Ph.D. in Business Administration with a major in Marketing


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  Deadline to Apply!

Begin your application today by entering the Graduate Admissions Portal. Submit your application by:

December 1 – Priority deadline. Application review begins and will continue until positions are filled. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete their applications by this date for priority consideration.

January 15 – Final application deadline for international applicants.

March 1 – Final application deadline for remaining applicants. All supporting materials must be received by March 15.

  Contact Us

Graduate Programs Office
  850-644-6458
  877-587-5540 (toll free)
  gradprograms@business.fsu.edu


Marketing is one of seven majors offered through FSU’s College of Business’ Ph.D. in Business Administration. Housed in the Dr. Persis E. Rockwood School of Marketing, the major admits up to two candidates each fall, and the program takes five years to complete.

  • Emphasizes services marketing, sales management, international business and transformative consumer research
  • Focuses extensively on theoretical development and quantitative analysis so that students can produce top-tier scholarly research in marketing
  • Offers seminars in services marketing, consumer behavior, business-to-business marketing, structural equation modeling, multivariate techniques and experimental design
  • Includes support courses in an area related to marketing, such as social psychology, econometrics, strategic management, organizational behavior or statistics; a preliminary examination; and dissertation

  Student Accomplishments

Recent Placements

Auburn University; Clemson University; Dartmouth College; Georgia State University, Stony Brook University (SUNY System); University of Alabama; University of Connecticut; University of Kentucky, Washington State University.


Recent Awards

Dan Bradbury, winner of the 2022 AMS Review-Sheth Foundation Annual Doctoral Competition for Conceptual Articles
Marina Cozac and Rachel Hochstein, Transformative Consumer Research Grant from the Association for Consumer Research
Rachel Hochstein, Outstanding College of Business Teaching Assistant Award
Lane Peterson, Outstanding College of Business Teaching Assistant Award
Bryan Hochstein, finalist in Florida State’s Three-Minute Thesis Competition
Corinne Kelley, Organizational Frontlines Young Scholar Research Competition
Ilana Shanks, American Marketing Association Valuing Diversity Ph.D. Scholarship


Illustrative Presentations

Marina Cozac, 2022 Association for Consumer Research (ACR) Conference
Lane Peterson, 2021 European Marketing Association Conference (EMAC)


Illustrative Defended Dissertations

  • "The Influence of Marketing Tactics on Consumer Health and Well-Being" by Lane Peterson; Dr. Maura L. Scott & Dr. Martin Mende, major professors
  • "Toward a Theory of Intraorganizational Relations: Examining the Performance and Turnover Effects of Intraorganizational Social Relations" by Alec Pappas; Dr. Willy Bolander, major professor
  • "The Impacts of Customer Base Complexity on Firm Performance: The Moderating Role of Marketing Capability" by Kyuyeong Choi; Dr. Daekwan Kim, major professor
  • "No Pain, No Gain: How Form of Payment Affects Social Perception of Stigmatized Consumers" by Carrie Skinner Absher; Dr. Maura L. Scott & Dr. Martin Mende, major professors
  • "Get Over It: How Goodwill Overcomes the Negative Effects of Corporate and Service Failures," by Alexis M. Allen; Dr. Michael Brady, major professor
  • "Do Alliances' CSR Engagements Matter to the Focal Firm's Financial Performance? Evidence from Two Studies" by Abdullah Almashayekhi; Dr. Ruby P. Lee, major professor.
  • "Unpacking Quality Ambidexterity: Dimensions, Contingencies, and Synergies" by Sidney Thomas Anderson; Dr. Jeffrey Smith, major professor
  • "Consumer Motivations and Responses to Rejection" by Samantha Bittner; Dr. Charles Hofacker, major professor
  • "Converting Purchase Commitments into Purchase Fulfillments: An Examination of Salesperson Characteristics and Influence Tactics" by Melissa WesAnne Clark; Dr. Michael Hartline, major professor
  • "B2B Sales Interactions: Empowered Consumers, Sales Influence Tactics, and Salespeople as Knowledge Brokers" by Bryan W. Hochstein; Dr. Ronald Goldsmith and Dr. Daekwan Kim, major professors
  • "Consumer-Based Strategy and Organizational Frontlines: The Role of Socially-Induced Interactions and Atmospherics on Consumer Behavior" by Corinne M. Kelley, Dr. Maura Scott and Dr. Martin Mende, major professors
  • "Informing Consumer Decision-Making: Two Empirical Studies" by William J. Montford; Dr. Ronald Goldsmith, major professor
  • "The Role of Co-Creation in Consumer Assessments of Quality and Value in Service Dominated Economies and the Implications to Satisfaction and Outcome Behaviors" by Duane M. Nagel; Dr. Joseph Cronin, major professor
  • "Reacquiring Identity-Based Customer Defectors" by Harrison Pugh, Major Professor Michael Brady
  • "Creative Systems, Social Networks, and New Product Development: Two Essays Examining the Impact of Connected Teams and Heavyweight Leaders on Marketing Outcomes," by Cinthia Beccacece Satornino; Dr. Michael Brady, major professor
  • "How Technology and Aesthetics Shape Consumer Decision Making" by Ilana Shanks, Major Professors Maura Scott and Martin Mende

