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International Finance Emphasis

Program of Study


International Finance: Program of Study

The objective of this program is to prepare the leading future scholars in international finance.  Graduates from this international finance program typically seek positions in Departments of Finance or Departments of International Business, where they are expected to approach research issues in international finance using the methodologies and concepts of current finance and international business theories.

 

Building on the strengths of the international business and the finance faculties, the international finance concentration incorporates three of the finance doctoral courses and a methodological core similar to that received by doctoral students majoring in finance.  The international dimension of their preparation includes four seminars and an overseas experience or foreign language training (foreign students who already speak a foreign language are usually exempted from this overseas or foreign language requirement).  The seminars in the International Business and the Finance areas include:

To equip students to do research publishable in top finance and international business journals, the doctoral core also includes a substantial background in econometrics, mathematical statistics, and stochastic processes, along with other statistical techniques applicable to extending the theoretical and empirical understanding of international finance.  For detail scheduling of these courses, please see our  Course Sequence.

 

Research and Teaching Support

Doctoral students in International Finance have a close working relationship with the faculty, often participating in joint research projects.  Students also have the opportunity to become involved in research at or through USC's Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER).  When doctoral students present papers in major academic conferences, financial aid may be given to cover some of the costs.

 

Within the International Business department, there is a computer room and an International Business library for students’ use.  The Moore School of Business has a business library which has a good collection of books, magazines and academic journals.  The school subscribes to many useful electronic databases such as Datastream, Worldscope, Bloomberg, CRSP, COMPUSTAT, LexisNexis Academic, Wall Street Journal (Pro Quest Direct), EBSCO Business Source Premier, JSTOR and so forth.  Students can download data and articles easily.

 

Doctoral students are required to teach one or two undergraduate business courses within their program of study.  The intention is to let them gain some teaching experience before they enter the academic job market.  The students will not be asked to teach many courses since their primary focus is still on academic research.

 

Evaluation

Besides examinations in the regular courses, students are expected to take a comprehensive examination at the end of the second academic year.  In the Fall semester of the third year, students are required to make a presentation of an academic paper they have written in front of the faculty and fellow doctoral students.  The purpose is to encourage students to work on high-quality research papers early on.  In the third academic year, students are expected to defend their dissertation proposal.  A formal defense of the finished dissertation is made before the students graduate from the program.