delivery
On-campus
Business Administration, Ph.D.
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Program Overview
The Ph.D. in Business Administration is a full-time research-oriented program, designed to prepare graduates for academic teaching and research careers. The program includes core courses covering all business disciplines, combined with in-depth study in both theoretical and empirical aspects of finance.
The Belk College of Business has offered a Ph.D. in Business Administration since fall 2006. UNC Charlotte is one of only three universities in North Carolina offering business administration degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral level — a distinction shared with Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The program currently offers one major, in finance. Students admitted to the finance program minor in economics and complete a research methods sequence through the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Students also teach undergraduate courses as part of their training. Faculty from the Departments of Finance and Economics in the Belk College of Business, and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics in the Klein College of Science, teach in the program.
Program Contact
Still trying to decide?
Find out more about the Ph.D. in Business Administration program and learn if it is a good fit for you by speaking with Program Director David Mauer.
Ready to apply?
Take the next step in your academic journey and apply for the Ph.D. in Business Administration at UNC Charlotte's Belk College of Business to advance your career in finance research and academia.
Curriculum
Key program milestones
Year One
Coursework + end-of-year diagnostic exam.
Year Two
Coursework + end-of-year qualifying exam paper requirement.
Year Three
Third-year students must present an original research paper in the regular faculty seminar in the fall or spring semester. The paper can be single-authored or joint with faculty and/or other students. This paper could be the dissertation proposal or an expanded version or extension of their second-summer paper requirement.
Years Four + Five
Students on the job market must interview at the Financial Management Association Meeting (FMA) in October and/or American Finance Association Meeting (AFA) in January, and they are required to present their job market paper in the regular faculty seminar prior to the FMA meeting (i.e., in August or September of their job market year).
Meet the Scholars
Pravin Sarode
My research interests include corporate finance, climate change and text analytics. My dissertation explores how physical and regulatory climate risks together affect firms’ capital structure.
An alumnus’s recommendation made Charlotte my first choice. Since that day, I have been choosing this program every single day of my life. I can write volumes about the positive environment here. Faculty encourage me to explore new ideas with knowledge and kindness, while dedicated staff and a welcoming campus help me thrive as a researcher and a person.
Olivia Featheringill
My research interests include corporate finance and banking. I initially chose UNC Charlotte because I wanted to stay within reach of Raleigh, N.C., but the research guidance I’ve received has reinforced that choice. Dr. Mauer’s knowledge and mentorship have been especially valuable as I develop my research interests and grow as a scholar.
I bring an educational background spanning Portuguese language and literature, finance, global health and public administration to my doctoral studies at UNC Charlotte, drawing on perspectives across language, business, health and policy.
Anjiang (AJ) Mi
My research interests are primarily in asset pricing, with additional interests in financial intermediation and behavioral finance. I am interested in how risk exposures are priced and how information and institutional frictions shape the decisions of investors and financial institutions.
I chose UNC Charlotte for its strong faculty, collaborative research environment and continued growth. Charlotte’s vibrant business and financial community, paired with its welcoming atmosphere, made it a place where I could see myself living and learning.
Michael-Paul (Jack Kelly) James
Michael-Paul James, a graduate of UNC Charlotte’s Ph.D. in Business Administration program, is a clinical assistant professor of finance at the University of South Carolina. His research explores how political identity, behavioral biases and information shape financial and housing markets.
His work earned recognition at the Financial Management Association Annual Meeting and was featured in The Wall Street Journal. At Charlotte, graduating seniors recognized him for his positive impact on their education.
Student Placement
Our Ph.D. students have accepted positions at high caliber universities and corporations around the world.
- Bureau of Labor and Statistics
- Citibank
- Clemson University
- Eastern Michigan University
- Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
- Flagler College
- Frostburg State University
- Harvest Fund Management (China)
- Horizon Investments
- Illinois State University
- Ithaca College
- Kent State University
- Lingnan College, Sun-Yat-Sen University (China)
- Marquette University
- Middle Tennessee State University
- Nankai University
- North Carolina State University
- North Dakota State University
- Ontario Tech University
- Queens University
- Rutgers University
- St. John’s University
- Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
- Southwestern University of Finance and Economics
- Tulane University
- University of Hawaii at Hilo
- University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- University of South Carolina
- University of South Dakota
- University of St. Thomas
- US Bank
- Valparaiso University
- Washington State University
- Washington University in Saint Louis
- Wells Fargo
- West Point, The United State Military Academy
- Winthrop University
Ph.D. Admissions
The Belk College anticipates admitting two to three students each academic year, subject to budgetary conditions. The College offers each admitted student a competitive compensation package consisting of a graduate assistantship, full tuition remission, and medical insurance (medical insurance is available for dependents at an additional cost). Students are only admitted on a full-time basis.
Serious inquiries should reach out to Dr. David Mauer, Ph.D. Program Director and Torrence E. Hemby, Sr. Distinguished Professor of Finance, at dmauer@charlotte.edu.
The application deadline for Ph.D. admissions is January 15.