phd marketing requirements

• Harvard Business School →
• Doctoral Programs →
• PhD Programs
• Accounting & Management
• Business Economics
• Health Policy (Management)
• Organizational Behavior
• Technology & Operations Management
• Program Requirements

Curriculum & Coursework

Our programs are full-time degree programs which officially begin in August. Students are expected to complete their program in five years. Typically, the first two years are spent on coursework, at the end of which students take a field exam, and then another three years on dissertation research and writing.

The Marketing program draws on computer science, economics, behavioral science, and psychological methods to focus on marketing problems faced by the firm and its management. Through a combination of discipline- and field-based methods, the curriculum enables students to master concepts and research skills directly relevant to business problems. Candidates must come to understand the point of view of practicing managers and be able to bring theory and careful research to bear in illuminating important business problems.

The program requires a minimum of 13 semester-long doctoral courses. Students in the Marketing program are required to complete a year-long discipline sequence typically in microeconomics or psychology. They also complete courses in the areas of machine learning, computer science, statistics, research methods, academic field seminars, and two MBA elective curriculum courses. In addition to HBS courses, students often take courses at other Harvard Schools and MIT.

Research & Dissertation

Students in Marketing begin research in their first year typically by working with a faculty member. By their third and fourth years, most students are launched on a solid research and publication stream. The dissertation may take the form of three publishable papers or one longer dissertation.

Recent examples of doctoral thesis research include: The effects of brand extensions on the value of parent brands; Multi-method examination of the consumption of “knockoffs” of high status brands, and the counter-intuitive positive outcomes for consumer-brand relationships; Competitive analysis of pricing and quality decisions in industries with strictly complimentary products; The psychological effects of pricing, and how these affect consumers and firms; and "Choice amnesia," the motivated forgetting of difficult decisions.

Mengjie "Magie" Cheng

Ta-Wei "David" Huang

“ Finding an advisor who you really click with and who is willing to support your research interests is absolutely key. ”

Current HBS Faculty

• Tomomichi Amano
• Eva Ascarza
• Max H. Bazerman
• David E. Bell
• Alison Wood Brooks
• Julian De Freitas
• Rohit Deshpande
• Anita Elberse
• Sunil Gupta
• Ayelet Israeli
• Leslie K. John
• Elizabeth A. Keenan
• Edward McFowland III
• Navid Mojir
• Das Narayandas
• Michael I. Norton
• V. Kasturi Rangan
• Isamar Troncoso
• Jeremy Yang
• Shunyuan Zhang

Current Marketing Students

• Stuti Agarwal
• Mengjie (Magie) Cheng
• Jingpeng Hong
• Ta-Wei (David) Huang
• Jimin Nam
• Lucy Shen
• Sihan Zhai

Current HBS Faculty & Students by Interest

Recent placement, emily prinsloo, 2023, ximena garcia-rada, 2021, serena hagerty, 2022, dafna goor, 2020, byungyeon kim, 2022, grant donnelly, 2018.

About Stanford GSB

• The Leadership
• Dean’s Updates
• School News & History
• Commencement
• Business, Government & Society
• Centers & Institutes
• Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
• Center for Social Innovation
• Stanford Seed

About the Experience

• Learning at Stanford GSB
• Experiential Learning
• Guest Speakers
• Entrepreneurship
• Social Innovation
• Communication
• Life at Stanford GSB
• Collaborative Environment
• Activities & Organizations
• Student Services
• Housing Options
• International Students

Full-Time Degree Programs

• Why Stanford MBA
• Academic Experience
• Financial Aid
• Why Stanford MSx
• Research Fellows Program
• See All Programs

Non-Degree & Certificate Programs

• Executive Education
• Stanford Executive Program
• Programs for Organizations
• The Difference
• Online Programs
• Stanford LEAD
• Seed Transformation Program
• Aspire Program
• Seed Spark Program
• Faculty Profiles
• Academic Areas
• Awards & Honors
• Conferences

Faculty Research

• Publications
• Working Papers
• Case Studies

Research Hub

• Research Labs & Initiatives
• Business Library
• Data, Analytics & Research Computing
• Behavioral Lab

Research Labs

• Cities, Housing & Society Lab
• Golub Capital Social Impact Lab

Research Initiatives

• Corporate Governance Research Initiative
• Corporations and Society Initiative
• Policy and Innovation Initiative
• Rapid Decarbonization Initiative
• Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative
• Value Chain Innovation Initiative
• Venture Capital Initiative
• Career & Success
• Climate & Sustainability
• Corporate Governance
• Culture & Society
• Finance & Investing
• Government & Politics
• Leadership & Management
• Markets & Trade
• Operations & Logistics
• Opportunity & Access
• Organizational Behavior
• Political Economy
• Social Impact
• Technology & AI
• Opinion & Analysis
• Email Newsletter

Welcome, Alumni

• Communities
• Digital Communities & Tools
• Regional Chapters
• Women’s Programs
• Identity Chapters
• Find Your Reunion
• Career Resources
• Job Search Resources
• Career & Life Transitions
• Programs & Services
• Career Video Library
• Alumni Education
• Research Resources
• Volunteering
• Alumni News
• Class Notes
• Alumni Voices
• Contact Alumni Relations
• Upcoming Events

Admission Events & Information Sessions

• MBA Program
• MSx Program
• PhD Program
• Alumni Events
• All Other Events
• Requirements
• Requirements: Behavioral
• Requirements: Quantitative
• Requirements: Macro
• Requirements: Micro
• Annual Evaluations
• Field Examination
• Research Activities
• Research Papers
• Dissertation
• Oral Examination
• Current Students
• Entering Class Profile
• Education & CV
• GMAT & GRE
• International Applicants
• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation
• Reapplicants
• Application Fee Waiver
• Deadline & Decisions
• Job Market Candidates
• Academic Placements
• Stay in Touch
• Fields of Study
• Student Life

Marketing Requirements: Quantitative Track

I. preparation.

As preparation for the general program requirement, some marketing students, depending on their previous preparation, find it useful to complete the courses below or the equivalent in the summer prior to the first year or during the first year. Questions concerning what constitutes adequate preparation should be directed to the doctoral liaison.

Students specializing in quantitative marketing are expected to have adequate computer programming skills (C++, MATLAB, or the equivalent). If students do not have adequate computer programming skills, they may learn this material on their own or take the Stanford Computer Science course CS106A: Programming Methodology.

II. Course Requirements

All required courses must be taken for a grade (not pass/fail or credit/no credit). Exceptions are made if the required course is offered pass/fail or credit/no credit only. Each course must be passed with a grade of P or B- or better. Substitutions of required courses (typically sought because a required course is not offered in the quarter of choice) require approval from the faculty liaison. Waiving a course requirement based on similar doctoral level course completed elsewhere requires the approval of the course instructor, faculty liaison, and the PhD Program Office. 

A. Required Courses

B. recommended courses, c. optional elective courses, iii. practicum.

Students are required to sign up for either research or teaching practicum each quarter of enrollment. Below is a description of the practicum requirements for quantitative marketing students.

Year 1: Regularly attend and participate in the Marketing and Work-in-Progress (WIP) seminars. Work with a different marketing faculty in autumn, winter, and spring quarters for initial research exposure.

Years 2 – 5: Attend and participate in the Marketing and WIP seminars. Attendance is required for all Marketing Seminars designated as Combined or Quantitative, and recommended for the seminars designated as Behavioral. Continue research work with faculty of student’s choice. Students are also encouraged to take the visiting Quantitative/Combined seminar speaker to lunch after the Marketing seminar.

Years 3 - 5: Recommended that students enroll in MGTECON 628: Reading Group in Industrial Organization and attend and participate in the weekly “IO Lunch.”

IV. Summer Research Papers

Students will submit the first-year paper by the end of the autumn quarter in the second year. The first-year paper will be presented to the faculty early in the winter quarter of the second year. The primary goal of the first-year paper is to give students the experience of going through the entire process of a research piece, including data analysis. This is also the time to learn programming and to start thinking about working with data. The paper can be an extension of a published piece or a work-in-progress. Students are expected to work closely with faculty on the research. It is typical that the first-year summer paper is related to an extension of research conducted by one of the Stanford GSB marketing faculty, due to the ready availability of data. There is no expectation that the research is publishable. The key objective is learning the “art of research”.

The second paper is due by the end of the autumn quarter in the third year, and should be presented to the faculty early in the winter quarter in the third year. The second paper is expected to be of publishable quality in a good field journal, and driven primarily by the student. Co-authorship with faculty is encouraged (though not required); however, the student is expected to be the lead driver of the project.

The overall evaluation of each paper will be judged by two faculty members, one of whom could be the collaborating faculty member (if any), as High Pass, Pass, Marginal, or Fail. This evaluation will take into account the strengths and weaknesses of the research; the student’s effort and contribution; and whether the student evidences ability to produce high quality research. Passing both papers is required for maintaining good academic status and advancing to candidacy.

V. Field Exam

Students take the field exam in the summer after their first year. It is an open-book, open-notes exam. The student is to work on the exam independently over five days. The exam tests whether the student is able to apply the knowledge assimilated over the first year of coursework to a real Marketing problem.

VI. Teaching Requirement

A minimum of one quarter of course assistantship or teaching practicum. Requirement must be completed prior to graduation.

VII. Candidacy

Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is a judgment by the faculty of the student’s potential to successfully complete the requirements of the degree program. Students are required to advance to candidacy by September 1 before the start of their fourth year in the program.

VIII. University Oral Exams

The oral examination is a defense of the dissertation work in progress. The student orally presents and defends the thesis work in progress at a stage when it is one-half to two-thirds complete. The oral examination committee tests the student on the theory and methodology underlying the research, the areas of application and portions of the major field to which the research is relevant, and the significance of the dissertation research. Students are required to successfully complete the oral exams by September 1 before the start of their fifth year in the program.

IX. Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation is expected to be an original contribution to scholarship or scientific knowledge, to exemplify the highest standards of the discipline, and to be of lasting value to the intellectual community. The marketing faculty defer to the student’s Dissertation Reading Committee to provide general guidelines (e.g. number of chapters, length of dissertation) on the dissertation.

Typical Timeline

Years one & two.

• Field Requirements
• Directed Reading & Research
• Advancement to Candidacy
• Formulation of Research Topic
• Annual Evaluation
• Continued Research

Stanford University

Related departments.

