Programme Structure & Curriculum
Students are encouraged to complete the programme in 4 years.
The minimum duration of the programme is three years. Most students, however, are expected to take about four years to complete the programme. The maximum registration duration of the programme is five years, unless special approval for a longer duration is given by SMU.
The curriculum consists of
- 6 Foundation courses (6 course units)
- 2 Electives (2 course units)
- 4 Advanced Research Topics (ART) courses (4 course units)
The programme also requires the preparation and completion of a PhD Dissertation (28 course units).
Programme Schedule (Sample)
| Year | Term 1 (Aug - Nov) | Term 2 (Jan - Apr) | Term 3 (May - Aug) |
| 1 | Foundation courses Elective courses | Foundation courses Elective courses | Research |
| 2 | ART courses Research Prepare Dissertation Proposal | ART courses Research Pass PhD Qualifying Exam Form Dissertation Committee | Research |
| 3 | Submit Written Dissertation Proposal Oral Defence of Dissertation Proposal Dissertation Research | Dissertation Research | Dissertation Research |
| 4 | Dissertation Research | Dissertation Research (i) Submit written report of completed Dissertation Research (ii) Oral defence of completed Dissertation | (i) Revise and/or re-submit Dissertation Report (ii) Submit Approved Dissertation Report to LKCSB PGR Office (iii) Dissertation Report from LKCSB PGR Office to GSO for approval |
Year 1 & 2 | Years 3-4 |
Six research foundation courses including: Foundations of Business Research Two electives: PhD level seminars in disciplines outside Finance, eg. Microeconomics II Four Advanced Research Topics (ART) courses: Corporate Governance: Financial Perspective Each course meets three hours per week during the Term. | Completion of PhD Dissertation Students are expected to form the PhD Committee in Year 2, including selection of a PhD Supervisor. Then, under the supervision of the PhD Supervisor, students will prepare and defend their dissertation proposal, conduct dissertation research, and conduct a final defence of the dissertation. Graduation Requirements PhD in Business (Finance)
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*As a matter of practice, however, the Programme would plan 2 electives and 2 ART courses for any incoming new batch of students to complete. Students who have taken the assigned electives and ARTs courses may, at the approval of the programme director, register to take additional elective(s) and/or ART courses. Two ART units are set aside as Independent Study to be completed with the supervisor or potential supervisor. These are also graded. All 6 foundation courses, 2 electives, and 4 ART units are to be completed before the Qualifying Examinations that will take place during the second year of study.Students who fail courses or the Qualifying Examinations may be asked to leave the programme without a chance to retake.
