Program Overview
Overview of the Accounting Department
The Accounting Department at the University of Connecticut offers various programs, including undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as a Ph.D. program. The department is committed to providing students with a high-quality education and preparing them for successful careers in accounting.
Undergraduate Degree
The undergraduate degree in accounting provides students with a comprehensive education in accounting principles, theories, and practices. The program includes courses in financial accounting, managerial accounting, taxation, and auditing, as well as electives in areas such as accounting information systems and international accounting.
- Overview
- Plans of Study
- Student Resources
- VITA Program
MS in Accounting
The MS in Accounting program is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills in accounting, preparing them for careers in public accounting, industry, or government. The program includes courses in financial accounting, managerial accounting, taxation, and auditing, as well as electives in areas such as accounting information systems and international accounting.
- Overview
- Courses
- Request Information
- Apply Today
Graduate Certificates
The Accounting Department offers graduate certificates in Accounting Analytics and Accounting Fundamentals. These certificates provide students with specialized knowledge and skills in specific areas of accounting, preparing them for careers in industry or government.
- Accounting Analytics
- Accounting Fundamentals
Ph.D. Program
The Ph.D. program in Accounting is designed to prepare students for careers in academia and research. The program includes coursework in accounting theory, research methods, and statistics, as well as original research in accounting under the supervision of a faculty advisor.
- Overview
- Curriculum
- Request Information
- Apply Today
- Ph.D. Students
- Alumni
Research Areas
Faculty in the Accounting Department conduct research in a variety of areas, including accounting standards-setting, analyst activities, auditing, corporate financial reporting issues, internal controls, mergers and acquisitions, taxes and business decisions, and tax policy.
Recent News
Recent news and achievements of the Accounting Department include:
- After Receiving Internship Offers From The Big Four, Accounting Alumna Isabella Williams ’25 Is Thriving at PwC
- Accounting Professor George Plesko Wins Award for Excellence in Community Engaged Scholarship
- Commencement Speaker: Servant Leadership Distinguishes Top Companies, Stellar Executives from the Rest
- Ask the experts – Frank Murphy
Quick Links
- A-Z Index
- Undergraduate Student Resources
- VITA Program
- Contact
Department Head
The Department Head of the Accounting Department is George Plesko, who is also a professor of accounting. His office is located in BUSN 417.
Ph.D. Program Details
The Ph.D. program in Accounting is designed to engage students in top-quality scholarly research and to take faculty positions at leading universities upon graduation. The curriculum focuses on economics-based, empirical research in accounting, with particular emphasis on capital markets, audit, and tax. Students are prepared to conduct original research of accounting issues using economic theories and archival methods.
Overview
The Ph.D. program in Accounting is a comprehensive program that includes coursework, research, and original research under the supervision of a faculty advisor.
Curriculum
The curriculum of the Ph.D. program in Accounting includes courses in accounting theory, research methods, and statistics, as well as electives in areas such as accounting information systems and international accounting.
Request Information
For more information about the Ph.D. program in Accounting, please contact the Accounting Department.
Apply Today
To apply to the Ph.D. program in Accounting, please submit an application through the University of Connecticut's online application portal.
Ph.D. Students
The Ph.D. program in Accounting has a strong cohort of students who are conducting original research in accounting under the supervision of faculty advisors.
Alumni
Recent Ph.D. graduates from the Accounting Department have published in top-tier accounting journals and have presented their research at national and international conferences.
Recent Achievements
Recent achievements of Ph.D. students and alumni include:
- Adrienne DePaul, ’25 Ph.D., published a paper in the Journal of Accounting and Economics on her paper co-authored with UConn faculty Frank Murphy and University of Illinois at Chicago faculty Mary Vernon.
- Kangkang Zhang, 25 Ph.D., presented her dissertation at the 2024 Rutgers Accounting Doctoral Symposium and received the Best Paper Award and the Best Presenter Award.
- Minah Lee, a current Ph.D. candidate, had a paper selected for the 2025 Contemporary Accounting Research conference, co-authored with UConn faculty Todd Kravet, UConn alumni Youree Kim, and LaSalle University faculty Tom Adams.
- Tuan Doan, a current Ph.D. student, presented his paper at the Fifth Annual Labor and Accounting Group Conference at Stanford University, co-authored with UConn faculty Steven Utke, Ying Zhou, and Youli Zhou.
- Adrienne DePaul, a recent Ph.D. alumni, presented her paper at The University of North Carolina’s 28th Annual Tax Symposium, co-authored with UConn faculty Frank Murphy, current UConn PhD student Samantha Liew, and North Carolina State University faculty Nathan Goldman.
Deloitte Fellowship
In three of the last four years, a UConn accounting Ph.D. candidate received the prestigious Deloitte Fellowship. The $25,000 fellowship is awarded each year to the top 10 accounting Ph.D. students in the country.
- Kangkang Zhang, a current Ph.D. candidate, received the Deloitte Fellowship in 2024.
- Ilona M. Bastiaansen ’23 Ph.D., received the Deloitte Fellowship in 2022.
- Trent Krupa ’22 Ph.D., received the Deloitte Fellowship in 2021.