• Priorities for the GSB's Future
• See the Current DEI Report
• Supporting Data
• Research & Insights
• Share Your Thoughts
• Search Fund Primer
• Teaching & Curriculum
• Affiliated Faculty
• Faculty Advisors
• Louis W. Foster Resource Center
• Defining Social Innovation
• Impact Compass
• Global Health Innovation Insights
• Faculty Affiliates
• Student Awards & Certificates
• Changemakers
• Dean Jonathan Levin
• Dean Garth Saloner
• Dean Robert Joss
• Dean Michael Spence
• Dean Robert Jaedicke
• Dean Rene McPherson
• Dean Arjay Miller
• Dean Ernest Arbuckle
• Dean Jacob Hugh Jackson
• Dean Willard Hotchkiss
• Faculty in Memoriam
• Stanford GSB Firsts
• Certificate & Award Recipients
• Teaching Approach
• Analysis and Measurement of Impact
• The Corporate Entrepreneur: Startup in a Grown-Up Enterprise
• Data-Driven Impact
• Designing Experiments for Impact
• Digital Business Transformation
• The Founder’s Right Hand
• Marketing for Measurable Change
• Product Management
• Public Policy Lab: Financial Challenges Facing US Cities
• Public Policy Lab: Homelessness in California
• Lab Features
• Curricular Integration
• View From The Top
• Formation of New Ventures
• Managing Growing Enterprises
• Startup Garage
• Explore Beyond the Classroom
• Stanford Venture Studio
• Summer Program
• Workshops & Events
• The Five Lenses of Entrepreneurship
• Leadership Labs
• Executive Challenge
• Arbuckle Leadership Fellows Program
• Selection Process
• Training Schedule
• Time Commitment
• Learning Expectations
• Post-Training Opportunities
• Who Should Apply
• Introductory T-Groups
• Leadership for Society Program
• Certificate
• 2023 Awardees
• 2022 Awardees
• 2021 Awardees
• 2020 Awardees
• 2019 Awardees
• 2018 Awardees
• Social Management Immersion Fund
• Stanford Impact Founder Fellowships and Prizes
• Stanford Impact Leader Prizes
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Stanford GSB Impact Fund
• Economic Development
• Energy & Environment
• Stanford GSB Residences
• Environmental Leadership
• Stanford GSB Artwork
• A Closer Look
• California & the Bay Area
• Voices of Stanford GSB
• Business & Beneficial Technology
• Business & Sustainability
• Business & Free Markets
• Business, Government, and Society Forum
• Get Involved
• Second Year
• Global Experiences
• JD/MBA Joint Degree
• MA Education/MBA Joint Degree
• MD/MBA Dual Degree
• MPP/MBA Joint Degree
• MS Computer Science/MBA Joint Degree
• MS Electrical Engineering/MBA Joint Degree
• MS Environment and Resources (E-IPER)/MBA Joint Degree
• Academic Calendar
• Clubs & Activities
• LGBTQ+ Students
• Military Veterans
• Minorities & People of Color
• Partners & Families
• Students with Disabilities
• Student Support
• Residential Life
• Student Voices
• MBA Alumni Voices
• A Week in the Life
• Career Support
• Employment Outcomes
• Cost of Attendance
• Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program
• Yellow Ribbon Program
• BOLD Fellows Fund
• Application Process
• Loan Forgiveness
• Contact the Financial Aid Office
• Evaluation Criteria
• English Language Proficiency
• Personal Information, Activities & Awards
• Professional Experience
• Optional Short Answer Questions
• Application Fee
• Reapplication
• Deferred Enrollment
• Joint & Dual Degrees
• Event Schedule
• Ambassadors
• New & Noteworthy
• Ask a Question
• See Why Stanford MSx
• Is MSx Right for You?
• MSx Stories
• Leadership Development
• Career Advancement
• Career Change
• How You Will Learn
• Admission Events
• Personal Information
• Information for Recommenders
• GMAT, GRE & EA
• English Proficiency Tests
• After You’re Admitted
• Daycare, Schools & Camps
• U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents
• Faculty Mentors
• Current Fellows
• Standard Track
• Fellowship & Benefits
• Group Enrollment
• Program Formats
• Developing a Program
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Strategic Transformation
• Program Experience
• Contact Client Services
• Campus Experience
• Live Online Experience
• Silicon Valley & Bay Area
• Digital Credentials
• Faculty Spotlights
• Participant Spotlights
• Eligibility
• International Participants
• Stanford Ignite
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Operations, Information & Technology
• Classical Liberalism
• The Eddie Lunch
• Accounting Summer Camp
• Videos, Code & Data
• California Econometrics Conference
• California Quantitative Marketing PhD Conference
• California School Conference
• China India Insights Conference
• Homo economicus, Evolving
• Political Economics (2023–24)
• Scaling Geologic Storage of CO2 (2023–24)
• A Resilient Pacific: Building Connections, Envisioning Solutions
• Adaptation and Innovation
• Changing Climate
• Civil Society
• Climate Impact Summit
• Climate Science
• Corporate Carbon Disclosures
• Earth’s Seafloor
• Environmental Justice
• Operations and Information Technology
• Organizations
• Sustainability Reporting and Control
• Taking the Pulse of the Planet
• Urban Infrastructure
• Watershed Restoration
• Junior Faculty Workshop on Financial Regulation and Banking
• Ken Singleton Celebration
• Marketing Camp
• Quantitative Marketing PhD Alumni Conference
• Presentations
• Theory and Inference in Accounting Research
• Stanford Closer Look Series
• Quick Guides
• Core Concepts
• Journal Articles
• Glossary of Terms
• Faculty & Staff
• Researchers & Students
• Research Approach
• Charitable Giving
• Financial Health
• Government Services
• Workers & Careers
• Short Course
• Adaptive & Iterative Experimentation
• Incentive Design
• Social Sciences & Behavioral Nudges
• Bandit Experiment Application
• Conferences & Events
• Reading Materials
• Energy Entrepreneurship
• Faculty & Affiliates
• SOLE Report
• Responsible Supply Chains
• Current Study Usage
• Pre-Registration Information
• Participate in a Study
• Founding Donors
• Location Information
• Participant Profile
• Network Membership
• Program Impact
• Collaborators
• Entrepreneur Profiles
• Company Spotlights
• Seed Transformation Network
• Responsibilities
• Current Coaches
• How to Apply
• Meet the Consultants
• Meet the Interns
• Intern Profiles
• Collaborate
• Research Library
• News & Insights
• Program Contacts
• Databases & Datasets
• Research Guides
• Consultations
• Research Workshops
• Career Research
• Research Data Services
• Course Reserves
• Course Research Guides
• Material Loan Periods
• Fines & Other Charges
• Document Delivery
• Interlibrary Loan
• Equipment Checkout
• Print & Scan
• MBA & MSx Students
• PhD Students
• Other Stanford Students
• Faculty Assistants
• Research Assistants
• Stanford GSB Alumni
• Telling Our Story
• Staff Directory
• Site Registration
• Alumni Directory
• Alumni Email
• Privacy Settings & My Profile
• Success Stories
• The Story of Circles
• Support Women’s Circles
• Stanford Women on Boards Initiative
• Alumnae Spotlights
• Insights & Research
• Industry & Professional
• Entrepreneurial Commitment Group
• Recent Alumni
• Half-Century Club
• Fall Reunions
• Spring Reunions
• MBA 25th Reunion
• Half-Century Club Reunion
• Faculty Lectures
• Ernest C. Arbuckle Award
• Alison Elliott Exceptional Achievement Award
• ENCORE Award
• Excellence in Leadership Award
• John W. Gardner Volunteer Leadership Award
• Robert K. Jaedicke Faculty Award
• Jack McDonald Military Service Appreciation Award
• Jerry I. Porras Latino Leadership Award
• Tapestry Award
• Student & Alumni Events
• Executive Recruiters
• Interviewing
• Land the Perfect Job with LinkedIn
• Negotiating
• Elevator Pitch
• Email Best Practices
• Resumes & Cover Letters
• Self-Assessment
• Whitney Birdwell Ball
• Margaret Brooks
• Bryn Panee Burkhart
• Margaret Chan
• Ricki Frankel
• Peter Gandolfo
• Cindy W. Greig
• Natalie Guillen
• Carly Janson
• Sloan Klein
• Sherri Appel Lassila
• Stuart Meyer
• Tanisha Parrish
• Virginia Roberson
• Philippe Taieb
• Michael Takagawa
• Terra Winston
• Johanna Wise
• Debbie Wolter
• Rebecca Zucker
• Complimentary Coaching
• Changing Careers
• Work-Life Integration
• Career Breaks
• Flexible Work
• Encore Careers
• Join a Board
• D&B Hoovers
• Data Axle (ReferenceUSA)
• EBSCO Business Source
• Global Newsstream
• Market Share Reporter
• ProQuest One Business
• Student Clubs
• Entrepreneurial Students
• Stanford GSB Trust
• Alumni Community
• How to Volunteer
• Springboard Sessions
• Consulting Projects
• 2020 – 2029
• 2010 – 2019
• 2000 – 2009
• 1990 – 1999
• 1980 – 1989
• 1970 – 1979
• 1960 – 1969
• 1950 – 1959
• 1940 – 1949
• Service Areas
• ACT History
• ACT Awards Celebration
• ACT Governance Structure
• Building Leadership for ACT
• Individual Leadership Positions
• Leadership Role Overview
• Purpose of the ACT Management Board
• Contact ACT
• Business & Nonprofit Communities
• Reunion Volunteers
• Ways to Give
• Fiscal Year Report
• Business School Fund Leadership Council
• Planned Giving Options
• Planned Giving Benefits
• Planned Gifts and Reunions
• Legacy Partners
• Giving News & Stories
• Giving Deadlines
• Development Staff
• Submit Class Notes
• Class Secretaries
• Board of Directors
• Health Care
• Sustainability
• Class Takeaways
• All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions
• If/Then: Business, Leadership, Society
• Grit & Growth
• Think Fast, Talk Smart
• Spring 2022
• Spring 2021
• Autumn 2020
• Summer 2020
• Winter 2020
• In the Media
• For Journalists
• DCI Fellows
• Other Auditors
• Academic Calendar & Deadlines
• Course Materials
• Entrepreneurial Resources
• Campus Drive Grove
• Campus Drive Lawn
• CEMEX Auditorium
• King Community Court
• Seawell Family Boardroom
• Stanford GSB Bowl
• Stanford Investors Common
• Town Square
• Vidalakis Courtyard
• Vidalakis Dining Hall
• Catering Services
• Policies & Guidelines
• Reservations
• Contact Faculty Recruiting
• Lecturer Positions
• Postdoctoral Positions
• Accommodations
• CMC-Managed Interviews
• Recruiter-Managed Interviews
• Virtual Interviews
• Campus & Virtual
• Search for Candidates
• Think Globally
• Recruiting Calendar
• Recruiting Policies
• Full-Time Employment
• Summer Employment
• Entrepreneurial Summer Program
• Global Management Immersion Experience
• Social-Purpose Summer Internships
• Process Overview
• Project Types
• Client Eligibility Criteria
• Client Screening
• ACT Leadership
• Social Innovation & Nonprofit Management Resources
• Develop Your Organization’s Talent
• Centers & Initiatives
• Student Fellowships

Smart. Open. Grounded. Inventive. Read our Ideas Made to Matter.

