Curriculum and Structure – PhD In Finance
The PhD in Finance at Miami Herbert unfolds as an integrated program of advanced study and research. Applicants should have an adequate academic background, personal maturity, and the ability to meet the program's high level of demand for initiative and scholarship.
Curriculum Overview
Being a student in the Finance PhD program means a commitment to full-time and in-residence study.
First Year
During the first year of the PhD program, students are required to take courses from Miami Herbert’s Department of Economics and Department of Finance as part of their PhD core course education. Limited flexibility in course selection during the first year ensures that each student has a critical knowledge base in the areas of economics, econometrics, and finance.
Second Year
During the second year, students continue to take courses from Miami Herbert, but also from other schools and departments at the University of Miami (e.g., Law, Psychology, Neuroscience) depending on interests and specialization. The goals are to broaden students’ knowledge beyond the core courses and deepen their base knowledge, while introducing them to the current research frontier.
Candidacy Stage
After successfully completing a qualifying finance exam in the first year, and an individual finance research paper in the second year, a PhD student is admitted into candidacy. At this stage of the program, the student works full-time on a job market paper, which will showcase knowledge and skills related to finance scholarship, as well as the rest of the dissertation. This research is conducted under the supervision of an experienced advisor from the finance faculty. Co-authorship with faculty members and other students in the PhD program is common and strongly encouraged to build a portfolio of research papers.
