PhD in Business with a Specialization in Marketing

Marketing as an academic discipline can be viewed from both micro and macro perspectives.

From the micro viewpoint, marketing exists at the intersection between an organization and the markets because its offerings include not only physical products but also services, ideas, causes and people.

From the macro viewpoint, marketing institutions can be seen as engaging in a matching function which helps to foster equilibrium between aggregate production and aggregate desired consumption.

The PhD in Business with a specialization in marketing addresses both micro an marco perspectives, however, the primary emphasis is from the micro point of view.

In this interdisciplinary environment, students build a strong theoretical foundation to formulate ideas while building their empirical skills in developing the methods and environment to test these ideas and theories. The PhD in Business with a specialization in marketing is where Drexel LeBow prepares the future scholars and leaders of the marketing field.

Meet current marketing PhD students
LeBow marketing doctoral program landings

Faculty

Faculty in the Department of Marketing have a strong commitment to conducting high-quality academic research. Their research focuses on the areas of behavior, strategy and modeling. Faculty members publish in top academic journals such as:

• Journal of Marketing
• Journal of Marketing Research
• Journal of Consumer Research
• Marketing Science
• Management Science

With nine tenured/tenure track faculty members, the marketing specialization provides an intimate, collaborative environment where students and faculty work closely throughout – and, in many cases, beyond – the PhD process.

Meet marketing faculty

Plan of Study and Coursework

All marketing doctoral students are required to take the following marketing doctoral-level seminars:

• MKTG 922 Seminar in Marketing Thought & Theory
• MKTG 942 Models of Consumer & Firms Decision Making
• MKTG 920 Conceptual Foundations of Buyer Behavior
• MKTG T980 Behavioral Pricing
• MKTG T980 Marketing Management and Strategy

Economics or Modeling-oriented Research Interests

Students whose research interests are economics or modeling-oriented take the following courses in addition to the PhD core courses:

• ECON 910: Advanced Microeconomics I
• ECON 911: Advanced Microeconomics II
• ECON 940: Econometrics I
• ECON 941: Econometrics II
• ECON 902: Mathematical Economics
• STAT 931: Statistics for Economics
• STAT 924: Multivariate I
• STAT 925: Multivariate II
• CS 570: Programming
• CS 571: Advanced Programming
• CS 613: Machine Learning
• Courses from other departments in the college or the university
• NOTE: A maximum of two courses within or outside the Marketing Department can be taken on an independent study basis.

Behavior-oriented Research Interests

Students whose research interests are behaviorally-oriented take the following courses in addition to the PhD core courses:

• MGMT 903: Research and Analysis in Behavioral Science
• MGMT 906: Foundations of Research in Behavioral Science
• MGMT 907: Research and Analysis in Behavioral Science
• STAT 924: Multivariate Analysis
• STAT 932: Statistics for Behavioral Science
• Courses from other departments in the college or the university such as electives offered by the Psychology, Communication and Sociology Departments.
• NOTE: A maximum of two courses within or outside the Marketing Department can be taken on an independent study basis.

Strategy-oriented Research Interests

Students whose research interests are  strategy-oriented may follow either the modeling or the behavioral stream course structure, depending on their research focus and methodological approach. The course selection should be discussed with and approved by their advisor and the Marketing PhD coordinator.

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Additional Requirements and Features

First-Year Presentation

Students are required to present either a conceptual paper or an empirical paper to the marketing faculty at the end of the academic year. Their research performance will also be evaluated by the faculty as a part of your annual evaluation.

Candidacy Examination

At the completion of their coursework at the end of the second year, students take candidacy examinations, also referred to as field exams. These examinations test each student’s preparation for dissertation research. Each student must pass the field exam in the area in which they wish to pursue research. Once the candidacy examinations are passed, the student is recognized as a PhD candidate.

Doctoral Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation is a piece of original research designed to make a contribution to the student’s chosen discipline. Each candidate selects a dissertation adviser and an advisory committee of additional faculty members is formed. The candidate prepares a detailed dissertation proposal that is defended before the University community. After successfully defending the proposal, the candidate conducts the research and prepares a written dissertation. The completed dissertation is then defended in a final oral examination.

Instructor Training

Drexel LeBow provides PhD students with training in how to be highly effective teachers in their first and second years. Typically, after the candidacy exam has been passed, doctoral candidates in LeBow assume teaching duties as sole instructors for three courses total before graduating the program. 

Assistantships and Financial Aid

LeBow and Drexel provide PhD students with training in how to be highly effective teachers in their first and second years. Typically, after the candidacy exam has been passed, doctoral candidates in LeBow assume teaching duties as sole instructors for three courses total before graduating the program.

Learn more about assistantships and aid