phd in finance boston university

Creating Value for the World®

BOSTON UNIVERSITY Questrom School of Business Rafik B. Hariri Building 595 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215

(617) 353-9720

Privacy Statement

PhD Program

Earning your PhD at the Questrom School of Business means becoming an integral part of a leading research institution, one that’s redefining the future of business every day.

If you’re ready for the Questrom PhD program, you’re ready to launch a career-defining, personal research agenda with support from faculty who become invested colleagues that want you to succeed. You’ll study in the heart of a thriving intellectual community, where there’s an undeniable entrepreneurial spirit, a passion for in-depth analysis and the expertise to make ideas a reality. That goes for Boston and BU.

Boston University, a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), is one of 62 leading research universities in the United States and Canada. Situated in a global hub of innovation, our PhD students are challenged to ask meaningful questions about today’s most pressing business issues. What’s more, they dare to generate the insights that will help solve them.

Flexibility

Customize for your career.

At Questrom, you’ll experience incredible freedom to engage in educational pursuit. You’ll deepen the intellectual rigor you need to advance cutting-edge academic research. You’ll acquire advanced knowledge of literature and theory in your academic discipline as well as the skills that are essential for publishing in leading academic journals. And you’ll do it in a collegial atmosphere where you’ll team up with world-renowned faculty and extraordinary scholars while benefiting from one another’s experience, expertise, and diversity. 

When it comes to curriculum, we keep things flexible. You’ll develop individualized plans of study, based on your research interests and personal background, and have the ability to take courses that best support your academic goals. You can take those courses in all departments within Questrom, across BU, and at other top universities in the Boston area.

Our curriculum lends the capacity for learning and innovation in the face of rapid changes in the social, economic, technical and geopolitical contexts of business. This format develops graduates with advanced grounding in related disciplines. Graduates leave this program equipped with theoretical and practical knowledge of advanced research skills and prepares them to join the faculty of leading universities.

The minimum course requirement for this 5 year degree program is 17 courses (48-64 credits). Research Methodology: 5 courses (20 credits). Major Area: 5 courses (20 credits). Minor Area: 5 Courses (20 credits). Research Methodology Courses (24 credits).

From day one, you’ll collaborate with world-class faculty who are making outstanding contributions in their field of study, who act as mentors, and who share your research interests. It’s something we consider carefully during our  admissions process : how your research focus fits with the work of our faculty. They’ll partner one-on-one with you, offering individualized attention to enable you to act as colleagues, seeking answers to critical management problems, ones that solve relevant organizational issues and consider the larger effects on our communities.

That’s what sets Questrom apart: an open atmosphere where we tackle the questions that matter most to you and our society—together— and from day one in the program.

Learn more about their work at Insights@Questrom, our digital hub for relevant, thought-provoking ideas on emerging business topics. We capture and collect ideas in a comprehensive, accessible format that highlights the extraordinary variety of thought at Questrom and at Boston University.

Being in the PhD program at Questrom means diving into a vibrant community where collaboration—not competition—is the driving force. No matter the background,  our PhD students  come to us to push their knowledge and impact their field—and the people in it. Immersed in this tight-knit group of scholars, you’ll gain new insights from their  diverse perspectives and backgrounds  and stretch your own knowledge to reach new heights.

“My research focuses on topics in taxation, disclosure, and international trade policy. In particular, I study how tax-related corporate disclosures impact users of financial statement information, and my research in this area has been invited to present to the Securities and Exchange Commission.”

When you embark on your PhD experience, you truly become part of the department itself. You’ll gain personalized attention from professors and faculty who are revolutionizing business and have the potential to shape your career. You’ll also have the chance to engage in the many  seminars and guest speaker events  that we have on the agenda each year. You can also take advantage of the opportunity to maximize your BU experience by getting involved in the graduate student life through the Graduate Student Council. Joining Questrom’s PhD program means you join an environment rich with inspiration—and possibility.

Doctoral Research

Questrom is ranked #30 in the 2023 UT-Dallas Top 100 Business Schools Research Rankings in North America . Our PhD scholars are committed to conducting research that uncovers valuable findings that will make an impact in our world.

Boston University is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), one of a select group of 62 leading research universities in the United States and Canada. We take that seriously. As a student in this program, you will have the opportunity to team up with leading faculty on projects like the following:

Tests of Investor Learning Models Using Earnings Innovations And Implied Volatilities

Authors: Thaddeus Neururer, with George Papadakis and Eddie Riedl

This paper investigates alternative models of learning to explain changes in uncertainty surrounding earnings innovations. As a proxy for investor uncertainty, we use model-free implied volatilities; as a proxy for earnings innovations, representing signals of firm performance likely to drive investor perceptions of uncertainty, we use quarterly unexpected earnings benchmarked to the consensus forecast. We document that uncertainty declines on average after the release of quarterly earnings announcements and this decline is attenuatedby the magnitude of the earnings innovation. This latter result is consistent with models that incorporate signal magnitude as a factor driving changes in uncertainty. Most important, we document that signals deviating sufficiently from expectations lead to net increases in uncertainty. Critically, this result suggests that models allowing for posterior variance to be greater than prior variance even after signal revelation [e.g., regime shifts in Pastor and Veronesi (Annu Rev Financ Econ 1:361–381, 2009)] better describe how investors incorporate new information.

Does Recognition Versus Disclosure Affect Value Relevance? Evidence From Pension Accounting

Author: Kun Yu

This study examines whether institutional ownership and analyst following affect the value relevance of disclosed versus recognized pension liabilities. Using a sample of firms with pension liabilities that were disclosed under SFAS No. 87 and subsequently recognized under SFAS No. 158 from 1999 to 2007, I find that off-balance-sheet pension liabilities are more value relevant for firms with a higher level of institutional ownership or analyst following in the pre-158 period. More importantly, I find that SFAS No. 158 increases the value relevance of previously disclosed off-balance-sheet pension liabilities for firms with a low level of institutional ownership or analyst following, and that the increase in the value relevance becomes less pronounced for firms with a higher level of institutional ownership or analyst following. Overall, the results are consistent with the view that institutional ownership and analyst following affect the value relevance of disclosed information as well as the valuation difference between disclosed and recognized information. This study also highlights the importance of considering institutional ownership and analyst following in the value-relevance research.

Information Sharing in Digital Social Platform: Network Structure And Patterns Of Information Diversity On Twitter

Authors: Jiye Baek, Jesse Shore and Chrysanthos Dellarocas

Intra-Platform Competition

Author: Hye Young Kang

The Influence of Purchase Motivation On Assortment Size

Author: Sarah Whitley

The Gain of Paying: Using Cash Increases Consumers’ Prosocial Glow

Authors: Masha Ksendzova, Grant E. Donnelly, and Remi Trudel

Digital User’s Decision Journey

Author: Yicheng Song

This thesis focuses on the understanding and modeling digital user’s decision journey on various digital systems: multi-channel retailing, online media consumption, and crowdfunding platforms, where technology, people, and firm strategies interact.

The first chapter propose a statistical model based approach to identify characteristic paths lead to purchase from consumers’ activity level datasets. Most digital sellers are faced with these kinds of data but there are few practical and academic approach available to address this problem. Specifically, neither of these streams of research try to reveal how, the characteristic paths through which, the marketing events result in purchase. Managers can use such characteristic paths to purchases to better understand and communicate their customer’s shopping behavior—this need is highlighted in trade publication articles. I offer one of the first approaches to extract such paths. I demonstrate that this approach is more effective at predicting individual users’ future purchase than numerous alternatives.

The second chapter focus on user’s decision journey within the short span of online media consumption sessions by following their sequential selection of multiple articles within a session. The unique feature of online media consumption is a reader is rarely “done” after consuming one news item, nor does she feel limited in a given session to selecting from only one of the numerous categories available, which is quite different from the first scenario, where a consumer typically chooses only one of several offered physical products on a given consumption occasion. A reader could have a breadth of interests and a general news/media site offers content on a host of categories, which provides an opportunity to fulfill those interests. Such a reader may want to consume multiple items from a diverse set of categories and what is most relevant at each stage of the session could change with her prior consumptions due to the satiation, leading to the variety seeking behavior. I developing a multi-category utility model that captures consumers’ preference towards different types of content, how quickly they satiate with one type and substitute it with another, and how they trade off potentially higher value from their own costly search efforts with the convenience of selecting from a recommended list to find new content. Taken together, these three elements enable us to characterize how utility-maximizing consumers seek diversity over the course of a session and how likely they are to click on content recommended to them. Empirical results have that the proposed model could better predict reader’s variety seeking behavior and I also show through policy simulations that using this approach could increase user engagement by 23%.

To learn about all PhD programs offered at Boston University, visit the PhD Program Profiles Website .

Apply to the PhD Program

Ready to apply? Once you’ve submitted your materials, we’ll start the review process. We’re happy to answer your questions along the way.

Finance Career Pathways

Finance is a very broad field, generally focused on helping organizations to manage investments, hard assets and navigating the capital markets in gaining needed capital/and or debt. Simply put, finance is a field that focuses on how to effectively manage money so it can be deployed to its highest and best use. Finance can be broken down into three distinct areas; corporate, personal and public.

