Ph.D in Risk Management & Insurance
Temple University's Fox School of Business and Managment offers a comprehensive doctorate in Business Adminstration. The Ph.D. in Risk, Insurance, and Healthcare is one of seven primary specializations under this program.
Admission to the Ph.D. Program
Admission requirements to the Ph.D. program in Business Administration follow the general requirements established by the Graduate School at Temple University. (Please see the Graduate School Bulletin, and the Ph.D. in Business Administration web page.)
Applicants to the Ph.D. program must take the GMAT. Successful candidates generally have scores in the following percentile ranges:
- Quantitative, 85 - 99
- Verbal, 75 - 99.
International students who have not received a degree from an American university must also take the TOEFL exam, and successful candidates generally have scores of 600 or above.
You may apply on-line at the following web site: http://webserv.adminsvc.temple.edu/gradapp/.
Financial aid information is available at: http://mdev.temple.edu/gradschool/prospective/finances/index.asp.
International students should consult the Office of International Services for more detailed information at: http://www.temple.edu/OIS/.
Once you have made an application to Temple, you may contact the Fox School's Ph.D. Programs Admissions Office at (215) 204-3911 to inquire into the status of your application.
A comprehensive description of graduation requirements for the Ph.D. in Business Administration is provided by the Ph.D. Handbook.
For More Information
For additional information and an application for the Ph.D. with specialization in Risk, Insurance, and Healthcare, please contact:
J. David Cummins, Ph.D.
617 Alter Hall (006-07)
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA 19122
Telephone: (215) 204-8468
Fax: (215) 204-4712
Email: cummins@temple.edu
Ph.D. Seminars in Risk, Insurance, and Healthcare
RIHM 9001. Seminar in Property-Liability Insurance Markets. (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: Approval of the department.
In this course, economic, financial, and legal research issues
in property-liability insurance are examined. Economic issues explored
include (but are not limited to) corporate demand for insurance,
domestic and international underwriting cycles, risk classification,
and adverse selection. Coverage of pricing, profits, and regulation
of insurers explicitly incorporate financial principles, including
option pricing, discounted cash-flow ratemaking methods, and the
capital asset pricing model. Legal issues focus on liability principles
and tort reform. Students will learn institutional features of
property-liability insurance to the extent necessary to interpret
the research covered.
RIHM 9002. Seminar in Life and Employee Benefits. (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: Approval of the department.
A workshop approach is used to study the financial aspects of retirement
plans, the macroeconomics aspects of pensions and health plans
in the context of an aging population, and the microeconomics of
retirement and income security. Students learn the steps needed
to formulate a research strategy, including writing a proposal,
developing hypotheses, and determining empirical tests of these
hypotheses.
RIHM 9003. Seminar in the Theory of Risk. (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: Approval of the department.
Readings will cover the basic mathematical theory of risk: utility-theoretic
foundations, finite-horizon individual and collective risk models,
infinite horizon models, and the role of reinsurance. Students
will make presentations or write papers on areas of current research
activity, such as: applications of diffusion processes, the use
of insurance-based securities, and the impact of risk-based capital
regulatory requirements.
RIHM 9004. Seminar in International Healthcare. (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: Approval of the department.
This seminar provides a set of technical skills and knowledge base
for the analysis of healthcare financing in different countries.
It is designed to be of use to those working: in Ministries of
Health, Ministries of Finance, or private insurance companies around
the globe; in the economics and marketing departments of international
pharmaceutical companies; or on the staff of international agencies.
There will be a series of short assignments, two papers, and an
exam. It is anticipated that some students will use the assignments
as a starting point for their dissertation proposals.