Marketing

The marketing doctoral program dicipline seeks to prepare students to contribute to the marketing discipline via the discovery, development, and dissemination of knowledge. The program is designed to equip students with the requisite theoretical background and methodological skills for successful scholarly careers at institutions of higher learning. The marketing group feels strongly that the apprenticeship model is the most efficacious approach to doctoral training and, to that end, students typically engage immediately in research projects with faculty. Recent students have been successful in publishing these projects in leading journals such as the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Marketing Research, and the Journal of Marketing

The marketing interest group offers seminars that provide the theoretical core of marketing doctoral students’ training. These seminars introduce the central conceptual and phenomenological aspects of the marketing field, as well as the methodological approaches employed in their examination. Since the field of marketing scholarship segments into consumer behavior, modeling, and marketing management, seminars are offered in each of these areas, plus a methodological and marketing theory seminar.

Beyond these seminars, students are expected to take additional seminars (the minimum major course requirement is eight courses) that focus on their chosen area of interest. Students are free to matriculate into courses within the Katz School, other departments at the University of Pittsburgh (such as Psychology, Economics, or Statistics), or at Carnegie Mellon University.

Since strong methodological skills are critical to a successful scholarly career, marketing doctoral students typically take seven or more courses in analytical methods, statistics, and/or econometrics (the minimum course requirement for a combined research methods/minor is seven). A focus in analytical methods or advanced statistics is the norm. Below is a list of some of the topics offered to satisfy this requirement. These topics are offered University-wide, within Katz, or at Carnegie Mellon University. Other choices may be proposed by the student and approved by the faculty advisor.

Analysis of Variance
Probability Theory
Experimental Design
Multivariate Statistics
Mathematical Statistics
Introduction to Econometric Theory
Human Judgment and Decision Making
Behavioral Economics
Katz Microeconomics
Learning and Memory
Advanced Data Analysis
Advanced Topics in Emotion and Decision Making

Students are required to complete an independent research paper and submit it to the marketing faculty in the summer of their first year of study (third term). It is anticipated that this paper will develop into a publishable research article.

Marketing doctoral students are provided with up to five years (14 terms) of financial support in the form of Graduate Student Assistantship, Teaching Assistant or Teaching Fellow. Typically students provide research assistance to their faculty mentors for approximately four years and provide teaching and teaching assistance for up to one year.

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