Overview

 

King Saud University has been proactive in the service of the Saudi society and a leading provider of graduate programs in scientific disciplines and interdisciplinary Humanities. In this context, the College of Business Administration (College of Administrative Sciences earlier) set up  a Master of Science in Accounting in 1405 AH. Since then, the accounting department continue to provide the program with high efficiency and to graduate qualified students who have occupied senior positions in both the academic and professional fields, which gave the program an excellent reputation throughout the kingdom, and this is pride of the department.

The Department of Accounting gained through more than a quarter of a century cumulative and extensive experience in the field of Graduate Studies, Which makes it eligible to establish a program for PhD in Accounting, taking advantage of its previous vast experience and human and material resources available. The importance of establishing such a program comes from the urgent need imposed by the growing numbers of graduates of master's program at King Saud University and similar programs at other universities and the desire of many of them to continue their higher studies in the Kingdom, In addition to the growing demand from Saudi universities and their need for highly qualified and distinguished staff. The Department of Accounting hopes this program to effectively contribute in achieving the objectives of the Strategic Plan of the University to assume a prominent place in the world in terms of academic quality and to meet the needs of social and economic development in the Kingdom.

 

 

Objectives

 

Mission

The program's mission could be summarized in qualifying the elite male and female students who have the necessary capabilities to serve as teaching and research staff in Saudi and Arab universities, institutes and research centers, and take leadership positions in government bodies and the business sector, and develop their capabilities to contribute to the development of accounting professionally and academically.

 

Objectives

The objectives of the Ph.D. program in accounting are as follows:

1. Graduate cadres who can constructively contribute to the development of accounting thought and upgrade the standard of the accounting profession, whether in the areas of teaching and research in universities and institutes of higher education in research centers, or in leadership positions in government bodies and business.

2. Provide the accounting departments in Saudi and Gulf universities with qualified staff.

3. Upgrade the standard of scientific research and academic studies in accounting particularly in its applied side.

4. fulfill the responsibility of the university to the community by providing male and female students the opportunity to study for a doctorate and qualifying them scientifically and professionally in the field of accounting.

 

 

Admission

 

The postgraduate committee at the department of accounting supervises the PhD. program  from the stage of admission till granting recommendation for a student the PhD degree. This committee examines applications and file its recommendations separately for every applicant. Admission for both male and female students is to be made on the first semester every year.

Admission conditions:

1. Student should have BSC degree and Master degree in accounting from King Saud university or equivalent with a GPA not less than very good. Students not specialized in accounting may be admitted and each case will be reviewed separately.

2. Student should have passed TOFEL with 550 points at least (or 80 points with TOEFL internet-based), or passed IELTS with 6.5 points at least.

3. Student should pass an interview held by the department. An oral and written exam may be held depend upon the decision of the department.

4. Student should pass the GMAT Test.

5. The department may ask the student to successfully pass some complementary courses as a condition for admission according to article 18 of the of Saudi universities postgraduate studies unified statute.

 

Program General Frame

 

The general frame of the PhD program includes the study of number of courses in the specialization and other subsidiary specializations. A comprehensive exam will be set for the student following the completion of the courses and the student has to submit his research proposal in a topic that approved by the department.

As the main elements of the PhD study is to develop student’s teaching and research capabilities, the student’s progress in the program is identified by the extent of his academic and research qualification and not just by his study of courses. The program includes intensive interaction between faculty members and students. Students are supposed to take part in the seminars organized by the department and to teach some courses for BSC students.

The department council assign an academic counselor for each student who is to guide student and assist him throughout his study period like selecting the thesis topic, preparation of proposal according to the basis approved by the postgraduate deanery council and within the provisions of article 41 of the postgraduate studies statute.

 

The courses required

Courses required for the Ph.D. program in Business Administration are as follows:

1. Basic Pre-requisites.

2. Doctoral Courses.

 

Basic Pre-requisites:

The Program defines basic Pre-requisites that student should have passed successfully before joining the program. Taking into account the regulations set by the postgraduate studies statute, the department may require the student to pass a number of other basic Pre-requisites before to start the study of PHD courses. The department may also offset any accounting course the applicant has successfully passed before applying for admission to the program with an accounting course of the basic Pre-requisites, provided that it is in the same level of the accounting course of the basic Pre-requisites.

