phd topics in marketing

Research Topics & Ideas: Marketing

50+ Marketing Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. If you’ve landed on this post, chances are you’re looking for a marketing-related research topic , but aren’t sure where to start. If so, you’ve come to the right place.

Here, we’ll explore a variety of marketing-related research ideas and topic thought-starters, covering both traditional marketing (offline media) and digital marketing (including social media marketing, content marketing and the like). We’ll also look at actual dissertations and theses from marketing students to give you a view of what a well-defined research topic looks like.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the marketing domain. This is the starting point, but to develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. In it, we cover the process of writing a dissertation or thesis from start to end. Be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic. 

Overview: Marketing-Related Topics

• How to find a research topic (video)
• Traditional (offline) marketing topics/ideas
• Digital (online) marketing topics/ideas
• Examples of actual dissertation topics
• Free Webinar : Topic Ideation 101
• Where to get extra help

How To Find A Research Topic

Before we look at specific research ideas and topics, it’s useful to first understand what the topic ideation process entails and how to go about finding and refining viable topic ideas. In the video below, we cover exactly that. So, if you’re a first-time researcher, be sure to watch this tutorial before jumping into the collection of marketing research topics we present below. 

Now that you’ve got a big-picture view of the topic ideation process, we can dive into a few research ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Please note that these research topic ideas are intentionally broad and generic, so you will need to refine them a fair deal using the techniques we discussed in the video above.

To make life a little easier for you, we’ve grouped the topic ideas based on two main categories – traditional marketing and digital / online marketing . For the latter, we’ve divided it up into a few subcategories, including social media marketing, content marketing and search marketing. That said, there is naturally some overlap between topics, so keep this in mind.

Research Ideas: Traditional Marketing

• The perceived effectiveness of different types of direct mail campaigns (e.g., postcards, catalogues, brochures) among small business owners in New York
• The perception and use of traditional marketing in creating and nurturing customer loyalty and retention among UK Financial Firms.
• The impact of demographic targeting on traditional marketing performance among green businesses
• The perception of different types of sales promotion (e.g., discounts, coupons, contests) among GenZ consumers
• The continued use of celebrity endorsements in traditional marketing campaigns, post-2020.
• Exploring factors related to outdoor advertising recall in India
• Measuring the ROI of traditional marketing efforts: a review of current methods
• Comparing the effectiveness of different traditional media channels (e.g., television, radio, print) in driving engagement and conversions among established brands
• The use of public relations in traditional marketing campaigns among large insurance companies
• The role of event marketing in building brand awareness and engagement: perceptions among marketing professionals in the UK

Research Ideas: Digital/Online Marketing

Social media marketing

• The use of artificial intelligence in social media marketing among online fashion companies in Sweden
• The impact of social media on public relations and media relations: a Case Study of Nandos
• The role of Twitter in crisis communication and reputation management: a discourse analysis
• The impact of social media influencer presence on brand loyalty and customer retention among Gen X.
• The use of social media for market research and consumer insights among SMEs in Kenya
• The impact of social media on consumer buying behaviour of fast food in Italy
• The challenges and opportunities of social media in global and multicultural marketing: perceptions of marketing departments in large corporations
• The relationship between social media engagement and website traffic: an analysis of fitness brands
• The effectiveness of influencer marketing on social media platforms for household cleaning products in the UK
• The perceptions and understanding of paid vs organic social media advertising among Gen Z consumers in San Francisco

Content marketing

• The use and understanding of micro-moments in creating personalized content experiences among content creators in the USA
• Comparing the effectiveness of methods of personalization of content marketing: an evaluation of best practice
• The experiences and use of SEO in content marketing strategy among small online businesses
• The use of social media influencers in content marketing campaigns: a Case Study of Hello Fresh
• Comparing different content distribution channels for different types of content: perceptions of best practices among content marketing experts
• The use of user-generated content in building brand trust and engagement among green companies in the UK
• Measuring the ROI of content marketing efforts among luxury brands
• The perception and use of Chat GPT in content creation among small online businesses
• The perceptions of interactive and immersive content formats (e.g., virtual reality, augmented reality) in marketing among consumers: an experimental study
• Comparing image and text-based content formats in driving engagement and conversions on social media: a multi-case study of NGOs

