The Finance PhD program provides students with the advanced training necessary to pursue careers in research and teaching at institutions of higher learning. We seek to admit, train, and graduate students who have initiative, enthusiasm, and a desire to become scholars.
Our professors prepare students to seek careers in banking, financial services, real estate, insurance, risk management, corporate financial management, investment management, and international finance.
The PhD Program in Finance involves a minimum of two years of rigorous coursework. In addition to Finance seminars, students take courses in Economics and Statistics. In the first year, students must pass a micro-economics exam. In the second year, students must pass a finance comprehensive exam, and by the third year, students must successfully complete and present an original study undertaken under the direction of the student’s faculty advisor.
Students are expected to be engaged in quality research with faculty throughout their time in the program. Students typically start writing their dissertation in the third year. Writing a dissertation is the final test of research skills. It requires an understanding of relevant literature and methodology, and the ability to think independently. PhD candidates must find an original topic, formulate and test hypotheses, and write and defend at a final oral examination a document acceptable to the dissertation committee and to the Graduate School.
Admission decisions are made by the Finance PhD Admissions Committee. Factors considered include:
TOEFL Statement
As per the policy of the University of Alabama Graduate School, a student whose first language is not English must submit an official score report for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson Test of English (PTE). The minimum score for admission to a degree program or for nondegree admission is 550 on the paper-based TOEFL or 79 on the iBT. The minimum IELTS score for admission to a degree program or for non-degree admission is 6.5. The PTE minimum score for admission to a degree program or for non-degree admission is 59. TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores must be less than two years old at the time of intended initial enrollment at The University of Alabama. Should TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores become more than two years old prior to enrollment, the student will be required to retest and submit an acceptable score before enrolling. The TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE will not be required from an applicant who fulfills the following criteria: 1) has been in residence in the United States at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, and 2) has been enrolled in coursework for two consecutive years immediately prior to enrolling at The University of Alabama or has earned a degree from that college or university within three years of enrolling at The University of Alabama. The Test of Spoken English (TSE) is recommended for international students who wish to be considered for teaching assistantships.
Admission to the Finance PhD program is on a rolling basis, meaning applications can be submitted at any time. However, we suggest you submit your application to start in the Fall semester by January 1st. You may submit later, but early application increases the probability of a fellowship or scholarship. The PhD committee begins reviewing applications in mid-January. The admissions process will be completed when the class is full.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EC 597 | Mathematical Economics (bootcamp) | 3 |
| EC 610 | Seminar in Microeconomic Theory | 3 |
| EC 660 | Game Theory | 3 |
| EC 670 | Econometrics | 3 |
| EC 671 | Seminar in econometrics | 3 |
| FI 601 | Finance Theory I | 3 |
| FI 602 | Finance Theory II | 3 |
| FI 610 | Seminar in Financial Management | 3 |
| FI 614 | Seminar in Investments | 3 |
| FI 624 | Financial Markets | 3 |
| ST 521 | Statistical data management (the SAS course) | 3 |
| Four elective courses | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 45 |
2023:
Annie Le: St. Thomas University
Boheng Su: University of South Florida (non-tenure track)
Xiaohu Guo: Charleston College
Paul Oberman: Idaho State
2022:
Eren Cifci: Austin Peay State University
2021:
Zhiyan Wang: Anderson University, IN
Emma Xu: Charleston College
Lukai Yang: Texas A&M International
Shikong Luo: University of Oklahoma (non-tenure track)
Mehran Azimi: University of Massachusetts Boston
2020:
Anqi Jiao: Southwestern University of Finance and Economics
Haoyi Yang: Nanjing University
Wenqiao Zhang: JiaoTong University
2018:
Michael Young: Post-Doctoral Student at The University of Missouri
2017:
Collin Gilstrap: University of Toledo
Daewoung (Joey) Chol: LSU-Shreveport
Joseph Stover: Trinity University
Weiwel Zhang: Visiting Assistant Professor at Madison University
Mi Shen: Central University of Finance & Economics
2016:
Xinyan Yan: Assistant Professor of Finance at University of Dayton
2015:
Binay Adhikari: Assistant Professor of Finance at Robert
C. Vackar: College of Business and Entrepreneurship at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Randy Beavers: Associate Professor of Finance at Seattle Pacific University
S. Brad Daughdrill: Director of Data Science at USAA
Jackson Mills: Assistant Professor of Finance at St. Joseph’s University
Anna Cai: University of West Alabama
2014:
James Malm: Associate Professor at College of Charleston
Eli Sherrill: Associate Professor at Illinois State University
Kate Upton: Associate Professor of Finance and Director of the Reed Finance Center at Elon University
M. Tony Via: Assistant Professor at Kent State University
2013:
Steven Stelk: Assistant Teaching Professor at University of Southern Mississippi
Rusty Yerkes: Associate Professor of Finance/Medical Properties Trust Faculty Fellow at Samford University, Brock School of Business
2009:
Heng An: Associate Professor at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Jin Q Jeon: Professor of Finance at Dongguk University, Seoul, Korea
2008:
Xudong Fu: Associate Professor at University of Louisville
Kimberly Goodwin: Full Professor and Director of the School of Finance and Parham Bridges Chair of Real Estate at University of Southern Mississippi
2007:
Qin Lian: Cameron Professor of Finance at Portland State University
Hao-Chen Liu: Associate Professor at College of Charleston
2006:
John C. Wiley: Director MSRE Program, Bowers Professor of Real Estate at Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University
2005:
Brandon Cline: Director of the Institute for Market Studies, John “Nutie” and Edie Dowdle Professor of Finance at Mississippi State University
Travis Jones: Professor of Finance at Florida Gulf Coast University
2002:
Sara H Robicheaux: Dean of Business Programs/ B.A. Monaghan Professor of Business at Birmingham-Southern College
2001:
Ken H Johnson: Associate Dean of Graduate Programs at Florida Atlantic University College of Business
Sean Salter: Assistant Dean for Assessment/Associate Professor of Finance/Dale Carnegie Trainer at Middle Tennessee State University — Jones College of Business
1997:
John M Clark: Chair, Department of Finance at University of Missouri Kansas City
1996:
Pankaj Agrrawal: Professor of Finance at University of Maine
1995:
H. Shelton Weeks: Chair, Department of Economics & Finance at Florida Gulf Coast University
1994:
Doug Waggle: Professor of Finance at University of West Florida
1993:
D. K. Malhotra: Professor of Finance at Thomas Jefferson University
1992:
John Burnett: former professor of finance at The University of Alabama in Huntsville
1991:
Maneesh Sharma: Dean, College of Business at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide
1990:
Kam C. (Johnny) Chan: Leon Page Endowed Chair of Finance at Western Kentucky University
1989:
K. Victor Chow: Professor of Finance at West Virginia University
Kartono Liano: Professor of Finance at Mississippi State University
Ming-Shiun Pan: Professor of Finance at Shippensburg University
1979:
Hassan Tehranian: Professor and Griffith Family Millennium Chair in Finance at Boston College, Carroll School of Management
scmortal@ua.edu
(205) 348-7076
Alston 223
General questions about the application process?
Contact April Ingram, Director of PhD programs, at aaingram@culverhouse.ua.edu.
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