Finance

We seek students with strong training in mathematics and statistics and a solid background in economics, either through prior study or through work and research experience. Recommended coursework at an advanced level includes calculus, linear algebra, optimization, probability and statistics. Although a master’s degree is not required, about half of our incoming class has a graduate degree. Prior research experience is not required.

Coursework

In years one and two, students take three or four courses each quarter (fall, winter, spring). The first-year students complete the three core sequences in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Econometrics. In year two, students enroll in the 3-course sequences in asset pricing and corporate finance, plus an additional course/elective – preferably from the Economics Department. Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA).

Qualifying Exam
At the end of year one, students are required to establish competence in the Economics course sequences: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Econometrics. This competence is satisfied by achieving a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) across the nine required courses in the sequence.

During the summer following the student’s second year of study, students must pass a comprehensive qualifying exam designed to measure competence in both asset pricing and corporate finance or they must demonstrate competence by maintaining a 3.6 GPA average across both course sequences.

Candidacy
As students transition from coursework to research, they are required to write an original research paper in the summer of their second year supervised by a faculty advisor. Students present their completed research project to the department in September following the summer quarter of their second year. At that time their performance is reviewed by the Finance faculty, and upon successfully completing their coursework, passing their qualifying exam and second-year paper, students are admitted to candidacy.

Fourth Year Paper
At the end of the fall quarter of the fourth year, students are required to pass the dissertation proposal requirement by presenting a completed research paper to the department. The research paper has to be sufficiently advanced to be part of the student's dissertation. Students who do not pass the dissertation proposal at that stage have an additional opportunity to do so by the end of the spring quarter of the fourth year.

Research, Proposal & Dissertation
The main activity in years three and four is research toward a thesis of publishable quality, under the direction of one or more faculty advisors. During the third year, students are required to present their work in progress to the department. A thesis proposal must be presented to the Finance faculty by the end of fall quarter of their fourth year. In their final year in the program, each candidate must complete a dissertation demonstrating original and significant research and must pass a final oral examination (“defense”) on the dissertation.

Teaching Requirement
To promote engagement with faculty and integration with the intellectual life of the department, students serve as research assistants and teaching assistants during years two, three, and four. Research assistantships (RAs) are an excellent lead-in to research; teaching assistantships (TAs) prepare students for teaching after obtaining the PhD.