Our Marketing PhD program is designed to prepare students for a career in academia. It has a 100% placement rate, and most graduates accept initial positions as tenure-track marketing faculty members at research universities. Students typically complete the program in five years.
Why Mizzou?
World-class faculty
Students in our program learn from, and work with, some of the top scholars in the field of marketing. Our faculty’s research has been published in leading marketing journals including Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Marketing Science and Journal of Consumer Research. Indeed, the University of Missouri is one of the top 20 universities in research productivity at the Journal of Marketing. Students also benefit from the experience our faculty has in serving as co-editors, area editors and reviewers in leading marketing journals.
Our faculty is also passionate about leveraging their research expertise to train PhD students. With our low student-to-faculty ratio, you’ll have an opportunity to work with faculty on research projects and learn about theories and state-of-the-art methods that are required for publishing in leading marketing journals. You’ll also connect with a network of marketing scholars outside Mizzou. For example, in 2018, we launched the Marketing Strategy Consortium to connect PhD students and early-stage faculty with mentors from several leading universities.
Strong alumni network
Students in our program also learn from, and work with, current and past students from our program. Our program’s alumni include current and past editors, area editors, and reviewers in leading marketing journals. Several of our program’s alumni are now top scholars at institutions such as Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Virginia and Washington.
What Are We Looking For?
- Interest in solving marketing problems that are important to managers, customers, partners, investors, and other stakeholders
- Strong intellectual curiosity and aptitude
- A desire to be highly engaged with students and faculty on marketing research
Additional Information
Students are admitted to the PhD program in Marketing on a full-time, residential basis only. Students typically work 20 hours per week as a research assistant or teaching assistant during the academic year. They receive a financial package that includes a stipend, full tuition waiver, health insurance subsidy, and professional development funds. The stipend is no less than $35,000 annually, conditional on funds availability and satisfactory student progress as determined by the department.
The PhD in marketing offers small class sizes, marketing doctoral seminars, and a collaborative environment. Students develop skills by working with faculty on research projects and from faculty mentoring. Students also gain valuable experience by teaching undergraduate courses.
Applications received by December 15 will receive maximum consideration. We will continue to accept applications until February 1.
A marketing PhD student develops a program of study through discussion with, and subject to the approval of, the student's doctoral advisor and program committee. Enrolled coursework in the program includes:
- Business Foundation - at least 15 hours. This requirement typically is waived for students with an MBA or prior applicable coursework.
- Marketing Concentration - An in-depth major concentration including 15 hours of 8000/9000-level courses in Marketing.
- Support Area(s) and Research Methodology and Statistics – total of at least 30 hours. Students often take additional support area, research methodology and statistics courses. The combination of support area(s), research methods and statistics will vary depending on the interests and needs of the student, but one of the following configurations must be achieved:
- Two 9-hour support areas plus 12 hours in research methodology and statistics -- or
- One 12-hour support area plus 18 hours in research methodology and statistics.
- Collateral Requirement & Analytical Tools - research methods and analysis sequence of at least 12 - 18 hours, including appropriate courses in economics, mathematics, psychology, sociology, statistics or other areas deemed appropriate by the doctoral program committee.
- Required Professional Development Seminars – at least 4 hours (enrolled). An ongoing seminar experience (each semester until successful completion of comprehensive examinations) that acquaints the student with the current literature and research in his/her major area of interest.
- Dissertation Research – at least 12 hours.
The requirements listed above are independent of one another; courses taken to satisfy one requirement may not be used to satisfy any other requirement. The combination of coursework, seminar experience, and dissertation experience is designed to provide students with a sound foundation for a productive career as an academic in marketing.
Applications must be received by February 1 for full consideration for admission in the fall semester. Earlier applications are encouraged. Admission to the PhD program in marketing is highly selective. Applicants should demonstrate a strong record of academic accomplishment, intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm for discovery, and a general understanding of the demands of a doctoral program. Prior academic coursework, research experience, and employment activities in marketing are encouraged but not required.
All PhD students are evaluated annually to assess their progress in the program. The evaluations for first- and second-year students are conducted by the PhD program coordinator. The evaluations for dissertation-stage students are conducted by their dissertation committee chairs.
During the academic year, students are assigned to work as research assistants for faculty members in the department. These assignments allow students to develop proficiency in research methods and often lead to coauthored projects with faculty.
Another important objective of the PhD program is to provide candidates with the opportunity to develop classroom instructional skills. To achieve this objective, doctoral students are assigned to teach undergraduate courses. These assignments require candidates to plan, conduct, and administer one course section per semester. During their time in the PhD program, students typically have the opportunity to teach multiple times. In preparation for the teaching experience, doctoral students are encouraged to attend various teaching-related events sponsored by the Department of Marketing, the Trulaske College of Business, and the University of Missouri.
Marketing Research at Mizzou
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Research Directory
Explore our faculty publications and learn more about the research they conduct.
Sample Plan of Study
The Department of Marketing currently offers or arranges seminars for doctoral students in the areas of Marketing Strategy, Consumer Behavior, Research Methods, Academic Writing, and other topics. Most seminars are offered every other year, but incoming students each fall take the Introduction to Research Methods seminar. Students take courses for research methods and support areas in other departments on campus.
YEAR 1: FALL SEMESTER
- MRKTNG 9010
- MRKTNG Seminar
- Research Methods #1
- Support Area #1
- MRKTNG 9101
Year 1: Spring Semester
- MRKTNG Seminar
- Research Methods #2
- Research Methods #3
- Support Area #1
- MRKTNG 9101
In the summer following the first year of study, students take an Academic Writing Seminar and complete the Qualifying Exam project.
Year 2: Fall Semester
- MRKTNG Seminar
- Support Area #2
- Research Methods #4
- Support Area #3 or Research Methods #5
- MRKTNG 9101
Year 2: Spring Semester
- MRKTNG Seminar
- Support Area #3 or Research Methods #5
- Research Methods #6
- Support Area #4
- MRKTNG 9101
In the summer following the second year of study, students begin the Comprehensive Exam project, which concludes in the subsequent fall semester.
During the third and fourth years of study, student enroll in MRKTNG 9090: Research in Marketing.
Students without an MBA are required to take additional foundation courses in the business disciplines.
Marketing PhD Coordinator
By the Numbers
Over the past five years, total enrollment in the PhD program in marketing has ranged from 8 to 11 students. We graduate 1-2 students per year on average, and our placement rate is 100%.
Most graduates accept initial positions as tenure-track faculty members at research universities. Others pursue opportunities with regulatory and policy-making institutions or financial services firms. A representative sample of our student placements follows below.
| Year | Graduate | Placement |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Tuan Nghia (Mike) Nguyen | University of Southern California |
| 2022 | Frank (Yuan) Lin | California Polytechnic State University-Pomona |
| 2022 | Divya Anand | University of Kentucky |
| 2021 | Josh Egbuka | Florida A&M University (visiting assistant prof 2021) |
| 2021 | Yiwen Chen | Texas A&M University - Central Texas |
| 2020 | Bitty Balducci | Washington State University |
| 2020 | Li Chen | Suffolk University |
| 2019 | Yeji Lim | California State University - Fullerton |
| 2019 | Omid Kamran-Disfani | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale |
| 2018 | Stephen Hampton | Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg |