Are you dreaming of a career in finance?
An online PhD program in finance could help you take the next step towards conquering your career goals in business administration or financial management. An online doctorate with Signum Magnum College can help you progress your knowledge of financial markets through the degree program and allow you to develop advanced finance skills.
No matter where you’re at with your financial career, here are our top tips for navigating a doctoral program with ease.
Build a Network in Business Administration
For doctoral students, developing a network is key to establishing opportunities for your career post-doctorate degree. It can be difficult to transition out of the world of academia and into industry, and sharpening your interpersonal skills can make networking easier.
You can do this by talking to people at every level of your preferred industry. For example, speaking to those involved in financial planning as well as others working in nonprofit organizations can broaden your horizons and give you a good idea of what your career path may look like.
Building a solid foundation can help you tread a direct entry into a post-graduate role that will build you a career, and referencing your connections and knowledge in your application documents for roles will only benefit you in the long term.
You can achieve this by attending workshops, seminars and conferences to hone your advanced skills, meet prospective applicants for roles and understand the application process for different roles that are accessible to you after the completion of your studies.
Prioritise Your Personal Wellbeing and Socialise with Doctoral Students
Enrolling in finance programs is a large undertaking for prospective students, so keeping your physical and mental wellbeing in great shape is a surefire way to ensure successful completion of your doctoral degree.
As you will have likely already completed an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree, you’ll no doubt be aware of the importance of strategic planning when it comes to your finance PhD.
You’ll be conducting research independently and be responsible for managing your own workload. If you’re new to online learning, make sure you choose an advisor who has a good track record with working with other students, and has interests and and own research align well with yours.
Don’t forget to meet with other students on your finance program and share business knowledge or simply bond over shared interests. This will give you a well-needed break from your studies and give you the time to concentrate on your other hobbies and interests.
Figure Out Your Area of Special Interest
Whether you’re interested in business administration, financial management, asset pricing, or international financial issues, isolating your area of special interest will assist you with deciding where to focus your dissertation proposal.
By researching extensively and completing work experience in financial institutions, you can find out which business practices you want to pursue, and which paths you need to take to develop your dissertation research for your online doctorate.
Prospective students may wish to develop practical advanced knowledge through work placements relating to their online program, which will help to support their studies.
This may also assist in increasing your median annual salary sooner and help you sail through any admission requirements for your finance PhD.
Completing work placements can also help you with financial planning for your course. Paid work placements will allow you to budget your income throughout your course when you may not have as much time on your hands to work.
If you’re looking into paid work prior to undertaking a program, international students will benefit from the flexibility of online programs, as they offer the unique ability to work prior to, during, and after completing studies without impacting your higher education choices.
Ordinarily, international students work around restrictions imposed by a visa, however, the flexibility of an online PhD in finance means that students work from anywhere in the world without restricting their opportunities.
Some interest areas for a PhD in Finance may include:
Behavioral Finance and Market Anomalies
The art of investigating how psychological factors and cognitive biases affect investment decisions and market outcomes.
Financial Technology (FinTech) and its Impact on Financial Markets
Examining the growth of cryptocurrencies, blockchain and peer-to-peer lending.
Corporate Governance and Firm Performance
Examining the relationship between corporate governance practices and firm performance across different regions and industries.
Risk Management and Financial Derivatives
Researching the role of financial derivatives in managing risk across financial institutions, individuals and firms.
Sustainable Finance and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investing
How ESG investing is increasing, and how this is impacting risk management and portfolio performance.
Supplement Your PhD Program with Published Work
Publication is one of the most important factors of completing online doctorates, and this will greatly aid you in finding employment opportunities after finishing your finance program.
Your scholarly research could be the next groundbreaking and pioneering information used in graduate coursework and finance theory for the next generation of students in business management!
To become a published scholar, you will need to carefully study the different types of publications to work out which format best fits your doctoral program.
You’ll also want to ensure that your research can contribute to the existing discourse in your chosen field and that you have a relevant and clear hypothesis to explore.
The scope of the financial health sector is so large that you’re bound to be able to find a niche to explore in your distance education. If your coursework focuses on an uncharted area, it may receive more recognition than the well trodden path of others before you.
Make Some Lifestyle Changes
As a finance program can be a committed academic decision, you’ll likely need to make some lifestyle changes to keep yourself in optimum health to tackle your online doctorate.
You may also find that making positive lifestyle changes such as joining a gym or changing your diet may also have some secondhand effects like increased concentration, an ability to save money, and better handling of application deadlines for your dream doctoral degree.
Additionally, once their distance education is finished, many students develop an unhealthy lifestyle within financial institutions where they work since many jobs in the financial sector are desk-based, with reduced movement during the working day.
Making lifestyle changes to include better organisation earlier in your academic career will also benefit you. Throughout your bachelor’s and master’s degree, particularly if you’re studying through online courses, you’ll likely encounter many deadlines in a short period of time, and the need to prioritise your wellbeing will become even more important.
Maintain a Healthy Work/Life Balance
Maintaining a healthy work/life balance when studying a PhD can be a challenge. Many students find that their area of study can become an all-encompassing lifestyle whilst they complete their PhD, so ensuring that you can structure your day well will prevent you struggling in the future.
You can achieve this by using calendars, diaries and organisers for strategic planning and managing your time. If you prefer to use digital tools instead, you can find online calendars and note-taking apps to help.
You may also want to watch your diet whilst studying. It can be tempting to snack on fast food and takeaways as they are a great source of instant energy. However, eating too much sugar and fat can lead to blood sugar spikes and crashes, which can leave you with less energy than you began with!
Instead, try stocking up on fresh fruit, wholewheat pasta, yoghurt, meat and nuts and pulses for a well-rounded diet, and try and get some exercise. Stretching your legs regularly away from your desk will improve your cardiovascular health and keep your mental health stable for longer.
Are you looking to further your career in financial management with the best online doctorates?
Contact Signum Magnum College today for the best online programs to supplement your higher education.