Search engine marketing

• The effectiveness of different ad formats (e.g., text ads, shopping ads, video ads) in Search Engine Marketing for tourist destinations
• The impact of search engine algorithm updates on Search Engine Marketing performance – who are the winners and losers?
• The perception and use of AI and machine learning in Search Engine Marketing strategy and bidding optimization within a UK marketing agency
• The use of voice search and its impact on Search Engine Marketing among food retailers in Switzerland
• The role of local SEO in driving brick-and-mortar sales: a case study of a local fashion outlet in France
• The impact of mobile optimization on Search Engine Marketing performance and conversion rates in Nigeria
• Comparing analytical tools for measuring ROI of Search Engine Marketing campaigns
• The effectiveness of different types of keywords and search queries in driving traffic towards restaurants in Italy
• The use of remarketing and retargeting in search engine marketing campaigns among marketers
• The understanding and use of schema markup and structured data in improving Search engine marketing performance among Start-Ups

Email marketing

• The perception and use of AI and machine learning in email marketing among NGOs: a focus on personalized content and dynamic segmentation
• The effectiveness of email subject line strategies in driving open and click-through rates: an experimental study
• Comparing A/B testing and multivariate testing in improving email marketing performance: a case study
• The use of personalization on email marketing performance among craft bloggers
• The impact of automated email marketing among local online retailers on customer loyalty and retention
• The use of automation and triggered emails in increasing engagement and conversion rates for online courses
• The perception and understanding of GDPR and other data privacy regulations on email marketing among SMEs
• The role of mobile optimization in email marketing targeting Gen Z consumers
• The challenges of measuring the ROI of email marketing campaigns: perceptions of SMEs
• The effectiveness of different email formats (e.g., text-based, HTML, interactive) in driving engagement: A/B testing for a small online retailer

Marketing-Related Dissertations & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding marketing-related research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various marketing-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• The Influences of Brand Personality, Culture, and Social Media on Iconic Brand Preferences (Whelan, 2021)
• Customer Success and the Transformation of Customer Relationships (Raines, 2022)
• The Effects of Online Incentivized Reviews on Organic Review Ratings (Jeong, 2020)
• Are You For Real? The Consumption-Driven Self-Authentication Process And Its Effects On Perceived Brand Authenticity (Kuchmaner, 2020)
• You Are What You Eat: How Food Texture And Packaging Influence Consumer Well-Being (Ning, 2020)
• Social Dialogic Listening: Connecting Marketing Activity To Strategy (Collins, 2020)
• Millennials’ Attitudes Towards Influencer Marketing And Purchase Intentions (Yu, 2019)
• Cannibalization between Two Mercedes-Benz Models and Consumer Behavior (Ma, 2020)
• Selling and Buying Aspects of Used Products That Are Brand Anthropomorphized (Kim, 2019)
• Global Identity: Conceptualization, Measurement, And Implications For Marketing Strategy (Yoruk, 2022)
• The Intersection of Organizational Frontline Marketing and a High-Tech World (Krotz, 2021)
• The Unexplored Impacts of Communication Elements in Marketing (Trinh, 2022)
• Founder Social Identity As A Predictor Of Customer And Competitor Orientation In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises (Rutherford, 2021)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are far more specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you develop your own research topic. That is to say, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Fast-Track Your Research Topic

If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to find a research topic for your marketing dissertation or thesis, check out our 1-on-1 private coaching services below.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Print Friendly

About Stanford GSB

• The Leadership
• Dean’s Updates
• School News & History
• Commencement
• Business, Government & Society
• Centers & Institutes
• Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
• Center for Social Innovation
• Stanford Seed

About the Experience

• Learning at Stanford GSB
• Experiential Learning
• Guest Speakers
• Entrepreneurship
• Social Innovation
• Communication
• Life at Stanford GSB
• Collaborative Environment
• Activities & Organizations
• Student Services
• Housing Options
• International Students

Full-Time Degree Programs

• Why Stanford MBA
• Academic Experience
• Financial Aid
• Why Stanford MSx
• Research Fellows Program
• See All Programs

Non-Degree & Certificate Programs

• Executive Education
• Stanford Executive Program
• Programs for Organizations
• The Difference
• Online Programs
• Stanford LEAD
• Seed Transformation Program
• Aspire Program
• Seed Spark Program
• Faculty Profiles
• Academic Areas
• Awards & Honors
• Conferences

Faculty Research

• Publications
• Working Papers
• Case Studies

Research Hub

• Research Labs & Initiatives
• Business Library
• Data, Analytics & Research Computing

Behavioral Lab

Research labs.

