PhD in Management Science, Accounting Concentration

business school phd students in the international management studies program

Program Overview

The PhD Accounting program is designed for students seeking training in the most advanced issues in accounting, both theoretical and applied. It is intended to prepare them primarily for tenure-track positions in research-oriented universities. The program requires hands-on training in accounting research, supported by work in the disciplines of economics, mathematics, psychology and statistics, culminating in a doctoral dissertation.

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Connect with the Director

Stanimir Markov

Stanimir Markov, PhD

PhD Area Coordinator, Accounting

stan.markov@utdallas.edu | (972) 883-5166 | JSOM 3.815

The PhD Accounting program prepares students for conducting independent research on topics concerning accounting and how accounting relates to economic and financial activities. We have a large group of research-active tenured and tenure-track faculty, who are available to help mentor and advise our students toward successful completion of the program. We are constantly and actively searching for new faculty to expand our department in size and quality so that we can attract the best students from around the world.

Placements

We are committed to the success of our Accounting PhD students. Our aim is to place our doctoral students in quality research universities. With that objective in mind, the training in our program stresses the development of the necessary skills to carry out independent research. Towards this goal, the students will take several doctoral seminars, write summer papers and have an opportunity to work on collaborative research projects with faculty.

In the past ten years, about 30 students have graduated from our program. Below is the placement information of our doctoral graduates with tenure-track appointments.

Selected University Placements – PhD in Management Science, Accounting Concentration
Name Placement Location
Gurvinder Sandhu Indian School of Business Hyderabad, India
Devendra Kale University of Rhode Island South Kingstown, RI
Xiaolu Zhou Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong
Sharif Esfahani PWC San Jose, CA
Zhongwen Fan University of Hong Kong Hong Kong
Hoyoun Kyung University of Missouri Columbia, MO
Koren Jo The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Abdullah Kumas University of Richmond Richmond, VA
Dichu Bao Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Musa Subasi University of Missouri Columbia, MO
Guang Ma National University of Singapore Singapore, Singapore
Kenneth Zheng University at Buffalo, The State University of New York Buffalo, NY
Weining Zhang National University of Singapore Singapore, Singapore
Yue Zhang City University of Hong Kong Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Hiu ‘Albert’ Tsang The Chinese University of Hong Kong Ma Liu Shui, New Territories, Hong Kong
Oktay Urcan London Business School London, England
Him-Lai ‘Lilian’ Chan University of Hong Kong Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Rong Huang Baruch College New York City, NY
Tai-Yuan Chen The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Lixin ‘Nancy’ Su The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Lei ‘Tony’ Chen Georgia State University Atlanta, GA
Raj D. Mashruwala Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO

Student Publications

Our doctoral graduates succeed in publishing in top quality academic journals. Below are examples of publications from our doctoral graduates.

Yehuda, Nir, Bhojraj, Sanjeev, Jang, Youngki, Bloomfield, Robert, 2021. “Cost structure, operating leverage, and cds spreads.” The Accounting Review, vol. 96.

Zhao, Sha, Li, Yinghua, Banker, Rajiv, Huang, Rong, 2021. “Do accounting standards matter for productivity?” Productions and Operations Management, vol. 30.

Wang, Zheng, Kim, Yongtae, Wu, Haibin, Su, Lixin Nancy, 2021. “The effect of trade secrets law on stock price synchronicity: evidence from the inevitable disclosure doctrine.” The Accounting Review, vol. 96.

Wu, Haibin, Su, Lixin Nancy, Wang, Zheng, Kim, Yongtae, 2021. “The effect of trade secrets law on stock price synchronicity: evidence from the inevitable disclosure doctrine.” The Accounting Review, vol. 96.

Su, Lixin Nancy, Zhou, Gaoguang Stephen, Kim, Yongtae, Zhu, Xindong Kevin, 2020. “Pcaob international inspections and merger and acquisition outcomes.” Journal of Accounting and Economics, vol. 70.

Kanagaretnam, Kiridaran, Tsang, Albert, Kong, Xiangting, 2020. “Home and foreign host country ifrs adoption and cross-delisting.” Journal of International Business Studies, vol. 51.

Tsang, Albert, Guan, Yuyan, Lobo, Gerald J., Xin, Xiangang, 2020. “Societal trust and management earnings forecasts.” The Accounting Review, vol. 95.

