I can't list all the topics because they mainly depend on your advisor's research area. The topics are mainly focus on the theoretical area. I am going to apply for a phd in finance, and the professor I am working with is studying the pricing kernel which belongs to the asset pricing area.

Some other topics such as theoretical corporate finance (agent and principal problem), micro-structure or even financial econometrics are also common ones.

These are the courses offered by the phd program in NYU, you can take a look.

http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experie ... nts/index.htm#year2


also paste here:

Sample Curriculum
First Year | Second Year | Third Year | Fourth Year | Elective Modules

  First Year
         
Fall

Microeconomics I (GSAS)
Consumer preferences and choice, expected utility, risk aversion and social choice.
Macroeconomics I (GSAS)
Dynamic programming, equilibrium with complete markets, OLG models, stochastic and non-stochastic growth.
Econometrics I (GSAS) or Applied Econometrics (Stern)
Introduction to econometric theory/Introduction to applied econometrics.
Math for Economists I (GSAS), or other math elective
Real analysis.
Spring

Microeconomics II (GSAS)
Game theory, principal-agent models, mechanism design.
Macroeconomics II (GSAS)
Search theory, asset pricing, optimal taxation, Bewley models, numerical techniques.
Econometrics II (GSAS) or Econometrics Analysis of Panel Data (Stern)
Time series and empirical econometrics/Applied panel data econometrics.
Math for Economist II (GSAS), or other math elective
Measure theory
Comprehensive exams in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics


Second Year
         
Fall

Asset Pricing I
Discrete time theoretical asset pricing, including introduction to recent models.
Calibration and simulation of these models to solve the major asset pricing puzzles.
Corporate Finance I
Theoretical Corporate Finance.
Electives (see below)
2 Research Practica (entire year)
Spring

Asset Pricing II
Continuous time theoretical asset pricing. Empirical asset pricing and econometrics.
Corporate Finance II
Continuous time principal-agent models. Econometric tools for empirical corporate finance.
Electives (see below)
Paper Preparation
Summer

2nd year paper

Third Year
         
Presentation of 2nd year summer paper
Electives (see below)
2 Research Practica
Dissertation Preparation
Teaching Practicum
Summer
Teach 6-week undergraduate class

Fourth/Fifth Year(s)
         
Defense of dissertation proposal
Dissertation research
Job market presentations
Job market interviews
Dissertation defense

Suggested Electives
         
Stern Seminars

Corporate Governance, Market Microstructure, Agency and Exec Compensation, Derivatives, Financial Econometrics, Financial Institutions, Corporate Finance and Banking, Liquidity and Asset Pricing, Empirical Finance, Int'l Corp. Finance, Empirical Research in Financial Accounting I & II, Valuation-Accounting III
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) courses

Stochastic Calculus, Linear Algebra I & II, Analysis (math, real or functional), Probability Limit Theorems I & II, Game Theory I & II, Special Topics in Economics

有金融工程方向吗？

A few of them may have quantitative finance for phd degree. But actually financial engineering is not "real" finance. They are very very different.

At least for top schools' finance phd program in America, you can not find phd degree for financial engineering.

If you want to study financial engineering (or learn how to make money), good master programs for financial engineering in America is enough.
From your questions, I see that perhaps you try to find some degree that can help you to make money correct? Finance phd in America is not for you. The only help is that if you come out from the top phd program, you can find a good job easily and get a high payment. What you learn from phd have very little relationship with making money or the industry.
I hope is clear now.

best,

As I know, Princeton has a phd program of financial engineering.

IB,HF,CF,GF

都什么意思？

大家觉得国际金融方向如何？

其实phd都大多没什么明确的方向，你感兴趣什么，跟什么advisor自然就做那方面的东西。你自己觉得对宏观经济学或者国经济学感兴趣那就去找这方面比较有成就的professor所在的学校或者学院就行。学校不太可能为了某个方向单独设置一套课程体系。

best,

我觉得货币银行学方向比较好。

国内才有这个方向吧。