Recent Student Publications

Some recent representative publications from current or former students:

  • “Friend or Foe? Can Anthropomorphizing Self-Tracking Devices Backfire on Marketers and Consumers?,” Lane Peterson Fronczek, Martin Mende, Maura Scott, Gergana Nenkov, and Anders Gustafsson (2023). Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.
  • “From Self‐Quantification to Self‐Objectification? Framework and Research Agenda on Consequences for Well‐Being, Lane Peterson Fronczek, with Martin Mende and Maura Scott (2022).
  • "Food Experience Design to Prevent Unintended Consequences and Improve Well-being," Lane Peterson with Michela Addis et al., Journal of Service Research, 25, 1 (2022): 143-159.
  • "Operationalizing Salesperson Performance with Secondary Data: Aligning Practice, Scholarship, and Theory," Willy Bolander, Nawar Chaker, Alec Pappas, and Daniel Bradbury, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 49, 3, (2021): 462-481.
  • Hess, Nicole J., Corinne M. Kelley, Maura L. Scott, Martin Mende, and Jan H. Schumann. "Getting Personal in Public!? How Consumers Respond to Public Personalized Advertising in Retail Stores." Journal of Retailing 96, no. 3 (2020): 344-361
  • Mende, Martin, Maura L. Scott, Jenny van Doorn, Dhruv Grewal, and Ilana Shanks. "Service robots rising: How humanoid robots influence service experiences and elicit compensatory consumer responses." Journal of Marketing Research 56, no. 4 (2019): 535-556.
  • Allen, Alexis M., Michael K. Brady, Stacey G. Robinson and Clay M. Voorhees (2015), "One Firm's Loss Is Another's Gain: Capitalizing on Other Firms' Service Failures," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43 (5), 648-662 [doi 10.1007/s11747-014-0413-6].
  • Bacile, Todd J., Christine Ye, Esther Swilley (2014), "From Firm-Controlled to Consumer-Contributed: Consumer Co-Production of Personal Media Marketing Communication," Journal of Interactive Marketing, 28(2), 117-133 [doi: 10.1016/j.intmar.2013.12.001].
  • Cowart, Kelly O. and Michael K. Brady (2014), "Pleasantly Plump: Offsetting Negative Obesity Stereotypes for Frontline Service Employees," Journal of Retailing, 90 (3), 365-378 [doi: 10.1016/j.jretai.2014.03.003].
  • Giebelhausen, Michael, Stacey G. Robinson, Nancy J. Sirianni, and Michael K. Brady (2014), "Touch vs. Tech: When Technology Functions as a Barrier or a Benefit to Service Encounters," Journal of Marketing, 78(4), 113-124 [doi: 10.1509/jm.13.0056].
  • Gleim, Mark R., Jeffery S Smith, Demetra Andrews, J. Joseph Cronin (2013), "Against the Green: A Multi-method Examination of the Barriers to Green Consumption," Journal of Retailing, 89(1), 44-61 [doi: 10.1016/j.jretai.2012.10.001].
  • Plouffe, Christopher R., Willy Bolander, Joseph A. Cote, Bryan Hochstein (2016), "Does the Customer Matter Most? Exploring Strategic Frontline Employees' Influence of Customers, the Internal Business Team, and External Business Partners," Journal of Marketing, 80(1), 106-123 [doi: 10.1509/jm.14.0192].
  • Bolander, Willy, Cinthia B. Satornino, Douglas E. Hughes, Gerald R. Ferris (2015), "Social Networks Within Sales Organizations: Their Development and Importance for Salesperson Performance," Journal of Marketing, 79(6), 1-16 [doi: 10.1509/jm.14.0444].
  • Mende, Martin, Maura L. Scott, Jenny van Doorn, Dhruv Grewal, and Ilana Shanks, (2019, forthcoming) "Service Robots Rising: How Humanoid Robots Influence Service Experiences and Elicit Compensatory Consumer Responses," Journal of Marketing Research.
  • Bone, Sterling A., Katherine N. Lemon, Clay M. Voorhees, Katie A. Liljenquist, Paul W. Fombelle, Kristen B. DeTienne, and R. Bruce Money (2016), "Mere Measurement 'Plus': How Solicitation of Open-Ended Positive Feedback Influences Customer Purchase Behavior," Journal of Marketing Research, in press [doi: 10.1509/jmr.14.0232].

  Program Requirements

Prerequisites

All Marketing doctoral students must satisfy the following prerequisites, either through completion of a master’s program or during their first year in the doctoral program:

  • ECP 5706 Managerial Economics
  • EDF 5400 Introductory Statistics: Description and Inference
  • EDF 5488 Computer Analysis of Educational Data
  • MAC 2233 Business Calculus
  • MAN 5716 Business Conditions Analysis
  • MAN 5501 Production and Operations Management
  • MAR 5816 Marketing Strategy

Major Requirements

All Marketing doctoral students must complete courses in three areas: Methodology (known as Tools for Analytical Research or TAR), Marketing Theory and Professional Development.

I. Methodology (TAR) coursework

The purpose of the sequence of research tool courses is to provide the student with the technical skills to complete a dissertation and to conduct other high-quality, publishable research in the area of primary interest. 

All Marketing doctoral students must take the following six courses:

  • MAR 5625 Marketing Research and Analytics
  • MAR 6665 Seminar in Marketing Models
  • MAR 6636 Multivariate Statistics 
  • MAN 6917 Seminar in Research Design 
  • STA 5207 Applied Regression Methods  
  • STA 5206 Analysis of Variance and Design of Experiments 

Please note: ECO 5416 Econometrics I and ECO 5423 Econometrics II may substitute for STA 5207 or STA 5206. This would allow students to take ECO 5427 Limited Dependent Variables and ECO 5428 Time Series in the first-year summer. Students could then take ECO 5424 Panel Data in the fall of the second year. Students can also substitute ECO 5420 for either STA option.

Elective Courses:

  • ECO 5114 Applied Microeconomics I
  • ECO 5416 Econometrics I
  • ECO 5420 Applied Econometrics
  • ECO 5423 Econometrics II
  • ECO 5424 Econometric Methods for Panel Data
  • ECO 5427 Limited Dependent Variable Models
  • ECO 5428 Time Series Models
  • STA 5066 Data Management with SAS
  • STA 5238 Applied Logistic Regression
  • STA 5635 Applied Machine Learning

II. Marketing Theory Requirements

The theory courses and seminars provide opportunities for in-depth study. The following five doctoral seminars and courses are required in Marketing:

  • MAR 6575 Seminar in Consumer Behavior Theory
  • MAR 6817 Seminar in Services Marketing
  • MAR 6828 Seminar in Business-to-Business Marketing
  • MAR 6506 Seminar in Consumer Behavior Methods

Elective Courses:

  • MAN 6275 Organizational Behavior I
  • MAN 6306 Seminar in Human Resource Management
  • MAN 6235 Seminar in Organizational Theory
  • MAN 6795 Seminar in Strategic Management: Selected Topics
  • MAN 6932 Seminar in Strategic Management I: Literature

In consultation with the student's primary-area adviser, additional courses may also be selected.

III. Professional Development Requirements

The purpose of this sequence of courses is to prepare each student for a successful career as a marketing academician. The course offerings are included below:

Required Courses:

  • MAR 6918 DIS for Publication
  • MAR 6919 Supervised Teaching
  • GEB 6904 Readings for Examination

In addition to these courses, first-year and second-year students will participate in a professional development series that will be an additional registered course in each semester of the first two years of the program.


Sample Course Sequence

 

Fall

Spring

Summer

Year 1

 

  • MAR 6575 Seminar in Consumer Behavior Theory
  • STA 5207 Applied Regression Methods1
  • GEB 6931 Professional Development
  • MAN 6917 Seminar in Research Designa
  • MAR 6506 Seminar in Consumer Behavior Methods
  • MAN 6817 Seminar in Services Marketing
  • GEB 6931 Professional Development
  • MAR 5625 Marketing Research and Analytics
  • DIS (3 hours)
  • DIS (3 hours)

Year 2           

  • MAR 6828 Seminar in Business-to-Business Marketinga
  • ECO, STA, or MAN Course2 or Support Area 1
  • GEB 6931 Professional Development
  • MAR 6665 Seminar in Marketing Models (SEM)a
  • MAR 6636 Multivariate Statistics
  • ECO, MAN or STA Course2 of Support Area 2
  • GEB 6931 Professional Development
  • GEB 6904 Readings for Examination (6 hours)
  • MAR 8964 Preliminary Examination (0 hours)
  • MAR 6919 Supervised Teaching (3 hours)

 

Year 3       

  • Dissertation
  • Dissertation
  • Dissertation

Year 4
 

  • Dissertation
  • Dissertation
  • Dissertation

Year 5

  • Dissertation
  • Dissertation
  • Dissertation and Defense

aMAR 6828 and MAR 6665 are offered in alternate years. Both first-year and second-year students take the classes together. In the other year, both groups take MAN 6917.

2Choices include:
STA 5066 Data Management and Analysis with SAS
STA 5238 Applied Logistic Regression
ECO 5114 Applied Microeconomics I
ECO 5416 Econometrics I
ECO 5420 Applied Econometrics
ECO 5424 Panel Data
MAN 6235 Seminar in Organizational Theory
MAN 6275 Organization Behavior I: Literature
MAN 6306 Seminar in Human Resources Management
MAN 6795 Seminar in Strategic Management
PSY 6919 Various course topics

  Application Process

Admission decisions are made by the college’s Doctoral Admissions Committee and are based on a combination of factors, including prior academic record from accepted universities; GRE or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT preferred) scores taken within the past five years; letters of recommendation; experience; record of accomplishments. Admission is competitive and focused on students with grade-point averages of 3.5 or higher and GMAT scores of at least 600 or GRE scores of at least 155 on each section of the revised GRE.


Application Checklist

  • Login to admissions.fsu.edu/gradapp (applications will only be accepted through this portal).
  • Begin your application by logging in with your FSUID or clicking the link to register to get one.
  • Complete your online application form and submit.
  • Include the names and contact information for at least 3 (required) references.
    • This will generate an automated email sent to your references by our system to request that they submit a recommendation for you and answer a series of standardized questions.
  • Submit your Statement of Purpose (2-3 pages).
  • Submit a current resume or C.V.
  • Pay the nonrefundable $30 application fee.
  • Required transcripts: Unofficial transcripts uploaded to your application, provided they are in English and have grades assigned to coursework, will be sufficient for the first round of review. An official transcript will be required if you are accepted into the program.
    • Request that each college or university you have attended submit an official transcript to FSU (see below for email/address).
    • Transcripts are considered official if they are sent directly to FSU (either through the U.S. mail or electronically) by your undergraduate or graduate institution.
  • Required test scores: Unofficial test scores are sufficient for the first round of review. Complete the Self-reported Test Score Form. Official test scores will be required if you are accepted into the program.
    • Request that official GMAT or GRE scores (and TOEFL/IELTS/PTE/DuoLingo/Cambridge C1 Advanced/Michigan Language, if applicable) be submitted to FSU (see below for email/address)
    • Test scores will only be considered official if sent directly from the testing service. The code for ETS to send (GRE and TOEFL) scores to FSU is 5219. The code to send GMAT scores to FSU is PN8K567.
    • An English proficiency exam score (TOEFL/IELTS/PTE) must be submitted for international applicants whose native language is not English or who have not received a college degree from an institution where the instruction is primarily in English.
  • Have transcripts and test scores sent to graduateadmissions@fsu.edu or:

    Graduate Admissions Office
    222 S. Copeland St.
    314 Westcott Building
    Florida State University
    Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410
    USA


International Applicants

International applicants should visit gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/international-admissions for information concerning financial responsibilities, degree equivalency, etc.