To help you plan your curriculum, we have developed several Career Pathways within the Finance Learning Community:  Corporate Finance ,  Commercial & Investment Banking ,  Financial Analyst & Asset Management , and  Finance in Startup Ventures .

Mark Williams

Finance Learning

Community Lead

Corporate Finance

The Corporate Finance Career Pathway is intended for students who are interested in working in Finance with focus on financial considerations relating to corporate growth, accounting practices, and risk management decision making. Typical jobs in this area include working as a finance associate, financial analyst, director of finance, treasury analyst, director of financial planning & analysis, senior accountant, corporate auditor, development officer, or risk manager.

Commercial & Investment Banking

Commercial & Investment Banking

The Commercial & Investment Banking Career Pathway is intended for students who are interested in working in Finance and tends to focus on domestic and international investment analysis and strategy.  Typical jobs in this area include working as a relationship banker, financial planner, loan officer, trust officer, investment banking associate, M&A associate, buy side analyst, equity or fixed income researcher, director of investor relations, or capital markets sales associate.

Financial Analyst & Asset Management

Financial Analyst & Asset Management

The Financial Analyst & Asset Management Career Pathway is intended for students who are interested in working in Finance and tends to focus on domestic investment strategy and innovative financial technology.  Typical jobs in this area include senior analyst, financial analyst, equity and/or fixed income researcher, asset manager, investment operations manager, corporate actions associate, and financial consultant.

Finance in Startup Ventures

The Finance in Startup Ventures Career Pathway is intended for students who are interested in working in the fast-paced startup world and tends to focus on capital raising, finance investment strategies and tools relating to forecasting and managing needs of startups. Typical jobs in this area include VC associate, director of finance, senior acquisitions analyst, investor relations associate, director of financial planning & analysis, private equity analyst, deal execution associate, startup controller, and portfolio manager.

Other Electives You Might Consider

Other Electives You Might Consider (depending on the sector or industry of interest):

Rafik B. Hariri Building 595 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215

For Residential MBA Students: CONTACT [email protected] 617.353.7800

OFFICE HOURS Fall & Spring Appts: M-Th 9am – 6:30pm, F 9am – 5pm

Summer M-T 9am – 5pm, W-Th 9am – 6:30pm, F 9am – 1pm

SPECIALTY MS & PhD CENTER

CO NTACT [email protected] 617.353.2673

OFFICE HOURS M-F 9am – 5pm HAR 402

• Exam Prep >
• Prepare for Business School >
• Business School & Careers >
• Explore Programs >
• Connect with Schools >
• How to Apply >
• Help Center >

Every journey needs a plan. Use our Career Guide to get where you want to be. 

• About the Exam
• Register for the Exam
• Plan for Exam Day
• Prep for the Exam
• About the Executive Assessment
• Register for the Executive Assessment
• Plan for Assessment Day
• Prepare for the Assessment
• NMAT by GMAC
• Shop GMAT Focus Official Prep
• About GMAT Focus Official Prep
• Prep Strategies
• Personalized Prep Plan
• GMAT Focus Mini Quiz
• Executive Assessment Exam Prep
• NMAT by GMAC Exam Prep

Prepare For Business School

• Business Fundamentals
• Skills Insight

Business School & Careers

• Why Business School
• Student Experience
• Business Internships
• B-School Go
• Quiz: Are You Leadership Material?
• MBA Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator
• Estimate Your Salary
• Success Stories
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Women in Business

Explore Programs

• Top Business School Programs
• Quiz: Which Post Graduate Program is Right for You?
• Quiz: Find the Best Program for Your Personality
• Business School Rankings
• Business Master's Programs
• MBA Programs
• Study Destinations
• Find Programs Near Me
• Find MBA Programs
• Find Master's Programs
• Find Executive Programs
• Find Online Programs

Connect with Schools

• About GradSelect
• Create a GradSelect Profile
• Prep Yourself for B-School
• Quiz: Can You Network Like An MBA?
• Events Calendar
• School Events
• GMAC Tours Events
• In-Person Events
• Online Events

How to Apply

• Apply to Programs
• The Value of Assessments
• Admissions Essays
• Letters of Recommendation
• Admissions Interviews
• Scholarships and Financing
• Quiz: What's Your Ideal Learning Style?

Help Center

• Register for the GMAT
• Create Account
• Program Finder
• PhD / Doctoral Programs
• Boston University, Questrom School of Business
• PhD in Mathematical Finance

D'Amore-McKim School of Business

Northeastern’s STEM-designated Full-Time MS in Finance (Quantitative Finance) program provides financial knowledge as well as technical and analytical expertise to prepare you to excel in the rapidly changing financial services industry. Obtaining this interdisciplinary understanding of finance and technology will be the key to your success in the digital financial economy.

Advances in technology are shaking up the financial services industry in big ways. New positions now require not just knowledge of finance but also analytical and technical skills. In the D’Amore-McKim MS in Finance (Quantitative Finance), you’ll build your expertise in fintech—a combination of finance and technology—and business analytics.

Here, you’ll become a well-rounded financial professional through a blend of classroom instruction and experience-powered learning opportunities, such as building applied investment experience through our student-led mutual fund—the 360 Huntington Fund. Working with our world-class faculty, you’ll refine your communication skills, learning how to inspire trust and forge a strong rapport with others—critical to your success in the digital economy.

The program’s STEM designation means that international graduates may be eligible to apply for work eligibility in the U.S. for up to 36 months. We welcome global learners with a foundation in business or a data-focused science field to apply.

Dive deeper into the MS in Quantitative Finance program on the D’Amore-McKim School of Business website.

More Details

Unique features.

• STEM-designated and F-1 visa compliant
• Become eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) with additional OPT STEM Extension .
• Join the management team of the student-managed 360 Huntington Fund , where you’ll manage over $1M of the school’s endowment.
• Learn from world-class faculty: Your professors have deep experience leading in today’s rapidly changing financial services industry
• If you want to pursue the Chartered Financial Analyst designation, your coursework will help you prepare for the exams.
• Get personalized career support at the Graduate Career Center : Career preparation is integrated throughout your program through tools, workshops, and a complimentary career management class.

Program Objectives

The financial services industry has become more technology-intensive, and employers need team members skilled in computer science, engineering, mathematics, statistics, and econometrics. These positions will integrate with computer programs and other technological platforms to support or enable banking and financial services, preparing you to thrive as a financial expert in an industry being transformed by technology.

Career Outlook

You’ll graduate prepared to launch a finance career anywhere in the world, having mastered quantitative techniques and the ability to solve complex business problems. Possible global careers our program can help you attain include :

• Assistant trader
• Business analyst
• Business operations analyst
• Data analyst
• Financial analyst
• Fixed income quantitative analyst
• Investment associate
• Product operations analyst
• Senior banker

After gaining more work experience, you’ll be prepared for these roles:

• Chief financial officer
• Commercial lending officer
• Corporate finance officer
• Director of finance

Accreditation Description

Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International—the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide.

Testimonials

—shaiwee yang, associate professor of finance, —jiao (hannah) li, ms in finance’18, — yifei li, ms in finance’19, – zuoyi chen, ms in finance’20, looking for something different.

A graduate degree or certificate from Northeastern—a top-ranked university—can accelerate your career through rigorous academic coursework and hands-on professional experience in the area of your interest. Apply now—and take your career to the next level.

Program Costs

Finance Your Education We offer a variety of resources, including scholarships and assistantships.

How to Apply Learn more about the application process and requirements.

Requirements

• Application form
• Application fee
• A personal statement (<=500 words) and a short essay (<=300 words)
• Two letters of recommendation
• Academic transcript(s) from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended
• Kira online interview (by invitation, access is provided after submitting your application)
• Optional GMAT/GRE test scores (for more information, review our admissions policies )
• TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE Academic (for international students only, view more information and waiver eligibility in our admissions policies )
• Passport or permanent residency card (if applicable)

Are You an International Student? Find everything you need, from tuition and financial aid to deadlines and procedures.

Admissions Details Learn more about the D’Amore-McKim School of Business admissions process, policies, and required materials.

Admissions Dates

*March 21, 2024 deadline is the final deadline for international candidates who require a new F-1 or J-1 visa

Fall Term (Classes begin in September)

Industry-aligned courses for in-demand careers..

For 100+ years, we’ve designed our programs with one thing in mind—your success. Explore the current program requirements and course descriptions, all designed to meet today’s industry needs and must-have skills.

View curriculum

Integrating classroom instruction and academic thinking with authentic, experience-powered learning is what we do best at D’Amore-McKim. It’s an approach that expands your knowledge base, develops your creative mindset, and prepares you to meet the shifting demands of today’s financial services world.

The 360 Huntington Fund Perform equity research and portfolio management with the student-managed mutual fund responsible for over $1M of the school’s endowment. You can earn academic credit in an environment no simulator can match. Learn more about the 360 Huntington Fund.

IDEA Student-Led Venture Accelerator

Join Northeastern's student-led venture accelerator to bring an idea to life or apply what you've learned and serve as an advisor or mentor for a startup. Learn more about IDEA.

