FAQ about the Accountin PhD Program

1. What credentials characterize successful applicants?
2. What math background do I need?
3. I have my own funding. Can I be accepted on that basis?
4. What is the minimum GMAT score the Tull School will consider?
5. Can I submit a GRE score, rather than a GMAT score?
6. What if my GMAT report is over five years old?
7. When is a TOEFL score required?
8. Who should write my three letters of recommendation?
9. Do I need a previous accounting degree to apply to the program?
10. Do I need accounting work experience to apply to the program?
11. How do I apply for admission?
12. How do I apply for financial aid?
13. How much is tuition?
14. How long does it take to complete the program?
15. Do I have to live in Athens while I am in the program?
16. Can I participate in the program on a part-time basis?
17. What sort of specializations can I pursue?
18. Are PhD students required to teach?
19. What is the program’s placement success?
20. Are “post-doc” appointments available?

1. What credentials characterize successful applicants?

   We look for well-rounded students with balanced strengths in motivation, academic skills, communication skills, quantitative skills, and institutional knowledge of accounting. Work ethic and interest in research are very important.

2. What math background do I need?

   Prior to arriving on campus you should take calculus I and II, linear algebra, and an introductory statistics course.

3. I have my own funding. Can I be accepted on that basis?

   No. All students must apply and be evaluated according to the same standard.

4. What is the minimum GMAT score the Tull School will consider?

   Most successful applicants score above 710 on the GMAT. In addition to the overall score, it is also important to evidence balance between the verbal and quantitative dimensions of the GMAT.

5. Can I submit a GRE score, rather than a GMAT score?

   No. All applicants to the accounting PhD program must submit a GMAT score.

6. What if my GMAT report is over five years old?

   The Educational Testing Service (ETS) will not send official GMAT reports that are over five years old. You must retake the exam in this case.

7. When is a TOEFL score required?

   All applicants from countries where the official language is not English must also submit an official TOEFL score that is not more than two years old. (This includes applicants with a prior degree from a U.S. school.) To be considered for admission to the doctoral program in accounting, an applicant must have an iBT Speak Test, which is the college standard for serving as an instructor of record. Students who have iBT Speak score of at least 26.

8. Who should write my three letters of recommendation?

   If you have both academic and work experience in accounting, a reasonable strategy is to ask two of your former professors and one contact from your work experience to write letters of recommendation. (If you have not informed your employer of your doctoral aspirations, it is fine to request only academic references.) Please be sure to request that your recommenders not only fill out the recommendation grid on the form, but also append comments that attest to your potential for teaching and research in accounting. A free-form recommendation letter is fine for this purpose. Letters from family or friends are not appropriate. At least one letter should be from a former professor.

9. Do I need a previous accounting degree to apply to the program?

   The program assumes a reasonable institutional background in accounting, equivalent to an undergraduate or masters’ degree in accounting. We occasionally admit applicants who do not have an accounting degree (such as applicants with an MBA degree), but these applicants typically have taken enough accounting courses to understand the institutional fundamentals of accounting. Applicants with no accounting background should first take enough accounting courses to acquire knowledge that is the equivalent of an undergraduate degree in accounting before beginning PhD course work.

10. Do I need accounting work experience to apply to the program?

    Work experience in accounting, like other credentials, is not a requirement, but it is a factor that is considered at the margin in a competitive admissions process. Evidence from recent years indicates that successful applicants usually have at least one year, and often two years or more of full-time work experience in some facet of financial reporting, which can involve public accounting, accounting in industry, or taxation. Work experience helps PhD students to incorporate new insights and developments from practice in future research and in teaching.

11. How do I apply for admission?

    For step-by-step instructions, see the Terry PhD website.

12. How do I apply for financial aid?

    All PhD applicants are automatically considered for financial aid, and generally, all resident PhD students in good standing receive financial aid. This aid comes from a variety of University of Georgia, Terry College of Business, and Tull School of Accounting sources. Applicants who are admitted to the program will receive a detailed description of the financial aid package we are able to offer.

13. How much is tuition?

    The program is tuition-free for resident accounting PhD students in good standing. However, students must pay certain fees as described in Bursar’s Office Payment Schedule.

14. How long does it take to complete the program?

    There is no set length to the PhD program, because students vary in the time necessary to complete the course work and dissertation phases of the program. The total program length is typically four or five years.

15. Do I have to live in Athens while I am in the program?

    In general, yes, although some students have lived between Athens and Atlanta for family reasons. The program is based on intensive learning at the University of Georgia in Athens, and does not offer any "distance-learning," commuting, or Internet-based options. Students are discouraged from leaving Athens before the dissertation defense, as the most efficient and effective approach to a PhD is to earn it in residence.

16. Can I participate in the program on a part-time basis?

    No. It is not possible to have other means of employment while in the PhD program.

17. What sort of specializations can I pursue?

    The J. M. Tull School of Accounting has a high percentage of faculty members who are research-active and can therefore support students who are interested in a wide range of topics. We support students in empirical financial, empirical tax, empirical audit and behavioral audit research.

18. Are PhD students required to teach?

    Students who are not on a graduate assistantship teach one section of an accounting class per year, and act as a faculty research assistant in your non-teaching semester. The first-year teaching assignment is to lead three one-hour discussion sessions of principles of accounting.

19. What is the program’s placement success?

    The program has enjoyed considerable placement success. Since 2000, placements include Arizona State, Michigan State, Louisiana State, Texas Christian University, the College of William and Mary, the University of Tennessee and Notre Dame. Demand for well-qualified PhD graduates in accounting remains strong, and salaries are competitive with those in many top business and professional occupations.

20. Are “post-doc” appointments available?

    No.

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