BYU's Accounting Ph.D. Prep Track grew from a simple observation: students who might thrive in academic research often discover the career late, after their undergraduate curriculum has left little room for the quantitative and research preparation doctoral programs expect.
How the track began
The track has informal roots in the mid-1990s, when accounting professor Doug Prawitt began mentoring students who were curious about academic careers but did not yet understand doctoral study. The School of Accountancy approved the effort in 1996, and it expanded into a formal application, research seminar, and larger cohort in 2000.
In 2002, seven students from that first larger cohort entered accounting doctoral programs at institutions including Stanford, Chicago, and Cornell. BYU later described the model in its School of Accountancy annual reports and alumni magazine, including On Track for a PhD and Creating a Standard in Scholarship.
The durable model
Although program details change, four ideas define the approach:
- Quantitative preparation beyond a typical accounting curriculum.
- Research literacy through reading, discussing, and critiquing accounting research.
- Research apprenticeship through faculty projects and workshop exposure.
- Individual advising about doctoral study, research fit, applications, and academic work.
The program today
Because options, courses, schedules, and contacts change, this site does not reproduce them. See BYU Marriott's official Ph.D. Prep Track page for the current program.
The idea travels
A formal track is convenient, but the preparation can be assembled elsewhere: take rigorous quantitative courses, join a research workshop or reading group, work for a research-active faculty member, and find an adviser who understands accounting doctoral admissions. The seminar and apprenticeship are especially hard to reproduce alone, so ask directly for access rather than waiting for a program to advertise it.