Which program is right for you?

Through intellectual rigor and experiential learning, this full-time, two-year MBA program develops leaders who make a difference in the world.

A rigorous, hands-on program that prepares adaptive problem solvers for premier finance careers.

A 12-month program focused on applying the tools of modern data science, optimization and machine learning to solve real-world business problems.

Earn your MBA and SM in engineering with this transformative two-year program.

Combine an international MBA with a deep dive into management science. A special opportunity for partner and affiliate schools only.

A doctoral program that produces outstanding scholars who are leading in their fields of research.

Bring a business perspective to your technical and quantitative expertise with a bachelor’s degree in management, business analytics, or finance.

A joint program for mid-career professionals that integrates engineering and systems thinking. Earn your master’s degree in engineering and management.

An interdisciplinary program that combines engineering, management, and design, leading to a master’s degree in engineering and management.

Executive Programs

A full-time MBA program for mid-career leaders eager to dedicate one year of discovery for a lifetime of impact.

This 20-month MBA program equips experienced executives to enhance their impact on their organizations and the world.

Non-degree programs for senior executives and high-potential managers.

A non-degree, customizable program for mid-career professionals.

Marketing addresses problems that organizations face in seeking to provide products and services that satisfy customers' demands. Students are expected to acquire a solid grasp of behavior and management science theory and method through their coursework. Relevant disciplines include behavioral science, economics, operations research, and statistics. Through workshops, seminars, and applied and theoretical research with faculty, candidates gain experience that is the prerequisite for independent work.

PhD candidates work alongside MIT Sloan's world-renowned marketing faculty. The pioneering research of MIT Sloan faculty in building and implementing marketing models and decision-support systems has enhanced new product development for decades. Other award-winning research projects focus on customer satisfaction and the psychological underpinnings of economic and consumer behavior.

Marketing Faculty

More Information

Marketing Graduates

Example Thesis Topics

• Doctoral Programs

Quantitative Marketing

The PhD degree in Marketing is a research degree that is focused on developing cutting-edge skills that are needed to do research on the frontiers of marketing.

Behavioral Marketing

The PhD program in Behavioral Marketing at Yale focuses on how individuals think and behave in consumer-relevant domains. The program of study is inter-disciplinary, drawing from the fields of consumer behavior, social psychology, cognitive psychology, decision research, and behavioral economics.

Yale Marketing Seminar

The Yale Marketing Seminar Series presents recent research papers in marketing. The goal is to bring researchers from other universities to the Yale campus to stimulate exchange of ideas and deepen understanding of marketing trends.

• Youth Program
• Wharton Online

Wharton’s Marketing faculty, the most published and cited in the world, are leaders in developing new knowledge in marketing and related core disciplines.

The Wharton doctoral program offers students an unmatched interdisciplinary environment within which to generate creative ideas and hypotheses and to develop the analytic skills to evaluate them.

Faculty members are active in diverse research areas that connect to initiatives and centers both within Wharton more broadly, and other departments within the university. Recent research topics include such areas as: cognitive processes of consumers; consumer preference measurement; marketing decision support systems; design and adoption of new products and services; and social media and consumer inter-dependencies.

The Marketing Program requires students to have a basic knowledge of various business areas, computer programming, calculus, and matrix algebra.

For information on courses and sample plans of study, please visit the University Graduate Catalog .

For more information about the Joint Doctoral Degree in Marketing and Psychology:  https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/joint-doctoral-degree-in-marketing-and-psychology/

Get the Details.

Visit the Marketing website for details on program requirements and courses. Read faculty and student research and bios to see what you can do with a Marketing PhD.

PhD | Marketing

The Ph.D. in Marketing

Stern’s Ph.D. program in marketing trains students to perform research in a broad array of behavioral areas such as consumer psychology, information processing, and judgment and decision making. The program also teaches students how to conduct research that develops econometric and statistical models to investigate consumer, firm, and market phenomena. The behavioral work in the department emphasizes experimental methodologies while the marketing science research focuses on structural models and Bayesian analyses. Applications of theory focus on current topics such as branding, social networks and media, word of mouth, and the use of digital media. The department is proud of a long tradition of close collaboration between doctoral students and faculty members.

Explore Marketing

Discover our other fields of study.

• Youth Program
• Wharton Online

PhD Program

The Wharton doctoral program offers students an unmatched interdisciplinary environment within which to generate creative ideas and hypotheses and to develop the analytic skills to evaluate them.

Faculty members are active in diverse research areas that connect to initiatives and centers both within Wharton more broadly, and other departments within the university. Recent research topics include such areas as: cognitive processes of consumers; consumer preference measurement; marketing decision support systems; design and adoption of new products and services; and social media and consumer inter-dependencies.

Recent graduates have received offers of faculty positions at leading business schools, including Columbia, Duke, LBS, MIT, Northwestern, NYU, University of Michigan and University of Chicago.

The department offers two degree program options: the Marketing program, which allows students to pursue a Consumer Behavior or Quantitative Track; and a joint degree program in Marketing and Psychology .

Please make sure to look at the Frequently Asked Questions for additional information and links.

• Marketing Degree Program
• Joint Doctoral Degree Program in Marketing and Psychology
• FAQ about PhD in Marketing 
• 2024 Information Sessions
• Admissions Information
• Recent PhD Placements
• PhD Student Awards
• PhD Alumni Awards
• PhD Student Directory
• Postdoctoral Researchers Directory
• How the Wharton PhD Program Works
• For Current Students

For more information or to request admission application forms:

APPLY TO WHARTON

• Enroll & Pay
• Prospective Students
• Current Students

Ph.D. in Marketing

Program information.

The University of Kansas doctoral program in marketing aims to prepare students for academic careers at tier 1 research universities. Faculty members closely supervise doctoral students pursuing their doctorate in one of the two tracks offered: consumer behavior or quantitative.

Each student is assigned an academic advisor, who guides the student in course selection and other general academic requirements. Students will begin to collaborate with faculty members on research projects early in the doctoral program, enabling them to have more than one paper under advanced review at premier marketing journals as they begin the job search in their penultimate year in the program.

Application deadlines

Priority: December 15, 2023

Final: January 10, 2024

• Application requirements

The marketing department has young and dynamic faculty, dedicated to producing high-quality research that is published in top-tier marketing and interdisciplinary journals. Students will begin to collaborate with faculty members on research projects early in the doctoral program.

Part of our mission is to develop effective teachers. To that end, all doctoral students are required to teach at least two sections as independent instructors. The school and university prepare and reward doctoral students for excellence in teaching through various programs and awards.

Program details

Major courses.

MKTG 901: Research Methods in Marketing

MKTG 951: Consumer Behavior

MKTG 952: Introduction to Marketing Models

MKTG 957: Managerial Issues in Marketing

Consumer Behavior tool courses

BE 917: Advanced Managerial Econ OR ECON 700: Survey of Microeconomics

BSAN 920: Probability for Business Research OR MATH 727: Probability Theory

BSAN 921: Statistics for Business Research

PSYC 791: Statistical Methods in Psychology II

PSYC 818: Experimental Research Methods in Social Psychology

PSYC 894: Multilevel Modeling

Consumer Behavior supporting courses

Choose at least five of the following courses, with advisor's approval.

PSYC 723: Advanced Cognitive Psychology

PSYC 725: Cognitive Neuroscience

PSYC 735: Psycholinguistics I

PSYC 774: Advanced Social Psychology I

PSYC 775: Advanced Social Psychology II

PSYC 787: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Gerontology and Aging

PSYC 896: Structural Equation Modeling I

PSYC 933: Seminar: The Measurement of Attitudes

PSYC 991: Longitudinal Data Analysis

Courses outside the list below may also be considered, with advisor's approval.

Quantitative tool courses

BSAN 921: Statistics for Bus. Res. OR MATH 728: Statistical Theory

BSAN 922: Advanced Regression

ECON 817: Econometrics I

ECON 818: Econometrics II

Quantitative supporting courses

BE 917: Advanced Managerial Econ OR ECON 730: Topics in Industrial Org

ECON 800: Optimization Techniques I

ECON 801: Microeconomics I

ECON 809: Optimization Techniques II

EECS 836: Machine Learning OR  EECS 837: Data Mining

EECS 839: Mining Special Data

BIOS 902: Bayesian Statistics

Other substitional courses for the above supporting courses may be from the list below with advisor's approval:

ECON 916: Advanced Econometrics II (Time Series, VAR models)

EECS 649: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

More information:

View a detailed list of courses in the Academic Catalog .

Requirements

Area of concentration.

Each aspirant, with the assistance of his or her faculty advisor and the area faculty, selects an area of concentration.

The area of concentration is selected from the traditional business disciplines of accounting, analytics, information, and operations, finance, human resource management, marketing, organizational behavior, and strategic management. An aspirant may also propose an interdisciplinary area of concentration that is a combination of these disciplines or include emphasis such as international business, law, and economics.

The aspirant must take at least five advanced courses in the area of concentration. These courses may include those offered outside the School of Business.

Supporting areas

Coursework in the area of concentration is supplemented and strengthened by study in one or two supporting areas. A supporting area is one that supplements and complements the area of concentration.

The aspirant will satisfy the supporting area requirement by taking at least four advanced courses in the supporting areas (at least two courses in each of two supporting areas, or at least four courses in one supporting area). Courses recommended for preparation for the qualifiers may not be included in satisfying the supporting area requirement.

Research methodology

For successful qualifier assessment, the student’s program of study should include adequate preparation in research methodology.

Sound research is always grounded on sound methodology. A doctoral student in marketing has the opportunity to develop methodological skill in probability and statistics, optimization, uncertain reasoning, game theory, and econometrics. A typical doctoral dissertation often utilizes one or more of the following research methodology: empirical, analytical, behavioral, and computational.

• Comprehensive exams
• Dissertation proposal
• Dissertation defense

Some students can complete the program in four years.

