BYU's School of Accountancy offers a specialized PhD Prep Track as part of the Masters of Accountancy (MAcc) degree. The program is designed to prepare students to enroll in a Ph.D. program in accounting at another university after finishing their master’s degree. Students in both the five-year integrated program and the two-year graduate program are eligible to apply to the PhD Prep Track. The program involves Ph.D.-style seminars to learn about research and academic work, as well as coursework in mathematics, econometrics, and statistics.
Students who participated in this program have been highly successful in placing at research intensive Ph.D. programs. Those who complete their Ph.D. in accounting enter a field where there is high demand, and it is projected that this will be the case for the foreseeable future. Starting salaries for new professors in accounting are two to four times higher than starting salaries for MAcc graduates.
So you want to get a Ph.D.? A doctoral degree differs from all other educational degrees. It is the highest, most prestigious academic achievement available. Once earned, the doctoral degree opens many exciting doors. In accounting, and many other disciplines, a doctoral degree is required to work as a university professor. Professors split their time between doing research and teaching students; they enjoy flexibility while striving to make a difference in the world through their service.
One purpose of this website is to improve networking among past Ph.D. prep students, current Ph.D. prep students, and friends of BYU. Please make sure you are included in the website and you keep your information up to date.
For Ph.D. students interested in working at the PCAOB as an intern, the contact person is Jana Hranaiova, Office of Research and Analysis, 1666 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, Tel: (202) 207-9297, e-mail: hranaiovaj@pcaobus.org. We've received feedback from one person who did this that they had a tremendous experience.
"Starting now, you must use your education not to say something impressive but to do something that will lift others and help them be successful. In other words, you must use your education not to distinguish yourself from others but to devote yourself to them--to helping them grow and flourish, even if it seems at the expense of your own prominence and glory. This is the way of our Savior." Elder Robert D. Hales, BYU Spring Commencement 2006 (full text available here) - more Quotes
