Doctoral Program in Accounting
Message from the Program Director Rigorous and research-focused, this five-year Ph.D. program offers a select group of students the opportunity to study and conduct research at a top-ranked research university with some of the finest teachers and researchers in the field. The program will prepare you to succeed as a faculty member at a leading management school and conduct groundbreaking, relevant research. In addition to a thorough grounding in fundamental economic principles, rigorous statistical skills, and fluency in accounting research, the program will provide you with a robust background in econometrics, contracting, and capital markets theory. Dedicated faculty mentors will guide and encourage you to be entrepreneurial in your search for novel, compelling research ideas and mentor you in the process of publishing in the field’s leading journals and in your academic job search. As accounting Ph.D. students, you will become part of a thriving research community at Boston College, an active professional network, and a program that offers the balance of independence and mentorship necessary to conduct significant research that will pave the way toward a rewarding career. We look forward to being a part of your doctoral program search.
Sugata Roychowdhury Professor and Ph.D. Program Director
Amy Hutton Professor, Accounting Department “Over the past 25 years, I’ve enjoyed creating research at the hub of accounting, finance, and information economics. When I’m working with data, I try to understand what’s going on econometrically—but ideas come alive when I’m talking with and learning from students. Like most of the accounting faculty at the Carroll School, I focus on empirical, archival financial research. It’s a great area for doctoral students. The job market is large, deep, and lucrative for those fully committed to academic scholarship. Our faculty is on a mission to build an outstanding Ph.D. program, one that successfully places its candidates at top-tier institutions. Our program will be particularly challenging and rigorous. You have to be committed to scholarship, and you have to love research. If you do, earning a Ph.D. from Boston College will create a lifetime of enjoyment in a career that’s highly rewarding.”
Ph.D. in Accounting Program Requirements Accounting Ph.D. students complete a program of study grounded in fundamental accounting principles and develop competencies in quantitative methods, economics, and finance. Doctoral seminar courses expose students to the field’s literature, methods, and academic publication process. Ph.D. students will also take courses in the Finance and Economics Departments and explore interdepartmental research opportunities. Prior graduate coursework may be considered toward the fulfillment of some requirements.
Comprehensive Examination A comprehensive examination will be administered at the end of the second year. Students are expected to demonstrate substantial knowledge of literature and theory. Satisfactory performance on the exam marks the transition from coursework to full-time thesis research.
Research Paper and Dissertation Doctoral students begin engaging in the research process during the first two years of the program. A firstyear research paper, which can be a replication or an extension of an existing study, provides early handson experience in research design, programming, data management, and statistical analysis. Students then complete a second-year paper based on an original
sample curriculum and cour se sequence year 1 pre-fall
fall
spring
summer
Mathematics for Economists
Microeconomic Theory I
Microeconomic Theory II
Programming Skills
Investments
Econometrics
Statistics
Advanced Corporate Finance
Ph.D. Seminar: Asset Pricing Theory
Ph.D. Seminar: Corporate Finance Theory
Financial Accounting Practice I*
Financial Accounting Practice II*
year 2 fall
spring
summer
Ph.D. Seminar: Empirical Asset Pricing
Applied Econometrics
Comprehensive Exam
Ph.D. Seminar: Empirical Topics in Accounting
Ph.D. Seminar: Accounting Research Part III
Ph.D. Seminar: Accounting Research Part II
Ph.D. Seminar: Empirical Corporate Finance
year 3 Research Proposal
year 4 Dissertation Research
year 5 Dissertation Defense
* If required
research idea and submit a research proposal at the end of their third year. This proposal is the precursor to the dissertation, which should make a substantial, significant, and original contribution to the field.
Financial Support The Carroll School of Management provides financial support for doctoral students in the form of a stipend and tuition remission. Students in good academic standing receive this support for up to five years. In return, they serve as research assistants and teaching assistants.
Ph.D. PLACEMENT The Ph.D. Program in Accounting prepares students to launch successful academic careers at well-regarded research universities. The Accounting Department will take an active role in placing students in attractive academic positions and help them present their own work and collaborate with faculty and peers—both at BC and in other top doctoral programs in accounting—so they are optimally prepared for the academic job market.
Mark Bradshaw Professor & Chairperson, Accounting Department “I mainly study information intermediaries. They’re the professionals who interpret information for financial statements and help communicate that to investors, increasing the overall efficiency of capital markets. I am fortunate to do a lot of presentations at universities and conferences, and my colleagues outside of Boston College often tell me: ‘I can’t believe what you have at the Carroll School!’ They’re talking about the extent of support for research activities and the overall collegiality of this place. It’s a research culture that connects to other disciplines at the school, especially finance—and to the accounting research community worldwide. Boston College is represented at just about every research event in our discipline. That’s going to be instrumental in helping our Ph.D. students land good jobs. We place an extraordinary importance on our doctoral students. What they’ll get is a terrific amount of individual attention, and the experience of working each day with a prolific group of researchers.”
Faculty Mark Bradshaw Professor and Chairperson of the Department; CPA, Ph.D., University of Michigan Mary Ellen Carter Associate Professor; CPA, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology Amy Hutton Professor; Ph.D., University of Rochester Sugata Roychowdhury Professor and Ph.D. Program Director; Ph.D., University of Rochester Susan Shu Associate Professor; Ph.D., University of Rochester
Admission Boston College’s Ph.D. Program in Accounting seeks students with outstanding potential for leadership and academic excellence. While notable for their individual achievements, competitive candidates will demonstrate a consistent record of taking initiative in their academic and professional pursuits, an aptitude for conducting research at its highest levels, and a desire to make an impact in the world.
how to apply Each candidate must complete an application for admission, which includes transcripts of all academic work, essays, and two letters of recommendation. Prior academic and work experience are significant criteria in the admissions process. All applicants are required to take the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Pearson Test of English (PTE), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). All candidates must be graduates of accredited colleges or universities.
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www.bc.edu/phd-accounting
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Produced by the Office of University Communications
June 2018
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