Marketing Programs

What Marketing PhD Students Can Expect to Learn

Students who pursue PhDs in marketing will learn about consumer behavior and models of strategic marketing. They will also learn about research methodologies, probability, and statistics. Depending on the program of study, some students will focus more on the consumer side of marketing strategy, including the ways in which consumers make decisions about which firms to patronize and which products to purchase, while others will focus more on marketing as it relates to various firms with regard to competition, marketing regulation, and organizational structure.

Skills Needed to Earn a Marketing PhD

In order to succeed as a marketing doctoral program, students should be comfortable developing their quantitative skills. To do the research required, students should expect to become familiar with mathematical and statistical modeling. A marketing PhD often requires a diverse array of skills, including algebra and computer programming. An understanding of basic economic principles is beneficial, as is having spent time studying the social sciences, such as psychology or sociology.

Online Marketing PhD Programs

Online business degrees are very popular. There are many schools to choose from. Most students who attend online schools will find that the degrees offered are doctorates in business administration with a specialization in marketing.

Walden University

Walden University offers an online Business Administration doctorate. Students can choose to specialize in marketing with this doctorate degree. With the marketing specialization, students will learn about creating commercial products, consumer trends, and key marketing concepts.

This is a practical program that provides graduates with real-world marketing expertise. Students will study finance, marketing innovations, leadership, and research methodologies. A dissertation is required, which can be written under the mentorship of a Walden University faculty member. Students will also be required to complete two doctorate residencies, which include networking with peers, attending seminars, improving business skills and competencies, and learning from faculty face-to-face.

To get in touch with the program, visit the Contact Us page for Walden University at www.waldenu.edu. Students can also visit the program website here.

Argosy University

Argosy University offers a doctorate in business administration, allowing students the option of a concentration in marketing. This online program offers maximum student flexibility and provides a practical advanced-degree education in business. Students who earn their degree through Argosyís online doctoral of business administration program will participate in research projects and gain leadership skills vital for developing business expertise. Students will also gain knowledge of ethical business conduct, research literacy, and critical evaluations.

Graduates of this program will understand business concepts and will be able to help organizations adapt and grow. Students must complete a core curriculum of 18 credits and 3 credits of electives, 12 credits in the marketing concentration, 15 research curriculum credits and 12 dissertation credits. Students must also pass a comprehensive examination.

More information can be found at online.argosy.edu. To contact Argosy University directly, visit the Contact Us page here.

Northcentral University

Students seeking an online PhD in marketing can also obtain one from Northcentral University. This university offers a doctorate in business administration with a concentration in marketing.

In addition to the core business administration courses, students who focus on marketing will take classes in research methods, including qualitative and quantitative methods, theories of consumer behavior, sales management, and advertising tactics. Students will also learn the difference between marketing services versus consumer goods, and the ethical and legal considerations involved in marketing. Students will finish their degree by completing a research project involving identifying organizational issues and recommending a course of action for intervention and prevention.

To learn more about the abovementioned program e-mail admissions@ncu.edu. Students can also visit the marketing specialization page for the doctorate in business administration from Northcentral University here.

Offline Marketing PhD Programs

There are many options for marketing PhDs for students who wish to study in a more traditional way.

University of Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business offers a Marketing PhD. In this four-year program, students will learn about marketing models, theory, and strategy, and consumer behavior. Students will also work directly with a marketing faculty member to propose and present their initial PhD research.

Many prospective students have an MBA, though this is not required for admission. They will also need to provide GMAT scores. In addition, students who are accepted to the Marketing PhD program at UW-Madison often have experience in the professional world and possess critical thinking skills, are good communicators, and have a strong interest in academic research.

To learn more about the program, e-mail jkrahn@bus.wisc.edu or visit the program website at www.bus.wisc.edu.

New Mexico State University

The PhD in Marketing at New Mexico State University trains future marketing scholars. Students who complete this program will become experts in marketing and will also have a firm grasp on complex business concepts.

Students will obtain an in-depth understanding of marketing and business theory, will gain skills as researchers in their sub-specialty of choice, and will also develop knowledge regarding ethical conduct in the business world. Students will have the opportunity to present their research at academic conferences.

This program is very selective and requires core marketing knowledge or an MBA. Before students can qualify for doctoral candidacy, they must pass a comprehensive exam in order to evaluate their understanding of concepts and methods. Interested students should e-mail ktian@nmsu.edu or visit the program site at business.nmsu.edu.

Stanford University

Stanford University offers a marketing PhD to ambitious students who would like a position as a marketing professor. Once accepted into Stanfordís program, students can choose to specialize either in behavioral marketing or quantitative marketing.

Behavioral marketing involves the study of consumer behavior. Students will take into account various factors in what motivates consumers, including societal cues, emotional states, cultural norms, and decision-making processes. Students who have a foundation in psychology are encouraged to take this marketing track.

Quantitative marketing involves the study of promotions, pricing, competition, and other factors that affect a firmís overall marketing campaign success. Courses in economics and statistics are considered foundational on this track. Students will have to complete core classes, pass the field examination, and submit two research papers, in addition to a dissertation thesis.

For more information about this program, e-mail PhD_Program@gsb.stanford.edu. The home page for the marketing PhD can be found here.

University of North Carolina

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers a marketing doctorate through its Kenan-Flagler Business School. UNCís Business School is consistently high-ranking, and the students who attend experience strong professional benefits from close associations with both faculty and peers.

Students who are accepted into the marketing PhD program at UNC will spend their initial two years preparing themselves to perform research in the field, in addition to taking foundational classes in microeconomics, industrial organization, and quantitative methods. Students will also write a research paper and take a comprehensive examination, in addition to writing a dissertation. To learn more about this program, students should visit the following site: www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu.

University of Pennsylvania

The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania is another school offering a doctoral degree in marketing. The Wharton School faculty has a reputation for devising new marketing research methodologies and as a result students who enroll at Wharton will have the opportunity to participate in groundbreaking research in this field.

Students should have an academic grounding in mathematics, computer programming, and business courses. The Wharton program focuses on preparing students to produce and evaluate innovative marketing ideas, and training them to disseminate these ideas and their subsequent criticisms to future students.

Students must complete sixteen graduate credit hours, take the preliminary examination, complete and present two research papers and complete and defend a dissertation paper. The program website can be found here: marketing.wharton.upenn.edu.

University of California Berkeley

The Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley provides a PhD program in marketing for students interested in teaching and doing research in the marketing field. This program is very broad, diverse and expansive and allows students to pursue their unique interests. As a result, most courses of study through the program are highly tailored.

Students who enroll in this PhD program can expect to learn about interactions between firms and consumers, the decision process of buyers, and the creation and production of new products. This program allows for students to choose to focus their studies on either the for-profit or the nonprofit environment. Students will learn about how to formulate strategies for organizations in either environment, taking into account competition, research, and differentials.

For more information, the admissions office can be contacted at phdadms@haas.berkeley.edu. Information about the program and the options available to prospective students can be found here.

Michigan State University

There is also a marketing PhD available at Michigan State University out of the Eli Broad School of Management. This program trains future marketing scholars, and its graduates will have demonstrated their competence to conduct in-depth research into marketing problems and to teach marketing courses at the university level.

As part of this program, students will be exposed to varied topics in their coursework, including statistics, strategies, and buyer behavior. Students will need to complete 39 credit hours, including 6 credit hours of a minor, pass a comprehensive examination, conduct original research as part of their dissertations which will demonstrate their capability to contribute scholarship to the field of marketing.

In order to contact the program, e-mail msc00@bus.msu.edu. The program overview can be found here.

Jobs/Employment Opportunities for Marketing PhDs

People with doctorate degrees in marketing most often find themselves in research and teaching positions at universities. They work with deans and academic directors to create courses and design syllabi. They also may be assigned academic advisory duties to provide guidance to undergraduate or graduate business or marketing students.

Some doctorates in this field can find themselves doing business, management or marketing consulting as well. These positions often involve evaluating companiesí organizational structure and practices to make them more efficient and functional.

Growth Opportunities for Marketing PhDs

Currently, because of a shortage of business and marketing PhDs at universities, the market is likely to expand in the coming years, with ample opportunity for anyone who has survived the rigors of a PhD in this field to gain a position at a university. The job market for consultants is predicted to grow as well, but the field is a popular one and very competitive.

Salary Ranges for Marketing PhDs

The median average salary for marketing and business professors is about $70,000 a year, though it is possible for professors in this area to earn between $100,000 and $150,000. Salary and prestige are increased the more research one publishes, which can also lead to job security in the form of tenure. Compensation for business, management, or marketing consultants depends on their place of employment and level of expertise. People with technical and computing expertise can command slightly higher salaries, for instance. The median salary, however, in this occupation is $70,000.