Ph.D in Banking and Finance

The Ph.D in Banking and Finance (Dottorato di Ricerca in Banca e Finanza) trains doctoral candidates for careers in academic environments, international financial intermediaries, regulatory institutions and financial research centres.

Most of the people holding a Ph.D. in Banking and Finance are currently involved (as professors and lecturers) in leading universities, prestigious research centres, central banks, primary consulting companies and international financial institutions.

The Ph.D. in Banking and Finance is based at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, but the course is offered jointly with the University of Cagliari, the University of Lecce, the “Parthenope” University of Naples, the University of Perugia, the University of Rome III, the LUISS University of Rome, the University of Sassari, the University of Siena, and the LUM University of Casamassima.

The Ph.D. activities are organised over three academic years. In the first year, students attend various courses in banking and all finance areas. Each student must: 1) pass all examinations at the end of each course; 2) participate in a seminar with teaching staff and other PhD students, on a specific banking and finance issue; 3) submit a first research proposal at the end of the year.

In the second year, students are encourage to spend a period of time at overseas universities, research centres, central banks, banks and international companies, according to each student’s research objectives. Each student must: 1) submit a definitive research proposal that is discussed with teaching staff in a specific seminar; 2) submit a paper over the spring (called “spring paper”) reviewing previous literature and making a comparative analysis of various available methodologies and data requirements. All papers are then presented at a specific seminar; 3) submit a second paper over the autumn (called “autumn paper”), outlining the methodology that will be used. All papers are presented at a specific seminar.

In the third year, students focus on the empirical part and on writing their thesis. In the course of this year students present their results to the teaching staff and other students in an intermediate and a final workshop. At the end of the third year, the students take a final oral examination, at which they discuss their Ph.D. thesis.