The Freeman PhD program is designed to prepare students for academic careers in empirical finance or financial accounting at leading research universities. The curriculum emphasizes rigorous quantitative training, intensive faculty mentorship, and meaningful teaching experiences—all within a highly personalized and collaborative academic environment.
Unique Features of the Program
Empirical Research Focus
Our program emphasizes empirical research in finance and financial accounting, supported by strong econometrics training through the Economics Department and an emphasis on frontier methods in research seminars at the Freeman School. Students gain early exposure to data analysis and empirical methods foundational to impactful research.
Integrated Curriculum with a Unique Focus
Unlike traditional, siloed accounting or finance PhD tracks, our program integrates corporate finance, financial accounting, and investments. This interdisciplinary approach equips students to publish in both top accounting journals (e.g., Journal of Accounting Research) and finance journals (e.g., Journal of Finance).
Synergies with the Economics Department
Students complete the first-year core curriculum alongside economics PhD students and take the econometrics comprehensive exam, ensuring a solid empirical foundation.
High-Caliber Mentorship and Faculty Access
Students benefit from close mentorship by tenured and tenure-track faculty across accounting, economics, and finance. Students are encouraged to co-author papers early in the program and receive individualized feedback throughout their research journey.
Curriculum Highlights
Students must complete a minimum of 48 credit hours, which includes coursework, electives, and independent research.
Year 1
- Fall & Spring: Core courses in econometrics, microeconomics, macroeconomics, and financial economics.
- Summer: Completion of the First-Year Paper (empirical replication project) and the Econometrics Comprehensive Exam.
Year 2
- Fall & Spring: Seminars in accounting and finance research, plus electives such as ECON 6610- Game Theory.
- Spring: Initiation of a Second-Year Paper, either as an independent research project under faculty supervision or as a co-authored paper.
- Summer: Finance and Accounting Comprehensive Exam and Empirical Research Paper II.
Year 3
- Independent Third-Year Paper under faculty supervision, culminating in an oral presentation to qualify for candidacy.
- Begin teaching experience after completing the required training.
Years 4–6
- Dissertation Research: Students work toward defending their proposals (ideally in Year 4) and complete the dissertation by Year 5 or 6.
- Teaching: Two courses per year, preparing students for future faculty roles.
Financial Support and Teaching Requirements
Students receive funding for up to six years, consisting of:
- A 50% scholarship (tuition waiver).
- A 50% assistantship, rotating between research and teaching duties during the first 2.5 years.
- In Year 3, students may teach one course and assist in the other semester.
- In Years 4 and 5, students teach two courses per year.
- After Year 5, the terms are approved by the Dean on a year-by-year basis according to the students’ dissertation committee recommendations.
Before teaching independently, students must:
- Complete the CELT teaching workshop.
- Serve as a teaching assistant for at least one semester.
Additional Requirements and Expectations
- Seminar Attendance: Students are expected to attend weekly Accounting and Finance Department research seminars.
- Academic Standing: A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for continuation in the program. Receiving more than one B- or any grade below B- may result in probation or dismissal.
- Annual Reviews: Students benefit from regular feedback on progress in coursework, research, and assistantship performance during annual reviews by program faculty.
- Graduation Requirements: Completion of all coursework, passing all exams and milestones, and successful defense of the dissertation with subsequent submission to ProQuest and Tulane’s digital repository.
