Olin's PhD program in Finance emphasizes rigorous analytical training and prepares students with exceptional talent to pursue careers in research and teaching at the world's leading academic institutions.

"Because Olin is a relatively small school, our faculty is easily accessible to students. And because we provide opportunities for joint research early on in the program, our students often co-author papers published in important journals." Anjan Thakor Senior Associate Dean and John E. Simon Professor of Finance

Research in finance is mostly based on economic models, which are used to address problems such as the allocation of capital, risk, and rewards in the economy. Empirical work also widely uses the tools of econometrics -- the application of statistics to economics. Mathematical tools are extremely important in finance, helping to solve sophisticated models that reflect, as closely as possible, the important features of the market.

Because financial research is analytical, we look for a strong quantitative background in potential applicants as evidenced by an undergraduate training in economics, mathematics, engineering, or any other quantitative discipline and GMAT/GRE scores.

"We had very good relationships, not only within my department, but throughout the business school. Higher-grade students give advice to lower-grade students. The faculty members offer enormous help and encouragement. Research is not an easy task, but I could always drop by their offices and discuss questions with them." Rong Wang, PhD Finance 2006 The College of William & Mary

The faculty members in the finance group at the Olin Business School are active and renowned researchers dedicated to advancing the understanding of financial economics. Faculty research interests encompass many areas of finance, including both empirical and theoretical topics. For example, areas of current interest are:

• banking and financial intermediation
• corporate finance
• corporate control and capital structure
• mergers and acquisitions
• theoretical modeling and econometric testing of asset pricing models
• investments and portfolio allocation models
• financial engineering
• options, futures and derivatives pricing

"The whole package available to students here at Olin is really amazing. It's one of the best universities in the country, students receive lots of attention from top-notch faculty, and there is a wealth of resources and support at your disposal. In summary, it's a great value." Armando Gomes Associate Professor of Finance

Research papers by faculty members have recently been published in well-respected journals such as:

• Econometrica
• Journal of Finance
• Review of Financial Studies
• Journal of Financial Economics
• Journal of Financial Intermediation
• American Economic Review
• Review of Economic Studies

See Finance Working Papers