Department of Economics & Finance
AACSB International EQUIS - European Quality Improvement System

PhD/MPhil (Finance)

Introduction

The Department is committed to training and fostering prospective students to become excellent researchers and outstanding professionals in the areas of economics and finance. We offer research degree programmes leading up to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil). Upon completion of the programme, students will be well-equipped to work and be able to contribute significantly in academic institutions and in various business sectors. The Department has one of the strongest research teams in Asia in the field of economics and finance. The areas of strength of our current faculty members include, among others, international trade and finance, economic development and growth, micro and macro economic theory, econometrics, money and banking, urban and real-estate economics, Chinese economy, public economics, corporate finance, financial markets, market microstructure, security analysis and portfolio management, derivative instruments, banking system and financial institutions, and management of financial institutions.

Research Rankings of the Department of Economics and Finance in Asia:

  • No. 1 in the top 25% institutions in Hong Kong and 4 faculty members ranked amongst the top 25% authors in Hong Kong (IDEAS, RePEc website), accessed in March 2018
     

Finance

Graduate Placements

(Outstanding)

CHEN Chong Assistant Professor, Central University of Finance & Economics
CHEN Tao Assisant Professor, Open University of Hong Kong
HE Xiaoxiao Assistant Professor, South-West University of Finance and Economics, China
JIANG Ping Associate Professor, University of International Business and Economics, China
LI Wei Ping Assistant Professor, Sun Yat-sen University
LIU Min Assistant Professor, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, China
LU Weijie Assistant Professor, Wuhan University, China
LUO Miao Assistant Professor, Sun Yat-sen University, China
MOK Edwin KM Lecturer, Department of Finance, Chinese University of Hong Kong
GAO Haoyu Assistant Professor, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China
YANG Bin Assistant Professor, Jinan University, China
YUAN Tao Assistant Professor, Nanjing University Business School
ZHAO Zhenling Assistant Professor, University of Science and Technology of China, Chan
ZHOU Kaiguo Department Head and Professor, Department of Finance, Sun Yat-Sen University, China

Programme Details

Programme Structure

Coursework Requirements
PhD/MPhil students are required to take the stipulated courses specified by the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies and the College of Business. In addition, students have to fulfill the following coursework requirements designated by the Department.

PhD

Year 1   Semester A    EF8070 Advanced Microeconomics
    EF8072 Advanced Marcoeconomics
    EF8090 Advanced Econometrics
    1 course (at least 3 credits) from other departments of the College of Business
  Semester B SG8001 Teaching Students: First Steps
    EF8071 Topics in Microeconomics
    EF8077 Theoretical Asset Pricing
    EF8080 Empirical Corporate Finance
    EF8081 Advanced Corporate Finance
  Summer Qualifying Examination
     
Year 2 Semester A / B EF5250 Stochastic Calculus for Finance
    EF8082 Theoretical Corporate Finance
    EF8083 Empirical Asset Pricing
  Summer FB8905 Project (Thesis Proposal Defense)
     
Year 3 Semester A Con't FB8905 Project (Thesis Proposal Defense)
  Semester A / B FB8914 Doctoral Seminar
    Submission of PhD Thesis

PhD (for cohort 2021 and thereafter)

Year 1   Semester A    EF8070 Advanced Microeconomics
    EF8090 Advanced Econometrics
    1 course (at least 3 credits) from other departments of the College of Business
  Semester B SG8001 Teaching Students: First Steps
    EF8077 Theoretical Asset Pricing
    EF8080 Empirical Corporate Finance
  Summer Qualifying Examination
     
Year 2 Semester A / B EF5250 Stochastic Calculus for Finance
    EF8082 Theoretical Corporate Finance
    EF8083 Empirical Asset Pricing
  Summer FB8905 Project (Thesis Proposal Defense)
     
Year 3 Semester A Con't FB8905 Project (Thesis Proposal Defense)
  Semester A / B FB8914 Doctoral Seminar
    Submission of PhD Thesis

MPhil

Year 1   Semester A / B SG8001 Teaching Students: First Steps
    EF8080 Empirical Corporate Finance 
    EF8081 Advanced Corporate Finance
     
Year 2 Semester A / B 1 course (at least 3 credits) from other departments of the College of Business
    Submission of MPhil Thesis

 

PhD students are also required to complete the Qualifying Examination successfully by 31 December of the second year of study.

Thesis Submission
An MPhil thesis should present the results of research investigation, give evidence of a sound understanding of the area of study, its context and applicability, and make a contribution to knowledge. A PhD thesis, in addition to the above, should make a substantial original contribution to knowledge in the subject area concerned.

Supervisory Arrangement

During the study period, research degree student will be supervised by at least one teaching staff of the Department.

