Program Director
Dr. Jack Cooney
Associate Professor of Finance
E-mail: jack.cooney@ttu.edu
Phone: 806.742.1536
Fax: 806.742.3197
Links
Overview
The dissertation is required to be of publishable quality, giving evidence of original and significant investigation resulting in a contribution to the body of knowledge in the student's area of specialization in finance.
Formation of a Committee
When the student has successfully completed all required courses and the CFA Level-1, minor field, and comprehensive examinations, the student is recommended to the Graduate School of Texas Tech University for candidacy to the doctoral degree. Upon approval, the student forms a doctoral dissertation committee of at least three faculty members, which oversees the design and execution of the dissertation proposal.
The faculty strongly recommends that doctoral candidates select a topic and the chairman of the dissertation committee within one semester of satisfactory completion of the comprehensive examination. Selection of the remaining committee members should occur shortly thereafter.
Timetable
After completing a literature review of the topic and formalizing the research idea, the student will be asked to defend a dissertation proposal to the finance faculty. Successful completion of the dissertation proposal will come with recommendations from the faculty on work needed to complete the dissertation.
A successfully defended dissertation proposal is a very important determinant of success in the academic job market. Doctoral candidates are expected to consult with their dissertation chairman and other faculty members before actively entering the job market. Hence, each student should normally schedule a proposal defense for the Summer before their last year in the program.
Upon completion of the dissertation, the candidate presents and defends the dissertation at a final oral examination conducted by the members of the dissertation committee. Members of the Graduate Faculty of the College and University and Finance Ph.D. students are invited to attend. The total time required to complete the Ph.D. in finance beyond the masters degree is normally four years.
Writing Style
The Rawls College of Business has adopted The Chicago Manual of Style for dissertations.