Research Topics

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
• Disclosure (mandatory and voluntary)
• Initial public offerings
• Internal controls
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Taxes and business decisions
• Tax policy

Placement

Graduates have accepted faculty positions at Bentley College, California State University-Los Angeles, Colorado State University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Arkansas, 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, Notre Dame, Rhode Island, Rutgers, and Wisconsin.

Accounting PhD Faculty

Vishal Baloria
Associate Professor of Accounting 
PhD, University of Waterloo
Research interests: empirical/archival research on reporting, disclosure, operational and investment decisions, with a particular focus on political incentives. 

Wei Chen
Assistant Professor of Accounting
PhD, University of Iowa
Research interests: empirical financial accounting, with a focus on financial reporting, disclosure, and methodological issues

Will Docimo
Assistant Professor of Accounting
PhD, University of Pittsburgh
Research interests: auditing, auditor competence, audit complexity, and financial reporting

John Elliott
Former 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

Todd Kravet
Associate Professor of Accounting & PhD Coordinator
PhD, University of Washington
Research Interests: audit fees, mergers and acquisitions, economic consequences of financial reporting, measuring accounting quality

Alina Lerman
Associate Professor of Accounting
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
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

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: media, regulation, financial reporting, 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
Associate Professor of Accounting & Ackerman Scholar, Accounting Department 
PhD, University of Florida
Research Interests: financial misreporting, insider trading, and the role of gatekeepers in capital markets

Youli Zou
Assistant Professor of Accounting
PhD, University of Toronto
Research Interests: disclosure, hedge accounting, competition, and banking

Quick Facts Accounting

Program Entry

Fall

Length of Program

4-5 years

Number of Alumni

47

Percentage Women

60%

Competitive Graduate Assistantships

Tuition Waiver, Stipend, Subsidized Health Insurance

Conference Travel Support

Yes

Enrollment Profile Accounting (Fall 2023)

Total Applications

34

Total Enrolled

5%

GMAT (3-year enrolled student average)

686

Graduate GPA (3-year enrolled student average)

3.96