PhD Coordinator: Todd Kravet todd.kravet@uconn.edu
The Ph.D. program in Accounting is designed to engage students in top quality scholarly research and to take faculty positions at leading universities upon graduation. The curriculum focuses on economics-based, empirical research in accounting, with particular emphasis on capital markets, audit, and tax. Students are prepared to conduct original research of accounting issues using economic theories and archival methods. The program sets students up for success by developing their research skills and foundation of knowledge, as well as fostering their creativity, initiative, and perseverance. There are many opportunities for improving written and oral communication and for engagement with faculty, including on joint research projects. Students also have access to a wide array of data and software and they regularly attend national academic conferences.
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, Rhode Island, Rutgers, and Wisconsin.
Accounting Ph.D. Faculty
Vishal Baloria
Associate Professor
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
PhD, University of Iowa
Research interests: empirical financial accounting, with a focus on financial reporting, disclosure, and methodological issues
Will Docimo
Assistant Professor
PhD, University of Pittsburgh
Research interests: auditing, auditor competence, audit complexity, and financial reporting
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
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
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
Mary Vernon
Assistant Professor of Accounting
PhD, University of Wisconsin
Research interests: corporate tax avoidance, multi-jurisdictional taxation and avoidance, accounting for income taxes
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 & Ackerman Scholar, Accounting Department
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 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 2022)
Total Applications
34
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.