SMXMU has 8 doctoral programmes: accounting, business administration, finance, entrepreneurship tourism administration, technology economics and management, management science and engineering, and marketing. A post-doctoral research program on Business Administration.

XMU began recruiting graduate accounting students in 1963, and in 1980 and 1982, was one of China’s first institutes authorised to confer master’s and doctoral degrees in accounting and finance, respectively. XMU conferred the first accounting PhD, first auditing PhD and the first accounting PhD to an international student in China. In 1987, XMU had China’s first accounting programme to be designated a National Key Subject.

Doctoral programme objectives state students should systematically master their chosen field’s advanced knowledge, keep abreast of the latest research, establish a solid foundation for independent teaching, research work, and innovation, and actively engage in academic exchanges at home or abroad. Most graduates enter key university faculty positions or research institutes.