Huang, Ying, Zhou, Xiaolu, Li, Ningzhong, Yu, Yong, 2020. “The effect of managerial litigation risk on earnings warnings: evidence from a natural experiment.” Journal of Accounting Research, vol. 58.

Li, Ningzhong, Zhang, Weining, Ali, Ashiq, 2019. “Restrictions on managers’ outside employment opportunities and asymmetric disclosure of bad versus good news.” The Accounting Review, vol. 94.

Natarajan, Ram, Zhao, Sha, Banker, Rajiv D, Huang, Rong, 2019. “Market valuation of intangible asset: evidence on sg&a expenditure.” The Accounting Review, vol. 94.

Urcan, Oktay, Shivakumar, Lakshmanan, Shevlin, Terry, 2019. “Macroeconomic effects of corporate tax policy.” Journal of Accounting and Economics,, vol. 68.

Mutlu, Sunay, Sadka, Gil, Katz, Sharon P, Cohen, Moshe, 2019. “Do debt covenants constrain borrowings prior to violation? Evidence from sfas 160.” The Accounting Review, vol. 94.

Bao, Dichu, Kim, Yongtae, Mian, G. Mujtaba, Su, Lixin Nancy, 2019. “Do managers disclose or withhold bad news? Evidence from short interest.” The Accounting Review, vol. 94.

Ke, Jian-Yu Fisher, Hu, Nan, Zhang, Yue, Liu, Ling, 2019. “Risk pooling, supply chain hierarchy, and analysts’ forecasts.” Production and Operations Management, vol. 28

Liu, Ling, Zhang, Yue, Fisher Ke, Jian-Yu, Hu, Nan, 2019. “Risk pooling, supply chain hierarchy, and analysts’ forecasts.” Production and Operations Management, vol. 28.

Tsang, Albert, Li, Wenjing, Urcan, Oktay, Ng, Jeff, 2019. “Country-level institutions and management earnings forecasts.” Journal of International Business Studies, vol. 50.

Zhou, Yi, Chen, Tai-Yuan, Zhang, Guochang, 2018. “Enforceability of non-complete covenants, discretionary investments, and financial reporting practices: evidence from a natural experiment.” Journal of Accounting and Economics, vol. 65.

Wu Tucker, Jennifer, Cao, Sean Shun, Wan, Chi, Ma, Guang, 2018. “Technological peer pressure and product disclosure.” The Accounting Review, vol. 93.

Markov, Stanimir, Weisbrod, Eric, Akbas, Ferhat, Subasi, Musa, 2018. “Determinants and consequences of information processing delay: evidence from the Thomson reuters institutional brokers’ estimate system.” Journal of Financial Economics, vol. 127.

Cao, Ying, Myers, Linda A., Tsang, Albert, and Yang, Yong George. “Management Forecast and Cost of Capital: International Evidence.” Review of Accounting Studies, 22, 2017

Franco, Francesca, Ittner, Christopher D., Urcan, Oktay. “Determinants and trading performance of equity deferrals by corporate outside directors.” Management Science, 63, 2017

Chen, Tai-Yuan, Zhang, Guochang, and Zhou, Yi. “Enforceability of non-compete covenants, discretionary investments, and financial reporting practices: Evidence from a natural experiment.” Journal of Accounting and Economics, forthcoming, 2017.

Bao, Dichu, Fung, Simon-Yu-Kit, and Su, Lixin Nancy. “Can shareholders be at rest after adopting clawback provisions? Evidence from stock price crash risk” Contemporary Accounting Research, forthcoming, 2017

Kim, Yongtae, Su, Lixin Nancy, and Zhu, Xindong. “Does the cessation of quarterly earnings guidance reduce investor short-termism?” Review of Accounting Studies, 22, 2017

Bushman, Robert M., Dai, Zhonglan, and Zhang, Weining. “Management Team Incentive: Dispersion and Firm Performance.” The Accounting Review, 91, 2016.