• Cities, Housing & Society Lab
• Golub Capital Social Impact Lab

Research Initiatives

• Corporate Governance Research Initiative
• Corporations and Society Initiative
• Policy and Innovation Initiative
• Rapid Decarbonization Initiative
• Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative
• Value Chain Innovation Initiative
• Venture Capital Initiative
• Career & Success
• Climate & Sustainability
• Corporate Governance
• Culture & Society
• Finance & Investing
• Government & Politics
• Leadership & Management
• Markets and Trade
• Operations & Logistics
• Opportunity & Access
• Technology & AI
• Opinion & Analysis
• Email Newsletter

Welcome, Alumni

• Communities
• Digital Communities & Tools
• Regional Chapters
• Women’s Programs
• Identity Chapters
• Find Your Reunion
• Career Resources
• Job Search Resources
• Career & Life Transitions
• Programs & Webinars
• Career Video Library
• Alumni Education
• Research Resources
• Volunteering
• Alumni News
• Class Notes
• Alumni Voices
• Contact Alumni Relations
• Upcoming Events

Admission Events & Information Sessions

• MBA Program
• MSx Program
• PhD Program
• Alumni Events
• All Other Events
• Requirements
• Requirements: Behavioral
• Requirements: Quantitative
• Requirements: Macro
• Requirements: Micro
• Annual Evaluations
• Field Examination
• Research Activities
• Research Papers
• Dissertation
• Oral Examination
• Current Students
• Entering Class Profile
• Education & CV
• GMAT & GRE
• International Applicants
• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation
• Reapplicants
• Application Fee Waiver
• Deadline & Decisions
• Job Market Candidates
• Academic Placements
• Stay in Touch
• Fields of Study
• Student Life

The marketing faculty embrace research traditions grounded in psychology and behavioral decision-making, economics and industrial organization, and statistics and management science.

These traditions support research inquiries into consumer behavior, firm behavior, the development of methods for improving the allocation of marketing resources, and understanding of how marketing works in a market setting.

A small number of students are accepted into the PhD Program in marketing each year, with a total of about 18 marketing students in residence. Student-faculty relationships are close, both professionally and socially. This permits the tailoring of the program of study to fit the background and career goals of the individual.

A marketing student’s program of study usually includes several doctoral seminars taught by marketing faculty, some doctoral seminars taught by other Stanford GSB faculty, and a considerable number of graduate-level courses in related departments outside the business school, depending on a student’s particular area of investigation.

The field is often broken down into two broad subareas: behavioral marketing and quantitative marketing.

Behavioral Marketing

Behavioral marketing is the study of how individuals behave in consumer-relevant domains. This area of marketing draws from social psychology and behavioral decision theory and includes a wide variety of topics such as:

• Decision making
• Attitudes and persuasion
• Social influence
• Motivation and goals
• New technologies
• Consumer neuroscience
• Misinformation

Students in this track take classes in behaviorally oriented subjects within Stanford GSB and also in the Psychology Department . All students have the opportunity to interact with Stanford GSB faculty in every group and, indeed, across the Stanford campus.

Behavioral Interest Group

There is also a formal institutional link between the behavioral side of marketing and the micro side of organizational behavior , which is called the Behavioral Interest Group. The Stanford GSB Behavioral Lab links members of this group. This lab fosters collaborative work across field boundaries among those with behavioral interests.

The Behavioral Lab is an interdisciplinary social research laboratory open to all Stanford GSB faculty and PhD students. The lab’s research primarily spans the fields of organizational behavior and behavioral marketing, and covers a rich and diverse array of topics, including attitudes and preferences, consumer decision-making, group dynamics, leadership, morality, power, and prosocial behavior.

