Curriculum

The finance discipline in the Management PhD program prepares you to become a productive researcher and teacher at a top university. Each student follows a slightly different path, depending on research interests, allowing you some flexibility in the curriculum below. 

Discipline Requirements

First Year Second Year Third Year and Beyond

Fall Semester

Typically four of the following:

(MGF 743-required when open)

 • MTH 558 Mathematical Finance
 • ECON 712 Time Series Analysis

Spring Semester

  • MGF 744SEM Empirical Methods in Finance (required when open)

If research interests dictate, you may register for research seminars or other classes in related disciplines such as econometrics (e.g., ECON 712 Time Series Analysis; ECON 713 Advanced Econometrics; ECON 796 Special Topics in Econometrics), accounting (e.g. accounting research methodology, seminar in financial accounting), computer science (e.g. machine learning, big data, computing), industrial and systems engineering (e.g. simulations and stochastic models), etc. Some of these are subject to approval by your PhD advisor.

By the end of your second year, you will be required to present a full research paper of publishable quality. The Department of Finance uses the 2nd-year paper requirement in order to evaluate each student’s potential and ability to develop and execute research ideas independently. The evaluation of research potential/capabilities will be made by the Second-Year Paper Committee (hereafter ‘committee’). The committee is chosen by the student and should consist of at least two finance faculty members (including a committee chair and a committee member).

In the summer after the second year, you will be required to pass the comprehensive exam. The exam consists of two written parts and takes two days. On day one, you will be asked to answer questions inspired by the finance research classes you have taken. On the second day, you will be required to write a paper review for a hypothetical finance journal.

 

Contact Us

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Finance Department
 School of Management
University at Buffalo
347 Jacobs Management Center
Buffalo, NY 14260-4000

Tel:  716-645-3293
Fax: 716-645-3823

To speak to a faculty member directly about the PhD in Management program, contact Sahn-Wook Huh, associate professor, Finance Department.

External Area of Focus for Management Students

If you are a doctoral student in the School of Management who is interested in obtaining an external area of focus in Economics, you should consult with your academic advisor. The following courses satisfy the Management doctoral core requirements in statistics (two courses) as well as the requirements for an external focus area in Economics (a grade point average of 3.0 is required in external focus area courses).

ECON 611 Mathematics for Economists I
ECON 613 Introduction to Econometric Theory
ECON 665 Microeconomic Theory I

Plus one course from the following:

ECON 614 Econometric Theory II
ECON 712 Econometrics: Time Series Analysis
ECON 731 Optimal Contract Theory
ECON 666 Microeconomic Theory II
MGO 797 Accounting workshops are required for one credit-hour.

External Area of Focus for Non-Management Students

Required Courses Electives

If you are a doctoral student outside of the School of Management who is interested in obtaining an external area of focus in Finance, you should consult with your academic advisor. Course requirements are:

MGF 740 Theory of Finance

And two of:

MGF 742 Information and Capital Markets

Any of the 600-level courses may be waived if the student has had an equivalent prior course.

Additional PhD Program Requirements

Refer to the PhD Handbook for complete information on: