Doctoral Program:  Structure of the Program

The accounting doctoral program at the University of Texas at Austin involves a full-time integrated program of coursework and research. Accounting Ph.D. students generally also secure at least one term of teaching experience. Because of course sequencing, students begin the program during the fall semester. Prior to registration, the Graduate Adviser will meet with incoming students to determine customized course plans for the first year, including the option of early registration in the summer to secure any necessary math background.

Coursework Phase
Dissertation Phase
 
COURSEWORK PHASE

Below is a summary of the coursework phase of the program. For a more detailed description of specific courses and supporting fields, please see the separate section on Courses and Seminars.

Coursework during the first year of the program focuses on establishing a student's basic research capabilities and providing foundational tools that the student will apply later in the program. These courses include requirements in economics, mathematics, and statistics, as well as an integrated introduction to research in accounting. The first year of the program culminates in the writing of a first-year research paper, which is typically a replication of prior research that the student finds to be of interest. The first-year paper provides an early opportunity to obtain hands-on experience in conducting and communicating academic research.

The remainder of the coursework phase of the Ph.D. program includes required core seminars in empirical-archival, analytical, and behavioral-experimental research in accounting, as well as supporting-field courses that enhance the student's specialized interests.

The second year of the program culminates in a second-year paper, which is a more ambitious exercise than the first-year paper summarized above. Students are encouraged to pursue publication of research projects initiated as a second-year paper, often in collaboration with members of the faculty. In addition to introducing the student to the creative research in accounting, second-year papers can provide another project besides the dissertation that enhances the student's marketability upon graduation.
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DISSERTATION PHASE

As the coursework phase draws to a close, the Ph.D. student directs attention to developing a doctoral dissertation. The student evidences readiness for the dissertation phase of the program by passing a comprehensive examination that is administered by the faculty. The student is admitted to candidacy upon successful completion of this examination and formulation of a Supervisory Committee of faculty members who agree to oversee the proposed dissertation plan. A final oral defense of the written dissertation is the final milestone that completes the requirements for the Ph.D. degree. Students typically take four or five years to complete the entire program, depending on the student's efficiency in the coursework and dissertation phases.

Since the program's inception in 1934, the University of Texas at Austin has awarded over 250 doctoral degrees with a concentration in accounting. Recent graduates have accepted accounting faculty positions at universities including Carnegie Mellon University, Emory University, the University of Georgia, Indiana University, the University of Iowa, the University of Notre Dame, Stanford University, and the University of Wisconsin.
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