PhD Management Science With Marketing Concentration

The purpose of the PhD in Management Science with a marketing concentration is to train researchers capable of dealing with the most advanced issues, both theoretical and applied, in the field of marketing. Universities, as well as major companies with marketing orientation, aggressively recruit PhD’s with strong theoretical and research training in marketing. Graduates receive rigorous training in disciplinary areas and research methodology. They are taught the various research streams in marketing and are trained to develop a research specialization and have a clear perspective on management issues.

Admission

Students who apply to the program should have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university; students with advanced degrees are especially encouraged to apply. Admission is based on grades, graduate examination test scores, letters of reference (at least three with two from academic references), business and professional experience and a written statement of objectives. Since the School of Management starts making first-round admission decisions on January 16th, it is best to complete the entire application process no later than January 15th. While applications will be accepted after that date, applying after January 15th may significantly lower your chance of acceptance. Applications for admission can be made using the UT Dallas Graduate Application Web site.

Degree Requirements

Students must complete at least 75 semester hours of approved graduate work before a degree may be conferred. Credit may be granted for graduate courses taken elsewhere.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites include: calculus, matrix algebra, computer programming and statistics. Deficiencies may be remedied by taking appropriate courses.

Master’s-Level Courses

Students entering the program without an MBA or equivalent must complete a minimum of twelve hours of courses in areas typically required of MBA students. In certain instances, a higher-level course may be substituted for an MBA-level course.

Research Methods Core

Marketing students must take the following set of core courses (which includes the basic eight core courses):

  • OPRE 7310 Probability and Stochastic Processes or STAT 5351 Probability and Statistics
  • MECO 6345 Advanced Managerial Economics
  • MECO 6315 Approaches to Statistical Inference
  • MAS 6v00 Data Analysis and Software
  • MECO 6320 Introduction to Econometrics or ECON 6309 Econometrics I
  • OPRE 7320 Optimal Control Theory and Applications
  • OPRE 6311 Game Theory
  • MECO 7320 Advanced Econometrics or ECON 7309 Econometrics II
  • MAS 6v00 Doctoral Writing Seminar
  • MAS 8v00 Teaching Practicum

In certain cases an equivalent course may be substituted for one or more of the above courses.

Doctoral Seminars

Students are required to take at least four doctoral-level seminars in marketing.

Other Courses

Students will be asked to take other advanced graduate level courses in statistics, economics and operations research as appropriate to their program. They may also be asked to undertake independent study on one or more appropriate topics. Finally they are required to take a course in written and oral communication provided by the school during their second summer.

Preliminary Examination and Papers

Marketing PhD students take a written preliminary exam at the end of their first year in the program. The purpose of the exam is to assess the student’s degree of mastery of the research methods covered in the first year of course work. Students are also required to write an original research paper in their first summer

Qualifying Exam

The second year paper, due August 31 after the second year, is counted as the first part of the written qualifying exam. The second year paper is presented in a seminar attended by faculty and other students, and must be judged to be passing by the faculty before the student can advance to candidacy. A second year paper of publishable quality will exempt students from the second part of the exam covering marketing theory and empirical methods. For those required to take it, the second part of the exam on marketing theory and empirical methods must be taken by the middle of the third year. The purpose of the written exam is to assess a doctoral student’s understanding of the marketing area, especially material covered in marketing doctoral seminars. The exam is a closed-book exam given in two 4 hour blocks, and consists of several essay and problem questions.

Dissertation

Once the student has passed qualifying exam and paper requirements, work on the dissertation can commence. The dissertation is written under the direction of the dissertation committee. Twelve to 24 semester hours may be granted for the dissertation toward the minimum 75-hour requirement for the degree. At a time mutually agreeable to the candidate and the dissertation committee, the candidate must orally defend the dissertation to the committee.