first-rate academic program, Temple University’s campus is located in the heart of Philadelphia — a hub of opportunity in the sport, tourism and hospitality industries.

The Tourism and Sport PhD

The PhD program is designed to prepare students for faculty positions at universities offering sport, recreation, tourism and hospitality degrees. The program starts in August of each academic year and is full-time — taking approximately 4 years to complete 54 credit hours.

The concentration has 16 full-time faculty members who work closely with students on research projects and papers. Students are also encouraged to work collaboratively in cohorts. Coursework takes approximately 2 years and offers students an appropriate blend of theoretical and methodological courses to support their research program.

Each student will receive a faculty mentor to offer guidance on research projects and career development. PhD students work as research assistants on existing projects with faculty and industry professionals and also enter competitions in order to secure funding for their research.

STHM has 2 centers providing students the opportunity to work on research projects: Sport Industry Research Center and U.S.-Asia Center for Tourism and Hospitality Research.

This program also offers students valuable classroom training through the Fox Teaching Academy and the ability to serve as lecturers and teaching assistants in the undergraduate and master programs.

STHM’s PhD students regularly present their research findings at national and international conferences and have received awards for their work. For more information on current faculty and students, visit the PhD section of the Fox School website.

PhD Admissions Requirements

The STHM admission process is based on the quality of applicants with the number of admitted students varying each year. The school does not have strict eligibility minimums for GPA and standardized test scores. To be favorably considered in the admission process, applicants are suggested to have a GPA of 3.5 or higher in any graduate work and score above the 75th percentile on the GMAT or GRE (verbal and quantitative combined) with Analytical Writing of 4.0 or higher. Please note that achieving these metrics does not guarantee admission, nor does falling short disqualify one from consideration.

In addition to standardized test results and prior academic performance, STHM’s admissions committees’ holistic review also considers an applicant’s prior research experience, personal career goals and motivations for pursuing a PhD at the Fox School of Business, initial research interests within the concentration and recommendation letters. The statement of purpose is part of the application process and is very important in evaluating each applicant.

Students are encouraged to contact a faculty member in the school to seek internal support for their application. It is important for prospective students to identify a current faculty member within the school who shares similar research interests and begin a dialogue. Applicants generally hold a master’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university.

Application Checklist

A complete application includes:

• Current resume / curriculum vitae
• Personal statement of goals
• Two references (to be completed online by your recommenders)
• English language transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for application review.
• Official GMAT / GRE Results (test results cannot be more than five years old)
• TOEFL / IELTS Results are required for international applicants. The TOEFL / IELTS requirement is waived for applicants who: completed a degree program from a US institution or who are currently enrolled in a degree program at a US institution.

Financial Support

STHM offers a full assistantship including a financial stipend per year on a 12-month basis for 20 hours of service as a research assistant and/or teaching assistant. This assistantship also includes full tuition coverage and excellent health insurance. PhD students are provided a laptop or iPad as well as academic conference travel. The stipend, tuition remission and health insurance are renewable up to three times for a total of four years, contingent on satisfactory performance in the program.

Qualified applicants have the potential to be awarded an additional research fellowship each year as well as nomination for Presidential and University Fellowships, reducing the number of service hours required. Fellowship consideration will be given to applications received by December 5. Students are provided opportunities to submit internal grants to support research and data collection efforts.

Contact Us

For more information about the STHM PhD program, complete the form below.