Preparation and Qualifications

A background in psychology and experience with experimental methods and data analysis provide optimal preparation for students pursuing the behavioral track, though students from a variety of backgrounds have performed well in the program.

Quantitative Marketing

The quantitative marketing faculty at Stanford emphasize theoretically grounded empirical analysis of applied marketing problems. This line of inquiry draws primarily on fundamentals in applied microeconomic theory, industrial organization, and econometrics and statistics.

Questions of interest include:

Investigating consumer choices and purchase behavior

Examining product, pricing, advertising, and promotion strategies of firms

Analyzing competition in a wide range of domains

Development and application of large-scale experimentation, high-dimensional statistics, applied econometrics and big-data methods to solve marketing problems

A common theme of research is the use of rigorous quantitative methods to study important, managerially relevant marketing questions.

Cross-Campus Collaboration

Students in this track take common classes in quantitatively oriented subjects with others at Stanford GSB, as well as the Economics and Statistics Departments. All Stanford GSB students have the opportunity to interact with Stanford GSB faculty in every group and, indeed, across the Stanford campus.

Solid training in economics and statistical methods, as well as programming skills, offers a distinct advantage for quantitative marketing students, but students from various backgrounds such as engineering, computer science, and physics have thrived in the program.

Faculty in Behavioral Marketing

Jennifer aaker, szu-chi huang, jonathan levav, zakary tormala, s. christian wheeler, faculty in quantitative marketing, kwabena baah donkor, wesley r. hartmann, sridhar narayanan, navdeep s. sahni, emeriti faculty, james m. lattin, david bruce montgomery, michael l. ray, itamar simonson, v. “seenu” srinivasan, recent publications in marketing, 50 years of context effects: merging the behavioral and quantitative perspectives, investigating complementarities in subscription software usage using advertising experiments, when the one true faith trumps all: low religious diversity, religious intolerance, and science denial, recent insights by stanford business, influencers want brands’ sponsorship, but not their rules, why advertisers pay more to reach viewers who watch less, your summer 2024 podcast playlist.

