PhD in Finance
Examine financial authority.
Advance responsible governance.
Explore how capital, incentives and institutional decisions shape organisations, markets and public trust. Develop an original contribution to financial governance scholarship through faculty-guided doctoral research.
Program Facts
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Finance at Monarch Switzerland is a fully online, part-time doctoral programme offered through Monarch Global Research Institute, with a standard duration of 36 months. Designed for experienced professionals and aspiring researchers, it enables doctoral study alongside a career without the need to relocate.
- Institution
- Monarch Switzerland
- Department
- Monarch Global Research Institute
- Award
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Finance
- Study Mode
- Fully Online
- Standard Duration
- 36 Months
- Study Format
- Part-Time
- Designed For
- Experienced Professionals and Aspiring Researchers
- Residency
- No Relocation Required
- Language
- English
- Institution Location
- Switzerland
This doctoral program may be completed fully online, including the doctoral defence. No relocation is required. Candidates may select an in-person doctoral defence when offered by Monarch.
An extended-duration pathway is available. Completion depends on research progress and fulfilment of the programme’s academic requirements.
Beyond the models.
Understand the decisions they shape.
How is financial authority structured, exercised and held accountable—and what does this mean for institutions and society?
The PhD in Finance examines finance as an institutional decision-making structure. Capital allocation, executive incentives, risk oversight and regulatory design shape corporate conduct, strategic direction and long-term stewardship. They also influence public confidence and the legitimacy of financial systems.
Monarch’s approach privileges qualitative inquiry and interpretive depth. Candidates examine the experiences and judgments of executives, board members, regulators, institutional investors and policymakers. Quantitative tools may be incorporated where appropriate to the research question, supporting a broader understanding of governance rather than becoming ends in themselves.
For scholars with institutional questions.
The programme is suited to experienced professionals in banking, corporate finance, investment management and financial oversight, alongside researchers interested in the relationship between financial authority, accountability and societal expectations.
Research with institutional depth.
Your research question and scope are refined with faculty during the proposal phase. Potential areas include:
Capital stewardship
How capital allocation and investment priorities shape corporate purpose, institutional resilience and long-term value.
Boards and executive incentives
The relationship between oversight, compensation design, fiduciary responsibility and strategic judgment.
Banking and regulation
How regulatory architecture and institutional design influence financial conduct, oversight and accountability.
Risk and institutional resilience
The governance assumptions embedded in risk frameworks and the distribution of financial responsibility.
Quantitative systems and authority
How algorithmic models and automated allocation processes shape institutional decisions and financial authority.
Public trust and legitimacy
The relationship between financial decision-making, transparency, societal expectations and confidence in markets.
From professional insight
to scholarly contribution.
Governance mastery
Critically evaluate capital allocation systems, board oversight, regulatory structures and institutional accountability.
Institutional analysis
Examine how incentives, risk frameworks and regulatory constraints shape strategic judgment and organisational behaviour.
Research design
Develop rigorous qualitative, comparative or mixed-method inquiry suited to governance-centred financial questions.
Ethical reflection
Assess fiduciary responsibility, executive judgment and the societal implications of financial leadership.
Scholarly communication
Develop advanced academic writing and communicate conceptually rigorous research for scholarly discussion and publication.
Independent contribution
Build the intellectual independence to contribute original knowledge to financial governance and institutional decision-making.
Five stages.
One sustained inquiry.
Individual supervision and formal academic review guide your progress from research preparation to an original dissertation and oral defence.
Preparation
Develop grounding in the philosophy of inquiry, research design, academic writing and governance-centred reasoning.
Proposal
Define your question, theoretical framework, literature gap and intended contribution with faculty guidance.
Research
Conduct sustained institutional inquiry through appropriate conceptual, comparative, qualitative or policy-oriented methods.
Dissertation
Integrate findings and interpretations into an original, methodologically coherent scholarly contribution.
Defence
Present and defend your research, argument and contribution before the Review Committee.
Designed for professional scholars.
A flexible, primarily remote format supports research alongside professional responsibilities. Optional on-site scholarly workshops complement ongoing supervision and access to Monarch’s research community.
The M.Phil. pathway.
Master-in-Passing
Candidates who successfully complete all doctoral requirements are awarded the M.Phil. in Research in passing upon conferral of the PhD, recognising mastery of research design, theoretical synthesis and analytical competence.
Master-in-Exit
Candidates concluding before PhD completion may qualify for an M.Phil. in Research as a terminal award by submitting a completed five-chapter master’s dissertation and satisfying the relevant academic requirements. This does not require an original contribution to knowledge.
Bring your preparation.
Define your research ambition.
Applicants normally hold a recognised master’s degree in finance, economics, political economy or a related field and demonstrate the capacity for independent, critical and reflective research. Experience in research, teaching, regulatory practice or policy analysis is advantageous but not required.
Applicants holding a bachelor’s degree in finance with a record of high academic achievement may also be considered on the Dean’s recommendation where their preparation is sufficient for doctoral study.
Two timelines.
One scholarly standard.
Select a pace that aligns with your professional responsibilities. Both pathways retain the same supervision standards and degree outcomes.
Standard pathway · 36 months
A structured three-year research pathway supporting sustained progress through the doctoral milestones.
Extended pathway · 60 months
A five-year pathway offering a more gradual pace alongside professional and personal commitments.
Technical expertise.
Governance-centred inquiry.
Mr. Werner Vermeulen
PhD in Finance candidate · South Africa / United States
Werner entered the programme with experience in international asset management and financial engineering, including work at QuantConnect and WorldQuant. His background spans quantitative research, algorithmic strategy development and data-driven investment design.
His doctoral inquiry examines the governance implications of quantitative systems: how algorithms, risk models and automated capital allocation influence institutional decisions and the distribution of financial authority.
He holds an MSc in Financial Engineering from WorldQuant University, a postgraduate certificate from Edinburgh Business School and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of South Africa.
What financial question
deserves deeper inquiry?
Speak with Monarch about your research interests, academic preparation and the PhD in Finance pathway.