Program faculty

• Assistant Professor
• Marketing and Business Law academic area

• Area Director, Marketing and Business Law
• Crown/Sherr Professor

• Dean's/Frank S. Pinet Professor

• Associate Professor

• Ned N. Fleming Professor

• AT&T Foundation Professor

Marketing doctoral students

• Ph.D. Student

• Ph.D. Candidate

Marketing Program Requirements

The nationally renowned marketing faculty represents a diverse set of research interests ranging from consumer behavior to marketing strategy. 

You'll develop individualized programs of study in close consultation with a faculty mentor or PhD Coordinator. The program is structured flexibly, providing you with a common orientation to marketing methods and issues. You'll also have opportunities for specialized study in either a behavioral (psychology/sociology/anthropology) or quantitative (economics/statistics) track. 

You must complete at minimum 40 degree credits covering the major area, methods, and supporting/minor areas. 

Of the required credits, 

• all marketing PhD seminars in your chosen track of specialization (behavioral or quantitative)
• at least 6 of the 24 seminar credits must be from the other track (behavioral or quantitative) 
•  supporting field/minor coursework
• 12 of the 16 credits must be in methods courses (can overlap with the 16 required supporting field courses)

Course descriptions:

Mktg 8809: Consumer Behavior Research Methods

Topics related to conceptual theories/arguments about experimental design and statistical analysis of experiments. How to design experimental research for testing hypotheses and drawing conclusions.

Mktg 8810: Consumer Behavior Special Topics

Theories of consumer categorization. Literature on brand categories, category measurement, brand extensions/dilution/affect. Theoretical analysis.

Mktg 8811: Consumer Attitudes and Persuasion I

Theories and research in consumer behavior and related disciplines of social and cognitive psychology. Perspective primarily from information processing or social cognition. Consumer categorization, memory, beliefs, attitudes, and attitude change.

Mktg 8812: Consumer Attitudes and Persuasion II

How people process information for making judgments. How people acquire and mentally organize information and how such data are related to prior knowledge; how this knowledge or the processes performed on it guide judgments.

Mktg 8813/14: Consumer Judgment & Decision Making I & II

(I) Different theoretical approaches taken in judgment and decision-making research. Heuristics/biases, affect in decision making, judgments/decisions over time. (II) Draws from work on prospect theory and its derivatives. Anomalous choice; emphasizes applications in marketing theory, from inter-temporal choice to regret and counterfactual thinking in consumers/managers.

Mktg 8831: Seminar in Inter-Organizational Relations

This course looks at inter-organizational networks comprised of interdependent institutions involved in the task of moving goods and services from the point of production to the point of consumption. It examines historically important streams of research in the functional and institutional tradition that focuses on the behavioral school to understand key concepts. A review of the transaction cost, relational contracting, and analytical literature is also covered.

Mktg 8842/8843: Quantitative Modeling I & II

Advanced readings covering quantitative research in marketing; topics from theoretical/empirical research in marketing , econometrics and industrial organization.

Mktg 8890: Marketing Topics Seminar

This seminar introduces students to various approaches to studying marketing, how they are used, and the limitations of each approach.

Rather than require a first-year examination, the Marketing Department now does a more comprehensive progress review/evaluation of its doctoral students at the end of the first year.

Every year, if you are a student rising into the second, third, fourth or fifth year of the program, you will work with a faculty mentor during the summer on a research project.

At the end of the Summer, you will present your research to faculty and PhD students at a research camp organized by senior PhD students.

After completing your second year in the program, you will take a written area of concentration exam, which assesses your breadth of knowledge in the area in which you intend to specialize.

The oral exam usually occurs within one semester of passing the written exam. It is usually based on a presentation of the second year research paper.

This should occur no later than 2 semesters before you plan to graduate or go to placement.

• Majors & Minors
• Freshman Students
• Transfer Students
• International Students
• Returning Students
• Class Profile
• Scholarships
• Impact Core
• Experiential Learning
• Immersion Core
• International Experience
• First Year Experience
• Organizations
• Student Ambassadors
• Requirements & Deadlines
• Deferred Entry
• International Applicants
• Specializations
• Employment Statistics
• Alumni Profiles
• Clubs & Organizations
• Global Experience
• State Authorization
• Residency Options
• Student Life
• Leadership Development
• International Residency
• Global Team Project
• Lingnan College
• WU Executive Academy
• Valuation Lab
• Tuition & Aid
• Artificial Intelligence in Business
• Partner Schools
• CFA Affiliation
• Requirements
• Student Papers
• Graduate Placement
• Award Winners
• Department Staff
• Dual Degrees
• Custom Solutions
• Talent Development Partnerships
• Carlson General Management Program
• Success Stories
• Learning Measurement & Impact Services
• Short Courses by Date
• Participant Stories
• Executive Certificates
• Centers & Institutes
• Departments
• Behavioral Labs
• 1st Tuesday Previous
• Insight to Action
• Regional Events
• Professional Development Webinars
• Past Events
• National Chapters
• International Chapters
• Affinity Networks
• Corporate Clubs
• With Students
• Career Coaching
• Lifelong Learning
• Subscribe to Magazine
• Submit Class Note
• Engagement Mode
• People & Partners
• Gender Equality Action Group
• Teaching Cases
• Research Grants
• Publications
• COVID-19 Hospitalization Tracking Project
• Partnerships
• Get Involved
• Program Finder
• Connecting Flight
• Identity Course
• Financial Aid
• Parents & Families
• Policies & Forms
• Identity Abroad
• Health & Safety
• Partner School
• Global Executive Programs
• Important Dates
• Student Visa
• Fees & Expenses
• Arrival & Welcome Program
• Global Education Management
• Going Global Newsletter
• Year in Review
• Speaker Series
• Video Series
• Director's Message
• Advisory Council
• Alumni Newsletter
• Herman Library
• Support the Center
• Program Staff
• Advisory Committee
• What We Offer
• Benefactors
• Advisory Board
• Entrepreneurship in Action
• For Students
• For Entrepreneurs
• For Mentors
• About the Institute
• Ignite Conference
• Joseph M. Juran
• 2014-2018 Winners
• 2009-2013 Winners
• 2004-2008 Winners
• 1999-2003 Winners
• Analytics Maturity Model
• Project Workshop
• National Industry Council
• Executive in Residence
• Women & Allies
• MILI Student Association (MILIsa)
• MILI Undergraduates (MILIu)
• Case Competitions
• MILI Specialization
• Platou Leadership Award
• Data Resources
• Laboratory Council
• Lab Fellows
• Student FAQs
• For Clients
• For Employers
• Give to the Valuation Lab
• Academic Programs
• Hotel & Travel
• 2010-present
• Industry Partners
• Friday Research Workshops
• Seminar Series
• New Product Design
• Undergraduate Programs
• Graduate Programs
• Student Dissertations
• Executive Committee
• Board of Advisors
• Capstone Projects
• Undergraduate
• Employment Reports
• Companies & Employers
• Global Learning
• Full-Time MBA Students
• PTMBA & MSF Students
• Undergraduate Students
• MBA Students
• Marketing Students
• Faculty & Staff
• Methodology
• Project Structure
• Entrepreneurship
• Emerging Leaders of Color
• Business Innovation Academy
• Analytics U
• Carlson THRIVE
• Living in Minneapolis
• Hire Students
• Engage Student Talent
• Access Expertise
• Ways to Give
• Investors Circle
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Student Consultants
• Executive Fellows
• Senior Staff
• Current Initiatives
• Cultural Competency
• Annual Report
• Building Maps
• Building Information
• Directions & Parking
• Emergency Preparedness
• Facility Policies
• Reserve a Space
• Frequently Asked Questions

• Skip to Content
• Catalog Home
• Business: Marketing, Ph.D.

The Business: Marketing, Ph.D. is designed to prepare students for academic careers at top universities. A career as a marketing faculty member offers a high degree of intellectual stimulation, creative freedom, and the opportunity to develop and disseminate new knowledge via research and teaching.

Student research is supported by faculty in three core areas that include quantitative modeling, consumer behavior and marketing strategy.

Our faculty members contribute to significant advancements in the theory and practice of marketing, as evidenced by our recently published journal articles .

Admission consideration requires a four-year undergraduate degree or the equivalent, in any discipline, from an accredited institution. Work experience is not required. Applicants should have an undergraduate minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. In addition to academic credentials, test scores, personal achievements, motivation, communication skills (written and oral) and recommendation letters are considered in the admission process at both the master's and doctoral levels.

Please note:  The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), taken within five years of the starting term, is required of all applicants to the School of Business Ph.D. and M.S. programs. Also, all domestic (including Puerto Rico) and international applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A recommended minimum TOEFL score of 106 (New iBT) and 27 Speaking, obtained within two years of the intended starting term, is needed for admission consideration. International applicants who have completed a four-year bachelor's degree in a country where the official language is English may request a waiver of the TOEFL requirement. A master's degree from an English-speaking institution does not qualify for a waiver of the TOEFL, unless you have completed a minimum of 4 years of education (undergrad and graduate) in a country where English is the native language. The school accepts IELTS and Pearson Test of English as substitutes for TOEFL.

To learn more about the application and admissions process, visit  Ph.D. Admission Requirements . 

HOW TO APPLY

Students interested in business degrees do not apply through the Graduate School application system and should instead refer to the  School of Business Admissions page.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Major requirements.

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements , in addition to the program requirements listed below.

MODE OF INSTRUCTION

Mode of instruction definitions.

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.

Evening/Weekend: ​Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.  Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.  Contact the program for more specific information.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online.  Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS

Required courses.

Students take each of these seminars twice.

Summer Paper Requirement

Following students’ first year in the program, they are required to complete a research project, typically in collaboration with a faculty member. The summer paper should be based on a student’s research interests, and it may be empirical or conceptual in nature. The summer paper must be submitted to the doctoral committee no later than August 31. Students will receive written feedback from the committee, including specific comments that will be similar to what they can expect in reviews from journals. Students will present the research to the department during the fall speaker series and receive feedback from the doctoral committee on their progress.

Graduate School Policies

The  Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures  provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

MAJOR-SPECIFIC POLICIES

Prior coursework, graduate work from other institutions.

With program approval, students are allowed to count no more than 9 credits of graduate coursework from other institutions. Coursework earned ten years or more prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

UW–Madison Undergraduate

No credits from a UW–Madison undergraduate degree are allowed to count toward the degree.

UW–Madison University Special

With program approval students are allowed to count no more than 9 credits of coursework numbered 300 or above taken as a UW–Madison special student. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

This program follows the  Graduate School's Probation policy .

ADVISOR / COMMITTEE

This program follows the Graduate School's  Advisor policy  and  Committees policy .

CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED

Time limits.

Doctoral degree students who have been absent for ten or more consecutive years lose all credits that they have earned before their absence. Individual programs may count the coursework students completed prior to their absence for meeting program requirements; that coursework may not count toward Graduate School credit requirements.

A candidate for a doctoral degree who fails to take the final oral examination and deposit the dissertation within five years after passing the preliminary examination may be required to take another preliminary examination and to be admitted to candidacy a second time.

GRIEVANCES AND APPEALS

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting  
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Dean of Students Office (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)

Any student who feels that they have been mistreated by a faculty or staff member has the right to lodge a complaint. Complaints may concern course grades, classroom treatment, program admission, or other issues. To ensure a prompt and fair hearing of any complaint and to protect both the student's rights and the person at whom the complaint is addressed, the grievance procedures below are used in the School of Business.

The person whom the complaint is directed against must be an employee of the School of Business. Any student or potential student may use these procedures unless other campus rules or contracts cover the complaint:

• If the student feels comfortable/safe doing so, the student should first talk with the person against whom the grievance is directed. Most issues can be settled at this level. If the complaint is directed against a teaching assistant (TA) and the student is not satisfied after discussion of the grievance with the TA, the next step would be to talk to the TA's supervisor, who is usually the course professor. If the complaint is still not resolved satisfactorily, the student may continue to step 2.
• If the complaint does not involve an academic department, the procedure outlined in Step 4 below should be followed.
• On receipt of a written complaint, the chair will refer the matter to a departmental committee, which will obtain a written response from the person at whom the complaint is directed. This response shall be shared with the person filing the grievance. The chair will provide a written decision within 30 days to the student on the action taken by the committee.
• If either party is not satisfied with the decision, they have five working days from receipt of the decision to contact the dean's office (at the number below), indicating the intention to appeal. If the complaint does not involve an academic department in the school, the student must contact the dean's office within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
• In either case, there will be an attempt to resolve the issue informally by the appropriate associate dean. If this cannot be done, the complaint can be filed in writing with the Office of the Dean. This must be done within 10 working days of the time the appealing party was notified that informal resolution was unsuccessful.
• On receipt of such a written complaint, the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer will convene a subcommittee of relevant stakeholders pending the nature of the issue. This subcommittee may ask for additional information from the parties involved and may hold a hearing at which both parties will be asked to speak separately. The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the dean of the School of Business who will render a decision. Unless a longer time is negotiated, this written decision shall be made within 20 working days from when the grievance was filed with the Office of the Dean.

Questions about these procedures can be directed to the School of Business, Office of the Dean, 4339 Grainger, 975 University Avenue, 608-262-7867.

State law contains additional provisions regarding discrimination and harassment. Wisconsin Statutes 36.12 reads, in part: "No student may be denied admission to, participation in or the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any service, program, course or facility of the system or its institutions or center because of the student's race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status or parental status." In addition, UW–System prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression. Students have the right to file discrimination and harassment complaints with the Office of Compliance , 361 Bascom Hall, 608-265-6018, [email protected] .

The Graduate School has procedures for students wishing to appeal a grievance decision at the school/college level. These policies are described in the Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/grievances-and-appeals/

Virtually all Ph.D. students in business are funded at a level that guarantees a minimum of five years of the following: Full tuition remission; scholarship funding; a monthly stipend; comprehensive family health insurance plan, travel funding for students presenting at academic conferences.

• Requirements
• /​pdf/​
• Explore Graduate Opportunities
• Explore UW-​Madison's Undergraduate Opportunities
• Accounting and Information Systems
• African American Studies
• African Cultural Studies
• Agricultural and Applied Economics
• Agricultural and Life Sciences -​ College-​Wide
• Animal and Dairy Sciences
• Anthropology
• Art History
• Asian Languages and Cultures
• Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
• Bacteriology
• Biochemistry
• Biological Systems Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Biostatistics and Medical Informatics
• Business Analytics, Graduate/​Professional Certificate
• Business, Doctoral Minor
• Business, Environment, and Social Responsibility, Graduate/​Professional Certificate
• Business, MSB
• Business: Accounting, Ph.D.
• Business: Finance, Ph.D.
• Business: Insurance Economics and Actuarial Analytics, Ph.D.
• Business: Management and Human Resources, Ph.D.
• Business: Operations and Information Management, Ph.D.
• Business: Real Estate and Urban Economics, Ph.D.
• Business: Analytics, M.S.
• Business: Data, Insights, and Analytics, M.S.
• Business: Executive, MBA
• Business: General Management, MBA
• Business: Supply Chain Management, M.S.
• Business: Supply Chain Management, MBA
• Cell and Regenerative Biology
• Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Chicana/​o and Latina/​o Studies
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Civil Society &​ Community Studies
• Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
• Communication Arts
• Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Community and Environmental Sociology
• Computer Sciences
• Counseling Psychology
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
• Educational Policy Studies
• Educational Psychology
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Engineering -​ College-​Wide
• Food Science
• Forest and Wildlife Ecology
• French and Italian
• Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
• Gender and Women's Studies
• German, Nordic, and Slavic
• Graduate -​ School-​Wide
• Horticulture
• Human Ecology -​ School-​Wide
• Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Information School
• Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
• Institute for Regional and International Studies
• Integrative Biology
• Journalism and Mass Communication
• Kinesiology
• La Follette School of Public Affairs
• Language Institute
• Language Sciences
• Law -​ School-​Wide
• Life Sciences Communication
• Management and Human Resources
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mathematics
• Mead Witter School of Music
• Mechanical Engineering
• Medical Physics
• Medicine and Public Health -​ School-​Wide
• Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics
• Nursing -​ School-​Wide
• Nutritional Sciences
• Operations and Information Management
• Pharmacy -​ School-​Wide
• Planning and Landscape Architecture
• Plant Pathology
• Political Science
• Population Health Sciences
• Real Estate and Urban Land Economics
• Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education
• Religious Studies
• Risk and Insurance
• Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work
• Soil Science
• Spanish and Portuguese
• Veterinary Medicine -​ School-​Wide
• Nondegree/​Visiting Student Guide
• Pharmacy Guide
• School of Medicine and Public Health Guide
• Undergraduate Guide
• Veterinary Guide

• Undergraduate
• Master of Accounting
• Full Time MBA
• Evening Executive MBA
• Weekend Executive MBA
• Charlotte Executive MBA

PhD in Marketing

UNC Kenan-Flagler is a global leader in the field of empirical modeling and a destination department for marketing scholars who have a genuine interest in combining managerial relevance with academic rigor. The Marketing Area conducts managerially relevant research using rigorous empirical and analytical techniques, creates synergy between their research and teaching, and makes an impact on the business community and society by actively disseminating their insights.

PhD Marketing students learn to conduct research using rigorous empirical and analytical techniques. As a doctoral student, you will learn to unlock the full value of marketing data to better understand customers and improve marketing efforts. We actively share the newfound insights we glean to benefit the business community and society.

Typical Course Schedule by Year

During the first two years of the PhD program, you focus on courses that develop the tools you need to produce high-quality research. A faculty member, who acts as your advisor, is assigned to you when you enter the program.

• Marketing I
• Marketing II
• Issues in the Design and Analysis of Research in Marketing
• Seminar in Marketing Research Methodology
• An original research paper written under the supervision of a faculty member is required for presentation and critique.
• Economic Foundations in Marketing
• Advanced Psychometric Measurement and Data Analysis in Marketing
• A Comprehensive Written Examination covers all of the courses you take in the first two years of the PhD program
• An oral presentation of your current research
• Full-time research
• With consent of your advisor, you may attend/participate or present at external national or international conferences after your second year.
• Dissertation and Oral Defense is expected prior to the end of the fifth year.
• Preparing for the job market
• PhD students may take any elective course offered by UNC Kenan-Flagler or other UNC or Duke departments with guidance from your advisor.
• Your are invited to participate in all marketing-related research seminars and guest speakers offered at UNC Kenan-Flagler.

View our current Marketing PhD students .

Related Research

The business of saving lives.

Conducting industry-changing research is costly, difficult and time consuming. It requires help – lots of help – from partners in industry and academia. Bu...

Managing ticket madness

While the odds of predicting a perfect bracket might be longer than those for winning tickets to the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four through the lottery, ...

Marketing with options and forwards

Applying financial options to consumer marketing pays After the final buzzer sounds at the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four, fans send payment to the leagu...

This website uses cookies and similar technologies to understand visitor experiences. By using this website, you consent to UNC-Chapel Hill's cookie usage in accordance with their Privacy Notice .

Effective solutions for complex business problems.

The Marketing PhD focuses on the demand and supply of products and services. Our students acquire a powerful skillset based in economics, econometrics, statistics, machine learning, and causal inference. These skills allow our students to answer substantive questions in marketing by applying or developing new empirical approaches. 

Our faculty engage with PhD students in a close mentoring relationship that allows students to develop both the technical and independent research skills needed for a successful academic career. Recent research by our faculty and PhD students studies broad areas including digital, online, retail competition, pricing, platform competition, word-of-mouth, and advertising.

• Meet Marketing Faculty

Prepare with Math Camp.

Program outline: marketing, the first year each.

PhD Marketing student's schedule of courses is customized to address his or her background and interests. Classes occur in the Simon Business School and also in closely related areas including the University of Rochester Economics Department and the Computer Science Department. First year students are required to pass Preliminary Requirements by demonstrating proficiency in specific courses. A research oriented first-year paper is due by October 15 of the second year.

The Second Year

In the second year, student participation in marketing seminars is required as well as continuation in courses. This training rounds out the toolkit and continues to deepen exposure to the literature and is chosen in consultation with faculty to ensure the courses provide the appropriate training. The Qualifying Exam consists of passing an examination of the second-year research paper. This paper is due by September 15 of the third year and should be an original contribution to the marketing literature. The paper will be presented in a Marketing Workshop the fall of the students third year.

The Third Year and Beyond

In the third year, students move from course work to active research. In addition, continued participation in all Marketing seminars is required.

Required Courses.

The Course Catalog contains degree requirements and course descriptions. Please refer the Simon Registrar's website for the current Course Catalog. Classes occur in the Simon Business School and also in closely related areas including the University of Rochester Economics Department and the Computer Science Department.

