The overall objective of the Ph.D. Program in marketing is to develop scholars who will be productive researchers and effective teachers at leading colleges and universities throughout the world. The program emphasizes analytical training in marketing and quantitative methods along with economics or the behavioral sciences. It equips students to conduct original research on important problems that are of interest to both academics and practitioners in the field of marketing.
While the Ph.D. program is rigorous and challenging, it is also small and collegial. An average of two students enters the program each year and work closely with their fellow Ph.D. students. Students develop valuable relationships with one another and faculty that continue long after completion of the program.
The program's faculty are enthusiastic mentors and productive scholars. They are readily accessible in offices adjacent to those of the Ph.D. students. Ph.D. students actively and regularly participate in informal research discussions and present their own work. Ph.D. students also participate in research seminars given by the faculty and by invited faculty from other universities. The faculty in marketing have received their doctoral training at leading business schools and behavioral science departments. They are active researchers who publish regularly in scholarly marketing journals. Many have or currently serve in editorial positions with prominent journals and are widely recognized for their empirical research in the areas of corporate marketing and investments. Many have had their research recognized with national research excellence awards.
The Marketing Ph.D. Program Structure
The Ph.D. program requirements include courses and a comprehensive examination in the major area of marketing; courses in statistics and economics or the behavioral sciences; two research papers; and a dissertation. Students are also strongly encouraged to collaborate with faculty on publishable research.
Major area requirements
Students are required to take at least two Ph.D. seminars in each of the first
two years. In preparation for the Ph.D. seminars, they are also are encouraged
to take upper level marketing courses in the MBA program to fill gaps in their
applied marketing education. In addition to courses offered in the marketing
department, students also take courses and seminars in statistics, econometrics,
psychology, sociology, and communications. Individual programs of study are
tailored to the student's interests and prior coursework.
The comprehensive examination in marketing, given in two two-day sessions, is generally taken at the end of spring term in the second year of the Ph.D. program. Students who fail the exam have an opportunity to re-take it.
Marketing Ph.D. Seminars
Formal Ph.D. coursework in marketing takes place in the Ph.D. seminars. The objective of the seminars is to teach students the fundamental theories, analytical techniques and empirical methods that are employed in theoretical marketing research. The seminars typically involve lively discussions and debate, and are designed to enhance the students' ability to critically evaluate others' research and to develop their own research projects. Currently, faculty expertise resides in the behavioral foundations of consumption process and the doctoral seminars reflect this orientation.
Courses in Economics and Statistics
Students must complete at least three courses in a support field, generally the behavioral sciences, and five courses in statistics or econometrics. Typically, students take a statistics courses in the College of Business and in the psychology or economics departments. Most take more than three behavioral sciences course in the University's world renowned psychology department.
First-year research review paper
The first-year research paper is due at the beginning of the fall term of the second year in the program. This paper focuses on a critical review and analysis of a current research topic such as emotional responses to Internet ads. It gives students the opportunity to do independent, but guided research at the beginning of the doctoral program. In addition, the paper helps students identify specialized interests, develop writing and research skills and offers them the chance to interact with faculty. The student submits a short proposal spring quarter and a faculty advisor is assigned at that time. Most of the work on this project is completed during the summer following the first year. Students present the results of their research during the second year of the program.
Second Research Paper
The second research paper is due at the beginning of the students third year. It follows the same process as the first year paper but requires the collection and analysis of original data. This paper advances the student's research capabilities and generally leads to the research topic for the doctoral dissertation. Students present the second research paper to the faculty and other Ph.D. students.
The Dissertation
The dissertation is an original project that adheres to high standards of exposition, contributes to knowledge in the field of marketing and demonstrates an ability to conduct independent research. Students are responsible for identifying their area of research and work informally with faculty in developing their topic and project. When the project is well defined, the student forms a dissertation committee that typically consists of a faculty advisor, two other faculty from the Lundquist College and one faculty from another college of the university. The student presents a dissertation proposal to the faculty and other Ph.D. students after the dissertation committee agrees that a suitable topic has been chosen and an effective research design has been developed. Ideally, the dissertation proposal is defended in the spring of the third year of the program.
A successful defense of the dissertation proposal results in a written agreement between the student and the committee that acknowledges the project can be successfully completed. A defense of the dissertation is presented when the student and the dissertation committee agree that the dissertation project is completed. A student making steady progress should complete all of the degree requirements within four years of entering the program.
Training in Effective Teaching
Developing effective teaching skills is a significant part of the Ph.D. program and increasingly important in attracting offers in the academic job market. Students participate in teacher training activities conducted by the Lundquist College and by the university's Teaching Effectiveness Program. In addition, students are encouraged to observe classes taught by faculty, to serve as teaching assistants, and to use the resources available in the university's Teaching Effectiveness Program. Students typically teach two or three undergraduate courses a year over the second, third and fourth years of the program.
Selection of Students
Students admitted to the marketing Ph.D. program should have a solid foundation in statistics and have proficient English writing and speaking skills. Students may be accepted into the program without a graduate degree but an MBA or other graduate degree is desirable. A student with no formal business training will need to take additional classes to supplement the specialized coursework of the doctoral program.
Admission Procedures
Students should have a Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score above 650 and scores on the verbal and quantitative portions that place them in the 75th or higher percentile. International students whose native language is not English should have TOEFL scores higher than 600 and excellent English speaking and writing skills.
Most Ph.D. students receive financial support in the form of an appointment
as a graduate teaching fellow. For the 2004-2005 academic year, typical appointments
carry a nine-month stipend of $11,000 or $12,000 (depending on whether the student
has a master's degree) plus a waiver of tuition. Graduate teaching fellows assist
faculty members in research and teaching and assume responsibility for teaching
undergraduate business courses.
In addition, the marketing department has a number of additional sources of financial support.
Merle King Smith Marketing Scholars Students given this honor will be awarded
an $8,000 scholarship with payments spread evenly over the four years of the program,
subject to satisfactory progress in the program.
Calvin Reed Smith Research Scholar This awards a student $1,000 in research
funds to support both dissertation and other research activities during their
first four years in the program.
Merle King Smith Travel Grants All students making satisfactory progress in the program are eligible for one fully funded trip to a major research conference to present their research results each of the first four years they are in the program.
General inquiries about the Marketing Ph.D. Program may be addressed to:
Professor David Boush
University of Oregon
Charles H. Lundquist College of Business
Eugene, OR 97403-1208
Telephone: (541) 346-3358
E-Mail Address: dmboush@lcbmail.uoregon.edu