Our Faculty

Northeastern University faculty represents a broad cross-section of professional practices and fields, including finance, education, biomedical science, management, and the U.S. military. They serve as mentors and advisors and collaborate alongside you to solve the most pressing global challenges facing established and emerging markets.

Shiawee X. Yang

Saptarshi mukherjee.

Robert Mooradian

Richard Herron

Rajesh K. Aggarwal

Kuncheng Zheng

By enrolling in Northeastern, you’ll gain access to students at 13 campus locations, 300,000+ alumni, and 3,000 employer partners worldwide. Our global university system provides students unique opportunities to think locally and act globally while serving as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions.

Where They Work

• State Street
• HBSC Global Banking & Markets
• State Cashmere
• GF Securities
• Haitou Global

What They Do

• Operations Analyst
• Fund Accountant
• Business Analyst
• Research Intern
• Financial Reporting Specialist

What They're Skilled At

• Risk Management
• Investments

Learn more about Northeastern Alumni on  Linkedin .

Related Articles

What Can You Do with a Master’s in Economics? 5 Career Paths

Is a Master’s Degree in Economics Worth It?

10 Economics Careers to Power Your Future

• Twitter Facebook Pinterest
• Virtual Tour
• Applications
• Entering Class Stats
• Accreditation
• Faculty Composition
• Distance Learning
• International
• Tuition And Fees
• Room And Board
• Financial Aid
• Graduation & Retention
• Return On Investment

Boston University PhD in Financial Mathematics

Financial Mathematics is a concentration offered under the applied mathematics major at Boston University. Here, you’ll find out more about the major doctor’s degree program in financial math, including such details as the number of graduates, ethnicity of students, related majors and concentrations, and more.

If there’s something special you’re looking for, you can use one of the links below to find it:

• Graduate Cost
• Online Learning
• Student Diversity

Featured Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

BA in Mathematics

If you have a knack for mathematics and an interest in learning more, study online to achieve your career goals at Southern New Hampshire University. Our mathematics degree can help you enhance your mathematical abilities, including reasoning and problem-solving in three areas: analysis, algebra and statistics.

BA in Mathematics - Applied Mathematics

Put mathematical concepts to work to solve today's most complex real-world problems by studying applied mathematics with this specialized online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

How Much Does a Doctorate in Financial Math from Boston U Cost?

Boston u graduate tuition and fees.

Part-time graduates at Boston U paid an average of $1,777 per credit hour in 2019-2020. This tuition was the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. The average full-time tuition and fees for graduate students are shown in the table below.

Does Boston U Offer an Online PhD in Financial Math?

Boston U does not offer an online option for its financial math doctor’s degree program at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the Boston U Online Learning page.

Boston U Doctorate Student Diversity for Financial Math

Male-to-female ratio.

About 33.3% of the students who received their PhD in financial math in 2019-2020 were women. This is higher than the nationwide number of 18.6%.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

None of the financial math doctor’s degree recipients at Boston U in 2019-2020 were awarded to racial-ethnic minorities*.

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies .

Popular Reports

Compare your school options.

Next MBA application deadline, May 1. You belong here.

Enter a Search Term

Finance ph.d., earn a ph.d. in business and a major concentration in finance and learn from and work with top faculty members.

The Ph.D. in Business and a Major Concentration in Finance at Rice University prepares doctoral graduates to be superior classroom instructors and research scholars in financial economics upon graduation.

Our emphasis on research productivity, collaboration and collegiality is reflected in the students’ high completion rate in the program and the faculty’s commitment to the success of their students.

Deeply invested in the path their students take, the finance faculty believe in an open-door policy and collegial atmosphere during the program and after graduation. The essence of the finance doctoral program is the opportunity to learn from and work with top quality faculty members on a broad range of topics in modern finance. 

Interested in Rice Business?

Discussing and debating my ideas with professors at Rice Business honed the ideas into specific and testable questions. When time is a person's most precious commodity and people who give it to you believe strongly in what you are doing, you know you're in the right place. Lizzy Berger, Ph.D. in Finance '16 Assistant Professor of Finance, Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University

Program Information

Rice Business offers an outstanding program for doctoral students interested in finance.

Full financial assistance will be offered to each admitted student in the Ph.D. in Finance program in the form of a research assistantship, where the student must work as a research assistant for assigned faculty members. The financial assistance is merit-based and is contingent on continued satisfactory progress (which includes prior satisfactory performance as a research assistant).

Tuition Grants

Full tuition support is available for each year of full-time study, conditional on satisfactory progress in the doctoral program.

Admitted students will be offered stipend support of $40,000 per fiscal year*. This stipend is available for each year of full-time study, conditional on satisfactory progress in the doctoral program.

Research and Academic Support

Each student will be provided with a workspace, a personal computer with office software**, including all necessary (as determined by area faculty) statistical packages and access to the Rice University network, library access, online academic journals access and e-mail. Each student will also have available $1,000 per year for miscellaneous research and academic expenses such as text books required for classes, computer upgrades, conference travel etc. Students may roll over unused monies from one year to the next.

*A condition for such stipend support is that the student must not engage in outside work for pay without prior permission from the Ph.D. program director. An incoming student bringing outside financial support in the form of a merit-based or fellowship will still be eligible to receive the stipend in full in addition to such outside support. If a student in the third year or beyond generates such outside support, the Rice Business stipend will be decreased by 50 percent of the outside support.       

**The computer will be refreshed after successful defense of the dissertation proposal. Instead, students completing their third year of study may be eligible for a computer refresh if needed and with the recommendation of their advisor.

Most coursework is completed in the first three years of the Ph.D. program. Students are expected to be in residence throughout the calendar year. Exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the student's dissertation chairperson, area advisor, and the director of the Ph.D. program.

All Ph.D. students are required to complete a doctoral dissertation and must maintain at least a 3.0 (B) grade point average. Students must defend their dissertation research proposal within a maximum of five years from the time of matriculation and defend their dissertation within a maximum of seven years from the time of matriculation.

Academic Timeline

Your coursework over the first two years, which should cover a minimum of nine courses, will be determined by you in consultation with the finance area faculty advisor.

You must defend your dissertation research proposal within a maximum of five years from the time of matriculation and defend your dissertation within a maximum of seven years from the time of matriculation.

These times represent generous upper limits. Students will be expected to complete their doctoral studies well within these stipulated deadlines.

Requirements

Course, Research Work and Dissertation Advisor

• The student’s course work must be approved by the area faculty advisor.
• The student is expected to attend all research seminars organized in the finance area during the student’s tenure in the Ph.D. program. Moreover, during each semester of the second and third years, the student must write a short summary and critical comments on two papers presented in the research seminar during the semester. These reviews are to be submitted to the area advisor and will be graded by a subset of area faculty for a Pass/Fail grade.
• Students are expected to be fully engaged in research during all the summers, including the summer of their first year, of their tenure in the Ph.D. program.
• Students must have a Rice Business finance faculty member who has agreed to serve as their dissertation advisor by January 1 of their third year in the program.

Exam Requirements

• Students must successfully pass a comprehensive exam administered by the finance faculty at the end of the fall semester of the second year. The exam will be administered and graded by finance faculty, under the supervision of the finance area advisor.  

Third-Year Research Paper Each student must write and present a sole-authored original research paper during their third year in the program. The paper must be presented by October 15 of the student's third year in the program. The specific procedures are as follows:

• By March 1 of the student’s second year in the program, two Rice Business faculty members must agree to serve as readers of the paper.
• A student must submit a detailed outline of the paper and a copy of the  Third-Year Paper Outline Approval Form , signed by the two faculty readers, to the finance area advisor by June 1 following the student's second year in the program. The outline for an empirical paper should include: (1) the research hypothesis, 2) motivation for the research hypothesis, (3) description of the data, (4) description of the empirical tests, and (5) the expected contribution to the literature. The outline for an analytical paper should include: (1) the basic phenomenon under study, (2) the economic setting, (3) the modeling approach, (4) the fundamental assumptions, and (5) the expected contribution to the literature. The outline should also include references to the related literature investigating the research topic and to any studies underpinning the analytical methods to be used.
• A student must submit a copy of the completed third-year paper to the finance faculty advisor and to the two faculty readers by September 15 of the student's third year in the program.
• A student must present the third-year paper at a research workshop at a date chosen by the faculty during the first half of October of the student's third year in the program and at least one of the faculty readers must be present and sign the  Third-Year Paper Presentation Form , stating that the presentation is acceptable.

Failure to complete the Third-Year Paper requirement, as outlined above, will mean that the student is not making satisfactory academic progress in the Ph.D. Program and is grounds for dismissal from the doctoral program.

Sample Course Sequence

The course curriculum is designed around a challenging course of study in both the theory of financial economics and in cutting edge empirical work. Here is a sample course sequence for a doctoral student in finance. BUSI 524, 525, 526, and 527 are half-semester courses on special topics in finance taught biennially. Students should consult the finance area advisor regarding whether to substitute a more advanced math course for Math 321 in the fall of the first year.

