PhD in Finance

Class Profile

Class Size

25

Average Age

27

Average Work Experience

2 Years

Diversity

International:

5%

Others:

5%

New Jersey:

15%

New York:

10%

Pennsylvania:

65%

Career Outcomes

Median Earnings After Graduation

$1,10,000 / year

Graduation Rate

85%

Job Placement

70%

Top recruiters

Deloitte

JPMorgan Chase

Goldman Sachs

Bank of America

Morgan Stanley

McKinsey

Aetna

Dell

BAE Systems

Visa

AECOM

McGill University

Marsh McLennan

FAQs

• What are the career outcomes for graduates?
  
  The program prepares students for academic and research careers at leading universities and research institutions. Graduates gain the skills needed to conduct independent research and contribute to the field of finance
• Who are the faculty and what is their expertise?
  
  The Smeal Finance Department faculty are recognized for research and teaching in corporate finance, international finance, investment management, and financial services. The department is ranked in the top 15 for research performance and faculty regularly publish in leading journals.
• What kind of research opportunities are available?
  
  Students have access to state-of-the-art computer software and financial data, as well as resources like the Rogers Family Trading Room and the EY/University of Michigan Tax Panel Database. The breadth of faculty research interests allows students to explore diverse topics, including corporate finance, asset pricing, municipal finance, cryptocurrencies, and decentralized finance
• What is the structure and duration of the coursework?
  
  The program includes roughly two years of formal coursework, covering finance, economics, and statistics. Economics is typically the supporting field, and research methods requirements are met through econometrics and statistics courses.
• What areas of study are emphasized in the program?
  
  Students receive rigorous training in finance economics and econometrics, with a focus on: Corporate Finance Asset Pricing Market Microstructure Financial Institutions
• What is the main focus of the Penn State PhD in Finance program?
  
  The program is designed to train world-class academic researchers in finance. It provides an intimate learning environment, close student-faculty interaction, and exposure to a wide range of finance topics, including corporate finance, investments, derivatives, market microstructure, financial institutions, corporate risk management, real estate, and insurance