Knowledge is important - learn how to create it

During your bachelor’s education you obtain knowledge. On your master’s you learn how to use knowledge. As a doctoral student at the Department of Accounting and Auditing at Copenhagen Business School you learn how to create knowledge

For those who want to learn to create knowledge and thus add an attractive dimension to their capabilities, the Department of Accounting and Auditing offers a great opportunity. Throughout three years as a doctoral student at the Department of Accounting and Auditing you will have the opportunity to develop skills to design and execute research projects which underlie the knowledge on which the future is built.

You will develop universal skills which are applicable in many different contexts. Therefore a PhD is not only a prerequisite for permanent academic employment at universities, but is also a great advantage in private companies. Furthermore, a PhD has for a long time almost been a requirement in a wide range of positions in international organizations such as the EU, the UN and OECD.

Autonomy and diversity

As a doctoral student you have the opportunity to shape your future as well as your daily life

Within a wide scope you yourself choose the specific topic you want to research as well as the data sources and methods of analysis you want to apply. In other words you will have the opportunity to pursue ideas which suit your interests and abilities. This is obviously important for the skills you acquire and hence your career, but it also affects your everyday life as your choices affect the specific tasks to be performed. It also means that you choose which parts of the department you seek to use and further develop. Finally it means that you choose within which field you want to be a leading expert.

Become part of a professionally strong international environment with a focus on good social relations

The PhD program is for those who want to be part of an international environment where quality and depth of work is paramount

On an equal footing with the other researchers at the department you are expected to contribute with your knowledge, ideas and commitment to a strong academic environment where collaboration and sparring offer great benefits. While your PhD project is carried out by you autonomously, it is possible and most likely beneficial to do parts of the project in cooperation with your supervisor, other researchers at the department or researchers from other universities and other countries.

Accordingly the academic environment is not limited to your office and not even to Denmark but extends beyond borders. In this vein PhD students at the department have had longer stays at universities like New York University, University of Chicago, Manchester Business School and Stanford University. Such stays and participation in international conferences, courses and workshops give you the opportunity to build social and professional networks and experience the world in a professional context.

At the Department of Accounting and Auditing we do not think of each other as competitors but colleagues who have the benefits and pleasure of each other’s presence. Consequently there is a strong tradition of various social events such as Friday morning breakfast, summer and Christmas parties and a series of events initiated by individual department employees. Among these are the PhD students’ dinners and poker nights.