General Information
The subject of marketing is concerned with the exchange process between individuals and organizations. The objective of the doctoral program is to gain an understanding of how this process develops and evolves. Also, research methods for improving the practice of marketing for the benefit of organizations and institutions, consumers, and society are investigated. Most doctoral students accept academic positions upon completion. In addition to recommended course work, students participate in research projects, either individually or jointly with faculty or fellow students, and write an original dissertation. Current faculty interests in marketing include theoretical and institutional aspects of (1) product policies, (2) managing advertising and other forms of promotion, (3) establishing and managing distribution systems, (4) pricing decisions, (5) strategic planning, (6) competitive analysis, (7) consumer decision making, (8) marketing research and data analysis, (9) marketing organizations, (10) international marketing, and (11) social and political issues.
Admission Requirements
Applicants who plan to major in marketing must have completed an undergraduate degree. An MBA is not required and prior degrees need not be in business. An admission committee of faculty members reviews all completed applications. While the committee considers all relevant factors in its recommendations, important factors include past academic performance and GMAT scores. The GRE can be substituted for the GMAT but the GMAT is preferred. In some cases we may request a personal interview. Successful students have good communication skills, are intellectually curious, and self-motivated. Students must satisfy the university’s language proficiency requirements in order to qualify for a teaching assistantship.
Recommended Preparation Prior to Entry
Students entering the PhD Program as marketing majors should be comfortable with the basic concepts of calculus and linear algebra before they arrive on campus. It is strongly recommended that all new marketing majors carefully review this material during the summer before entering the program.
Marketing Area Faculty Coordinator
Assc. Prof. Amin Sayedi, Marketing Area Faculty Coordinator, would be glad to answer your questions. Contact him by email ([email protected]).
New PhD students majoring in marketing are initially advised by the Marketing Area Faculty Coordinator. Until the student’s supervisory committee has been established (usually by the end of the first year), the Marketing Area Faculty Coordinator assists the student in choosing appropriate courses, approves course of studies, and monitors the student’s progress.
At the end of each academic year, the Marketing Department faculty will provide every doctoral student with a formal evaluation of his or her progress in the program. At the start of the second year, the evaluation will be done by faculty members who supervised the student’s first year paper. At the start of the third year, the evaluation will be by the student’s supervisory committee and will be based on coursework, 1st & 2nd year papers, and participation in departmental seminars and workshops.
Marketing majors are required to take at least 18 courses (in addition to MKTG 599, the Marketing Workshops; and MKTG 600, Independent Study) distributed across their major and minor areas of study. There must be a minimum of four courses in each area of study.
The following courses are required for all marketing majors. The number of credits for each course is indicated in parentheses after the course number.
| Course Number | Catalog Title |
| MKTG 581 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Consumer Behavior |
| MKTG 582 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Multivariate Analysis for Marketing Research |
| MKTG 583 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Marketing Strategy |
| MKTG 584 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Research Issues in Marketing |
| MKTG 591 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Consumer Behavior Research Topics |
| MKTG 593 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Marketing Models |
Three of these six seminars are offered each year. All marketing majors are expected to participate in the Marketing Workshop (MKTG 599) each quarter of the regular academic year in which they are enrolled in residence.
Research Methods Minor Area Requirements
Marketing is a three-area program. In addition to the marketing area, all students majoring in marketing are required to choose Research Methods and one supporting area. Research methods courses should be considered in two stages: (1) basic statistics and (2) special topics electives. Students should take a minimum of 18 credits, involving typically two basic statistics courses and four electives. The basic courses require prior or concurrent preparation in mathematics. It is expected that some students will have more extensive background preparation in mathematics and/or be more oriented toward quantitative methods than other students, so there are two suggested tracks for taking basic statistics courses.
Stage 1. Basic Statistics
Track I
| STAT 341 (4) | Introduction to Probability and Statistical Inference I |
| STAT 342 (4) | Introduction to Probability and Statistical Inference II |
| or | |
| STAT 481 (5) | Introduction to Mathematical Statistics |
| BARM 580 (4) | Applied Econometrics I |
Math prerequisites
| MATH 126 (5) | Calculus with Analytic Geometry III |
| MATH 308 (3) | Matrix Algebra with Applications |
Track II
| STAT 394 (3) | Probability I |
| STAT 395 (3) | Probability II |
| or | |
| STAT 512 (4) | Statistical Inference |
| STAT 513 (4) | Statistical Inference |
Math prerequisites
| MATH 342 (3) | Advanced Multivariate Calculus 1 |
| MATH 308 (3) | Matrix Algebra with Applications |
Stage 2. Special Topics Electives
There are a variety of areas that can be pursued, depending on the student’s dissertation research area. Four are listed below but other variations are possible.
