Standard Research Fellow Track

Explore multiple fields of study and gain breadth in overall business research by rotating between various projects with different faculty.

The standard track follows a rotational model designed for predoctoral scholars who want to gain experience in different projects within your field and in different fields within overall business research. Rotational research assistantship allows you to explore your options before diving deeper into one area of interest and applying to PhD programs.

Stanford GSB PhD Program

“While in the Research Fellows program, I developed technical skills and clarified my research interests, which has helped me smoothly adjust to the rigors of a doctoral program. The GSB is a special intellectual community; every day, I came to campus curious and excited for the challenges of my work.”

Project Assignment

Each quarter, you will be assigned to support two projects with different faculty based on faculty/project availability and your interest. You will spend 20 hours per week per project, with a total time commitment of 40 hours per week to research assistantship.

Over the course of your first year, you will typically work on a total of three to four projects, where at least one project per quarter is in your field and one project is in another field. During your second year, both projects are in your field each quarter.

Faculty Mentorship

In the rotational model, you will work closely and build meaningful mentorship relationships with multiple faculty each year. Faculty provide instruction on the techniques required and advising for fellows — not just on research projects, but also on choosing courses to complement your interests, about PhD programs, and beyond.

Key Benefits

This exploratory, rotational model allows you to gain breadth and then depth in business research. Since you work with multiple faculty each year, the standard track offers more options for faculty recommendation letters.

Both the standard and dedicated tracks of this program will help prepare you to be a successful PhD applicant and student. While working directly alongside faculty and gaining this unique academic research experience, you also become part of our world-class research community.

Learn More about the Program