DeGroote School of Business

Accounting and Financial Management Services

About Accounting & Financial Management Services

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 and financial management services 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. 

Ala Mokhtar

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 & Financial Management Services

Alfred Liu

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 & Financial Management Services

Ken Li

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 & Financial Management Services

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