DeGroote School of Business
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Accounting

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About Accounting

DeGroote’s PhD in Accounting provides you with the opportunity to work with leading researchers on issues impacting the business world, the accounting profession and broader society. Through mentoring, coursework and a wide variety of research and teaching opportunities, you will learn the craft of academic accounting research.  

The accounting stream is designed to prepare students to be excellent accounting researchers and educators. It’s particularly suitable for people who plan to pursue an academic career at a university. Successful applicants typically have a master’s degree in accounting, economics, finance, computer science, engineering, engineering and management or mathematics.

Required Courses 

  • B790 – Seminar on Management Theory 
  • Three accounting PhD courses: 
  • A771 – Seminar in Research Methods and Design in Accounting Research 
  • A772 – Seminar in Financial Accounting Research 
  • A773 – Seminar in Managerial Accounting Research 

In addition, the following courses from the Department of Economics must be taken: 

  • 721 – Microeconomic Theory I 
  • 761 – Econometrics I 
  • 765 – Mathematical Models 

Quantitative Courses 

Students must take two of the following courses: 

  • ECON 722 – Microeconomic Theory II 
  • ECON 762 – Econometrics II 
  • STATS 780 – Data Science 
  • STATS 790 – Statistical Learning 
  • O712 – Data Analytics using Python 

Elective Courses 

Students may take up to three of the following as electives: 

  • A717 (MBA) – Seminar in Accounting Theory 
  • A727 (MBA) – Financial Fraud and Market Surveillance 
  • A745 (MBA) – Assurance 
  • A750 (MBA) – Financial Statement Analysis 
  • F773 – Empirical Methods in Finance 
  • F774 – Seminar in Finance 

Students may also take  other courses  approved by their supervisors and the area chair. 

An overall maximum of 12 courses can be taken for credit. 

Headshot of Ala Mokhtar, smiling.

Dr. Ala Mokhtar studies management accounting, in particular, in how management controls motivate employees. She has studied employee overwork, employee evaluation, and employees’ identity with their colleagues. She has also examined accounting professionals’ experiences with their clients, and how accountants cope with clients that act negatively towards them. 

Ala Mokhtar

Assistant Professor , Accounting

Headshot of Alfred Liu, smiling.

Dr. Alfred Liu has several related streams of research, including: transparency and fair representation in corporate disclosure and financial reporting, risk assessment and risk management, sustainability and corporate social responsibility, and innovation. 

Alfred Liu

Associate Professor , Accounting

Headshot Ken Li, smiling.

Dr. Ken Li is an academic at DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, drawn to its collegial atmosphere and commitment to innovative research. With a strong focus on the role of accounting information in capital markets, Ken brings a wealth of knowledge from their background in accounting, including a CPA designation and professional experience. In the classroom, they aim to connect theory with practice, helping students see the relevance of accounting concepts by linking lessons to professional exams and real-world work. Passionate about experiential education, Ken believes in the value of learning beyond the classroom to deepen students’ understanding. Their enthusiasm for teaching is what led them to pursue a career as a professor. 

Ken Li

Assistant Professor , Accounting

Name

Position

Academic Area

Last Name

Dr. Kevin Veenstra

Associate Professor

Accounting and Financial Management

Veenstra

Dr. Susan McCracken

Professor / Area Chair, Accounting and Financial Management Services (acting)

Accounting and Financial Management

McCracken

Dr. Khalid Nainar

Professor

Accounting and Financial Management

Nainar

Dr. Emad Mohammad

Associate Professor

Accounting and Financial Management

Mohammad

Dr. Alfred Liu

Associate Professor

Accounting and Financial Management

Liu

Dr. Yaqin Hu

Assistant Professor

Accounting and Financial Management

Hu

Dr. Justin Jin

Professor / Director of the CPA Ontario Centre for Accounting Research in Regulatory Reporting

Accounting and Financial Management

Jin

Dr. Ken Li

Assistant Professor

Accounting and Financial Management

Li

Fields of study