Year 1 - Summer (May 23 - August 15) Math Camp and Stat Camp

Year 1 - Fall ECON 501 - Microeconomic Theory I ECON 502 - Macroeconomics I MATH  321 Introduction to Analysis I ECON 510 - Econometrics I   Year 1 - Spring ECON 508 - Microeconomic Theory II ECON 511 Econometrics II BUSI 521 Asset Pricing Theory    Year 2 - Fall BUSI 524 or BUSI 525 BUSI 523 - Empirical Methods in Finance BUSI 522 - Corporate Finance   Year 2 - Spring BUSI 526 or BUSI 527

Year 3 - Fall BUSI 524 or BUSI 525 

Year 3 - Spring BUSI 526 or BUSI 527   Course Descriptions BUSI 521: Asset Pricing Theory This course is an introduction to portfolio choice and asset pricing theory. Topics include expected utility maximization, stochastic discount factors, arbitrage, mean-variance analysis, representative investors, and beta-pricing models. Single-period and dynamic models are studied.

BUSI 522: Corporate Finance The purpose of this course is to provide a background for understanding the major research directions in corporate finance. Topics include theory of the firm, capital structure, external financing decisions, payout policy, agency problems, corporate control and governance, investment decisions, and the role of financial institutions in corporate transactions.

BUSI 523: Empirical Methods in Finance This course is an introduction to empirical research in finance, covering the techniques most often used in the analysis and testing of financial economic theory. The course covers both time-series and cross section methods. Topics include event studies, empirical tests of asset pricing models, forecasting relationships, return predictability in the time-series and cross-section, asset pricing anomalies, and specification and identification issues in corporate finance.

BUSI 524, 525, 526, 527: Advanced Topics in Finance These are half-semester courses covering various topics in financial economics.

Certification of Candidacy indicates that a student has reached the advanced stage of the Ph.D. Program, permitting him/her to devote full time to writing a dissertation. At least eight months must elapse between admission to candidacy and conferral of the degree. The requirements for candidacy are:

• Successful completion of the course work requirements.
• Successful completion of the examination requirements.
• Seyed Mohammad Kazempour, Assistant Professor, Louisiana State University
• Billy Xu, Assistant Professor, University of Rochester
• Lawrence Zhao, Assistant Professor, Texas Tech University
• Yessenia Tellez , Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech
• Livia Yi , Assistant Professor, Boston College
• Emmanuel Yimfor , Assistant Professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan
• Michael Dong , Assistant Professor, College of Business, California State University Long Beach
• Justin Balthrop , Assistant Professor, School of Business, University of Kansas
• Jonathan Bitting , Assistant Professor, Walker College of Business, Appalachian State University
• Ron Ruomeng Liu , Assistant Professor, College of Business, University of Nebraska
• Alberto Teguia , Assistant Professor, Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia
• Erik Mayer , Assistant Professor, Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University
• Ioannis Spyridopoulos , Assistant Professor, Kogod School of Business, American University
• Lizzy Berger , Assistant Professor, Johnson College of Business, Cornell University
• Morad Zeknini , Assistant Professor, Freeman School of Business, Tulane University
• Edwin Hu, Financial Economist, Office of Markets, Securities and Exchange Commission

Every year, we have a diverse group of applicants for the finance Ph.D. program. Successful applicants have been music majors, engineers, newly graduated undergraduates, MBAs, Ph.D.s in other fields, economists, finance majors, computer scientists, and financial professionals. Although applicants who have strong backgrounds in mathematics, economics, and statistics and demonstrate proficiency in spoken and written English are among the most competitive in our applicant pool, we give all applicants due consideration.

Successful candidates for admission typically have had GMAT scores between 710 and 760. Roughly half of admitted candidates take the GRE instead of the GMAT and have comparable scores. In the spring, we arrange for finalists come to campus to see the school and meet the faculty.

The business school accepts students for full-time study beginning in the fall semester each year.

International applicants whose native language is not English need to submit a TOEFL score. If you applied to Rice Business previously, we ask that you submit the complete application package again regardless of the previous decision. You will be required to use a new e-mail address to start a new application.

An applicant must declare finance as their intended area of study while applying to the Ph.D. in Finance program. Selected candidates will be notified of admission decisions via e-mail no later than April 15. Candidates who submitted an application to the doctoral program and were not offered admission may re-apply for a later year.

Unlike MBA program applicants, Ph.D. program applicants are not required to have work experience. While experience is certainly helpful, evidence of strong intellectual ability is the most important factor.

Online Application: Using the online application , you will create a user account for the creation, submission and status of your application, including receipt of your supplemental documentation.

Application Requirements:  To be considered for admission, the following documents must be received no later than the posted application deadline: 

• Completed online Ph.D. application including a Statement of Purpose and CV/Résumé.
• Three confidential recommendations (academic strongly preferred). Recommendations should be submitted using the online application recommendation feature. After entering your recommender’s contact information into your application, the application system will immediately send an electronic "Recommendation" form to that individual.
• For reviewing purposes, electronic copies of transcript(s) can be uploaded through the online application system to meet the application requirements. (If you are offered admission to Rice, official paper or electronic transcript(s) will be required and should be sent directly to the Rice Jones Graduate School of Business by the issuing institution. Official transcript(s) are required from all undergraduate and graduate schools you have attended.)
• Your official Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score report, or GRE test score report submitted directly to us (test taker copy not acceptable). This requirement will not be waived.
• To send your official GMAT score report, log on to  http://www.mba.com/mba/ , click “The GMAT” then “GMAT Scores and Score Reports”. The “Rice University Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business – PhD Program” code is 3WS-WD-54.
• To send your official GRE score report, log on to  http://www.ets.org , under “Tests” click “GRE”. Under “Test Takers” click “Order Additional Score Reports”. The “Rice U Mgmt PhD Program” code is 6618.

If you did not earn your undergraduate degree in the U.S., English-speaking Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom, an official score report of your TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) taken within 2 years of your application date is required (test-taker copy not acceptable). This requirement is waived for international applicants who have received a Master's degree or a Doctorate from an institution within the U.S., English-speaking Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom by the application deadline.

• To send your official TOEFL score report, log on to  http://www.ets.org , under “Tests” click “TOEFL” and then “Test Scores.” The “Rice University-Management PhD Program” code is 6618. 

A non-refundable application fee of $40 payable via credit card or check. Please make checks payable to Rice University. Applications will not be processed without the required application fee.

Please note that applicants may not apply for, or be considered for, more than one program at a time within the Jones Graduate School.

Minimum GMAT/GRE Score Requirements: While our program is highly competitive, we do not have a minimum GMAT/GRE score requirement.

Supplemental Application Materials:  While most of your application materials will be submitted electronically via our online application, materials that must be mailed should be addressed to:

Melinda Pena Ph.D. Admissions / MS 531  Jones Graduate School of Business  Rice University 6100 Main Street  Houston, TX 77005  

Finance Area Advisor

Keep Exploring

Melinda Peña

• Current Students

BC.EDU LINKS

• Boston College
• Campus Life
• Jesuit, Catholic
• Academic Calendar
• BC Magazine
• Directories
• Offices, Services, Resources
• Agora Portal
• Maps & Directions
• Ph.D. Programs
• Ph.D. in Finance
• Ph.D. in Accounting
• Ph.D. in Organization Studies

Ph.D. in Finance

The Ph.D. program in Finance at Boston College is internationally known for a rigorous curriculum that combines theory with applied research and pedagogy.

Finance faculty at Boston College are experts in their disciplines and globally acclaimed for their scholarship, research, and mentorship. In our collegial environment, students typically collaborate with one another and with faculty to produce groundbreaking research.

The academic program begins with systematic, rigorous training in quantitative methods, economics, and finance. In addition, students complete a major research project, serve as research and teaching assistants, and write a doctoral dissertation.

Graduates of the program are leaders in the field of finance who have the knowledge and analytical skills they need to conduct research and teach at the highest level.

Learn More About Our Students

Fall 2023 Application Deadline

The deadline to apply for the Ph.D. in Finance program is January 10, 2023.

Department Contact

Vyacheslav Fos Ph.D. Coordinator

Graduate Admissions

• Academic Program
• Class Profiles
• Career Placement

Doctoral students in finance at Boston College complete a program of study that leads to competency in three areas: quantitative methods, economics, and finance. The program begins with course work in quantitative methods, economics, and finance. In the third year, students complete a major research project designed to develop their ability to do original research. Through hands-on experience as teaching assistants, students gain important pedagogical experience. Finally, each student completes a doctoral dissertation that contributes substantial, original work to the field of finance.

Students must complete a program of study that leads to competency in three areas: quantitative methods, economics and finance. The requirements of the program of study are typically satisfied by completing 14 courses in the first two years in the program. In some cases, course work prior to entering the program or successful performance on waiver examinations may be substituted for required courses. However, each student must complete a minimum of 12 courses while in the Program.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

Satisfactory performance on a comprehensive examination marks the student’s transition from course work to full-time thesis research. The examination is intended to allow the student to demonstrate substantial knowledge of the literature and theory of finance and economics and competence in the area of quantitative methods. The examination consists of two steps.

Step 1: Students take an exam at the end of the second year in the program (late May). The exam covers all Finance Ph.D. classes taken during the first and the second year in the program. Whereas some of the questions will be specific and will test a particular topic, other questions will focus on broader understanding of the literature. Each student will be notified on their exam performance, immediately after it has been graded. There will be no second attempt to take the exam. If a student fails the exam, the only way to get admitted into “Ph.D. candidacy” would be to perform exceptionally well in Step 2.

