TRACK DESCRIPTION
The Finance track in the Business Administration PhD program prepares students for careers in higher education and management.
The objective of the Finance track in the Business Administration PhD program is to prepare students for academic careers in higher education and management careers within profit and nonprofit organizations. Success in the program is judged by the student’s understanding of the issues and methodologies essential to the advancement of knowledge.
CURRICULUM
| Total Credit Hours Required: |
| 93
Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree |
Required courses for all students are indicated with an asterisk in the lists below. Specific courses from the foundation body of knowledge category are determined based on a student’s background in consultation with the doctoral program coordinator. Required course work prior to beginning study includes successful completion of at least a two-course sequence of 6 credit hours of calculus and previous course work in economics, finance and statistics. The program requires 27 hours of formal course work, exclusive of independent study, as well as 24 credit hours of dissertation research (7980).
Prerequisites—Foundation Body of Knowledge—30 Credit Hours
In the Finance track of the Business Administration PhD program, the foundation body of knowledge includes (a) the finance, accounting, statistics and economics common body of knowledge in a MBA degree or its equivalent and (b) graduate courses in financial management, investments, financial institutions and international finance.
Required Courses—39 Credit Hours
Finance Core—18 Credit Hours
- FIN 7935* Finance Research Forum (up to 6 credit hours)
- FIN 7808* Introduction to the Theory of Finance (3 credit hours)
- FIN 7807* Corporate Finance Theory (3 credit hours)
- FIN 7816* Investment Theory (3 credit hours)
- FIN 7930* Seminar in Market Microstructure (3 credit hours)
- FIN 7811* Seminar in Financial Markets and Institutions (3 credit hours)
Minor/Support Area—6 Credit Hours
- ECO 6118* Microeconomic Theory I (3 credit hours)
- ECO 7116* Microeconomic Theory II (3 credit hours)
Research Methods/Tools—12 Credit Hours
- ECO 6403* Mathematical Economics (3 credit hours)
- ECO 6424* Econometrics I (3 credit hours)
- ECO 7426* Econometrics II (3 credit hours)
- ECO 6408 Games and Economic Behavior (3 credit hours)
- ECO 6453 Experimental Economics (3 credit hours)
- ECP 7086 Advanced Topics in Economic Theory (3 credit hours)
- ECO 7428 Time Series (3 credit hours)
- ACG 7157 Seminar in Archival Research in Accounting (3 credit hours)
* Required courses for all students.
Teaching Requirement—3 Credit Hours
The requirements for the teaching component of the degree will be developed with the doctoral graduate program director based on the student’s experience. Normally, this requirement will be satisfied through teaching a minimum of three credit hours of class instruction under the direct supervision of a faculty member. As appropriate, students will also be required to attend teaching development workshops and seminars.
Candidacy Examination and Dissertation—24 Credit Hours
Students must complete a comprehensive candidacy examination that includes written and oral portions.
Students must defend a written dissertation proposal in an oral examination conducted by the student’s advisory/dissertation committee. The final defense of the dissertation will also require an oral examination.
INDEPENDENT LEARNING
The dissertation serves as the independent learning experience.
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline(s).
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- Official, competitive GRE or GMAT score taken within the last five years.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Goal statement.
- Résumé.
- Other: Previous publications and/or other relevant supporting documentation.
- A score of at least 233 (computer-based test or paper-based equivalent) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for applicants from countries where English is not the official language or applicants with degrees from a non-U.S. accredited institution.
Admission decisions are made based on faculty recommendations from the appropriate department or school. Admissions will generally be made only for fall semester, every other year; however, exceptions may be made in some cases. All interested students should contact the program director for their track for information about applying to this program. The college strongly encourages applications from minority and diverse populations. Race, national origin, and gender are not used in the evaluation of students for admission into graduate and professional programs.
Application Deadlines
All application materials must be submitted by the appropriate deadline listed below.
| Finance |
Fall Priority
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Fall
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Spring
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Summer
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Domestic Applicants
| Jan 15 | Apr 15 | | |
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International Applicants
| Jan 15 | Jan 15 | | |
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International Transfer Applicants
| Jan 15 | Mar 1 | | |
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FINANCIALS
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Student Finances, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student’s graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see Fellowships, which includes descriptions of UCF fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.