PhD Finance
Intro
In-depth training in academic research skills to develop you as a productive scholar. Our doctoral training will immerse you in all aspects of academic life.
You will be both a student and a junior research colleague. We provide courses in a wide variety of research methods and you will work closely with your supervisors to define your research question and develop your thesis. You will also have opportunities to gain teaching and research assistant experience and become involved with the intellectual community within both Oxford Business School and the wider University. You will attend academic conferences, make presentations, organise lectures and seminars and contribute to management and academic decisions.
Both of our doctoral programmes run in parallel, with only differences in taught courses and preparation for writing in relevant journals to your subject of choice.
We have deliberately kept the programmes small which means that in the vast majority of cases, students are fully funded to allow them to devote their energies to research. The DPhil corresponds to a PhD degree offered at most other universities.
Examples of previous research topics include asset-pricing and corporate finance, the design and regulation of securities markets, corporate financial policy, and the impact of financial markets on real economic activity.
What are my next steps?
Places are available June 2025 and February 2026
If you have your results you can apply online for a place through our online application. Find out more about studying with us in our digital prospectus.
Download Oxford Catalogue
Assessment and programme milestones
Our DPhil offers students the opportunity to engage with internationally renowned faculty who are here to help you become an academic scholar.
You will be initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). During your first year, you will be required to attend taught causes where foundational economic and financial theory will be studied. Based on previous years, these may include, but are not limited to courses that cover topics such as:
- Asset pricing
- Corporate finance
- Financial econometrics
- Economics
During second and third terms, you will select four elective courses offered for the second year of the MPhil in Economics, one of which must be either Financial Economics I or Financial Economics II.
Following successful completion of all necessary courses and within a maximum of six terms as a PRS student (and normally by the fourth term) you will be expected to apply for transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status.
A successful transfer of status is required to give a clear indication of whether it would be reasonable to consider submission within the course of a further three terms, if work on the thesis continues to develop satisfactorily. Students who are successful at transfer will also be expected to apply for and gain confirmation of DPhil status within nine terms of admission, to show that your work continues to be on track.
Both milestones normally involve an interview with two assessors (other than your supervisor). This provides important experience for the final oral examination.
You will be expected to submit a thesis, which provides a significant and substantial contribution to the field of learning in finance, which should not exceed 100,000 words after four years from the date of admission. It should be good enough to be published in book form or as a series of academic articles. To be successfully awarded a DPhil in Finance you will need to defend your thesis orally (viva voce) in front of two appointed examiners.
Supervision
You will be assigned two initial supervisors who will guide you through your first year.
They will help you to identify your specialist area of interest and further suitable advisers in that field. You will work closely with them to define your research question and develop your thesis. It is an important relationship and also a very personal one: it is shaped by you, your supervisors and the ways you interact. You will have a minimum of nine meetings, or equivalent per year with your supervisor.
You do not need to contact any faculty in advance of making your application but you can review the profiles of our faculty to look for at the areas of research covered at the School. You can note within your application if you feel that you are interested in a particular research area and working with a specific faculty member.
The allocation of a supervisor is the responsibility of Oxford Business School, it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the School.
Potential Careers
Business Analyst
Analyzes business processes and data to provide insights and recommendations for improving efficiency and effectiveness.
Project Manager
Oversees projects from initiation to completion, ensuring they are completed on time, within scope, and on budget.
Marketing Manager
Develops and implements marketing strategies to promote products or services, increase brand awareness, and drive sales.
Operations Manager
Manages day-to-day operations within a business, focusing on optimizing efficiency, productivity, and quality.
Fees and Costs
The tuition fee shown is for one year only. Tuition fees increase every year in the majority of cases. You should take this annual tuition fee increase into consideration when you estimate your fees for a degree.
Undergraduate
Duration: 3 Years
Application Fee: $150 (On application)
ICT/Library: $150 Per year
Student Assoc: $10 Per year
Annual Fee: $5,850
Masters
Duration: 1.8 Years
Application Fee: $150 (On application)
ICT/Library: $175 Per year
Student Assoc: $10 Per year
Annual Fee: $5,450
PhD/ Doctorate
Duration: 3 Years
Application Fee: $150 (On application)
ICT/Library: $175 Per year
Student Assoc: $10 Per year
Annual Fee: $6,250
Stay In Touch
If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.
Contact Information
Visit Us: 3 Bauhinia Str Centurion, Pretoria, South Africa, 0046
Phone: +27 (0) 12 004 0028 OR +27 (0) 72 573 8221
Email: info@ox-edu.co.uk OR exec.edu@ox-edu.co.uk