Step 2: Students submit independent research proposals by the end of the summer of the second year in the program (late August) to their faculty advisors. Students present research papers at the end of the third Fall semester (early December). Ph.D. committee members will attend the presentation and will jointly evaluate the proposal. Students will be evaluated based on their performance in the exam (step 1)  and  the quality of research paper presentation (step 2).

Doctoral students are expected to engage early in research. The culmination of the program is the doctoral dissertation, a substantial, significant, and original contribution to the field that is prepared under the guidance of a thesis committee of three or more faculty members. When the research is complete, students present a thesis-defense seminar that is open to the Boston College community.

RESEARCH AND TEACHING ASSISTANT REQUIREMENT

Doctoral students at the Carroll School are expected to serve as research or teaching assistants throughout their studies. Typically, a student works as a research or teaching assistant for 16 hours a week. In exchange, the Carroll School provides  financial support  for doctoral students in the form of a stipend and tuition remission.

Sample Course Sequence

Read Ph.D. in Finance course descriptions .

The Ph.D. Program in Finance at the Carroll School attracts applicants from all over the world and from a wide array of backgrounds. While notable for the diversity of their individual achievements, our students typically share a track record of leadership, a strong commitment to research and teaching, and a desire to make a difference in the world.

Note: The following information reflects data for the entering classes of 2017–2022. Updated September 9, 2022

*For classes entering Fall 2018 to present

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

International enrollments.

When it comes to career advancement, doctoral students in finance at the Carroll School have several distinct advantages. Not only does the Ph.D. program have an international reputation for academic excellence, Boston College’s Finance Department takes an active role in connecting students with exceptional career opportunities. Recent graduates are researching and teaching at such prestigious institutions.

Our students and recent graduates are also prolific scholars and writers, publishing regularly in top economic and finance journals such as the  American Economic Review ,  Journal of Finance ,  Journal of Financial Economics ,  Review of Financial Studies, and   the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis .

Where do our graduates work?

American University

Arizona State University

Baruch College (City University of New York)

Bocconi University

DePaul University

Fordham University

George Washington University

Indiana University

Lehigh University

Louisiana State University

Michigan State University

National University of Singapore

Texas A&M University

The College of William and Mary

University of Alberta

University of Arizona

University of Georgia

University of Minnesota

University of New South Wales

University of Notre Dame

University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

University of Virginia (Darden School)  

University of Hong Kong

Villanova University

Virginia Tech University

Meet Our Students

Learn more about current Ph.D. in Finance candidates.

Finance Faculty

UMass Boston

• Current Students
• Parents & Families

Faculty & Staff

• Academic Departments
• Accounting & Finance
• Message from the Dean
• Student Resources
• Research & Impact
• Management Science & Information Systems
• Mehran Azimi , Assistant Professor, Finance
• Arindam Bandopadhyaya , Professor of Finance, Department Chair, Accounting and Finance Department
• Kristen Callahan , Senior Lecturer II, Finance
• Atreya Chakraborty , Professor of Finance, Director, Academic Partnerships and PhD Program
• Ting Chen , Assistant Professor of Accounting
• Mine Ertugrul , Associate Professor of Finance
• Lucia S. Gao , Associate Professor of Finance, Associate Dean, Faculty and Research
• Abraham Habib , Senior Lecturer, Accounting and Finance
• Thomas J. Hogan , Associate Professor of Accounting
• Tyler J. Hull , Assistant Professor of Finance
• Aditya Kashikar , Assistant Professor of Finance
• Robert Kim , Associate Professor of Accounting
• Sangwan Kim , Associate Professor of Accounting
• Martin K. Konan , Senior Lecturer II, Accounting and Finance
• Jay Junghun Lee , Associate Professor of Accounting
• Rui Li , Associate Professor of Financial Economics
• Heminigild Miyanda Mpundu , Lecturer, Accounting
• Tendai Willard Nyakurimwa , Associate Lecturer
• KoEun Park , Associate Professor of Accounting
• Mark Radding , Senior Lecturer in Accounting
• Zaur Rzakhanov , Senior Lecturer II in Finance
• Musa Sharif , Senior Lecturer, Accounting and Finance
• Yong-Chul Shin , Associate Professor of Accounting
• Surjit Tinaikar , Associate Professor of Accounting
• Alan L. Vogel , Senior Lecturer, Accounting and Finance
• Chi Wan , Associate Professor of Finance
• Wan-Ting (Alexandra) Wu , Associate Professor of Accounting
• Xiaolu Xu , Associate Professor of Accounting
• Kun Yu , Associate Professor of Accounting
• Yijia (Eddie) Zhao , Associate Professor of Finance

‘Without us this whole system just collapses’: BU graduate workers strike causes class disruptions

A bout 3,000 graduate student workers at Boston University went on strike Monday, fighting for improved pay and benefits in a labor action that students said resulted in myriad disruptions to classes and other academic work at Boston’s largest higher education institution.

A crowd of hundreds, including workers, undergraduate students, and supporters such as Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley, gathered for a noon rally launching the work stoppage. Monday’s blustery weather didn’t deter the demonstrators, who toted signs bedecked with terriers, the school’s mascot, and slogans including: “We can’t teach if we can’t eat” and “BU: You get what you pay for.”

“It’s a really hard choice to go on strike,” said Dave Foley, president of Service Employees International Union Local 509, which represents the BU grad student workers. “There will be disruption to the quality of education, but nobody cares more about that than the actual people who work with the students.”

With the strike poised to continue until the union wins a contract with the university, what remained unclear was the extent of the disruption to the university’s 37,000-plus students — many of whom depend on graduate students to teach their classes and science labs, grade their quizzes, and respond to their emailed queries.

“Without us,” said Nikunj Khetan, a mechanical engineering graduate student and researcher who was striking, “this whole system just collapses.”

A university spokesperson said Monday afternoon it was “too early to make an assessment” on whether the strike had led to canceled classes, and if so, how many. The spokesperson, Rachel Lapal Cavallario, said the university is “concerned about the strike’s impact on teaching, research, and the lives of thousands of other students, and we are working to minimize that disruption.”

Departments can arrange for “replacement workers” amid the strike, according to the Office of the Provost .

However, several undergraduate students told the Globe on Monday that their discussion sections — supplementary class meetings led by a teaching assistant or fellow — were canceled.

That was the case for freshman Rhea Khazzaka, who walked into her 11:15 a.m. macroeconomics discussion section to find her apologetic teaching fellow informing the group of about 20 students that he was going on strike and would have to cancel the meeting indefinitely.

Now, Khazzaka, a business major, isn’t sure about the status of her midterm exam, which is scheduled for this Friday. Teaching assistants or fellows are typically the ones who proctor them, she said.

“He’s always been someone who’s helped me with the concepts,” she said of her teaching fellow. “So you could tell he was sorry, because he’s so helpful to us, but at the same time, he knew he needed to go on with it and help everyone in his situation.”

Laura Colón, a junior biomedical engineering major, said one of her lab sessions, which typically last nearly three hours, was shortened to 90 minutes due to the strike. And the discussion section for one of her classes was also canceled. That leaves the quizzes that are usually held during those meetings — and count for 10 percent of her grade — in limbo. Her professor also told the class its homework would go ungraded for now, Colón said.

“The whole class was really supportive” of the strike, she said.

Monday’s strike follows nine months of negotiating a first contract between the university and the Boston Graduate Student Workers Union, which unionized in 2022. On the bargaining table are issues of pay, health care and dental coverage, and other benefits, such as child care and public transportation assistance.

Among the most oft-cited grievances on Monday was stipend pay for PhD students, which currently clocks in somewhere between $27,000 and $40,000 per year for 20 hours of work a week, according to the union. The union is seeking an annual stipend of about $62,000 for the first year of the contract, it said; the school said it countered with a little over $42,000. (Undergraduate tuition and fees beginning this fall are an estimated $90,207 per student, according to BU .)

BU, which says it is bargaining in good faith, has also offered to raise the minimum wage to $18 from $15 for hourly non-PhD workers, allow children age 6 or under to be added to the health insurance plans of PhD students, and create a $50,000 “help fund” for grad students in crisis, according to the school .

“We remain committed to improving the lives of our graduate students through negotiations and hope that process will bring the strike to an end quickly,” said Cavallario, the university spokesperson.

The strike comes amid a charged time for the labor movement, particularly in higher education. Groups ranging from librarians to resident assistants to basketball players are forming unions as the cost of living, particularly in New England, increases.

Graduate student workers at private institutions have only been allowed to organize in recent years — the result of a 2016 National Labor Relations Board ruling. Since then, graduate worker strikes have increasingly come to campuses nationwide, including one at Clark University in Worcester in 2022 .

Among those present at Monday’s rally was Pressley, a Boston Democrat, an outspoken supporter of the labor movement, and a former BU student who called the action “a microcosm of the decline and deterioration of higher ed jobs across this country.”

“There is no way we are putting students first by putting grad workers last,” said Pressley, who left BU after two years to support her family.