• Priorities for the GSB's Future
• See the Current DEI Report
• Supporting Data
• Research & Insights
• Share Your Thoughts
• Search Fund Primer
• Teaching & Curriculum
• Affiliated Faculty
• Faculty Advisors
• Louis W. Foster Resource Center
• Defining Social Innovation
• Impact Compass
• Global Health Innovation Insights
• Faculty Affiliates
• Student Awards & Certificates
• Changemakers
• Dean Jonathan Levin
• Dean Garth Saloner
• Dean Robert Joss
• Dean Michael Spence
• Dean Robert Jaedicke
• Dean Rene McPherson
• Dean Arjay Miller
• Dean Ernest Arbuckle
• Dean Jacob Hugh Jackson
• Dean Willard Hotchkiss
• Faculty in Memoriam
• Stanford GSB Firsts
• Class of 2024 Candidates
• Certificate & Award Recipients
• Dean’s Remarks
• Keynote Address
• Teaching Approach
• Analysis and Measurement of Impact
• The Corporate Entrepreneur: Startup in a Grown-Up Enterprise
• Data-Driven Impact
• Designing Experiments for Impact
• Digital Marketing
• The Founder’s Right Hand
• Marketing for Measurable Change
• Product Management
• Public Policy Lab: Financial Challenges Facing US Cities
• Public Policy Lab: Homelessness in California
• Lab Features
• Curricular Integration
• View From The Top
• Formation of New Ventures
• Managing Growing Enterprises
• Startup Garage
• Explore Beyond the Classroom
• Stanford Venture Studio
• Summer Program
• Workshops & Events
• The Five Lenses of Entrepreneurship
• Leadership Labs
• Executive Challenge
• Arbuckle Leadership Fellows Program
• Selection Process
• Training Schedule
• Time Commitment
• Learning Expectations
• Post-Training Opportunities
• Who Should Apply
• Introductory T-Groups
• Leadership for Society Program
• Certificate
• 2024 Awardees
• 2023 Awardees
• 2022 Awardees
• 2021 Awardees
• 2020 Awardees
• 2019 Awardees
• 2018 Awardees
• Social Management Immersion Fund
• Stanford Impact Founder Fellowships
• Stanford Impact Leader Prizes
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Stanford GSB Impact Fund
• Economic Development
• Energy & Environment
• Stanford GSB Residences
• Environmental Leadership
• Stanford GSB Artwork
• A Closer Look
• California & the Bay Area
• Voices of Stanford GSB
• Business & Beneficial Technology
• Business & Sustainability
• Business & Free Markets
• Business, Government, and Society Forum
• Get Involved
• Second Year
• Global Experiences
• JD/MBA Joint Degree
• MA Education/MBA Joint Degree
• MD/MBA Dual Degree
• MPP/MBA Joint Degree
• MS Computer Science/MBA Joint Degree
• MS Electrical Engineering/MBA Joint Degree
• MS Environment and Resources (E-IPER)/MBA Joint Degree
• Academic Calendar
• Clubs & Activities
• LGBTQ+ Students
• Military Veterans
• Minorities & People of Color
• Partners & Families
• Students with Disabilities
• Student Support
• Residential Life
• Student Voices
• MBA Alumni Voices
• A Week in the Life
• Career Support
• Employment Outcomes
• Cost of Attendance
• Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program
• Yellow Ribbon Program
• BOLD Fellows Fund
• Application Process
• Loan Forgiveness
• Contact the Financial Aid Office
• Evaluation Criteria
• English Language Proficiency
• Personal Information, Activities & Awards
• Professional Experience
• Optional Short Answer Questions
• Application Fee
• Reapplication
• Deferred Enrollment
• Joint & Dual Degrees
• Event Schedule
• Ambassadors
• New & Noteworthy
• Ask a Question
• See Why Stanford MSx
• Is MSx Right for You?
• MSx Stories
• Leadership Development
• How You Will Learn
• Admission Events
• Personal Information
• GMAT, GRE & EA
• English Proficiency Tests
• Career Change
• Career Advancement
• Daycare, Schools & Camps
• U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents
• Faculty Mentors
• Current Fellows
• Standard Track
• Fellowship & Benefits
• Group Enrollment
• Program Formats
• Developing a Program
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Strategic Transformation
• Program Experience
• Contact Client Services
• Campus Experience
• Live Online Experience
• Silicon Valley & Bay Area
• Digital Credentials
• Faculty Spotlights
• Participant Spotlights
• Eligibility
• International Participants
• Stanford Ignite
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Operations, Information & Technology
• Organizational Behavior
• Political Economy
• Classical Liberalism
• The Eddie Lunch
• Accounting Summer Camp
• Videos, Code & Data
• California Econometrics Conference
• California Quantitative Marketing PhD Conference
• California School Conference
• China India Insights Conference
• Homo economicus, Evolving
• Political Economics (2023–24)
• Scaling Geologic Storage of CO2 (2023–24)
• A Resilient Pacific: Building Connections, Envisioning Solutions
• Adaptation and Innovation
• Changing Climate
• Civil Society
• Climate Impact Summit
• Climate Science
• Corporate Carbon Disclosures
• Earth’s Seafloor
• Environmental Justice
• Operations and Information Technology
• Organizations
• Sustainability Reporting and Control
• Taking the Pulse of the Planet
• Urban Infrastructure
• Watershed Restoration
• Junior Faculty Workshop on Financial Regulation and Banking
• Ken Singleton Celebration
• Marketing Camp
• Quantitative Marketing PhD Alumni Conference
