Message from the Coordinator
Welcome to Isenberg’s PhD program in finance. Our goal - to help students pursue careers in academia and beyond.
In the last 10 years, our students have published in premier journals that include the Journal of Finance, the Journal of Financial Economics, and the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis. Many former students are now tenured or have tenure track positions in top academic institutions. Others have industry jobs with leading financial institutions.
Our students are successful because of our exceptional program. We offer:
- Research-oriented faculty who work closely with our students from day one. This hands-on mentorship helps prepare students to write compelling dissertations.
- Specific expertise in alterative investments and derivatives. This niche allows students to contribute to the growing areas of international security and derivatives market research.
- Outstanding research resources, including The Center for International Securities and Derivative Markets, a leading center for research in investment management located at Isenberg.
Our program is extremely supportive and collaborative. We give students the freedom to delve into the topics that most interest them. We seek students who are motivated to do high-level academic research that can be published in top quality academic outlets. We invite you to apply.
PhD Coordinator & Assistant Professor
At a Glance
- Faculty are focused on understanding asset pricing and corporate finance
- Access to Berthiaume Behavioral Research Lab with eye-tracking, facial analysis, and GSR technology
- Quality, personalized mentorship with 1:1 student-to-faculty ratio
- Guaranteed graduate assistantship funding and benefits for 5 years
- Assistantships around $40,000+ per year
- Opportunities to learn from top scholars, with research faculty bringing diverse expertise
Application Deadline: December 15
Reach out to PhD Coordinator Marco Macchiavelli at mmacchiavelli@umass.edu for more information.
Faculty work alongside doctoral students on a variety of projects, publishing in top-tier finance journals. Recent projects include:
- Managerial Structure in Hedge Fund Industry
- The Dodd-Frank Act and Hedge Fund Operational Risk
- Balance Sheet Constraints and the Pricing of Derivatives
- Small Firms' Tech Evolution after Dot Com Bubble Burst
- Sustainable Short Selling
Students work closely with their advisor and the full faculty team, gaining a strong foundation through diverse perspectives. Gain opportunities to learn from top scholars, with research faculty bringing diverse experience.
Students generally complete a PhD in Finance within four years. Students must take 45 credits of coursework, which includes classes in theory and research methods, research electives and minor classes. Students must pass both a core and comprehensive examination, and must write two summer papers. During the final years, students research, write and defend a dissertation and teach at Isenberg.
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Roadmap: Degree Timeline
Years 1 & 2: Coursework
- Students complete 45 credits of coursework and milestone exams, building a foundation in finance theory and research methods
- Flexibility to customize much of the curriculum across the university
- Sample courses include:
- Seminar in Asset Pricing
- Empirical Financial Economics
- Financial Intermediation
- Micro Theory of Finance
- Math Methods for Economics
- Econometric Methods
- Advance Econometrics
- Microeconomic Theory
- Experimental & Causal Inference Methods
- Regression & Advanced Modeling
- Predictive Analytics & Machine Learning
- Qualitative & Mixed Methods
Years 3 & 4 : Dissertation & Teaching
- Focus on dissertation proposal, research, and defense
- Teaching requirement up to three to four courses, gaining valuable classroom experience
Academic Careers & Alumni Insights
Our alumni have gone on to faculty careers at:
Finance Doctoral Candidates
Learn More
Take the next step by contacting our admissions team!
To apply, you'll need:
- GRE or GMAT scores
- Official transcripts
- Personal statement and resume
- Short essay response
- Letters of recommendation
- English proficiency scores (if applicable)
For questions, contact doctoral_program@isenberg.umass.edu.