Finance Specialization

Plan of Study

Refer to the Drexel Course Catalogue for the full list of course requirements and class descriptions.

Degree Requirements

60 credits (Post-Master’s degree)
90 credits (Post-Bachelor’s degree)

  • 15 credits of core courses
  • 30 credits of specialization requirements
  • 15 credits of dissertation research
  • 30 credits for students without Master’s degree

Specialization Courses

Students specializing in finance take the following courses in addition to the PhD core courses:

  • ECON 910: Advanced Microeconomics I
  • ECON 920: Advanced Macroeconomics I
  • ECON 940: Econometrics I
  • ECON 941: Econometrics II
  • FIN 920: Foundations of Finance Theory
  • FIN 924: Seminar in Macro Finance
  • FIN 928: Applied Capital Markets
  • FIN 922: Corporate Finance Theory
  • Three electives with the permission of the adviser

Academic Timeline

Year 1

  • 20 hours of research assistant work per week
  • Present at least one idea during PhD Idol (winter/spring)
  • 1st year comprehensive exam (summer)
  • 1st year summer paper (summer)
  • 1st year assessment

Year 2

  • 20 hours of research assistant work per week
  • 2nd year exam
  • Solo-authored term paper (by end of summer)
  • 2nd year assessment

Year 3

  • Teach one course in fall or winter quarter
  • Teach two courses in the subsequent quarter
  • 1st paper submitted to a top-three journal (by the end of the third year/early 4th year,

Year 4

  • Teach two courses (if not completed in year three)

Year 5

  • Proposal Defense before the FMA
  • FMA interviews (fall)
  • Final defense (spring)