In a brief interview posted to the union’s Instagram account , Warren, also a Democrat, urged the university to come to the table.

“I want the BU administration to sit down and bargain in good faith with the people who are doing a lot of the hard work here at the university,” Warren said.

The university said the next bargaining sessions are scheduled for Wednesday and April 1. But even in the short term, the strike is roiling students’ academic lives.

Katherine Anne, an earth and environmental science major, said she learned that two professors would step in to teach the lab component of her quantitative modeling course, normally taught by two teaching assistants, an action she amounts to crossing the picket line.

”It’s just a very weird place to be in because, of course, I don’t want to support scabbing,” she said, “but I also need to get an education, and also, my grade is dependent upon it.”

Another of her classes, discrete math, which is taught by a PhD student, is even more uncertain, she said, adding her grades were removed from an online portal. She showed up for a discussion section Monday, “and no one was in the room.”

“All of the grad students that have talked about it prior to the strike mentioned that they didn’t want to hurt us in this, and I was like, ‘But you have to,’” Anne said. “The only way BU is going to change is if donors or parents call BU and are like, ‘What on earth are you doing?’”

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated Katherine Anne’s major. She is an earth and environmental science major. The Globe regrets the error.

MSc in Financial Engineering

Our mscfe offering is where programming and data science meet the .css-8mrw1d{position:relative;display:inline-block;}.css-8mrw1d:after{content:'';position:absolute;top:calc(100% - 6px);left:0;right:0;height:0.5em;width:100%;background:url(/_next/static/media/underline.2495bd54.svg) no-repeat;z-index:2;} .css-169zhyd{position:relative;z-index:3;} future of finance..

• Completely Online
• 100% Free of Cost
• Rigorous Focus on Applied Learning

Interest in Financial Engineering is on the rise as innovation across the globe drives demand for analytics and data science training.

From evaluating statistics to econometric modeling, WQU educators teach advanced skills that can be applied to most industries. Graduates are prepared for sought-after positions in securities, banking, and financial management and can also apply their skills at general manufacturing and service firms including consultancies, insurance companies and more, as quantitative analysts. Building on this foundation, the comprehensive Program also provides students with the skills needed to succeed in presenting ideas and concepts in a professional business setting. Applicants who complete the University’s application requirements can complete their MSCFE entirely free of cost.

Learn more about the field of Financial Engineering in this post .

June 25, 2024

July 2, 2024

Entirely Free

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Proof of English proficiency
• Passing score on Quantitative Proficiency Test (75% or higher)

20-25 Hours a Week

• Master of Science in Financial Engineering Degree
• Sharable Credly Certification

Designed by industry experts, WorldQuant University’s accredited Program integrates mathematical, statistical, and computer science tools with finance theory and professional business skills in a completely online and collaborative setting. Graduates are positioned to excel in today’s highly collaborative, fast-paced, professional environments.

The two-year Program consists of nine graduate-level courses and a Capstone Course during which students complete a culminating project. The courses are sequentially taught and build on one another. Taking one course at a time allows you to earn your degree without disrupting your life. All students accepted into the MScFE Program will complete the Program free of cost.

All courses are delivered in an online group setting and focus on applied projects.

Along with their diploma, students who successfully complete the MSc in Financial Engineering Program receive a sharable, verified version of their WQU degree issued by Credly .

WQU offerings are completely free for prospective students who successfully complete the Program application and entrance requirements as a commitment to the belief that talent is equally distributed globally, but opportunity is not. This allows qualified, admitted students to build their skills and advance their careers within a supportive global community, without the common barrier of financial commitments.

Course Descriptions

The MSc in Financial Engineering Program comprises nine graduate-level courses and a culminating Capstone course. Students take one course at a time in a prescribed sequence.

There is a two-week break between courses: one week for the grading process and one week for subsequent course registration.

In this pilot course for the MScFE Program, students are introduced to the world of professional finance: markets, products, participants, and regulation.

The activities within financial markets will be discussed, including trading, financing, brokering, pricing, hedging, optimizing, and managing risk. Throughout the course, students identify a list of significant factors that affect the financial industry. Students will be able to interact with web apps that illustrate these concepts. Understanding the asset classes, activities, and influential aspects of the financial landscape will provide a solid foundation on which students will build mathematical and computational tools to develop models for financial engineering. No background in finance is required.

This course introduces students to financial data: the source of energy for financial models. Students will learn how to apply Python to properly select, import, filter, structure, visualize, summarize, and analyze financial data for interest rates, equities, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, securitized products, and other asset classes.

Students will also learn how to prepare data to be used in models for financial markets, from which decisions can be made, and how to accomplish fundamental analysis with accounting data, technical analysis with trading data, statistical analysis with transformed data, and sentiment analysis with textual data. Software engineering, visualization techniques, probability and statistics, linear algebra, and presentation skills will be developed throughout the course.

The ultimate goal of this course is to build foundational skills that enable students to understand the type of data needed depending on their goals, how to source it, structure it, shape it, build with it, and discover what it tells. At their best, financial engineers turn data into empirically based, well-calibrated financial models whose output provides investors and risk managers with sound decisions in the uncertain world of finance.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to financial econometrics. Students will learn how to model probability distributions of returns, including graphical, Bayesian, and non-parametrical methods. They will also learn how to model univariate time series, focusing on their moving average, autocorrelations, and volatilities, including GARCH models.

Students will build additional tools to see how two financial series can relate to each other, using correlation, vector autoregressions, and cointegration. Further, they will build the statistical foundation and Python coding skills to run econometric models to apply in financial decision making. Finally, they will see how the ideas of bias, variance, and overfitting apply to machine learning.

Derivative Pricing is a hands-on course focused on pricing options. Students will build a conceptual background that deepens their understanding of why classical calculus is not sufficient for detecting rates of change in stochastic processes. Course content focuses on the concept of no-arbitrage and perfect replication using the world of stochastic calculus, including the Black-Scholes Model.

Students will be able to construct pricing models such as binomial trees and finite difference methods to price an array of vanilla and exotic options. They will also measure sensitivities of the price to variables, such as the underlying price, volatility, time, interest rates, and carry costs. Finally, some extensions to classical models, such as the Heston Model and jump models will be addressed. Much of the course will include Python illustrations to build practical skills.

In this course, students increase their knowledge of modeling stochastic processes. Students will investigate advanced volatility models that upgrade Black Scholes parameters to variables, increasing their stochastic modeling skills to address heteroskedasticity and variable costs as well as jump diffusions.Students will dive into Markov processes, including hidden Markov process and Markov decision process to financial applications, and will build a mathematical foundation for deep learnings, a tool they will use for machine learnings. Overall, students will be able to evaluate the assumptions, benefits, and difficulties associated with stochastic models.

This course addresses the fundamentals of machine learning. It continues the topics from the Financial Econometrics course whereby students will be able to apply algorithms to learn from data. Students will cover the mathematical and computational foundations of both the supervised and unsupervised machine learning problems, and they will use Python modules and a Tensorflow framework to predict, explain, or compare outcomes across different financial series. Students will apply machine learning techniques to determine if financial models are overfit, and use methods of regularization, cross-validation, and resampling techniques to mitigate it. In addition, students will develop a theoretical and practical background in deep learning models to improve the power of their financial model predictions.

Directly building on their skills from Machine Learning, students will further explore neural networks in Deep Learning for Finance. Students will build mastery in Python with TensorFlow to build and train neural networks and apply them to real life financial examples. They will expand their toolkits to perform regularization. During this course, students will use various algorithms to tune hyperparameters, including classical, Bayesian, and stochastic methods.

Different neural network architectures will be addressed, particularly CNNs (Convolutional Neural Networks), RNNs (Recurrent Neural Networks), LSTMs (Long Short-Term Memory), and GRUs (Gated Recurring Units). These neural networks will be built from scratch, then illustrated in financial examples such as predicting stock prices, discovering investment factors, and back-testing trading strategies. Students will apply state-of-the-art techniques such as transfer learning and data augmentation. These methods will be used to improve the learning capability and performance of the networks, resulting in better predictions. In addition, students will learn the theory behind these tools, as well as richly exploring how to combine architectures with optimization techniques applied to real world data for comprehensive intraday trading strategy development.

This course provides students with methodologies and skills to perform portfolio optimization. From the previous coursework, students will have a solid foundation on which to engage in the portfolio management process.

In the first two modules, students will review classical methods of portfolio theory, including Markowitz portfolio optimization. Subsequent modules address more modern versions of the portfolio optimization process, including Black-Litterman, probabilistic scenario optimization, prospect theory, Kelly criterion, and risk parity. In addition, advanced econometrics and machine learning methods will be applied to the classical techniques, including the use of neural networks, genetic algorithms, information theory, and reinforcement learning.

The course requires students to engage with the mathematical foundations, code implementation, and practical applications of portfolio management across many asset classes.

This course provides students with both classical and modern methods of modeling and managing risk. The course begins by reviewing metrics and models for market, credit, and systemic risk, and applying these ideas to multiple asset classes, including derivatives.

