PhD in Accounting

Program Overview

The University of Birmingham's PhD Accounting program is a 3-year (or 6-year part-time) doctoral research degree that equips students with advanced research skills in accounting. Through a balance of taught modules and supervised research, students develop a deep understanding of research methods, accounting theories, and business problem-solving. Graduates pursue careers in academia, financial institutions, government, and other organizations, contributing to the advancement of accounting knowledge and practice.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The PhD Accounting program at the University of Birmingham is a 3-year full-time (or 6-year part-time) doctoral research degree. It aims to facilitate the creation and interpretation of new knowledge by the research student, demonstrated through the thesis. The program comprises a short taught component followed by a longer research phase. Taught modules allow students to broaden and deepen their knowledge of research methods while undertaking their own research and developing transferable professional skills. The taught component ensures that doctoral researchers understand the breadth of techniques used in modern social science research.

Objectives:

The program aims to equip doctoral researchers with the following abilities:

• Analyze a range of data using qualitative and quantitative techniques.
• Explain theories underlying different approaches to social science research.
• Characterize and solve business and accounting problems using advanced research tools.
• Derive policy implications from their research and communicate them to policymakers, practitioners, and other academics in a comprehensible manner.
• Peer review others' research and offer constructive criticism.
• Extend the frontiers of the discipline through their own innovative research.

Outline:

Year 1 (or Years 1 & 2 for part-time students):

• Core Research Methods Modules (60 credits):
• Students using more qualitative methodologies will take modules from the MA Social Research program.
• Students employing quantitative methodologies are required to take the Econometrics with Financial Applications module from the Department of Economics (30 credits).
• They also need to take at least one of the existing MSc Investments and MSc International Accounting and Finance courses and one other module to successfully complete 60 credits of study.
• The MSc module and one other appropriate M or D level module should be chosen in agreement with the doctoral researcher's supervisor, as appropriate for their research topic.
Modules available include: Financial Modelling and Forecasting Techniques (20 credits), Empirical Topics in Accounting and Finance (20 credits), and Quantitative Methods in Finance (10 credits).
• Doctoral researchers are also recommended to take Advanced Training Modules from the MA Social Research Programme or other modules (e.g., Qualitative Methods) as appropriate to their research and training needs.

Year 2 & 3 (or Years 3-6 for part-time students):

• Supervised Research:
• Doctoral researchers are expected to participate fully in the life of the Department of Accounting and the Business School.
This includes attending seminars, participating in PhD workshops and conferences, and engaging with new ideas from outside their area of specialization.
• By the end of their first year, all doctoral students in Accounting will have completed an 8,000-word research proposal that they will present and be evaluated on at the first annual review.
• This forms the basis for supervised research over the remaining two years of the program and the production of an 80,000-word thesis.

Assessment:

• Annual Review:
• Doctoral students are required to present and be evaluated on their 8,000-word research proposal at the end of their first year.
• Thesis:
• The program culminates in the production of an 80,000-word thesis.

Teaching:

• Taught Modules:
• The program includes a short taught component designed to ensure that doctoral researchers understand the breadth of techniques used in modern social science research.
• Faculty:
• The program is taught by experienced faculty members in the Department of Accounting and the Business School.
• Unique Approaches:
• The program encourages doctoral researchers to participate fully in the life of the Department of Accounting and the Business School, including attending seminars, participating in PhD workshops and conferences, and engaging with new ideas from outside their area of specialization.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• Recent PhD graduates from Birmingham Business School are working in central banks, Government departments, a variety of financial institutions, accountancy firms, supranational organizations, and multinational corporations.
• Many of our PhD graduates also go on to forge successful academic careers in other top Universities.
• Opportunities:
• The University of Birmingham has invested heavily in careers and employability support.
• The Careers Team provides enhanced developments within their team and adopts a model of integrated employability and internship support.
• A range of career management, personal development, and employer events are run each year by the Careers in Business Team to help students make the most of the opportunities available.
• The University also has dedicated careers advisors for international students who run workshops and networking opportunities with potential employers.

Other:

• Research Areas:
• The program offers a wide range of research areas, including:
• Social and Environmental Accounting
• Sustainability Reporting and Sustainability-related Financial Disclosure
• Financial Accounting and Reporting
• Narrative reporting, digital reporting/XBRL, standardisation, Management Commentary
• Corporate communication (in relation to corporate crises, climate change, and carbon emissions).
Textual analysis of reporting disclosures (analysts' reports, credit rating agency reports, annual reports, including CEO tone and climate risk disclosure)
• Management Accounting & Management Control
• Public sector, Not for Profit, NGO Accounting & Accountability
• Accounting Education & Professionalisation
• Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Accounting
• Information Systems, Analytics & Knowledge Management
• Doctoral Researchers:
• Doctoral researchers are expected to achieve a substantial understanding of contemporaneous accounting and business issues, enabling them to take a lead in ongoing debates within society.
• They will be aware of and understand the function of related institutions at both a national and international level.