The Accounting concentration curriculum emphasizes economics-based scholarly research in accounting. It provides a broad understanding of three major areas in accounting research: capital markets, audit, and tax. Students are prepared to conduct original research of accounting issues using economic theories and archival-based methodologies. The goal of the program is not only to develop relevant research skills and build a foundation of knowledge, but to foster the student's creativity, initiative, and perseverance. There are multiple opportunities for improving written and oral communication and engagement with faculty in the department and academics from other universities. The purpose of the PhD. Program in Accounting is to prepare students to conduct top quality empirical research and to take faculty positions in business schools at leading universities.
Faculty in accounting conduct research on a variety of topics, including but not limited to: accounting standards-setting; analyst activities; auditing; corporate financial reporting issues; internal controls; mergers and acquisitions; taxes and business decisions; tax policy.
Research topics
- Accounting standards-setting
- Analyst activities
- Auditing
- Corporate governance and compensation
- Disclosure (mandatory and voluntary)
- Financial reporting issues
- Initial public offerings
- Internal controls
- Investor characteristics
- Market reaction to financial data
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Taxes and business decisions
- Tax policy
Placement
Graduates have accepted faculty positions at Bentley College, California State University-Los Angeles, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Coast Guard Academy, CUNY - Baruch, Florida Atlantic University, Fordham, George Mason, Northeastern and Villanova, and the Universities of Georgia, Massachusetts, Nebraska-Lincoln, Nevada-Reno, North Carolina, SUNY-Albany, Rhode Island, Rutgers, and Wisconsin.
Accounting Ph.D. Faculty
Stephen Brown
Assistant Professor
PhD, University of Florida
Research interests: computational linguistics, financial accounting, and audit and data science in accounting
Wei Chen
Assistant Professor
PhD, University of Iowa
Research interests: empirical financial accounting, with a focus on financial reporting, disclosure, and methodological issues
John Elliott
Dean, School of Business, and Auran J. Fox Chair in Business
PhD, Cornell University
Research interests: the role of accounting information in financial analysis and contracts
Guojin Gong
Associate Professor of Accounting & Deloitte Foundation Faculty Fellow
PhD, University of Iowa
Research interests: executive compensation, voluntary disclosure, managerial incentives in financial reporting
Mohamed Hussein
Professor of Accounting
PhD, University of Pittsburgh
Research Interests: diffusion of accounting innovations and cross-cultural use of accounting information, environmental costs and corporate social responsibility
Todd Kravet
Associate Professor of Accounting & Ackerman Scholar
PhD, University of Washington
Research Interests: audit fees, mergers and acquisitions, economic consequences of financial reporting, measuring accounting quality
Alina Lerman
Associate Professor
PhD, New York University
Research Interests: financial accounting and capital markets, investor sophistication, corporate mandatory and voluntary disclosure, and accounting regulation
Frank Murphy
Assistant Professor of Accounting
PhD, University of Arizona
Research Interests: corporate tax policy and disclosure
George Plesko
Associate Professor of Accounting & Department Head
PhD, University of Wisconsin
Research Interests: business taxation, tax policy
Steven Utke
Associate Professor of Accounting & Arthur Andersen, LLP Accounting Professorship
PhD, University of Georgia
Research Interests: taxation, disclosure, auditing, institutional owners, and private equity/hedge funds
Tara L. Vakil
Assistant Professor of Accounting
PhD, Texas A&M University
Research Interests: financial reporting quality, voluntary disclosure policy, corporate governance, and the effects of changes in accounting regulation
Mary Vernon
Assistant Professor of Accounting
PhD, University of Wisconsin
Research interests: corporate tax avoidance, multi-jurisdictional taxation and avoidance, accounting for income taxes
James Warren
Assistant Professor of Accounting
PhD, University of Georgia
Research Interests: incentives underlying the production and disclosure of various sources of accounting information, and how these sources of accounting information impact security prices, information asymmetry, and price formation
David Weber
Professor of Accounting & Deloitte Foundation Professor
PhD, University of Colorado at Boulder
Research Interests: empirical, economics-based research in financial reporting and taxation
Michael Willenborg
Professor of Accounting & Richard F. Kochanek Professor
PhD, Penn State University
Research Interests: financial accounting, audit
Nina Xu
Assistant Professor of Accounting
PhD, Texas A&M University
Research Interests: information intermediaries in debt and equity markets, debt contracting, voluntary disclosure, and audit
Yanhua Sunny Yang
Associate Professor of Accounting
PhD, University of Colorado at Boulder
Research Interests: empirical research in financial accounting, impact of credit ratings on capital markets, information in equity financial analyst forecasts, influence of earnings quality on market participants
Ying Zhou
Assistant Professor of Accounting
PhD, University of Florida
Research Interests: disclosure regulation and financial reporting, insider trading
Youli Zou
Assistant Professor of Accounting
PhD, University of Toronto
Research Interests: disclosure, hedge accounting, competition, and banking
Quick Facts
Program Entry
Fall
Length of Program
4-5 years
Number of Alumni
43
Percentage Women
70%
Competitive Graduate Assistantships
Tuition Waiver, Stipend, Subsidized Health Insurance
Conference Travel Support
Yes
Enrollment Profile (Fall 2021)
Total Applications
40
Total Enrolled
5%
GMAT (3-year enrolled student average)
686
Graduate GPA (3-year enrolled student average)
3.96
Apply Online
Accounting applications review begins December 15th. Business PhD applications are accepted from September until the fall cohort is complete.