Guan, Yuyan, Su, Lixin Nancy, Wu, Donghui, and Yang, Zhifeng. “Do school ties between auditors and client executives influence audit outcomes?” Journal of Accounting and Economics, 61, 2016

Ciftci, Mustafa, and Darrough, Masako. “Does the Riskiness of R&D Outweigh Its Benefits? A Private Lenders’ Perspective from the US.” Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, 43, 2016

Ettredge, Michael, Huang, Ying, and Zhang, Weining. “Conservative reporting and securities class action lawsuits”. Accounting Horizons, 30, 2016

Franco, Francesca, Urcan, Oktay, Vasvari, Florin. “Corporate diversification and the cost of debt: The role of segment disclosures.” The Accounting Review, 91, 2016

Liu, Jing, Ohlson, James, and Zhang, Weining. “An Evaluation of Chinese Firms’ Profitability: 2005-2013.” Accounting Horizons, 29, 2015

Louis, Henock, Urcan, Oktay. “Agency conflicts, corporate payout policies, and direct benefits of conservative financial reporting to equity-holders.” Contemporary Accounting Research, 32, 2015

Chan, Lilian H., Chen, Kevin C. W., Chen, Tai-Yuan, and Yu, Yangxin. “Substitution between real and accrual-based earnings management after voluntary adoption of compensation clawback provisions” The Accounting Review, 90, 2015.

Chen, Long, Ng, Jeff, and Tsang, Albert. “The Effect of Mandatory IFRS Adoption on International Cross-listings” The Accounting Review, 2015

Guan, Yuyan, Wong, Franco M. H., and Zhang, Yue. 2015. “Analyst following along the supply chain.” Review of Accounting Studies, 20, 2015

Ali, Ashiq, Zhang, Weining, and Kong, Cheung, “Ceo tenure and earnings management,” Journal of Accounting and Economics, 59, 2015.

Muslu, Volkan, Radhakrishnan, Suresh, Subramanyam, K R, and Lim, Dongkuk, “Forward-looking md&a disclosures and the information environment,” Management Science, 61, 2015.

Cready, William, Kumas, Abdullah, and Subasi, Musa, “Are trade size-based inferences about traders reliable? Evidence from institutional earnings-related trading,” Journal of Accounting Research, 52, 2014.

Radhakrishnan, Suresh, Wang, Zheng, and Zhang, Yue, “Customers’ capital market information quality and suppliers’ performance,” Production and Operations Management, 23, 2014.

Banker, Rajiv, Darrough, Masako, Huang, Rong, and Phlen-Dujowich, Jose, “The relation between CEO compensation and past performance,” The Accounting Review, 88, 2013.

Chan, Lillian, Chen, Kevin, Chen, Tai-Yuan, and Shroff, Nemit, “The effects of firm-initiated clawback provisions on bank loan contracting,” Journal of Financial Economics, 110, 2013.

Etteredge, Michael, Huang, Ying, and Zhang, Weining, “Earnings restatements and differential timeliness of accounting conservatism,” Journal of Accounting and Economics, 53, 2012.

Kumaraswamy, Arun, Mudambi, Ram, Saranga, Haritha, and Tripathy, Arindam, “Catch-up strategies in the Indian auto components industry: domestic firms responses to market liberalization,” Journal of International Business Studies, 43, 2012.

Tsang, Albert with D.S. Dhaliwal, Y.Yang, and S. Radhakrishnan “Nonfinancial disclosure and analyst forecast accuracy: International evidence on corporate social responsibility disclosure” The Accounting Review 2012

Ciftci, Mustafa with W. Cready “Scale effects of R&D as reflected in earnings and returns” Journal of Accounting and Economics 2011

Huang, Rong with D.A. Cohen, M.N. Darrough and T. Zach “Warranty reserve: Contingent liability, information signal or earnings management tool?” The Accounting Review 2011

Huang, Rong with R. Banker and R. Natarajan “Equity incentives and long-term value created by SG&A expenditures” Contemporary Accounting Research 2011

Lin, Shu with M. Vargus, M. Pizzini and I. Bardhan “The role of the internal audit functions in the disclosure of material weaknesses” The Accounting Review 2011

Su, Lixin Nancy with J. Krishnan and Y. Zhang “Nonaudit services and earnings management in the pre-SOX and post-Sox Eras” Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory 2011

Tsang, Albert with D.S. Dhaliwal, O.Z.Li and G.Y.Yang “Voluntary nonfinancial disclosure and the cost of equity capital: The initiation of corporate social responsibility reporting” The Accounting Review 2011

Urcan, Oktay with L. Shivakumar, F.P. Vasvari and L. Zhang “The debt market relevance of management earnings forecasts: evidence from before and during the credit crisis” Review of Accounting Studies 2011