English Language Proficiency Exam
International applicants whose native language is not English or who have not completed an undergraduate or graduate degree in an English-speaking country are required to take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL,) the International English Language Testing System (IELTS,) the Pearson Test of English (PTE,) Duolingo, Cambridge C1 Advanced Level, or Michigan Language Assessment and submit official test results in order to be admitted to Florida State University. The College of Business requires a minimum TOEFL score of 100 on the internet-based test, a minimum of 7.0 on the IELTS exam, or a minimum of 66 on the PTE, a minimum score of 120 on Duolingo, a minimum score of 180 on Cambridge C1 Advanced Level, or a minimum score of 55 on the Michigan Language Assessment taken within the past two (2) years.

Transcript Evaluation Requirement
The Office of Graduate Admissions requires all international students to submit an official course-by-course evaluation of all academic records from non-U.S. institutions prior to application review. This verifies degree equivalency and serves in place of additional official or unofficial transcripts. This evaluation must be done by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES): www.naces.org. FSU offers a partnership with The Evaluation Company (formerly SpanTran), our preferred credential evaluation service, which allows a streamlined process at a discounted rate. More information about this process is available after you submit the first part of your graduate application.

  Program Costs

Ph.D. students typically take 27-33 credit hours each year. Here are the estimated program costs for the 2023-2024 academic year:

  • Florida residents: $479.32 (tuition plus fees) per credit hour. Total estimated program cost is $12,941.64 - $15,817.56 per year.
  • Non-Florida residents: $1,110.72 (tuition plus fees) per credit hour. Total estimated program cost is $29,989.44 - $36,653.76 per year.

Note: These costs do not include required books, supplies for courses, or required health insurance. Costs are subject to change. Fees above do not include some per-term flat fees for FSUCard and facilities use. For a breakdown of on-campus student fees and their explanations, visit the university’s Tuition Rates page.

  Residency Information

The doctoral program is a full-time program that lasts five years. Students should plan to live in the Tallahassee area year-round, including summers. Our program is not set up for individuals who wish to take courses part time or online.

  Financial Assistance

The College of Business awards financial assistance to applicants based on academic criteria and performance. The goal of the college is to provide assistantships and/or fellowships to all of our admitted doctoral students, subject to overall enrollment and fiscal limitations. Most doctoral students who request funding, who maintain a satisfactory level of academic and work performance, and who are in residence receive financial assistance from the college. Annual stipends and supplementary assistance such as travel expenses for conference attendance will vary among cohorts and programs. Students who are not Florida residents (including international students) should note that tuition waivers associated with assistantships cover the out-of-state portion of their tuition for the duration of the program. U.S. residents have the option of changing residency, if so desired. Please note that waivers do not cover all fees.
 
Doctoral students on assistantship are supported for four full academic years, contingent upon satisfactory performance in the program. Eligibility for fifth-year support is considered for a student having made substantial progress toward placement at a research-oriented university. For a full list of Florida State University funding and awards, visit gradschool.fsu.edu. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit all completed application materials before January 15 to be eligible for additional funding opportunities at the university level.


Awards/Scholarships

The College of Business awards financial assistance to applicants based on academic criteria and performance. There are various scholarships available for graduate students. Visit our graduate scholarships page to learn more.

(Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit all completed application materials before January 15 to be eligible for additional funding opportunities at the university level.)

  • For a full list of Florida State University funding and awards, visit gradschool.fsu.edu
  • For more information on Florida State University's research and research funding, visit research.fsu.edu
  • For more information on Florida State University's graduate fellowships and awards, visit ogfa.fsu.edu