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During the first two years of the program, students take courses in economics, finance, statistics, and mathematics, as well as in accounting research. At the end of the second year, students take the major field exam in accounting. In addition, students are required to conduct research in the summers following the first and second year. At the end of each of the first two summers, students present the results of these papers during a regular accounting workshop. During the third year, students complete their coursework and begin preliminary work on their dissertations.
All PhD students majoring in Accounting are required to complete a minimum of 20 graduate level courses, of which eight at most can be transferred from other programs, schools or universities. Of the 20 courses, 6 are required.
| Accounting Core (4.5 courses) | |
|---|---|
| All students are required to take: | |
| ACCT 910 | Accounting Theory Research I (.5 credit) |
| ACCT 911 | Accounting Theory Research II (.5 credit) |
| ACCT 920 | Empirical Research in Accounting (.5 credit) |
| ACCT 921 | Empirical Research in Accounting (.5 credit) |
| ACCT 922 | Empirical Research in Accounting (.5 credit) |
| ACCT 990 | Friday Seminar Colloquium (1 credit) |
| ACCT 991 | Friday Seminar Colloquium (1 credit) |
| Economics | |
| All students are required to take: | |
| ECON 681 | Microeconomic Theory |
| ECON 682 | Game Theory and Applications |
| Additional Economics courses include: | |
| ECON 897 | Basic Mathematics for Economists |
| ECON 898 | Elementary Mathematics for Economists |
| ECON 708 | Economics of Agency, Information, and Incentives |
| ECON 713 | Game Theory |
| Finance | |
| All students are required to take: | |
| FNCE 911 | Proseminar in Finance (individual and corporate) |
| Additional Finance courses include: | |
| FNCE 912 | Financial Institutions |
| FNCE 921 | Introduction to Empirical Methods |
| FNCE 922 | Continuous Time Financial Economics |
| FNCE 924 | Intertemporal Macroeconomics and Finance |
| FNCE 934 | Empirical Research in Finance |
| Econometrics/Statistics | |
| STAT 520 | Applied Econometrics I |
| STAT 521 | Applied Econometrics II |
| Or: | |
| STAT 550 | Mathematical Statistics |
| STAT 551 | Introduction to Linear Statistical Models |
| Or: | |
| ECON 705 | Econometrics I: Fundamentals |
| ECON 706 | Econometrics II: Methods and Models |
Students must pass all required courses with a grade of B or better. Except for the accounting seminars, students with superior training may substitute higher level courses.
Sample Program Sequence
Up to four courses per semester may be counted toward the overall requirement of 20 courses. The eight courses taken in the first year usually consist of the four required economics and statistics courses, two accounting core courses, and finance electives. Students generally complete all courses by the end of the third year.
- Year 1: Summer
Basic Mathematics for Economists - Year 1: Fall
Microeconomic Theory, Linear Algebra, and Probability or Economics I: Fundamentals, one elective - Year 1: Spring
Game Theory and Applications, Financial Institutions or Introduction to Empirical Methods, Statistics for Business and Economics or Econometrics II: Methods and Models, Empirical Research in Accounting - Year 2: Fall
Analytical Research in Accounting, Intertemporal Macroeconomics and Finance, Data Analysis, one elective - Year 2: Spring
Empirical Research in Accounting, Multivariate Analysis: Methods - Year 3: Fall
Electives - Year 3: Spring
Electives - Year 4: Fall and Spring
Dissertation
Student Involvement in the Department
The Accounting Department runs weekly workshops in which Wharton faculty and faculty from other schools present their current research. Students are encouraged to participate.