Experimental design/analysis
| BARM 590 (4) | Behavioral Research Methods-Theory and Design |
| BARM 591 (4) | Behavioral Research Methods-Approaches and Applications |
| PSYCH 525 (4) | Linear Models and Data Analysis |
| PSYCH 526 (4) | Multivariate Statistics |
| BIOST 521 (4) | Biostatistics for Experimentalists |
| PSYCH 519 (3) | Statistical Methods in Longitudinal Research |
| STAT 486 (3) | Experimental Design |
| STAT/BIOST 577 (3) | Advanced Design and Analysis of Experiments |
Multivariate statistics
| STAT/BIOST 570 (3) | Advanced Applied Statistics and Linear Models |
| STAT/BIOST 571 (3) | Advanced Applied Statistics and Linear Models |
| STAT/BIOST 572 (3) | Advanced Applied Statistics and Linear Models |
| STAT/BIOST 573 (3) | Multivariate Statistical Methods |
| STAT 542 (3) | Multivariate Analysis |
| STAT 428 (4) | Multivariate Analysis for the Social Sciences |
| EDPSY 594 (5) | Advanced Correlational Techniques |
Econometrics
| BARM 580 (4) | Applied Econometrics I |
| BARM 581 (4) | Applied Econometrics II |
| ECON 580 (4) | Econometrics I |
| ECON 581 (4) | Econometrics II |
| ECON 582 (4) | Econometrics III |
| ECON 583 (3) | Econometric Theory I |
| ECON 584 (3) | Econometric Theory II |
| ECON 585 (3) | Applied Microeconomics |
Mathematical Modeling
| QMETH 580 (4) | Mathematical Programming |
| QMETH 592 (4) | Stochastic Models: Queueing and Simulation |
| QMETH 501 (2) | Decision Support Models |
| MATH 515 (5) | Fundamentals of Optimization |
| MATH 516 (3) | Numerical Optimization |
| MATH 517 (3) | Optimization Under Uncertainty |
| MATH 509 (3) | Theory of Optimal Control |
A variety of other useful research methods courses may be found. Please check the university course catalog and talk to professors who are knowledgeable about these subjects.
Other Minor Area Requirements
The supporting minor area depends upon the student’s research interest. However, students are strongly recommended to choose a behavioral science discipline (anthropology, economics, psychology or sociology). The student must take a minimum of four courses in each minor area. There are many course options that are possible in the various supporting fields. Further, the courses change from year to year so it is difficult to provide an accurate and up-to-date listing. Below are courses that have been offered and are relevant to marketing. Please check the university catalog, the instructors, and your marketing faculty advisors before registering for one of these classes.
Economics Minor – The economics minor area must include the following three-course sequence:
| ECON 500 (4) | Microeconomic Analysis I |
| ECON 501 (4) | Microeconomic Analysis II |
| ECON 508 (4) | Microeconomic Analysis III |
and at least one additional course selected in consultation with the marketing doctoral area coordinator or the student’s supervisory committee. The following economics courses are recommended:
| ECON 505 (4) | Microeconomic Theory: Problems and Applications |
| ECON 531 (3) | Theory of Industrial Organization I |
| ECON 532 (3) | Theory of Industrial Organization II |
| ECON 516 (3) | Introduction To Non-Cooperative Game Theory |
Psychology Minor – A minor area in psychology involves taking at least four classes from the following list of relevant courses.
| PSYCH 507 (5) | Cogntition |
| PSYCH 508 (3) | Cognitive Perception |
| PSYCH 511 (3) | Personality |
| PSYCH 515 (4) | Personality and Social Development |
| PSYCH 528 (4, max 8) | Research Methods in Social Psychology |
| PSYCH 560 (1-2) | Research Strategies |
| PSYCH 561 (2) | Current Trends in Psychology |
| PSYCH 564 (5) | Advanced Attitude Theory |
Sociology Minor – A minor area in sociology involves taking at least four classes from the following list of relevant courses.
| SOC 501(1-3, max. 3) | Proseminar |
| SOC 510 (3) | Seminar in Sociological Theory |
| SOC 511 (3) | Classical Social Theory |
| SOC 513 (3) | Demography and Ecology |
| SOC 514 (3) | Current Theories in Social Psychology |
| SOC 518 (3) | Social Stratification |
| SOC 584 (3, max. 9) | Special Topics in Social Psychology |
Anthropology Minor – A minor area in anthropology involves taking at least four classes from the following list of relevant courses.