Machine learning methods will be integrated with both classical methods like VaR and GARCH and with robust methods like Extreme Value Theory. Then a comprehensive review of Bayesian methods will be given that builds towards a Bayesian network of modeling systemic risk. By taking the course, students will be able to synthesize a complex network and scenario analysis for both portfolio risk and systemic risk.

The Capstone Course is designed to put the students’ knowledge of financial engineering to the test. Students practically apply their understanding of the Program content by accomplishing project milestones from developing a problem statement, identifying the required technology to find a solution to the problem, submitting multiple drafts for peer review and instructor feedback, and finalizing and presenting their fully developed project.

The goal of the Capstone Course is to ensure that students have met the Program outcomes and are able to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world scenarios.

Program Outcomes

Computational skills.

Build proficiency with Python modules, data structures, and machine learning algorithms as applied to financial engineering.

Mathematical Skills

Apply probability, linear algebra, and stochastic calculus techniques to solve pricing, hedging, prediction, and optimization problems.

Statistical Skills

Build hands-on skills summarizing and modeling structured and unstructured financial data and using the data for modeling in econometrics, machine learning, and deep learning.

Financial Skills

Develop a quantitative and computational toolkit of methodologies to address financial challenges of credit risk, volatility, liquidity, leverage, regulation, and model breakdown with ethical principles in mind.

Collaborative & Critical Thinking Skills

Analyze and solve financial problems by engaging in practitioner-oriented group work assignments and project-oriented problems, applying collaborative and critical thinking skills.

Communication Skills

Create clear and concise technical and non-technical reports that explain and interpret model results and recommend courses of action using various physical and digital media.

How can I use my degree?

Financial engineers pursue professional roles such as quantitative researchers, quantitative developers, quantitative traders, algorithmic traders, and portfolio managers for financial institutions and in related service industries.

Many WQU graduates focus on public policy, working for governments, developing state and federal financial policies, or conducting research at think tanks. Others focus on industries such as agriculture, healthcare, and emerging technology.

There is tremendous fluidity between different financial engineering careers and transferable skills that allow professionals to move between these opportunities easily.

Learn more about the field of Financial Engineering in this post.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is financial engineering.

Financial Engineering is a field where mathematical techniques are used to solve financial problems. It is an interdisciplinary specialty that leverages skills and tools from computer science, statistics, economics, and applied mathematics, enabling practitioners to address financial challenges and opportunities, and in some cases, develop new products and services. As more businesses and organizations become data-driven, there are growing opportunities for financial engineers outside of the financial industry, including healthcare, the supply chain, agriculture, and more.

For a more detailed breakdown of how this field emerged, what it takes to become a financial engineer, and what kinds of jobs financial engineering graduates pursue, head over to the WQU blog and check out the Guide to Financial Engineering.

How can I prepare for the Quantitative Proficiency Test?

The Quantitative Proficiency Test consists of 60 questions covering advanced algebra, linear algebra, differential calculus, integral calculus, differential equations, discrete mathematics, probability, and statistics. A portion of the test is dedicated to measuring fundamental knowledge of Python programming and Python data structures. Make sure you prepare thoroughly for the test and for the successful completion of the Program. You can find a document with sample questions here . Use this list of (free!) online resources to strengthen your mathematical, statistical, and programming skills.

The minimum passing grade for the test is 75% . It must be completed in one sitting with up to a total of two (2) hours to finish. You have a maximum of two (2) attempts to complete the test.

How can I use my MSc in Financial Engineering?

Financial engineers pursue professional roles such as quantitative researchers, quantitative developers, quantitative traders, algorithmic traders, and portfolio managers for financial institutions. Some focus on public policy, working for governments developing state and federal financial policies, or conducting research at think tanks. There is a tremendous amount of fluidity between different financial-engineering careers, as well as transferable skills that allow professionals to easily move between these opportunities.

Inspired to apply?

Enter a Search Term

University News

Saint Joseph’s Graduate Business Programs Ranked Among Nation’s Best by U.S. News & World Report

Programs on the list include the executive MBA, accounting MS and MBA programs in marketing, finance and business analytics.

Saint Joseph’s University continues to be a leader in graduate business education, having recently been ranked by U.S. News & World Report . The annual “Best Graduate Schools” ranking, released on April 9, 2024, is designed to help prospective graduate students navigate more than 2,000 top graduate programs across the country.

Five of the University’s graduate business programs were awarded top rankings: executive MBA (No. 17), marketing MBA (No. 17), accounting MS (No. 21), finance MBA (No. 26) and business analytics MBA (No. 30).

“These rankings underscore Haub as one of the most prestigious business schools in the country,” says Joseph DiAngelo Jr., BS ’70, EdD , dean of the Haub School of Business . “Our rigorous programs and best-in-class faculty prepare students to be leaders in their fields, sought after by employers around the globe.”

“Best Graduate Schools” rankings are based on program excellence, as well as the quality of the school’s faculty, research and students. U.S. News surveyed deans, program directors and senior faculty, as well as professionals who hire or work with new graduates.

These rankings add to the University’s consistently strong showing among other national lists, including U.S. News’s Best Online MBA Programs and Best Online Programs , as well as Fortune’s Best Online MBA Programs.

For more information on Saint Joseph’s graduate degree programs, visit sju.edu/academics/graduate .

Saint Joseph’s Day of Giving Sets the Bar High

On March 19, 2024, the Saint Joseph’s community will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact on the University through giving challenges that support SJU’s increasingly diverse portfolio of academic offerings and programs.

Saint Joseph’s Online Programs Ranked Among Nation’s Best by U.S. News & World Report

Programs on the list include the University’s MBA specialties in business analytics, finance, general management and marketing, as well as its master’s in criminal justice.

Saint Joseph’s to Celebrate Philadelphia College of Pharmacy Founders’ Day 2024

Saint Joseph’s Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the nation’s first college of pharmacy, was founded in 1821.

New Graduate RN Residency, Surgical Step Down (Start date: September 2024)

Registered nurses.

• 1 Boston Medical Center Place, Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Medical Center (BMC) is more than a hospital. It´s a network of support and care that touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in need each year. It is the largest and busiest provider of trauma and emergency services in New England. Emphasizing community-based care, BMC is committed to providing consistently excellent and accessible health services to all—and is the largest safety-net hospital in New England. The hospital is also the primary teaching affiliate of the nationally ranked Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and a founding partner of Boston HealthNet – an integrated health care delivery systems that includes many community health centers. Join BMC today and help us achieve our Vision 2030 which is a long-term goal to make Boston the healthiest urban population in the world.

Position: New Graduate RN Residency

Department: Surgical Step Down

Schedule: 36 Hours, permanent night , with every other weekend

New Graduate RN Residency for September 2024 start date.

The New Graduate Nurse Residency Program at BMC assists in the transition to practice for newly licensed nurses. Nurse residency or nurse transition programs reduce turnover and improve critical thinking/ clinical decision-making skills thus impacting patient outcomes and nurse satisfaction.  Please read the application instructions thoroughly.   Boston Medical Center has developed a comprehensive new graduate nurse transition to practice program incorporating the Nurse of the Future Nursing Core Competencies. New graduate nurses are hired into the institution in cohorts. After the training (4 Months), RN's will assume a position on a Step Down unit.  The units request a two-year commitment after investing the new graduate RN. The new pay rate for New Graduate Nurses is $38.05

The role is designated for  nurses who have graduated from nursing school within the twelve (12) months before their date of hire  and encompasses nursing assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention, evaluation, and coordination of care for patients and their families across the health care continuum.  The registered nurse is accountable for clinical, educational, quality, and fiscal patient care outcomes using the model of care designed by the nursing department and following established agency policies, procedures, protocols, guidelines, and standards of practice. Reports to the Unit Nurse Director.

HOW TO APPLY

Complete an online application which includes attaching the following (as one PDF): 

• Letter of Intent

Candidates must apply only to the Step Down New Grad program. Candidates who also apply to posted RN positions for experienced nurses will not be considered. The only entry into BMC as a new grad is via a New Grad Residency. 

Active BLS/CPR for Healthcare Providers is required. 

Flu vaccination required prior to start. 

Registration and current RN licensure in the state of MA in good standing preferred prior to start date

NursingNewGrad

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans

Privacy policy

By clicking Submit, you acknowledge that you are willing to receive messages from Boston Medical Center relating to the status of your application or other recruitment related information to any mobile / cell phone number entered in the form above. You can easily opt-out of receiving messages by replying STOP to any messages you receive.

Not the right fit? Check out these other jobs

Medication reconciliation technician - pharmacy technician iii, per diem, certified pharmacy technician ii (per diem, outpatient), pharmacy technician i, outpatient shapiro pharmacy (per diem, days/evenings/nights), inpatient pharmacy technician i - per diem, systems engineer 3, co-op (1st work term), refer a friend.

Your information:

Apply for this job now

EEO & Accommodation Statement Boston Medical Center is an equal employment/affirmative action employer. We ensure equal employment opportunities for all, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression or any other non-job-related characteristic. If you need accommodation for any part of the application process because of a medical condition or disability, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 617-638-8582 to let us know the nature of your request

E-Verify Program Boston Medical Center participates in the Electronic Employment Verification Program. As an E-Verify employer, prospective employees of BMC must complete a background check and receive medical clearance before beginning their employment at the hospital.