Simon Registrar

Course Catalog

PhD Marketing Courses

This class is intended to provide PhD students with an advanced treatment of causal inference as well as a gentle introduction to frontier machine learning techniques that are useful in economic applications. From the machine learning toolkit, we will cover Lasso and Random Forests in detail, along with recent approaches to inference with HD nuisance parameters. Deep Learning will be covered only briefly. R packages for implementation of Lasso and Forests will be introduced. We will then consider the three canonical approaches to causal inference: the Rubin framework, the Pearl framework and the Heckman synthesis. Randomized control trials and associated methods of inference (Fisher exact p-values and randomization inference) will be covered briefly. We will then consider recent approaches based on synthetic control and matrix completion. We next turn to methods based on selective choice, including Roy models and control functions. Finally, we will consider some issues related to IV approaches, including problems of weak or many instruments (and a Lasso-based solution) and the local/selected nature of resulting estimands (LATE and MTE).

This course introduces students to canonical modeling approaches for analyzing decision making by both firms and consumers, focusing on static environments. Central topics include demand estimation, models of strategic interaction, networks and platforms and auctions. Applications include firm pricing decisions, new product introductions, strategic entry and vertical relationships. The course generally includes coding assignments and student presentations, in addition to the weekly lectures on methods and applications.

This course examines consumer and firm behaviors that involve inter-temporal trade-offs and as a result involve dynamic optimization on the part of both consumers and firms. It begins with an overview of dynamic programming methods, in both single and multi-agent settings, emphasizing methods that link estimation with computation. Single agent topics include models of capital replacement, dynamic demand, inventory models and salesforce management. Multi-agent topics include strategic innovation, learning by doing, demand smoothing, and product repositioning. A strong emphasis is placed on recent methods and frontier topics. The course generally includes coding assignments and several student presentations, in addition to weekly lectures.

This workshop provides a forum for the presentation of research ideas and completed research by students. The course includes discussion of current job market papers and job market presentations, journal reviewing, and generating new research ideas. In addition, some topics are covered to illustrate current research areas of interest for the faculty. All marketing PhD students who are not on the job market are expected to participate actively.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor

This course is designed for first, second, and third year students to provide exposure to the literature related to core research methods used in quantitative marketing research and to build student appreciation of what goes into conducting research in quantitative marketing. The content of the course varies by year with similar core topics, but rotating papers, and some rotating topics. The core topics include choice models, aggregate demand models, Bayesian models, consumer heterogeneity, and state dependence. Rotating topics have included structural model identification, experimentation, causal inference, search, learning, advertising effects, and conjoint analysis, and rotate each year. In addition, the course provides exposures to other perspectives on quantitative research. Course evaluation includes coding assignments and homework’s, and the final exam has both coding and conceptual parts to it. In addition, students are expected to submit a paper and present their own research.

This course covers advanced topics in quantitative marketing research. The topics rotate each time offered and are selected based on current topical areas in the marketing, economics, and related fields as well as student and faculty research interests. Part of the evaluation in the course is to submit a paper and present their own research. All marketing PhD students who are not on the job market are expected to participate actively.

Graduate School

Ph.d. requirements.

• Academics & Research
• Programs & Requirements

Brown University awards more than 200 doctor of philosophy degrees annually.

The Brown Ph.D. is primarily a research degree. Teaching is an important part of many doctoral programs, and many departments require candidates for the Ph.D. to have teaching experience.

Brown University offers substantial financial support to doctoral students. All incoming doctoral students are guaranteed five years of support, which includes a stipend, full tuition remission, health-services fee, and a health-insurance subsidy. Doctoral students in the Humanities and Social Sciences are guaranteed six years of support. All promises of student support are subject to students making satisfactory academic progress, as determined by their programs of study. Please see related links for additional details regarding the University's commitment to doctoral education.

Ph.D. Funding

Funding guarantee, four general requirements for the doctor of philosophy.

The candidate must be formally admitted to his or her degree program.

The normal residency requirement is the equivalent of three Academic Years of full-time study beyond the bachelor's degree. Students who enter a PhD program at Brown already holding a master’s degree in a related field have a residency requirement equivalent to two Academic Years of full-time study upon entering the PhD program at Brown. Use of a previously earned master’s degree to reduce PhD residency requirements is contingent upon approval of the program Director of Graduate Study. Graduate work done at other institutions and not used in fulfillment of the requirements for any doctoral degree elsewhere may, on the approval of the program Director of Graduate Study, be counted in fulfillment of up to, but not exceeding, one year of the residency requirement. A student who desires credit for work done elsewhere should file a timely application with the program Director of Graduate Study; transfer credit forms are available through the  Office of the Registrar .

A student is advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. when he or she has completed satisfactorily all the requirements, departmental and general, requisite to beginning work on the dissertation. Candidacy is determined by the department or program of study and certified by the Registrar. Most departments require a preliminary examination before advancing any student to candidacy. Most departments also require a final examination or defense. The examination is conducted by professors in the department and by such other members of the faculty as may be appointed.

The candidate must present a dissertation on a topic related to his or her area of specialization that presents the results of original research and gives evidence of excellent scholarship. The dissertation must be approved by the professor or committee under whose direction it is written and by the Graduate Council. All requirements for the Ph.D. must be completed within five years after advancement to candidacy.

Faculty Member Leaves Brown

If a faculty member working with a doctoral student leaves Brown for any reason before that student has completed his or her degree requirements, it may not always be possible for that faculty member to continue working with the student as an advisor. In such cases, departments will work with students to help them locate a new advisor.

Additional Requirements

Individual departments and programs may have additional requirements regarding the number of courses to be taken, proficiency in foreign languages, special examinations, and theses. The department should be consulted for specific information.

• home button

The Marketing Ph.D. program is a research-intensive full-time course of study designed to place graduates in marketing faculty positions at research-oriented universities. The four to five-year Ph.D. program involves forty-two credit hours of coursework plus intensive research activity, including working on your dissertation and writing papers for publication in major refereed academic journals such as Journal of Marketing Research , Journal of Consumer Research , Journal of Marketing , Marketing Science , and Management Science .

The Marketing faculty ( click here for more information about our faculty and their publications ) is deeply involved in each stage of our doctoral students’ academic lives. Throughout the program, each student receives opportunities to present work at workshops or conferences, attend regular department seminar series, develop speaking and writing skills, and receive regular feedback from the faculty.

Qualifications for our program are (1) motivation to undertake social science research and (2) the ability to do so, as demonstrated by a high score on the GMAT or GRE, a strong academic record, and endorsement from former professors. We review every application and look at each applicant as an individual. Accepted doctoral students are hired as Research or Teaching Assistants for 20 hours a week and receive competitive year-round stipends . The Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship provides a laptop or desktop for new students and additional funding for students presenting papers at national conferences.

We encourage our students to seek placements as professors at research-oriented universities, and they do. See here for recent placements and here for achievements.

We want our program to be stimulating, enjoyable, and a bonding experience with other Ph.D. students. New students get a great deal of help from those who have been in the program, and are expected to offer similar help to other new students down the road.

As faculty members, we treat our Ph.D. students like colleagues. And you are.

I encourage you to carefully go through our extensive FAQs page , which should help answer most frequently asked questions about our program and the application process.

Professor Seshadri Tirunillai Marketing Ph.D. Program Coordinator Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship Bauer College of Business University of Houston

Ph.D. Program

Duke's Fuqua School of Business

Marketing is the process by which demands for products, services, and ideas are anticipated, managed, and satisfied. There are three major facets of marketing examined in our PhD program:

• Examination of factors affecting the structure and efficiency of markets and firm profitability within markets, often using economic theory
• Study of managerial and strategic issues in marketing, using diverse methods to examine marketing decisions and how such decisions can be improved
• Understanding the factors affecting buyer/consumer behavior, often using psychological approaches

Our objective is to provide PhD students with exceptional training that enables them to have successful research and teaching careers in any of these areas. This is accomplished by having students take courses selected to meet their individual needs and interests, work with faculty members on joint research beginning early in their program, and develop their own original research projects culminating in a dissertation. Students also assist faculty in teaching marketing courses to gain some teaching experience.

The Fuqua Marketing faculty are among the most published and cited marketing faculties in the world, and marketing faculty members have been editors of many of the field’s leading journals (e.g., Journal of Consumer Research , Journal of Marketing Research , Marketing Science ). The marketing faculty have received many honors and have held many leadership positions within the field.

Marketing is the process whereby demands for products, services and ideas are anticipated, managed and satisfied. This broad area of study has generated research at three levels. The first, or macro level, examines factors affecting the structure and efficiency of markets and the profitability of firms within markets. Often such explorations use economic theory. One example is the study of the effect of product differentiation on the optimal channel structure and profitability for the firms within an industry.

A second level of research is at the managerial level. The emphasis at this level is on improving the decision making abilities of managers. The methodology used is very diverse. It includes compiling descriptive information on how managers now go about making decisions, developing heuristics to augment current practices and building normative models of how managers should make decisions. Work at this level can be useful to both the public and business sectors. For example, one can develop new methods for testing advertising copy, examine the effects on purchase behavior of providing nutritional information in a grocery store or build an expert system which makes an individual manager’s expertise available throughout the firm.

The third, or micro, level is concerned with understanding the factors that influence buyer behavior. Often the theoretical base for these studies is psychological. Examples of studies at this level are determining the differential effect of a verbal or pictorial advertising message on the consumer’s brand preferences, testing the effects of Internet search agents on consumer choice, or examining emotionally difficult consumer choices.

The Ph.D. Program in Marketing at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business is designed to provide students with the training necessary for a successful research and teaching career in any of the above areas. This training is done by having students take courses selected to meet their individual needs and interests, work with faculty members on joint research, conduct a series of original research projects which ultimately lead to a dissertation, and assist in the teaching of marketing courses.

There are a number of reasons that Fuqua attracts and places such exceptional PhD students. First, the faculty are impactful.  Second, they are committed to investing considerable effort in student development.  Third, they are collegial and supportive.  Fourth, their interests are broad, meaning that students will be able to find a match to their interests as they grow in the program.  Fifth, the faculty are well connected to help with student placements.  Sixth, there are numerous resources including a behavioral lab, data, and leading departments in economics, statistics and psychology at Duke.  Seventh, our historical placements have been outstanding.  See the link for some of our PhD student testimonals.

The Ph.D. in Business Administration is a degree of the Graduate School of Duke University. Information on how to apply and deadlines for application can be obtained directly from the Graduate School at  www.gradschool.duke.edu .

The Fuqua School of Business offers financial support to all those admitted to the Ph.D. program. The following support is offered in the first year:

(1) A full tuition grant, including registration fees and mandatory health insurance while in the program.

(2) A yearly stipend dispersed in 12 monthly installments for the five years of the program, contingent upon satisfactory academic progress.(As part of their doctoral training and educational experience, students would work as research and teaching assistants for an average of 10 hours per week in year one and 6 hours per week in years two through five.

(3) Additional research assistantship opportunities (roughly four hours per week) are also available beyond the first year.

The full tuition and registration fee grant is available for the student’s entire time in the program. Students continue to receive at least the monthly stipend for up to five years of the program, provided that the major field examination has been passed before the beginning of the fourth year. Obtaining research assistantship funds depend upon the student arranging to work with faculty members on research projects of mutual interest.

PhD Program

• Curriculum/Program Requirements
• Current Students
• Research and Awards

University of South Florida

Muma College of Business

Tampa | St. Petersburg | Sarasota-Manatee

Main Navigation

Marketing concentration.

Welcome to our PhD program’s Marketing Concentration. To get a feel for our faculty and their research, please visit our Featured Research Faculty  page, where you will also be able to link to other research faculty and non-research faculty as well.

The marketing concentration embraces an approach to academic business research that increasingly centers relationships among academia, industry, and other constituencies (e.g., governments). Historically, marketing scholars have developed and tested theory, and often addressed managerially relevant issues. However, scholars are increasingly expected to include immediate managerial relevance in their research either as a primary focus or as part of a hybrid focus on both. Here, at the crossroads of theory and practice, lie especially rich studies that maximize value-added by combining rigor and relevance. And this, in turn, increases the chances of our students publishing in the field’s most prestigious journals, where their work is read by the field’s most prestigious scholars, and sometimes industry leaders. To produce such multi-faceted research, we cultivate relationships with external constituencies (businesses, museums, governments, etc.). These partners bring to the table cutting-edge applied knowledge (e.g., of business practices) as well as access to important data, such as an organization or industry’s existing (secondary) data, or data from field experiments we might conduct within our partners’ real-world settings.

Within academics, scholarly marketing is commonly broken down into three broad areas: managerial, behavioral, and modeling. These three areas overlap somewhat in topics, and overlap further as scholars bridge or combine them. And such combinations are encouraged as the field increasingly values more holistic research and multi-method approaches. That said, the backgrounds in theory, substantive knowledge, and methods required within these areas vary enough that most scholars remain ensconced primarily within one area. Not surprisingly, the areas’ journals and conferences remain partially distinct despite notable overlap.

Marketing’s managerial research focuses on how and why managers and firms do what they do, and how they can optimize their results. Surveys and qualitative methods are common in this research, though experiments are increasingly common, as are empirical models. The premier journals in marketing’s managerial area are the Journal of Marketing and Journal of Marketing Research , and two of the more popular top-tier journals are the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science and Journal of Retailing . The premier annual conference is the American Marketing Association Summer Educators’ Conference (August), though many other respected conferences also exist.

Marketing’s behavioral research (often referred to as “consumer behavior”) focuses on (1) understanding how consumers think, feel, and make decisions about products and services, (2) how consumers interact with their products post-purchase, and (3) how different marketing interventions impact consumers in one way or another. Lab and field experiments remain the most common methods, though the discipline increasingly values multi-method approaches that also incorporate qualitative methods (e.g., focus groups), empirical modeling (e.g., econometric models of large data bases of family grocery purchases over time), and even anthropological methods such as participant observation, where, for example, scholars might live among a sub-culture or group for some time to better understand them. The premier journals in marketing’s behavioral area are the Journal of Consumer Research and the Journal of Marketing Research , and two of the more popular top-tier journals are the Journal of Consumer Psychology and Journal of Advertising . The premier annual conference is the Association for Consumer Research Conference (October), though many other respected conferences also exist.

Marketing’s modeling research focuses on the methodology of building and testing models, where the models usually require advanced statistical training and address practical business issues using real-world marketplace data. The most common type of modeling is that of empirical modeling, such as econometric models of large data bases of family grocery purchases over time. A smaller yet active area is that of analytical modeling, which consists of data-less mathematical models based on carefully constructed sets of premises, the derivations from which produce conclusions about how a particular market situation could, should, or will unfold. The premier journals in marketing’s modeling area are Marketing Science and the Journal of Marketing Research , and two of the more popular top-tier journals are Quantitative Marketing and Economics and the International Journal of Research in Marketing . The premier annual conference is the INFORMS Marketing Science Conference (June), though many other respected conferences also exist.

Florida State University

FSU | College of Business

College of Business

• Undergraduate Programs

Admission and Certification Requirements

College of business programs.

The College of Business has certification requirements in the following majors: Human Resource Management , Management , Marketing , Professional Sales , Real Estate and Risk Management/Insurance , which means you have to complete all our prerequisites and have a minimum GPA in order to meet the certification requirements to be eligible for upper division coursework. Students wishing to major in Accounting , Finance or Management Information Systems must have a specific GPA in all attempts for the prerequisite courses for certification. We are not limited enrollment, which means if you satisfy our requirements for your intended major, you can be certified to take upper division business courses.

Students must complete all requirements by the end of their 4th term of enrollment. Students transferring to Florida State University from any other institution are expected to have all requirements completed at the time of transfer. Students who have attended a 4-year institution are only eligible to transfer up until their junior year.

To be eligible for any of the College of Business majors, each student must meet the following requirements:

• Must be admitted to Florida State University.
• Must have completed at least 52 semester credit hours.
• Must have the required overall GPA (computed on all prior college-level work) that is in effect for the term in which application is made. A 2.90 GPA is required for the following College of Business majors: Human Resource Management , Management , Marketing , Professional Sales , Real Estate and Risk Management/Insurance . The required GPA is subject to change each year.  Accounting , Finance and Management Information Systems majors are required to be in good academic standing and have a 2.5 GPA in the prerequisite courses, which is calculated using all course attempts. The prerequisite GPA is subject to change each year.  Please keep in mind that FSU does not do grade forgiveness, which means all course attempts are calculated into the GPA.
• *ACG 2021 - Introduction to Financial Accounting (Students taking ACG 2001 - Principles of Accounting I and ACG 2011 - Principles of Accounting II must complete both courses to satisfy this requirement. Accounting majors must make a B or better)
•  *ACG 2071 - Introduction to Managerial Accounting (Accounting majors must make a B or better)
• *CGS 2100 - Microcomputer Applications for Business or CGS2518 - Spreadsheets for Business
• *ECO 2013 - Principles of Macroeconomics
• *ECO 2023 - Principles of Microeconomics
• *MAC 2233 - Calculus for Business and Non-Physical Sciences
• *STA 2023, STA 3014 or QMB 2100 - Fundamental Business Statistics

If you have questions regarding admission to the College of Business limited-access programs, please contact [email protected]  in the college’s  Undergraduate Programs Office .

  Directory   College Calendar

  For Faculty & Staff

Undergraduate Programs  

Graduate programs  .

  Request Graduate Programs Info   Contact the Webmaster

Address 821 Academic Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1110 | Phone 850-644-3090 | Fax 850-644-0915 Copyright © 2023, Florida State University - College of Business , All Rights Reserved. Accredited by AACSB International.

(40-45 UNITS)

Master of Business Administration

The College of Business and Economics holds dual accreditation in Business Administration and Accounting from AACSB International, the premier accrediting body for university-level business programs in the world. We are the only university in Orange County, and one of five in California, to hold this prestigious level of dual accreditation. Our accreditation guarantees that students receive a high quality education, delivered by the most qualified faculty, all from a college that has met the highest standards in business education.

Depending on personal and professional commitments, students may earn their MBA on a full- or part-time basis. Classes are offered during the late afternoon and evenings.

Admission into the MBA program is competitive and decisions are based on the holistic assessment of each candidate’s academic and personal/professional background. Students must meet the CSU requirements for admission to a master’s degree program. Please consult the Graduate Admissions section in this catalog for complete information. In addition, applicants will be evaluated based on the following:

• A satisfactory score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Students should score in the top 50 percent on the verbal, quantitative and analytical writing areas. GRE/GMAT might be waived based on the waiver policy.
• A minimum TOEFL score of 570 on the paper exam, or 90 on the internet based (iBT) is required 1 .
• A recommendation from the MBA Admissions Committee based upon a review of the above requirements, the student’s “Statement of Purpose” and prior work experience.

Additional coursework may be required of admitted students who holistically satisfy the criteria but are weak in one of the above areas.

GRE/GMAT Waiver Policy

The GRE/GMAT exam is required of all program applicants. However, a waiver may be considered for those applicants who can show through their academic and professional work experience a high level of quantitative and analytical skill and ability necessary for program success. GMAT Waiver Eligibility:

• Option 1: Hold a quantitative-based master’s degrees or a terminal degree (MD, PhD, JD, DO) from an accredited school.
• Option 2: At least 7 years of professional work experience AND an undergraduate degree that includes extensive quantitative coursework with at least a B average.
• GMAT: At least 35th percentile on the Quantitative portion and a total score of at least 550.
• GRE: At least 35th percentile on the quantitative section and total score of 300.

Additional Information

1 For international students

Proficiency Requirements

All newly admitted students must demonstrate proficiency in calculus and statistics, either at the time of admission or within their first year of study. The technical courses listed below, or equivalent coursework, must be completed with a “C” (2.0) or better:

• MATH 135 - Business Calculus (3)
• ISDS 361A - Business Analytics I (3) or
• ISDS 513 - Statistical Analysis (3)

Degree Requirements

Students with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration may be able to complete the program with a minimum of 40 units of adviser-approved coursework. However, students with little or no recent coursework in Business Administration and have not met the university writing requirement may require 45 total units of advisor-approved coursework. A minimum 3.0 GPA (“B”) is required in study plan courses and overall applicable coursework. Any study plan course with a grade lower than “C” (2.0) must be repeated and passed with a “C” (2.0) or better.

Required (19-24 units)

The M.B.A. program at CSUF presumes that all students demonstrate proficiency in the topics covered by the following business core, which consist of 19-24 units of coursework. These courses must be at the 500 level. All specific required courses are determined by faculty advisers within the College of Business and Economics, who make decisions about core coursework equivalency. Based on a student’s previous coursework, faculty advisers may waive a maximum of 3 units of required core. If additional required core coursework is found to be equivalent, CBE faculty advisers may approve a substitution of a 500-level course in the same discipline. Consideration for equivalency may only be provided if the proposed equivalent courses are no more than seven years old and the student has achieved a “C” (2.0) or better with an overall GPA of 3.0 (“B”). Each student in the M.B.A. program must complete an adviser-approved study plan.