• Presentations
• Theory and Inference in Accounting Research
• Stanford Closer Look Series
• Quick Guides
• Core Concepts
• Journal Articles
• Glossary of Terms
• Faculty & Staff
• Researchers & Students
• Research Approach
• Charitable Giving
• Financial Health
• Government Services
• Workers & Careers
• Short Course
• Adaptive & Iterative Experimentation
• Incentive Design
• Social Sciences & Behavioral Nudges
• Bandit Experiment Application
• Conferences & Events
• Reading Materials
• Energy Entrepreneurship
• Faculty & Affiliates
• SOLE Report
• Responsible Supply Chains
• Current Study Usage
• Pre-Registration Information
• Participate in a Study
• Founding Donors
• Location Information
• Participant Profile
• Network Membership
• Program Impact
• Collaborators
• Entrepreneur Profiles
• Company Spotlights
• Seed Transformation Network
• Responsibilities
• Current Coaches
• How to Apply
• Meet the Consultants
• Meet the Interns
• Intern Profiles
• Collaborate
• Research Library
• News & Insights
• Program Contacts
• Databases & Datasets
• Research Guides
• Consultations
• Research Workshops
• Career Research
• Research Data Services
• Course Reserves
• Course Research Guides
• Material Loan Periods
• Fines & Other Charges
• Document Delivery
• Interlibrary Loan
• Equipment Checkout
• Print & Scan
• MBA & MSx Students
• PhD Students
• Other Stanford Students
• Faculty Assistants
• Research Assistants
• Stanford GSB Alumni
• Telling Our Story
• Staff Directory
• Site Registration
• Alumni Directory
• Alumni Email
• Privacy Settings & My Profile
• Success Stories
• The Story of Circles
• Support Women’s Circles
• Stanford Women on Boards Initiative
• Alumnae Spotlights
• Insights & Research
• Industry & Professional
• Entrepreneurial Commitment Group
• Recent Alumni
• Half-Century Club
• Fall Reunions
• Spring Reunions
• MBA 25th Reunion
• Half-Century Club Reunion
• Faculty Lectures
• Ernest C. Arbuckle Award
• Alison Elliott Exceptional Achievement Award
• ENCORE Award
• Excellence in Leadership Award
• John W. Gardner Volunteer Leadership Award
• Robert K. Jaedicke Faculty Award
• Jack McDonald Military Service Appreciation Award
• Jerry I. Porras Latino Leadership Award
• Tapestry Award
• Student & Alumni Events
• Executive Recruiters
• Interviewing
• Land the Perfect Job with LinkedIn
• Negotiating
• Elevator Pitch
• Email Best Practices
• Resumes & Cover Letters
• Self-Assessment
• Whitney Birdwell Ball
• Margaret Brooks
• Bryn Panee Burkhart
• Margaret Chan
• Ricki Frankel
• Peter Gandolfo
• Cindy W. Greig
• Natalie Guillen
• Carly Janson
• Sloan Klein
• Sherri Appel Lassila
• Stuart Meyer
• Tanisha Parrish
• Virginia Roberson
• Philippe Taieb
• Michael Takagawa
• Terra Winston
• Johanna Wise
• Debbie Wolter
• Rebecca Zucker
• Complimentary Coaching
• Changing Careers
• Work-Life Integration
• Career Breaks
• Flexible Work
• Encore Careers
• Join a Board
• D&B Hoovers
• Data Axle (ReferenceUSA)
• EBSCO Business Source
• Global Newsstream
• Market Share Reporter
• ProQuest One Business
• Student Clubs
• Entrepreneurial Students
• Stanford GSB Trust
• Alumni Community
• How to Volunteer
• Springboard Sessions
• Consulting Projects
• 2020 – 2029
• 2010 – 2019
• 2000 – 2009
• 1990 – 1999
• 1980 – 1989
• 1970 – 1979
• 1960 – 1969
• 1950 – 1959
• 1940 – 1949
• Service Areas
• ACT History
• ACT Awards Celebration
• ACT Governance Structure
• Building Leadership for ACT
• Individual Leadership Positions
• Leadership Role Overview
• Purpose of the ACT Management Board
• Contact ACT
• Business & Nonprofit Communities
• Reunion Volunteers
• Ways to Give
• Fiscal Year Report
• Business School Fund Leadership Council
• Planned Giving Options
• Planned Giving Benefits
• Planned Gifts and Reunions
• Legacy Partners
• Giving News & Stories
• Giving Deadlines
• Development Staff
• Submit Class Notes
• Class Secretaries
• Board of Directors
• Health Care
• Sustainability
• Class Takeaways
• All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions
• If/Then: Business, Leadership, Society
• Grit & Growth
• Think Fast, Talk Smart
• Spring 2022
• Spring 2021
• Autumn 2020
• Summer 2020
• Winter 2020
• In the Media
• For Journalists
• DCI Fellows
• Other Auditors
• Academic Calendar & Deadlines
• Course Materials
• Entrepreneurial Resources
• Campus Drive Grove
• Campus Drive Lawn
• CEMEX Auditorium
• King Community Court
• Seawell Family Boardroom
• Stanford GSB Bowl
• Stanford Investors Common
• Town Square
• Vidalakis Courtyard
• Vidalakis Dining Hall
• Catering Services
• Policies & Guidelines
• Reservations
• Contact Faculty Recruiting
• Lecturer Positions
• Postdoctoral Positions
• Accommodations
• CMC-Managed Interviews
• Recruiter-Managed Interviews
• Virtual Interviews
• Campus & Virtual
• Search for Candidates
• Think Globally
• Recruiting Calendar
• Recruiting Policies
• Full-Time Employment
• Summer Employment
• Entrepreneurial Summer Program
• Global Management Immersion Experience
• Social-Purpose Summer Internships
• Process Overview
• Project Types
• Client Eligibility Criteria
• Client Screening
• ACT Leadership
• Social Innovation & Nonprofit Management Resources
• Develop Your Organization’s Talent
• Centers & Initiatives
• Student Fellowships

