Ph.D. – Accounting

The Ph.D. program in Accounting is designed to engage students in top quality scholarly research and to take faculty positions at leading universities upon graduation. The curriculum focuses on economics-based, empirical research in accounting, with particular emphasis on capital markets, audit, and tax. Students are prepared to conduct original research of accounting issues using economic theories and archival methods. The program sets students up for success by developing their research skills and foundation of knowledge, as well as fostering their creativity, initiative, and perseverance. There are many opportunities for improving written and oral communication and for engagement with faculty, including on joint research projects. Students also have access to a wide array of data and software and they regularly attend national academic conferences.

Faculty in accounting  conduct research on a variety of topics, including but not limited to: accounting standards-setting, analyst activities, auditing, corporate financial reporting issues, internal controls, mergers and acquisitions, taxes and business decisions, tax policy.

Accounting Doctoral Scholar’s Program

UConn’s Accounting Ph.D. Program has been selected to participate in the Accounting Doctoral Scholars Program. This program has been set up by the largest accounting firms, state societies of CPSs, and the American Institute of CPAs to increase the number of qualified accounting faculty.  The program provides additional financial support to qualified participants. Accounting Doctoral Scholars

For More Information

Accounting Department PhD Coordinator: Todd Kravet todd.kravet@uconn.edu

On (October 10th)  attend an information session and talk with accounting Professor Kravet and a PhD student and on (November 12th) connect with Professor Kravet) -as well as meet a current PhD Accounting student.

Congratulations

Adrienne DePaul, a current Ph.D. candidate, received a conditional acceptance from the Journal of Accounting and Economics on her paper co-authored with UConn faculty Frank Murphy and University of Illinois at Chicago faculty Mary Vernon. Adrienne also received the 2024 University of Connecticut School of Business Ph.D. Teaching Award.

Kangkang Zhang, a current Ph.D. candidate, presented her dissertation at the 2024 Rutgers Accounting Doctoral Symposium. She received the Best Paper Award and the Best Presenter Award. Kangkang also received the 2024 American Accounting Association Government and Nonprofit Section Annual Meeting Best Paper Award for her dissertation.

In three of the last four years, a UConn accounting Ph.D. candidate received the prestigious Deloitte Fellowship. The $25,000 fellowship is awarded each year to the top 10 accounting Ph.D. students in the country.

Kangkang Zhang, a current Ph.D. candidate, received the Deloitte Fellowship in 2024. Kangkang’s honor is highlighted in the following School of Business article:https://www.business.uconn.edu/2022/03/10/accounting-ph-d-student-wins-prestigious-25k-deloitte-foundation-fellowship-one-of-only-10-in-nation/ https://today.uconn.edu/2024/03/accounting-ph-d-candidate-kangkang-zhang-receives-deloitte-foundation-fellowship/

Ilona M. Bastiaansen ’23 Ph.D., received the Deloitte Fellowship in 2022. Ilona’s honor is highlighted in the following School of Business article:  https://www.business.uconn.edu/2022/03/10/accounting-ph-d-student-wins-prestigious-25k-deloitte-foundation-fellowship-one-of-only-10-in-nation/

Trent Krupa ’22 Ph.D., received the Deloitte Fellowship  in 2021. Trent’s honor is highlighted in the following School of Business article:  https://www.business.uconn.edu/2021/02/10/ph-d-candidate-trent-krupa-earns-coveted-deloitte-scholarship/

Ilona Bastiaansen ’23 Ph.D., while a Ph.D. candidate had a proposal co-authored with UConn faculty Alina Lerman and Frank Murphy and a University of Toronto faculty presented at the 2021 Journal of Accounting Research registered report conference: https://research.chicagobooth.edu/arc/journal-of-accounting-research/2021-registered-reports/registered-reports

Recent Ph.D. graduates have published in Contemporary Accounting Research, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Journal of Accounting Research, Management Science, Review of Accounting Studies, The Accounting Review, The Journal of the American Taxation Association, etc.

Our Ph.D. students have presented their research papers at American Accounting Association Annual Meeting, Auditing Section Midyear Meeting, Financial Accounting and Reporting Section Midyear Meeting, American Taxation Association Midyear Meeting, National Tax Association Spring Symposium, etc.