The Ph.D. in Business with a concentration in Accounting is a full-time program designed to prepare students for positions at academic institutions that emphasize quality research and teaching. To that end, students work with multiple faculty members in order to produce the high-quality research that will make them competitive on the academic job market.
Program Highlights
• Nationally and internationally recognized faculty committed to research and teaching excellence
• Competitive levels of funding for research and teaching assistantships
• A small Ph.D. cohort (i.e., 3 students), allowing for more personalized instruction and mentoring
• Recent alumni have joined the faculty at highly ranked accounting programs such as University of Wyoming, West Virginia University, University of Akron, University of Massachusetts at Lowell, Northern Kentucky University, California State University at Fullerton, and University of Toledo.
Curriculum
Learn the theories, methodologies and techniques needed to conduct research. You’ll also enhance your teaching skills and self-confidence in the classroom through a one-on-one partnership with a faculty mentor.
Our program culminates with a dissertation that demonstrates your competence in conducting independent research.
Admissions
We require an appropriate academic background (Bachelor’s or Master’s) in accounting, business, or another discipline. Other academic backgrounds may be considered. A competitive score on either the GMAT (or GRE) is required. The expectation is that individuals seeking admission to the program wish to pursue careers in research and teaching in academic schools of business.
The Department of Accounting is no longer considering new applicants for Fall 2022. The next application cycle is estimated to be for Fall 2024.
Required application materials include: An online application, official transcript, three letters of reference, resume or CV, personal statement essay, and valid GMAT (or GRE) scores.
Assistantships
Graduate research and teaching assistantships are available to support full-time students. Accepted students are provided a graduate assistantship which covers all required tuition and fees, and pays an annual stipend of $24,000. This stipend is compensation for 20 hours per week of teaching and/or research performed for the department. Students making satisfactory progress in the program typically receive tuition and stipend support for four years.
Career opportunities
Alumni employers include:
- Appalachian State University
- California State University, Fullerton
- James Madison University
- University of Toledo
- West Virginia University
Faculty Research
Areas of expertise include financial accounting, managerial accounting, auditing, and accounting information systems, using archival, behavioral, and experimental methodologies.
Faculty research has been published in leading academic journals, including:
- The Accounting Review
- Journal of Accounting Research
- Journal of Accounting & Economics
- Review of Accounting Studies, Accounting, Organizations and Society
- Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory
- Accounting Horizons
- Journal of Management Accounting Research
- Behavioral Research in Accounting
- Journal of Accounting, Auditing, and Finance
- Journal of Accounting and Public Policy
- Issues in Accounting Education
- Journal of International Accounting Research
- Journal of Information Systems
- Journal of Business Ethics
- Behaviour & Information Technology
Link to the BYU accounting Website that summarizes VCU's research rankings
Faculty Who are Qualified to Teach Doctoral-Level Classes
Lindsay Andiola (Ph.D., Bentley University)
Alisa Brink (Ph.D., Florida State University)
Thomas Hansen (Ph.D., Emory University)
Myung S. Park (Ph.D., Purdue University)
Bernhard Reichert (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin)
Fengchun Tang (Ph.D., Washington State University)
Jean Zhang (Ph.D., George Washington University)
Jamie Zhou (Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)