Program Summary

Doctoral-level courses cover theoretical models and their empirical application to problems related to corporate financing and investment decisions, security analysis, portfolio management, and financial institutions and capital markets. A required sequence of four courses is specifically designed for and limited to doctoral students. The unifying theme of this course work is an understanding of the process of asset valuation in a competitive securities market. Knowledge of calculus is assumed. In addition, students customarily employ the computer in their courses in security analysis and portfolio management. Research emphasizes application of theoretical models so that students enhance their understanding of the models as well as their knowledge of the fields to which models can be meaningfully applied.

Unique Features

• Faculty on Editorial Boards for top academic journals.
• Quantitative research receives special emphasis in program of study
• Doctoral fellowships available
• Small program with low student-faculty ratio
• Placements at prestigious universities as in UCLA, Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan, London Business School

• Strong analytical background.
• MBA is helpful, but not required; graduate degree a plus.
• Work experience not required, although applicants typically have some experience in finance, consulting, or a technical field such as engineering.

First year:

• Finance doctoral seminars (fall & spring)
• Economic theory courses (fall & spring)
• Econometrics (fall & spring)
• Minor Area and/or MBA electives

• Finance doctoral seminars (fall & spring)
• Econometrics (fall) and Applied statistics (spring)
• Microeconomic theory electives
• Minor Area and/or MBA electives

The required Minor Area of study is Economics. There is a comprehensive preliminary exam typically after the second year. The dissertation research is primary focus after the preliminary exam is completed.

Further Details on Finance Area Program Requirements

Further information on the exact requirements of the Finance area can be found by going to:

Finance Area Requirements

Management Doctoral Program Requirements

Faculty & Research Interests

Matthew Barcaskey

David J. Denis corporate governance, organizational structure, corporate financing, investment policies

Diane K. Denis corporate ownership and control, mergers and acquisitions, diversification issues

Mara Faccio international corporate governance, family firms, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate political connections

Huseyin Gulen asset growth and the cross-section of stock returns, informed trading in stock and option markets

Wilbur G. Lewellen corporate and international finance

Antonio Macias engineering management, corporate finance, financial management, investments management, mergers and acquisitions

John J. McConnell corporate finance, corporate governance, derivatives and real estate finance

Brett Myers

Raghu Rau theoretical and empirical corporate finance (on leave)

Alessio Saretto empirical asset pricing, derivatives

Roger Stewart

A. Charlene Sullivan corporate financial management, financial institutions and markets, financial and managerial accounting

Mark Walker

Jin Xu empirical corporate finance, capital structure, mergers and acqusitions, asymmetric information, product markets, capital markets

Recent Graduates (First/Last Name, year of graduation, dissertation title, placement)

Antonio Macias, 2008, Risk Allocation and Flexibility in Acquisitions: The Economic Impact of Material-Adverse-Change (MACs) Clauses. Purdue University.

Hongfei Tang, 2008, Family Firms, Requisitions, and Divestitures. University of Texas at Austin.

James Ernest Garrett, Jr., 2008, Segment Information Production and the Diversification Discount Georgia State University.

Matthew Cain, 2007, The Information Content of Fairness Opinions in Negotiated Mergers. University of Notre Dame.

Miroslava Straska, 2007, Do Antitakeover Provisions Harm Shareholders? Ohio University.

Fernando Rodrigo Diaz, 2007, Convertible Debt Under Asymmetric Information and Agency Problems: A Solution to the Convertible Debt Puzzle. Universidad de los Andes.

H. Gregory Waller, 2006, Investment Opportunities, Investment Efficiencies, and Equity Carveouts Ohio University.

David Offenberg, 2005, Firm Size and the Effectiveness of the Market for Corporate Control. Loyola Marymount University.

Paul Hanouna, 2005, The Evolution of Ownership and Board Structures in Newly Public Corporations. Villanova University.

Valeriy Sibilkov, 2005, Two Essays on Corporate Financial Policies. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.