So you’re thinking about getting your PhD in accounting. Of course, you want to focus on the best PhD program there, because this will be the main stage of your career. Students who graduate from the best schools researchers study are: Accounting Information Systems, Audit, Financial, Managerial and Tax. There are some areas of study that fall outside of these major categories, but these are the most common topics. By now you may have a good idea of which categories they may or may not participate in. Find taxes fascinating, and seek to pursue research on how changes in tax laws affect tax behavior. Or, you may realize that tax isn’t just your thing, but studying financial accounting would be much more up your alley.
When you want to narrow down a topic, think about what methods you think you’ll enjoy conducting research on. There are four main methods of accounting research: Analytical, Archival and Experimental. There are also methods that fall outside of these main categories, but these are a good place to start. An experiment means that you set up experiments to test a theory. This can be used more when studying the behavior of individuals. A more common method of accounting research is archival, in which the researcher uses past financial data releases to see how financial results have been affected by variables. Analytical research involves establishing mathematical models, based on assumptions, to predict how changes in certain variables in the model will affect outcomes.
Now in no time! According to BYUaccounting.net/rankings, the following are the top 5 accounting PhDs for each topic.
Account Information Accounts
1. Kent State University
2. University of Tennessee (Knoxville)
3. University of Arizona
4. Drexel University
5. Texas A&M; University
Location: Audi
1. University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign)
2. Drexel University
3. University of New South Wales
4. Temple University
5. University of Missouri
Location: Financial
1. University of Michigan
2. University of Chicago
3. University of Washington
4. University of Pennsylvania
5. University of Arizona
Location: Managerial
1. Stanford University
2. University of Pittsburgh
3. University of Texas
4. Catholic University of Leuven
5. Harvard University
Location: Tax
1. University of Arizona
2. Carolina University North Carolina
3. University of Washington
4. Arizona State University
5. University of Texas
Be sure to do your research carefully when choosing which PhD programs to apply for. This decision is more important than deciding where to study for your undergraduate degree! Hopefully this list will give you a place to start your research. Best of luck!
Sources:
http://www.byuaccounting.net/rankings/
