Hagey Hall Hub located on Waterloo's main campus
If you’re highly motivated with a high degree of intellectual curiosity and interested in conducting independent research and generating new knowledge, the PhD in Accounting program is right for you. Through the program, which is the largest accounting PhD program in Canada, you’ll combine substantive knowledge of an area of accounting (auditing and assurance, financial accounting, management accounting, and taxation) with in-depth knowledge of a base discipline and associated research methods. You’ll be prepared for a successful career in academia, with over 90% of our graduates obtaining tenure-track university positions upon leaving Waterloo.
Research areas and degree options
- Empirical/Archival Research in Accounting
- Judgement and Decision-Making
Program overview
Department/School: School of Accounting and Finance
Faculty: Faculty of Arts
Admit term(s): Fall (September - December)
Delivery mode: On-campus
Program type: Doctoral, Research
Length of program: 48 months (full-time)
Registration option(s): Full-time
Study option(s): Thesis
Application deadlines
- January 15 (For admission in September. There is only one admit term - fall)
Key contacts
Admission limitations
Due to funding restrictions, the Faculty of Arts is currently limiting the number of international students we can admit. Please contact the department's Associate Chair, Graduate Studies prior to applying to discuss your interest in this program.
Supervisors
- Review the finding a supervisor resources
- Note that Supervisors are assigned after the successful completion of the comprehensive examination.
Admission requirements
- Successful completion of a Master's degree or Honour's Bachelor's degree with at least an 80% average
- Students from various backgrounds, including economics, mathematics, statistics, behavioural science, and related disciplines are encouraged to apply. Admission will not be confined to those with a background in accounting, commerce, or business administration
Degree requirements
- Review the degree requirements in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree
- Check out Waterloo's institutional thesis repository - UWspace to see recent submissions from the School of Accounting and Finance graduate students
Application materials
- Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
- Resume
- Supplementary information form (SIF)
- The SIF contains questions specific to your program, typically about why you want to enrol and your experience in that field. Review the application documents web page for more information about this requirement
- If a statement or letter is required by your program, review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion
- Transcripts
- References
- Three academic references are required
- Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
- TOEFL 100 (writing 26, speaking 26), IELTS 7.5 (writing 7.0, speaking 7.0)
Tuition and fees
- Visit the graduate program tuition page on the Finance website to determine the tuition and incidental fees per term for your program
- Review the living costs and housing
- Review the funding graduate school resources for graduate students