| ANTH 500 (6) | Preceptorial Reading |
| ANTH 507 (2) | Current Issues in Sociocultural Anthropology |
| ANTH 508 (2) | Current Issues in Sociocultural Anthropology |
| ANTH 525 (3, max. 6) | Seminar in Cultural Processes |
| ANTH 527 (3) | Ethnicities, Nations and Cultural Identities |
| ANTH 542 (3) | Seminar in Cognitive Anthropology |
| ANTH 565 (5) | Theory of Sociocultural Anthropology |
| ANTH 566 (5) | Theory of Sociocultural Anthropology |
| ANTH 567 (5) | Theory of Sociocultural Anthropology |
First Year
| Autumn | Winter | Spring | Summer |
| MKTG 581 Seminar in Consumer Behavior | MKTG 583 Seminar in Marketing Strategy | MKTG 582 Seminar in Multivariate Analysis | Elective |
| RM Course | RM Course | RM Course | |
| Elective | Elective | Elective | |
| MKTG 599 Marketing Workshop | MKTG 599 Marketing Workshop | MKTG 599 Marketing Workshop | |
| Teaching Effectiveness Seminar |
RM = Research Methods
Second Year
| Autumn | Winter | Spring | Summer |
| MKTG 593 Seminar in Marketing Models (MS) | MKTG 584 Research Issues in Marketing (MS) | MKTG 591 Seminar in Consumer Behavior Topics (CB) | Area Examination |
| RM Course | RM Course | RM Course | |
| Elective | Elective | Elective | |
| MKTG 599 Marketing Workshop | MKTG 599 Marketing Workshop | MKTG 599 Marketing Workshop |
RM = Research Methods
First Year Research Paper
During the summer between their first and second year, doctoral students will work with one or more faculty members to prepare ~20 page paper that demonstrates their ability to summarize a body of research, identify key findings that suggest research hypotheses, and propose a methodology to test these hypotheses. The faculty committee will evaluate the paper, providing written feedback as to its overall quality and suggest improvements. The student will make a short presentation (20-30 minutes) of their 1st year paper during the fall quarter of their second year. The student will be given a pass or revise evaluation. An acceptable revision will be required before the start of winter quarter. Faculty will be encouraged to provide the resources necessary for the student to test some of the hypotheses during the second year. The goal is to have a publishable paper under review before the second year.
Second Year Research Paper
In addition to preparing and sitting for the written area examination, students will be expected to develop a second research paper, one more closely linked to the likely dissertation, during the time period between the 2nd and 3rd years. This paper will be due by the start of winter quarter, presented during winter quarter, and developed under the direction of a faculty committee. The committee would most likely consist of members of the student’s supervisory committee.
Students who minor in marketing select courses from the following three lists. Students with three area programs are required to take three courses while students with four area programs are required to take at least two courses. All minors must register for the Marketing Workshop (MKTG 599) for six quarters.
| Course Number | Catalog Title |
| MKTG 581 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Consumer Behavior |
| MKTG 582 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Multivariate Analysis for Marketing Research |
| MKTG 583 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Marketing Strategy |
| MKTG 584 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Research Issues in Marketing |
| MKTG 591 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Consumer Behavior Research Topics |
| MKTG 593 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Marketing Models |
List A – Recommended classes for all quantitatively-oriented marketing minors.
| Course Number | Catalog Title |
| MKTG 582 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Multivariate Analysis for Marketing Research |
| MKTG 592 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Marketing Models |
List B – Recommended classes for all behaviorally-oriented marketing minors.
| Course Number | Catalog Title |
| MKTG 581 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Consumer Behavior |
| MKTG 591 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Consumer Behavior Research Topics |
List C – Recommended classes for strategy-oriented marketing minors.
| Course Number | Catalog Title |
| MKTG 583 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Marketing Strategy |
| MKTG 584 (4) | Doctoral Seminar in Research Issues in Marketing |
Written Area or Qualifying Examination
It is expected that students will complete all course work required for a major in marketing by the end of their second year. After completing this course work, each marketing PhD student must demonstrate his or her academic competency in marketing by passing a written area examination. The marketing area exam is offered during the Summer Quarter each year.
General Examination
After successful completion of all major and minor course work and written area exams, the supervisory committee administers a general examination. The purpose of the general examination is to enable the student orally to demonstrate a command of the subject matter in marketing and his or her minor areas of study, the ability to recognize significant research questions in marketing, and the expertise to develop research strategies and methods appropriate to these research questions. The student’s supervisory committee determines the precise format of the general exam. Typically, the general examination involves a discussion of the student’s dissertation proposal. After passing the general exam, the student is admitted to candidacy and develops and/or refines a dissertation topic. The reading committee guides the student’s dissertation.
Dissertation
The candidate’s dissertation must represent an original and independent investigation. It should reflect not only the mastery of research techniques, but also the ability to select an important problem and to deal with it competently.
Once the dissertation proposal is well defined the reading committee approves it. Approval follows the student’s presenting a version of the proposal in the Marketing Workshop (MKTG 599). After formal approval of the dissertation proposal, the student completes the research and writes the dissertation.
The candidate must register for a minimum of 27 credits of BA 800, Doctoral Dissertation, over a period of at least three quarters.
Final Examination
The final examination, which is administered by the supervisory committee, is an oral defense of the dissertation. The candidate may be asked to revise or extend portions of the dissertation before it is fully acceptable to the committee. If so, he or she then has 60 days to file the dissertation with the Graduate School.