This website uses cookies to ensure the best user experience. Privacy & Cookies Notice Accept Cookies

Manage My Cookies

Manage Cookie Preferences

Confirm My Selections

• Dissertation Areas and Joint PhD Programs
• PhD Career Outcomes
• PhD Proposals and Defenses
• PhD Job Market Candidates
• PhD Research Community
• 100 Years of Pioneering Research
• Rising Scholars Conference
• Yiran Fan Memorial Conference
• Frequently Asked Questions
• PhD in Accounting
• PhD in Behavioral Science
• PhD in Econometrics and Statistics
• PhD in Finance
• PhD in Management Science and Operations Management

PhD in Marketing

• PhD in Microeconomics
• Joint Program in Financial Economics
• Joint Program in Psychology and Business
• Joint PhD/JD Program

Develop your research skills in consumer behavior or economics/quantitative methods and prepare for a career at a leading research institution.

Our Marketing PhD Program gives you a strong theoretical foundation and builds your empirical skills.

You’ll have the flexibility to explore marketing through Chicago Booth while taking courses across the university in psychology , sociology , economics , computer science , and statistics . You’ll also have access to computer science courses at Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago (TTIC) .

The doctoral program defines marketing broadly as the study of the interface between firms, competitors, and consumers. This includes but is not limited to consumer preferences, consumer demand and decision-making, strategic interaction of firms, pricing, promotion, targeting, product design/positioning, and channel issues.

Our Distinguished Marketing Faculty

Chicago Booth’s marketing faculty serve as advisors, mentors, and collaborators to doctoral students.

Daniel Bartels

Leon Carroll Marshall Professor of Marketing

Pradeep K. Chintagunta

Joseph T. and Bernice S. Lewis Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing

Giovanni Compiani

Assistant Professor of Marketing

Sanjay K. Dhar

James M. Kilts, Jr. Professor of Marketing

Berkeley J. Dietvorst

Associate Professor of Marketing

Kristin Donnelly

Assistant Professor of Marketing and Stevens Junior Faculty Fellow

Jean-Pierre Dubé

James M. Kilts Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing and Charles E. Merrill Faculty Scholar

Ayelet Fishbach

Eric J. Gleacher Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing

Guenter J. Hitsch

Kilts Family Professor of Marketing

Andreas Kraft

Assistant Professor of Marketing and Asness Faculty Fellow

Ann L. McGill

Sears Roebuck Professor of General Management, Marketing and Behavioral Science

Sanjog Misra

Charles H. Kellstadt Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing and Applied AI

Bradley Shapiro

Professor of Marketing and True North Faculty Scholar

Stephanie Smith

Avner Strulov-Shlain

Assistant Professor of Marketing and Willard Graham Faculty Scholar

Abigail Sussman

Professor of Marketing and Beatrice Foods Co. Faculty Scholar

Oleg Urminsky

Theodore O. Yntema Professor of Marketing

Alumni Success

PhD alumni in marketing go on to successful careers at top institutions of higher education across the world. 

