Ph.D. in Marketing Program overview
Coursework takes most students two full years even if taken at the most rapid pace; for example, 3 courses each in Fall and Spring semesters, 2 courses in the Summer, then 3 courses each in Fall and Spring to complete the minimum 14 courses. Students who take such a schedule prepare during their first year for a qualifying exam held at the end of their second semester. The second year includes a presentation to the faculty of a research proposal mid-year, then presentation of the results of undertaking that research at the end of Year 2; that research project and its presentation constitute the comprehensive examination required by the Bauer College of Business. That leaves almost a year to conduct other research and to obtain approval of the dissertation proposal before the AMA meeting in August of Year 3, where interviews take place for the academic job openings a year away.
We expect that you will complete your dissertation before you leave so that it does not weigh you down on your next job. If you can finish in less time, we think that is great.
The coursework usually is sequenced as follows. Entering students tend to concentrate on research methods courses because they have not selected a supporting field. They also take any Marketing seminars offered, often only one per semester. In the first two semesters, then, a student might take 2-3 method courses, 2-3 Marketing courses, and 0-2 supporting field courses. The second year of coursework contains the balance of the supporting field and Marketing coursework. As supporting fields, we strongly recommend Economics, Psychology, or Administrative Studies, a field emphasizing courses in Management, Political Science, and/or Sociology that lead to greater understanding of how organizations function.
Current college rules require students to register for nine hours per Fall or Spring semester and six hours per Summer, if on campus during the summer. After passing the comprehensive exam, students register for nine hours of dissertation credit.
Other issues pertaining to the doctoral program are specified in Marketing Ph.D. Policies
