PhD in Finance
The Finance PhD program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign provides an opportunity to work with, and learn from, a well-known faculty in a stimulating intellectual environment. The emphasis of the program is research, and the goal is to produce high-quality scholars and to prepare them for successful academic careers. As one step in this process, the program provides students with rigorous training in finance, economics, and statistics. The program covers all aspects of finance, including the core finance areas of investments, asset pricing, corporate finance, and financial intermediation. In addition, students are able to specialize in insurance or real estate finance.
The strength of the program is the close interaction it provides between the faculty and students. The faculty work intensively with students, offering their time, expertise, and experience to facilitate the students' understanding of financial markets and institutions and their research. As part of this process, Professors and students frequently collaborate in joint research and publication.
The Finance PhD program seeks to admit students with the highest possible aptitude and potential for academic careers. For most students, the Ph.D. program consists of two years of course work followed by a qualifying examination, and then two to three years of dissertation research. All admitted students receive financial support, either in the form of a fellowship or through employment as a research or teaching assistant, in combination with tuition and service fee waivers. Most UIUC Finance Ph.D. graduates take positions at U.S. universities. In addition, some graduates take positions in the financial services industry or consulting, and some international students take academic positions in their home countries.