Print Header

School of Accounting

Ph.D./Accounting Emphasis: Program Description


School of Accounting Program Description

The Ph.D. program in accounting provides students with the skills necessary to become a productive scholar and teacher at a major university.  Initially, all doctoral students complete a core curriculum that provides skills in research design and statistical analysis.  Students must also complete four doctoral seminars: 

ACCT 832 Doctoral Seminar in Accounting Research - Seminar for beginning doctoral students that provides an overview of research topic areas, methods, and designs currently used in accounting..

ACCT 833 Doctoral Seminar in Financial Accounting - Research methods and issues related to financial accounting topics.

ACCT 834 Doctoral Seminar in Managerial Accounting - Research methods and issues related to managerial accounting topics. 

ACCT 835 Doctoral Seminar in Auditing and Accounting Information Systems - Research methods and issues related to auditing and accounting information systems topics.

ACCT 837 Directed Doctoral Research Project in Accounting - Formulation of concepts, synthesis of literature, development of a research design, and conduct of any appropriate empirical tests.

In addition, all doctoral students complete a supervised research project at the end of their second year of study. 

Typically, doctoral students take cognate courses in Psychology, Management Information Systems, Finance, or Organizational Behavior, although it is possible to study in other areas.  Unlike many heavily structured doctoral programs, each doctoral student has considerable latitude in determining a program of study that fits the individual's unique academic interests.