Study Period

Students are required to complete their studies, including the submission of their theses, within the below stipulated study periods.

Degree Period of Study (year)
Full-time Part-time
MPhil 2 4
PhD 4 8

Admission

Admission applications should be sent directly to Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies. For admission details, please refer to the below websites. To apply on-line, please click Apply Now.

Research Proposal
Although the submission of research proposal is not compulsory, applicant is encouraged to provide a few-page proposal on the topic you intend to study, and how you want to approach the problem. Inclusion of details of your plan and a reference list would be helpful too.

Admission Handbook - Research Degree Programmes (Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies)

It provides information about entrance requirements, English proficiency requirements, application procedures, tuition fees, financial supports and scholarships.

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme

Applications

Applications are accepted throughout the year and will be considered mainly in one admission round. The application deadline for 2023 entry is 1 December 2022 at noon (Hong Kong time or GMT +8 hours) and the application results will be announced in March 2023.

For application procedures, please visit Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies website.

Note: Applicants do not need to contact individual professors before applying.

Scholarships

Entrance Scholarships

Scholarships are available for government-funded research students:

  • Postgraduate Studentships (Basic Rate: HK$17,510/month for 2022-2023)*
  • Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies Scholarships (to cover student's tuition and on-campus hostel accommodation fees in first year of study)
  • Research Tuition Scholarship (in the form of an exemption for students from paying tuition fees)
  • Conference Grant (HK$10,000 maximum)*
  • Research Activities Fund (HK$30,000 maximum)*

​* Subject to revision every year

Awards offered by Department of Economics & Finance

  • The Best Summer Paper Awards to Junior Ph.D. Students (HK$5,000/award)
  • EF PhD Studentship Extension Sponsorship (maximum 10-month studentships during extended study period) (subject to fundng and approval)

 

Current Research Students and Specializations (2022 cohort and before)

Current Research Students Research Specializations Supervisors
APPIANIN Benjamin Empirical Asset Pricing

Dr XU Zhengyang /   

Prof WANG Junbo

ASAMOAH Prince Elvis Empirical Asset Pricing; Mutual funds Prof LI Tao
BARTOLUCCI Andrea Empirical Asset Pricing Prof MA Yue
BEI Zeyun Financial Risk Management and Asset Pricing Dr QI Yaxuan
CHAN Otto Attribution on hedge fund outperformance Prof LI Tao 
EFFAH Ebenezer Corporate Finance Dr QI Yaxuan
FAN Yueqi Entrepreneurial Finance, Venture Capital and Innovation Prof WANG Junbo
FANG Mengyi Corporate Finance; Financial Theory Dr QI Yaxuan
HU Zhen Qi Macro Finance and Monetary Economics Dr LI Tao
HUI Tianlin TBC Dr DU Du
JIE Yongshi Asset Pricing Prof. MA Yue
LIAO Xiaojie Empirical Corporate Finance Dr. HSHIEH Shenje
LIU Hao Financial Risk Management and Asset Pricing Prof WANG Junbo
LIU Mengjuan Empirical Asset Pricing Prof WANG Junbo
LIU Zhou Empirical Asset Pricing Prof. WANG Junbo
NIU Yuanye Asset Pricing Prof LI Tao
OBUOBI Nathaniel Kwapong Sustainable Energy Finance and Corporate Governance Dr. ZHAO Shan
PAN Jun Asset Pricing and Financial Risk Dr. CUI Liyuan
SAYADYAN Anna Asset Pricing Dr DU Du
TU Kerui Asset Pricing Dr Du Du
WANG Shengyu Machine Learning, Credit Market and Empirical Asset Pricing Prof. WANG Junbo
WU Bingxuan Empirical Corporate Finance and Corporate Governance Dr ZHAO Shan
WU Liyang Asset Pricing Dr. HSHIEH Shenje
XIONG Chenyu Empirical Corporate Finance and Corporate Governance Prof MA Yue / Dr LIU Will
YAN Han Corporate Finance Dr WU Di Woody
YANG Jiangshan Asset pricing and Financial Econometrics Dr. CUI Liyuan
YANG Li Hai Asset Pricing (Theoretical and Empirical) and Derivative Market Dr WU Di Woody
YU Minfeng Corporate Finance Dr. ZHANG Lei
YUAN Ruiqi Corporate Finance Dr. ZHANG Lei
ZHANG Zhiyu Institutional Investors, Empirical Asset Pricing and Innovation Dr. ZHANG Lei
ZHOU Ye TBC Prof WANG Junbo
ZHU Yabei Empirical Asset Pricing and Derivatives Dr LI Tao


Exchange Programme

Exchange opportunities are offered to our PhD students to visit the University of California, Santa Cruz.