CUNY(The City University of New York)

What you'll study

This PhD programme is structured around advanced coursework, specialised seminars and an original research dissertation. Early stages concentrate on core research skills including microeconomic and macroeconomic theory (as appropriate to your field), quantitative methods and econometrics, research design, and academic writing. After completing core requirements, students move into advanced seminars and independent research in their chosen specialism—examples include corporate finance, asset pricing, financial econometrics, managerial economics, organisational behaviour, strategic management, marketing science, consumer behaviour, tax and audit research, and accounting theory.

Throughout the programme you will participate in departmental and school-wide research seminars, present work-in-progress, and often co-author papers with faculty. The culmination is a publishable doctoral dissertation based on original empirical or theoretical research. Students typically undertake teaching and research assistantships as part of their training, gaining experience in lecturing, grading and supervising undergraduate projects.

Entry requirements

Applicants normally hold a strong undergraduate degree; a relevant master’s degree (for example MA, MSc, MPhil, MBA) is commonly preferred but not always mandatory if the applicant demonstrates exceptional preparation. Successful candidates typically have significant preparation in quantitative methods, economics, statistics or related fields; for some specialisations prior coursework in accounting, finance or management is expected.

• Academic transcripts demonstrating high academic achievement.
• A clear research statement outlining your interests and potential dissertation topics.
• Letters of recommendation from academic referees familiar with your research potential.
• A writing sample or prior research project (published work is an advantage).
• Standardised test scores (GRE or GMAT) may be requested or recommended depending on the department and the applicant’s background.
• Proof of English proficiency for non-native speakers, where applicable.

Selection is competitive and considers research potential, fit with faculty expertise, and availability of supervision and funding. Conditional offers may include requirements to complete preparatory coursework before full admission into the doctoral track.

Career prospects

Graduates from this programme go on to careers in academic teaching and research at universities globally, often securing roles as assistant professors in business schools and economics departments. Others move into high-level research positions in industry—such as quantitative finance, data science, management consulting—or join research teams in public policy institutions, central banks and international organisations. The methodological training also prepares graduates for leadership roles in corporate research, analytics, and strategy functions where rigorous empirical and theoretical skills are prized.

Doctoral alumni typically pursue publication in peer-reviewed journals, build research networks through conferences, and may continue on postdoctoral or visiting positions before taking up permanent academic posts.

Why study at CUNY(The City University of New York)

Studying at CUNY gives access to a large, diverse public research university system located in New York City, with strengths across multiple campuses and business-focused schools. Students benefit from faculty with active research portfolios, interdisciplinary collaborations across economics, public policy, finance and urban studies, and proximity to major financial, corporate and public-sector organisations for empirical work and applied collaborations.

Doctoral students typically receive structured mentoring, opportunities to teach and gain pedagogical experience, and access to extensive library, data and computing resources. The university’s location and network provide strong opportunities for professional development, guest seminars by practitioners and researchers, and placement support for academic and non-academic careers.