Basic Pre-requisites include the following:

 

 

Course Code	Course Name	No. of Units
QUA 502	Statistics in Business Admin	3
ECON 503	Managerial Economics	3
BUS 511	Organizational behavior	3
BUS 521	Financial management	3
ACCT 510	Advanced studies in financial reporting	3
ACCT 522	Cost management strategies	3
ACCT 540	Studies in the auditing and professional services	3

 

 

Doctoral Courses:

The courses required for the Ph.D program in accounting are classified in three main groups:

1. Research and statistics analysis skills (15 units).

2. Core specialization courses in accounting (15 units).

3. Subsidiary specialization courses (12 units).

 

Research and statistical analysis skills:

In order to acquire research and statistics analysis skills, student shall successfully pass 18 units in the following courses:

Course Code	Course Name	No. of Units
ECON  608	Econometrics	3
QUA 608	Advanced Business Statistics	3
ECON 609	Financial Econometrics	3
QUA 609	Applied Multivariate Analysis	3
BA 698	Seminar in Advanced  Research Design	3
Total		15 Units

 

 

Core specialization courses in accounting

All student registered in the program shall successfully pass 15 units in advanced courses in accounting. The courses are as follows:

Course Code	Course Name	No. of Units
ACCT 630	Studies in Zakat & Tax Accounting	3
ACCT 640	Research in Accounting Theory	3
ACCT  650	Seminar in Empirical Research in Accounting	3
ACCT 660	Seminar in Analytical Research in Accounting	3
ACCT 670	Seminar in Behavioral Research In Accounting	3
Total		15 Units

 

 

The study of core specialization subjects, financial accounting, management accounting, tax and Zakat accounting, and auditing, is carried out according to three methods of research, behavioral research, empirical research and analytical research.

 

Subsidiary specialization courses:

Student shall complete the following subsidiary courses, 12 units (four courses).

Course Code	Course Name	No. of Units
ECON 606	Advanced Economic Analysis	3
FIN 611	Theory of Finance Theory	3
FIN 614	Seminar in  Corporate Finance	3
MGT 622	Corporate Governance	3
Total		12 Units

 

 

 

Presenting the Ph.D. program in accounting

 

After taking prior approval of the Graduate School of the program for each student, the program will be presented in accordance with the following semesters:

Hrs	Semester (1)
3	Research and statistics analysis skills course
3	Subsidiary specialization course
3	Subsidiary specialization course
12	total

 

 

Hrs	Semester (2)
3	Research and statistics analysis skills course
3	Research and statistics analysis skills course
3	ACCT 630– Studies in Zakat & Tax Accounting
12	total

 

 

Hrs	Semester (3)
3	Research and statistics analysis skills course
3	Subsidiary specialization course
3	ACCT 640–  Research in Accounting Theory
12	total

 

 

Hrs	Semester (4)
3	Research and statistics analysis skills course
3	Subsidiary specialization course
3	ACCT 660-   Seminar in  Analytical Research in Accounting
12	total

 

 

Hrs	Semester (5)
3	ACCT 670- Seminar in Behavioral Research In Accounting
3	ACCT  650- Seminar in Empirical Research in Accounting
6	total

 

 

Evaluation of Student after the end of first year

By the end of the first year after student registration, the postgraduate committee in cooperation with the student’s academic supervisor shall evaluate the student’s performance, progress and identifies weakness points in order to guide him to solve any difficulties facing him.

 

Comprehensive Exam

Student should obtain GPA not less than very good following the end of the prescribed hours of the program. A comprehensive exam should be held for the student under the supervision of a committee assigned by the department according to the rules approved by the postgraduate deanery. This should take place prior to the registration of the thesis. The exam consists of two parts: written and oral. The comprehensive exam has to cover both key specialization and subsidiary one and afterwards the student will be considered as a PhD candidate. If he fails in the comprehensive exam or in one of its parts, he is to treated according to the postgraduate statute.

 

Thesis

After he passes the comprehensive oral and written exam, student has to present a proposal for his PhD. After approved by the department, the thesis shall be registered and a supervisor (s) shall be nominated during two semesters from the student’s passing of the comprehensive exam to the latest. Duration from registration of the thesis topic to presenting it by the supervisor to the department council, to form an arbitration committee, should not be less than four semesters and not more than six semesters ending with the supervisor’s report and then the thesis is to be discussed in public.  

After passing 50% of the prescribed courses, student may present his proposed thesis topic and the proposal to the department. If approved, the department’s council has to suggest a supervisor and forward its recommendations to the college council for approval and the postgraduate deanery shall be notified. Student shall not be considered as a PhD candidate unless he finishes the prescribed courses and passes the comprehensive exam according to article (35) of the university postgraduate statute. Then, the student register the course ACCT 700 (doctoral dissertation) during the preparation of the dissertation.

 

Summary of the Ph.D. program in accounting

 

 

Stage	Requirements
Pre-accession requirements	Master of Science degree in accounting or its equivalent, as amended by courses  determined by the department.
Program Courses	Research and statistics analysis skills (15 units). Core specialization courses in accounting (15 units). Subsidiary specialization courses (12 units).
Comprehensive Exam	Written exam and oral exam
Thesis	Registration of the thesis topic during the three Semesters  of the date of passing the Comprehensive Exam. Duration from registration of the thesis topic to presenting it by the supervisor to the department council, to form an arbitration committee, should not be less than four semesters and not more than six semesters ending with the supervisor’s report and then the thesis is to be discussed in public.

 

 

Description of Core specialization courses

 

ACCT 630– Studies in Zakat & Tax Accounting (3 Hrs):                                     

The course covers theoretical and applied research specialized in the Zakat and tax of corporations according to Saudi regulations, the course aims to analyze and interpret research Zakat and tax as well as design research in these areas.