• ACCT 510 - Financial Accounting (3) * or
• ACCT 511 - Seminar in Managerial Accounting (3) *
• BUAD 501 - Managerial Communications (3) ** or
• BUAD 501A - Executive Communication (1) **
• ECON 515 - Microeconomic Perspective for Managers (3) * or
• ECON 521 - Macroeconomic Perspective for Managers (3) *
• FIN 517 - Managerial Finance (3)
• ISDS 514 - Decision Models for Business and Economics (3)
• MGMT 516 - Operations Management (3)
• MGMT 524 - Seminar in Organizational Behavior (3)
• MKTG 519 - Marketing Management (3)

* Students must get approval from Business Graduate Programs on which of these courses to take.

** Students who do not meet the Graduate Writing Requirement must take BUAD 501.

Capstone Experience (3 units)

Must pass with a “B” (3.0) or better.

• BUAD 591 - Business Strategy Capstone (3)    

Marketing Concentration (18 units)

Required (6 units).

• MKTG 565 - Strategic Market Intelligence (3)
• MKTG 575 - Product and Brand Management (3)

Electives (12 units)

A maximum 6 units of 400-level courses may be selected. Courses may be substituted with the approval of the Marketing Department chair or their designee.

• ISDS 553 - Electronic Commerce: Analysis and Evaluation (3) **
• MGMT 585 - Negotiation (3) **
• MKTG 401 - Professional Selling (3)
• MKTG 405 - Advertising and Promotions Strategy (3)
• MKTG 415 - Managing the Sales Force (3)
• MKTG 425 - Retail Marketing Strategy (3)
• MKTG 430 - Sports Marketing (3)
• MKTG 443 - Marketing Analytics: Decision Making in the Information Age (3) or
• MKTG 543 - Marketing Analytics for Managers (3)
• MKTG 444 - Social Media Marketing and Analytics (3)
• MKTG 445 - Global Marketing (3)
• MKTG 450 - Visual Marketing (3)
• MKTG 455 - Digital Marketing (3)
• MKTG 462 - Marketing for Entrepreneurs (3)
• MKTG 475 - Export/Import Marketing Strategies (3)
• MKTG 485 - Multicultural Marketing (3)
• MKTG 489 - Developing Marketing Strategies (3)
• MKTG 495 - Internship (1-3)
• MKTG 521 - Introduction to Marketing Analytics (3)
• MKTG 531 - Consumer Analytics and Social Media (3)
• MKTG 541 - Marketing Intelligence Dashboards (3)
• MKTG 596T - Contemporary Topics in Marketing (3)
• MKTG 599 - Independent Graduate Research (1-3)

** May only be taken if no marketing electives are available to complete the degree.

Total (40-45 units)

• Skip to Content
• Skip to Main Navigation
• Skip to Search

Indiana University Indianapolis Indiana University Indianapolis IU Indianapolis

• Undergraduate Majors
• Apply to the Accelerated Program
• Master's Degrees
• Doctoral Degrees & Minors
• Minors & Certificates
• General Education
• Artificial Intelligence
• Bioinformatics
• Computer Science
• Data Science
• Health Informatics
• Health Information Management
• Library & Information Science
• Informatics
• Media Arts and Science
• Study Abroad in Greece
• Study Abroad in Finland
• Micro-Credentials
• Freshman Applicants
• Returning Students
• Master's Degree
• Doctoral Program
• Graduate Certificates
• Change or Declare your Major
• Admitted Students
• Student Ambassadors
• Virtual Tour
• Undergraduate Webinars & Information Sessions
• Graduate Student Information Sessions
• Summer Camp
• Earn College Credit
• Biomedical Informatics Challenge
• Computer Science Challenge
• Incoming Undergraduate Scholarships
• Undergraduate Scholarships
• Graduate Scholarships
• Accelerated Program Cost & Aid
• Travel Funding
• Tuition Reduction
• Peer Advisors
• Forms & Policies
• Become a Student Leader
• Student Organizations
• Honors Program
• Laptop Requirements
• Equipment Checkout
• Luddy Knowledge Base
• Student Facility Access
• Biomedical Informatics B.S.
• Health Information Management B.S.
• Informatics B.S.
• Media Arts and Science B.S.
• Bioinformatics M.S.
• Health Informatics M.S.
• Applied Data Science M.S.
• Human-Computer Interaction M.S.
• Master of Library and Information Science
• Media Arts and Science M.S.
• Find a Job or Internship
• F-1 Students & Internships
• Library & Information Science Internships
• Internship Checklist
• Forage: Virtual Job Simulations
• Forage: Earn Credit
• Network with LinkedIn
• Big Interview
• Elevator Pitch
• Cover Letter
• Informational Interview
• Interviewing
• Technical Interviewing
• The Offer Process
• The Negotiation Process
• Freelance Work
• Grant Proposal Writing
• Schedule an Appointment
• Request a Career Services Presentation
• Featured Employer Days
• Resume Reviews
• Portfolio Reviews
• Presentations and Workshops
• Employer Career Fair Registration
• Research Centers & Labs
• Undergraduate Research
• Research Events
• Luddy Strategic Plan
• Meet Fred Luddy
• Faculty Openings
• Faculty Directory
• Staff Directory
• Media Requests
• Contact Admissions
• Request Undergraduate Information
• Request Graduate Information
• Get involved
• Advisory Boards
• Advisory Board
• Department Blog
• Strategic Plan
• Multimedia Stories
• News Archive
• Luddy Leads Blog
• Student Showcases
• LIS Industry Speaker Series

Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering

• Alumni & Giving
• Departments
• News & Blog

Numbers are the name of the game

Statistics have always been part of sports. But the digital age has altered the playing field, as organizations seek out those with the skills to use statistics as a tool for success. Combine sports marketing skills with the analysis and management of data when you earn a master’s in Applied Data Science with a specialization in Sports Analytics at IU Indianapolis.

• Degrees & Courses
• Applied Data Science Master's

Sports Analytics Specialization

Succeed with a winning combination.

Analytics is a crucial part of decision-making in amateur and professional athletics . Teams rely on those with the knowledge to interpret data and relate it to the world of athletics. (Nikhil Morar—pictured above—earned his Applied Data Science master's degree with a specialization in Sports Analytics from our program, and became Manager of Business Analytics & Strategy for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball franchise.)

Indianapolis boasts 10 professional sports teams. The city is home to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Federation of State High School Associations, and is widely considered the Capital of Amateur Sports.

By teaming up, the Luddy School in Indianapolis and the Department of Tourism, Event, and Sport Management  draw on a unique mix of resources to offer B.S./M.S. in this exciting field.

• Request information
• Attend a virtual info session
• Talk to a current student

I was able to use machine learning and descriptive statistics to create actionable scouting reports focused on finding strategies that will give a team a better chance of winning. Rishi Chandran, M.S. '23 & Basketball Operations Seasonal Assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers

Careers in Sports Analytics

Our sports analytics alumni work for some of the greatest teams in the NBA. On game day, it's all about the numbers!

Nikhil Morar

Manager of Business Analytics & Strategy for the Los Angeles Lakers

“Sports organizations need analytics experts who can turn data about their customers and teams into revenue-generating strategies."

Gabriel Wachowski

Research and Innovation Analyst for the Milwaukee Bucks

"Overall, the job has been absolutely incredible. I definitely feel like having my master’s was extremely important to being ready for the job that I have. My classes at IUPUI and my internship (with the Indiana Pacers) were both instrumental to where I am today."

A skill set tailored to sports

Students who earn a Master of Science in Applied Data Science with a specialization in Sports Analytics learn core skills in data analysis, data management and infrastructure, and client–server application development, and ethical and professional management of data projects.

Earn additional competencies in sports sales, the management of massive, high-throughput data stores, cloud computing, and the data life cycle.

Degree requirements

The plan of study is 30 credit hours. It includes six core courses and four specialization/ elective courses. Transfer students may be able to transfer in approved graduate courses from an accredited institution.

F-1 students can only take one online course per semester. They must take a minimum of 8 credit hours per semester; the exception being in their final semester. These limitations apply to fall and spring semesters but not summer sessions.

Core Courses (18 credits)

• INFO-H 501 Introduction to Data Science Programming
• LIS-S 511 Database Design
• INFO-H 510 Statistics for Data Science
• INFO-H 515 Statistical Learning  (Prerequisite: Graduate Statistics course)
• INFO-H 516 Cloud Computing for Data Science  (Prerequisites: Graduate Database course)
• INFO-H 517 Visualization Design, Analysis, and Evaluation  (Prerequisite: Programming experience)

Students may test out of LIS-S 511. Students do not receive credit toward their required 30 credit hours by testing out of a course. However, they may instead replace the course with a specialization course or approved elective.

Specialization + Elective Courses (12 credits)

Specialization Courses

• TESM-T 562 Economics of Event Tourism (Fall)
• TESM-T 582 Applied Sport Event Research (Spring)
• TESM-T 598 Master’s Consulting Project (Summer)

Elective Courses

• INFO-B 505 Informatics Project Management
• INFO-H 518 Deep Learning Neural Networks
• INFO-H 519 Natural Language Processing with Deep Learning  
• INFO-H 695 Thesis/Project in Applied Data Science (MS Thesis students only)
• INFO-I 575 Informatics Research Design
• INFO-I 595 Professional Internship
• INFO-I 698 Research in Informatics (Independent Study)
• INFO-P 502 Modeling Crisis
• NEWM-N 510 Web Database Development

Thesis or Project

The Thesis/Project is available to highly motivated students ready to carry out publishable research. Students must prepare a prospectus and gain a commitment from a  primary faculty advisor  with research interests in data science by the end of the first semester. By the end of the second semester, students must complete a course on research design and methods (e.g.,  INFO-I 575 or  LIS-S 506 ).

The thesis or project must be completed in two semesters or in a semester and summer. Thesis students register for a total of 6 credits and project students register for a total of 3–6 credits of  INFO-H 695 Thesis/Project in Data Science . Students are required to prepare and defend a research proposal with a timeline of deliverables in addition to the thesis or project.

Plan of study for fall admissions

Fall year 1, spring year 1.

• INFO-H 515 Statistical Learning
• INFO-H 516 Cloud Computing for Data Science
• INFO-H 517 Visualization Design, Analysis, and Evaluation
• Sports Analytics Specialization or Elective Course

Summer Year 1 (Optional)

Fall year 2.

• Sports Analytics Specialization or Elective Course (If not taken in Summer)

Plan of study for spring admissions

Spring year 2, ready to get started.

• Schedule a Visit
• Talk to a Current Student
• Learn how to apply

Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering resources and social media channels

Additional links and resources.

• Degrees & Majors
• Scholarships

Happening at Luddy

• Pre-college Programs

Information For

• Current Students
• Faculty & Staff Intranet

Luddy Indianapolis