Hwang, Iny with T. Ahn and M. Kim “The impact of performance measure discriminability on rate incentives” The Accounting Review 2010

Mashruwala, Raj with D.A. Cohen and T. Zach “The use of advertising activities to meet earnings benchmarks: evidence from monthly data” Review of Accounting Studies 2010

Su, Lixin Nancy with S. Fung and X. Zhu “Price Divergence from fundamental value and the value relevance of accounting information” Contemporary Accounting Research 2010

Huang, Rong with R. Banker and R. Natarajan “Incentive contracting and value relevance of earnings and cash flows” Journal of Accounting Research 2009


Admission Procedures

Students may enter the PhD Accounting program after previous graduate training or directly from undergraduate programs. Admission is based on grade-point average, GMAT* or GRE scores, letters of reference (minimum of three, with at least two from academic references), business and professional experience (if applicable), a written statement of personal objectives, and compatibility with faculty research activities.

* Although both GMAT and GRE scores are accepted, the GMAT is strongly preferred.

The Jindal School of Management starts making first-round PhD admission decisions on December 9; it is best to complete the entire application process no later than December 8. While applications will be accepted after that date, applying after December 8 may significantly lower your chance of acceptance. Application for admission can be made using the UT Dallas Graduate Application Web site.

Degree Requirements

Students must complete at least 75 semester hours of approved graduate work before a degree may be conferred. Credit may be granted for courses taken elsewhere.

Calculus and statistics are prerequisites for the doctoral program – every admitted student is responsible for ensuring he/she has satisfied these prerequisite requirements before joining the program.

Doctoral students in Management Science benefit from an exposure to multiple functional areas in management. To ensure this benefit, students who enter the program without an MBA (or equivalent degree) are required to complete a combined minimum of four courses (at the master’s or doctoral level) in at least three functional areas. This cross-functional exposure is particularly useful for students engaging in cross-functional research, in positioning their research for wider appeal, and for effectively teaching business school students with diverse specializations.

The Management Science PhD core curriculum consists of a minimum of 9 courses. Please visit the Management Science Degree Plan page for core and secondary core course requirements.

Students are required to take at least six doctoral level seminars in accounting.

Students will be asked to take other advanced graduate-level courses in related fields such as economics, econometrics and finance at the discretion of the PhD adviser.

Students are expected to write a research paper under the supervision of or in collaboration with Jindal School of Management faculty in each of the first two summers of their work at UT Dallas. At least one of these two papers is expected to be of sufficient quality to merit publication in academic journals. Papers may be co-authored, and both papers are presented before the accounting area faculty.

At the end of the first year, all PhD students will be required to take a preliminary exam which will consist of 2 parts. The first part will be based on Advanced Managerial Economics (MECO 6345) and Statistics (MECO 7312). The second part of the exam will be based on the two accounting PhD seminars that the students take during their first year.

All PhD students will be required to work on a research paper during their first summer and another research paper during their second year. These two research papers will satisfy the qualifying exam requirement which must be passed before admission for candidacy for the doctorate degree.

PhD students must successfully complete the preliminary and qualifying examinations, respectively, to enter PhD candidacy. The area faculty will determine whether a student has successfully completed the exam requirements based on the student’s performance. Criteria to evaluate students may include results from the in-class written portion of the exams, quality of research papers and/or presentations, performance in special courses (e.g. seminar courses), satisfactory GPA as determined by area faculty, and other forms of assessment as required by the student’s area. An unsatisfactory performance in any one criteria for either the preliminary examination or the qualifying examination may result in dismissal from the program.

The dissertation is written under the direction of the dissertation committee. Twelve to 24 semester hours may be granted for the dissertation toward the minimum 75-hour requirement for the degree. At a time mutually agreeable to the candidate and the dissertation committee, the candidate must orally defend the dissertation to the committee.

The Dissertation Proposal must be successfully defended at least one semester prior to the term of graduation. The requirements for the proposal defense should be discussed with the dissertation committee prior to scheduling the defense. Dissertation Proposal Defenses will be open to all faculty and PhD students of the Jindal School of Management.

The candidate must orally defend a dissertation proposal before starting the dissertation.

student working on her UT Dallas application for Jindal School graduate admission on her laptop

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