Federal Trade Commission Statement: According to the FTC, there has been a rise in employment offer scams. Our current job openings are listed on our website and applications are received only through our website. We do not ask or require downloads of any applications, or “apps” job offers are not extended over text messages or social media platforms. We do not ask individuals to purchase equipment for or prior to employment. To avoid becoming a victim of an employment offer scam, please follow these tips from the FTC: FTC Tips

Join the BMC Talent Community  

Before you go, don't forget to join our talent community!

We use cookies to make your interactions with our website more meaningful. They help us better understand how our websites are used, so we can tailor content for you. For more information about the different cookies we are using, read the Privacy Statement . By continuing to navigate the site, you agree to the use of cookies on our behalf.

• Current Undergraduate Students
• Current Graduate Students

BC.EDU LINKS

• Boston College
• Campus Life
• Jesuit, Catholic
• Academic Calendar
• BC Magazine
• Directories
• Offices, Services, Resources
• Agora Portal
• Maps & Directions

• Ph.D. in Accounting
• Ph.D. in Finance
• Ph.D. in Organization Studies

Ph.D. Programs

Distinguished worldwide.

The Carroll School’s Ph.D. programs combine an intimate setting with rigorous preparation to propel students to reach their potential. Doctoral students collaborate with renowned faculty dedicated equally to teaching and research. They also engage with multiple professional networks in their disciplines and enjoy the benefits of Boston, the country’s intellectual capital.

Our faculty mentors publish in and serve on the editorial boards of top academic journals. The Financial Times consistently ranks the Carroll School among the top 20 institutions internationally for faculty research quality and productivity. Both the programs and classes are small, fostering a strong sense of community and providing remarkable access to globally acclaimed researchers.

Admission is highly selective, and Carroll School graduates go on to enjoy careers with leading organizations and prestigious institutions around the globe.

Our Programs

Organization studies, our faculty.

Faculty Directory

Quick Links

Graduate admission faq, why the carroll school, diversity & inclusion, facts & figures.

• Request Info
• Admissions Overview
• Visit UMass Boston
• Financial Aid
• First-Year Students
• Transfer Students
• Graduate Students
• International Students
• Academics Overview
• Majors & Programs
• Online Learning
• Colleges & Schools
• Academic Calendar
• Healey Library
• Student Equity, Access & Success
• Global Programs
• Study Abroad
• Fellowships
• Campus Life Overview
• Student Groups & Activities
• Housing & Dining
• Health & Wellness
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Safety & Security
• Orientation & New Students
• Research Overview
• Community-Driven Research
• Recognizing Excellence
• Student Research
• Centers & Institutes
• Core Facilities
• Research & Sponsored Programs
• About Overview
• Leadership & Administration
• Mission & Vision
• Facts & Figures
• Accreditation & Rankings
• History of UMass Boston
• Student Consumer Information
• Athletics Overview
• Recreation at UMass Boston
• Current Students
• Parents & Families
• Faculty & Staff

UMass Boston

• UMass Freezes In-State Undergraduate and Graduate
• Recent News
• Publications

UMass Freezes In-State Undergraduate and Graduate Student Tuition for the 2020-21 Academic Year

Action is part of FY21 balanced budget plan that includes difficult decisions but preserves financial stability at a time of unprecedented challenges

“ Holding the line on tuition is simply the right thing to do this year. ”

Responding to the financial hardships that many Massachusetts families are facing, the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees voted today to freeze tuition rates for in-state undergraduate and graduate students for the 2020-21 academic year.

Across the Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell campuses, tuition will average $14,722 for the nearly 48,000 in-state undergraduate students before financial aid is provided. This keeps UMass mandatory charges nearly $1,000 lower than the average for New England public research universities.

Students will continue to receive nearly $1 billion in federal, state, private, and university-funded financial aid in FY21. University-funded financial aid, primarily scholarships and grants, has been increased by $99 million or 38 percent over the last five years with 94 percent going to Massachusetts residents.

Tuition for the 9,500 graduate students will continue to range from $14,590 to $18,433 at the four campuses. The board set tuition rates for UMass Medical School at its April meeting.

“Even as UMass, like higher education institutions across the country, faces significant budget cuts due to pandemic-related financial challenges, we need to do all that we can to keep a high quality UMass education within financial reach of Massachusetts students,” UMass Board of Trustees Chairman Rob Manning said. “I commend President Meehan, the campus chancellors and their teams for making this possible through sound and innovative management.”

“Holding the line on tuition is simply the right thing to do this year as so many students and families are facing stress and uncertainty created by an unprecedented national health emergency and economic downturn,” UMass President Marty Meehan said. “That means controlling student charges and supporting financial aid so our students are able to pursue their dream of earning a UMass degree.’’

In freezing tuition this year, the university is setting aside its recent practice of increasing tuition at the rate of inflation, foregoing $18.6 million in revenue for the coming year. The loss of revenue is offset, in part, by ongoing efforts of the university to reduce administrative costs. For example, a procurement consolidation effort launched in January is projected to save $15 million to $20 million by the end of this fiscal year and an ongoing “efficiency and effectiveness” program started in 2013 has saved $124 million.

UMass trustees today also approved a $3.3 billion operating budget that is $171 million less than last year’s budget.

President Meehan said the budget, which funds university operations for the fiscal year that began on July 1, “is in balance at a time when many other colleges and universities, public and private, find themselves in great financial jeopardy. This required the university leadership to make difficult choices, but we take these actions to preserve stability and meet the long-term needs of students. We are continuing to advocate for the highest possible level of state funding and passage of the federal HEROES act, which could translate into $119 million in emergency funding for UMass.”

This website uses cookies to understand how you use the website and to improve your experience. By continuing to use the website, you accept the University of New England’s use of cookies and similar technologies. To learn more about our use of cookies and how to manage your browser cookie settings, please review our  Privacy Notice .

College of Business

Section menu.

• B.S. in Accounting
• B.S. in Business Administration
• B.S. in Finance
• B.S. in Marine Entrepreneurship
• B.S. in Marketing
• B.S. in Outdoor Business and Innovation
• B.S. in Sport and Recreation Management
• B.S. in Sustainability and Business
• Minor in Accounting
• Minor in Business Administration
• Minor in Economics
• Minor in Finance
• Minor in Marketing
• Minor in Sport and Recreation Management
• Minor in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Beyond Class
• Academic Advising
• Merrill Business Ethics Lecture

Bachelor of Science in Finance

Navigate the markets with precision and vision.

UNE’s Bachelor of Science in Finance degree program will prepare you to lead in the fascinating, rewarding world of financial management, wealth management, and investments.

Picture yourself using new financial technologies to solve complex financial challenges. You’ll gain the foundational skills to create sustainable growth, and learn to apply those techniques with a sense of social responsibility — so you can do well by making a positive impact. From simulated stock trading to internships with sophisticated financial enterprises, you’ll have hands-on experiences that position you for your dream job in finance.

Note: The Finance degree program is available beginning in fall 2024 for those who started at UNE as first-year students in fall 2023 (class of 2027) and later.

Why UNE for your degree in Finance

Finance is central to our modern economy. UNE prepares you to innovate using the newest technologies combined with time-tested principles.

• Financial simulation and live market data technology in the classroom
• Gain skills on UNE’s Bloomberg Terminals — powerful tools for real-time data and analytics — and earn your Bloomberg Technology Certification
• Take part in research challenges and global trading competitions
• Stay current with technology trends like blockchain and AI
• Fascinating internships with regional businesses
• Develop pro forma financial plans for existing and new businesses
• Study design thinking and entrepreneurial finance through unique courses
• Learn to drive socially responsible, sustainable growth

Finance Program Admissions Information

The Finance degree program is available beginning in fall 2024 for those who started at UNE as first-year students in fall 2023 (class of 2027) and later.

• If you are a prospective student, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at (207) 602-2847 or [email protected] .
• If you are a current UNE student, please visit Academic Advising .

What will you study? Finance Degree Curriculum Overview

Professors with real-world experience in finance and investments have set your curriculum. The following are some of the fascinating courses offered within the Finance degree program:

• Introduction to Data Analysis and Modeling
• Financial Markets and Institutions
• Investments
• Fixed Income Securities
• Entrepreneurial Finance
• International Finance

Career Paths for Finance Majors

Jobs in finance are projected to grow by 7.8% in the Northeast by 2027. This is an increase of over 100,000 open positions (Lightcast, 2023). With the knowledge you gain from your Financial degree coursework, you will be well-prepared to leverage your knowledge of cutting-edge technology, problem solving, and sustainable practices for a lucrative career in finance.

Our graduates have access to careers in many fascinating fields, including:

• Financial Analyst
• Investment Analyst
• Portfolio Manager
• Financial Planner
• Risk Manager
• Credit Analyst

About the Finance Minor

Our minor in Finance offers you the ability to pair your primary degree path with a strong foundation in fundamental financial concepts. You will learn industry-relevant knowledge and skills from our nationally recognized faculty. Courses for the minor include:

• Financial Accounting
• Business Finance

The Finance minor is available beginning in fall 2024 for those who started at UNE as first-year students in fall 2022 (Class of 2026) and later.

Learn More today