The Department of Finance at the University of Utah
The Department of Finance at the University of Utah trains doctoral students in the application of economic theory to understanding the structure and behavior of firms and the nature of financial markets. This philosophy reflects the interests of the faculty in examining contemporary issues concerning the theory of the firm, corporate finance, market microstructure, contingent claims, and the allocation of resources. The program provides students with opportunities to examine these issues through both developing theoretical models and the empirical testing of those models. Students who complete the doctoral program are trained as academic scholars and in addition to teaching, are expected to contribute to the field of finance by producing original research. Finance PhD Coordinator: Jonathan Brogaard
The department provides its students with the opportunity to hear leading scholars from other universities present new research both at the departmental seminar series and at the Utah Winter Finance Conference. This intensive three-day conference, held each February, draws internationally renowned scholars from every area of finance and economics. In addition to the presentation of papers, the conference format provides students with ample opportunity to get to know leading academics in these disciplines.
Each student’s program of study is tailored to the student’s needs and interests. The Finance PhD program was recently awarded a generous grant from the Marriner S. Eccles Institute to further financially support rising scholars in its program. Students work with their department Ph.D. Committee or Supervisory Committee Chair to design their program of study. Below is an illustrative list of classes that might be used to compose a program of study.
A minimum of 15 major fields, 9 allied filed, and 15 research competency credit hours are required. Three credit hours in research must be a Philosophy of Science course. Students are also required to take an effective teaching course, which is held the week between the spring and summer semesters of their first year. Once students have completed all the necessary requirements to advance to candidacy, they are then required to complete a minimum of 14 hours of thesis research.
Read course descriptions in the General Catalog and Class Schedules.
“During my studies in the Eccles PhD program, I have had numerous interactions with every single finance professor in the department. Their doors are always open, and they are happy to share and discuss ideas.”
—Yunhui Han, PhD Student
A minimum of 15 major fields, 9 allied filed, and 15 research competency credit hours are required. Three credit hours in research must be a Philosophy of Science course. Students are also required to take an effective teaching course, which is held the week between the spring and summer semesters of their first year. Once students have completed all the necessary requirements to advance to candidacy, they are then required to complete a minimum of 14 hours of thesis research.
Read course descriptions in the General Catalog and Class Schedules.
“During my studies in the Eccles PhD program, I have had numerous interactions with every single finance professor in the department. Their doors are always open, and they are happy to share and discuss ideas.”
—Yunhui Han, PhD Student
Program Highlights
Top-Ranked Faculty
Read moreThe Eccles School of Business Finance Department ranks among the highest finance departments in the world and has leading scholars that span the many sub-topics of finance.
Weekly Seminar Series
Read moreTop scholars from around the world present their latest research to the Finance department during most weeks and students get the opportunity to meet and discuss with the speakers.
Hosts the Utah Winter Finance Conference
Read moreThe Finance department hosts the annual Utah Winter Finance Conference, which is often described as the best finance conference in the profession. Students attend and have the opportunity to meet leading finance scholars.
Competitive Compensation Package
Read moreWe offer an attractive financial package to acquire the best Phd students, which includes an aggressive stipend, tuition waivers, health insurance, and a generous research fund.
Cutting Edge Computational Resources
Read moreFinance PhD students have access to the University of Utah’s Center for High-Performance Computing resources, which provides one of the nation’s most advanced computing clusters.
Faculty-Student Mentorship & Collaborations
Read moreThe Eccles Finance Faculty are strongly invested in helping PhD students excel at research. Students are paired with a team of faculty to guide them through the program. Faculty regularly co-author papers with PhD students.
Typical Program of Study
“Ph.D. students at Utah Finance get a world-class education in finance and business economics. They also work closely with faculty on research that is often published in the top finance journals. These experiences plus collaborative faculty support empower many students to secure tenure-track positions at research-focused schools worldwide.”
— Assistant Professor Davidson Heath
“Ph.D. students at Utah Finance get a world-class education in finance and business economics. They also work closely with faculty on research that is often published in the top finance journals. These experiences plus collaborative faculty support empower many students to secure tenure-track positions at research-focused schools worldwide.”
— Assistant Professor Davidson Heath
Ideal Candidates
There are no formal education requirements other than a bachelor’s degree. Specifically, an MBA is not required.
We admit students once per year, and applications are due by December 15.
Candidates with GMAT/GRE scores above 700 are eligible for an application fee waiver. Please contact the Department Ph.D. Coordinator for more information.