Ph.D. in Business with a Finance Area of Focus
Program and Curriculum
Learn about the program's curriculum and comprehensive examination requirement.
Admission and Financial Aid
Learn about admissions and the costs of pursuing a Ph.D. in finance, and explore a variety of resources available to help finance your degree.
Research
An overview of the research activities of our students and faculty.
Overview
The Ph.D. in Business with a Finance Area of Focus prepares students for future academic and research-oriented careers by providing them a solid foundation in both theoretical and empirical financial research. Students take courses that cover asset pricing, continuous time models, corporate finance, corporate governance, macro-financial issues, investment, banking, politics and finance, and real estate. GW faculty have a strong research profile in both theoretical and empirical research, covering a wide area of research including asset pricing, banking, corporate finance, international finance, corporate governance, credit risk and real estate.
The program seeks intellectual and curious students with a strong dedication to high-quality research. Prospective students are expected to have strong analytical skills and be ready to start independent work pursuing scholarly research. The faculty works closely with students to develop research and is dedicated to help them succeed in obtaining placements at high-quality research institutions.
The strength of the program is complemented by the ability to leverage resources across top policy and research organizations such as the International Monetary Fund, the Federal Reserve Board, World Bank, SEC, CFTC and FDIC. The GW finance Ph.D. program is in the center of one of the most vibrant intellectual centers in the world. As a result, faculty and students find many ways to utilize synergies with these institutions such as research collaborations, exchanging ideas, and joint seminars.