What to Expect as a SMU Overseas PhD Scholar (OPS)

SMU Bachelor of Accountancy graduate Andrew Lee joined the SMU Overseas PhD Scholar (OPS) Programme after graduating in 2025. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Accountancy at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and shares his experience below.

• What first attracted you to enter the field of academia?

I was drawn to academia because I wanted the freedom to study the questions I care about, dive deep into them with other curious people, and hopefully make a practical difference along the way.

• Can you share with us more about the SMU Overseas PhD Scholarship programme, and how it has helped you pursue your interest in the academia? 

The SMU Overseas PhD Scholarship programme gave me the opportunity to reach out and tap into the wealth of faculty expertise at SMU, where I sought and continue to seek invaluable career advice.

• You chose to pursue your PhD in Accounting immediately after graduating with your Bachelor of Accountancy at SMU in 2025. What are the challenges you faced transitioning from undergraduate to doctoral studies and how did you overcome them?

I believe one important skill for a researcher to have is the ability to raise and articulate questions, and SMU's seminar-style teaching gave me some practice in that.

• How did your time in SOA prepare you for your career path today?

The transition of moving abroad wasn't the easiest, but having done a semester abroad on exchange during my time at SMU gave me more confidence to do so. Courses like Accounting Thought and Governance gave me a foundational understanding of what accounting research is like, and other courses provided basic coding skills, which came in handy.