 

ACCT 640–  Research in Accounting Theory (3 Hrs):

The course aims to deepen student's understanding of scientific research areas in accounting theory, intellectual frameworks, accounting standards, and areas of accounting choices and their implications on the accounting reports and firm decisions through a survey, analysis and interpretation of specialized research in the financial accounting theory, the course also addresses different approaches for building accounting  theories.    

 

ACCT  650- Seminar in Empirical Research in Accounting (3 Hrs):   

The course aims to survey, analyze, and interpret financial accounting research related to the role of accounting information in capital markets and the models for accounting information impact on investors decisions, and assist the student to benefit from the financial and economic theories in how to design, test and interpret research in the relationship between accounting information and the investors decisions in the capital market .    

 

 ACCT 660-  Seminar in Analytical Research in Accounting (3 Hrs):

The course aims to develop the analytical skills of students through a survey and analysis and interpretation of analytical studies, and the development of the student's ability to build analytical models in the framework of management accounting topics.   

 

  ACCT 670 Seminar in Behavioral Research In Accounting (3Hrs):   

The course deals with Issuing opinion and decision-making research, particularly in auditing, which aims to deepen student's understanding of experimental research content and their designs and applications in auditing, and scientific theories governing the behavior of accountants and auditors in the process of decision-making and Issuing opinion.

 

seventh: Description of other  specializations courses

 

ECON 606- Advanced Economic Analysis (3 Units)

This course covers in a wide extent topics related to micro-economic theory like Market Structures, imperfect Competition, Game Theory, Oligopoly, Strategic Behavior, Welfare and General Equilibrium Theories, Risk and Uncertainty, and Externalities and Market Factures, It also discusses certain topics related to macro-economic theory such as Consumption, Investment and Unemployment, Monetary Policy, Inflation and Price Setting, Growth theories and Business Cycle Theories.

 

ECON 608- Econometrics  (3 Units)

Topics that will be covered in this course include: estimation and inference in linear regression models; heteroskedasticity; autocorrelation; instrumental variables; generalized method of moments; models with limited dependent variables, time series models; panel data models; simultaneous equation models.

 

ECON 609 – Financial Econometrics  (3 Units)

          Topics covered in this course include: univariate time series modeling and forecasting in finance; multivariate models; VAR models; modeling long-run relationships; autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ARCH) models; volatility and correlation; switching models; seasonalities in financial markets. Prerequisite; ECON 608.

 

QUA 609 Applied Multivariate Data Analysis (3 Units)

          This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of the concepts underlying multivariate techniques with an overview of actual applications in business. Topics covered in this course: review of matrix theory, univariate normal, t, chi-squared and F distributions, and multivariate normal distributions. Inference about multivariate means, Hotline's T2, multivariate analysis of variance, multivariate regression, and multivariate repeated measures. Inference about covariance structure, principal components, factor analysis, and canonical correlation, Multivariate classical techniques, discriminate and cluster analysis, measures of validity and reliability, Pre-requisite: …. 608   

 

 Fin614 – Seminar in Corporate Finance (3 Units)

  This course aims at introducing the students to academic research in corporate finance. The emphasis is on theoretical research that studies the firm’s choice of its capital structure and dividend policy in settings characterized by moral hazard and asymmetric information. Other areas covered in this course include, corporate control contests, mergers and acquisitions. Initial public offerings, financial distress and security design. The student analyses and evaluates research studies conducted in this field.

 

FIN 611-Theory of Finance (3 Units)

          This course covers a wide range of topics in theoretical corporate finance. Topics include tax approach to explain corporate financial decisions, agenc conflicts in the firm, asymmetric information, optimal financial contracting, the market for corporate control, the signaling theory and asset pricing applications to corporate finance among others, The primary focus is on how asymmetric information, agency conflicts, strategic interactions, and incomplete contracting affect corporate financial decision making. The course aims both to familiarize students with influential papers and current research, and to promote new research ideas in the area.

 

MGt 622-Corporate Governance (3 Units)

          Every business activity is affected by the issues of corporate governance and social responsibility. This course will examine how modern corporations are governed and to whom they should be responsible. The course will discuss the effects of legistation on corporate governance and examines both best practices and some of the high profile examples of companies that have been criticized because of poor corporate governance and lax policies that do not protect the interest of employees, customers, and the firms brand value. Consideration is also given to international comparisons of corporate governance structures and legal issues arising in contests for corporate control.

 

BA 698-Seminar in Advanced Research Design (3 Units)

      This course discusses advanced research techniques and designs and their applications to business problems, and contributes to developing the student's skills in preparing the dissertation proposal. The course objectives include developing the student's ability to: 1) acquire advanced research techniques in business administration, 2) identity a research area of interest, 3) conduct a literature review, 4) form research questions and operational hypotheses, 5) develop a research design, and 6) delineate a data analysis and interpretation plan. Prerequisite: BUS 598.