Akshina Banerjee, PhD '23

Assistant Professor of Marketing Ross School of Business, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Akshina studies linguistic influence on consumer decision-making, hierarchical choices, and mental accounting. Her interests are, thus, inherently interdisciplinary, with overlaps in marketing, linguistics, economics, and psychology. Her dissertation area is in behavioral marketing.

Olivia Natan, PhD ’21

Assistant Professor of Marketing Haas School of Business, University of California-Berkeley Olivia Natan studies how limited information affects consumer demand and firm behavior. Her empirical work focuses on settings with large product assortments. Her dissertation area is in marketing.

A Network of Support

At Booth, you’ll have access to the resources of several research centers that help to fund marketing PhD research, host innovative conferences and workshops, and serve as focal points for collaboration and innovation.

James M. Kilts Center for Marketing The Kilts Center facilitates faculty research, supports innovations in the marketing curriculum, funds scholarships for MBA students, and creates engaging programs aimed at enhancing the careers of students and alumni.

Center for Decision Research Devoted to the study of how individuals form judgments and make decisions, the CDR supports research that examines the processes by which intuition, reasoning, and social interaction produce beliefs, judgments, and choices.

Scholarly Journals

Chicago Booth is responsible for the creation and leadership of some of the most prestigious academic journals today. Quantitative Marketing and Economics , for example, which focuses on problems important to marketing using a quantitative approach, was founded in 2003 by Peter E. Rossi, MBA ’80, PhD ’84.

See the full list of academic journals at Booth .

Spotlight on Current Research

Our faculty and PhD students continually produce high-level research. The Chicago Booth Review frequently highlights their contributions in marketing.

'Thank You Can Be a Loaded Phrase'

Depending on where you are in the world, this call could be welcomed—or considered strange or even rude, suggests research by Chicago Booth PhD student Jiaqi Yu and Booth’s Shereen Chaudhry.

Your Spending Habits Are All in Your Head

Booth Professor Daniel Bartels and Booth PhD [grad] Lin Fei have been examining how mental representation and the categorization of expenses are crucial to to people’s budgeting approaches.

Walter Zhang's BFI Industrial Organization Initiative Award

The Becker Friedman Institute will fund Zhang's research project, "Targeted Bundling" (coauthor: Olivia Natan, Booth PhD grad). Their project studies the pricing of digital goods and the potential for increased price targeting in differentiated product markets.

Can a Fictional Ad Man Help Sell Real Cigarettes?

How do depictions of tobacco use affect sales off-screen? Chicago Booth’s Pradeep K. Chintagunta and Sanjay K. Dhar, along with their coauthors Ali Goli (Booth PhD grad) and Simha Mummalaneni (UWashington), brought together several datasets to examine this question.

The PhD Experience at Booth

Rima Toure-Tillery, PhD ’13, talks about the Booth faculty’s open-door approach to PhD students.

Video Transcript

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 00:00 I am assistant professor at Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management. And I am a motivation scholar. I study questions related to factors that influence people's motivation to persist in various types of goals.

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 00:21 I think the PhD's very different from an MBA. You expect to be doing very different things when you're done. With a PhD most of us expect to conduct research, continue to ask deep questions, and just work on finding answers to those questions.

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 00:35 Booth PhD Program is extremely rigorous. You're going to learn from the best. There's a good mix of letting you be in charge of your career and being independent, but also being extremely supportive. Most faculty have an open-door policy so you could just email someone, go to their office and start talking about a research idea. They're really going to help you develop the whole research approach, and thinking about ideas, and taking them from that really half-baked stage to something more advanced. Being able to approach whatever faculty I'm most interested in working with, I think that really permeated my whole time here.

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 01:13 Being in the program really helped me see things in a different light. I really developed some new research interests as I learned more about what I didn't know. You can't solve problems that you don't even know existed. It's been a really amazing experience.

Meet Our Students

PhD students in marketing choose Chicago Booth because our multidisciplinary approach gives them the tools and training for a successful career. Recent dissertations have examined everything from customer retention and consumer purchasing decisions to the economics of retail food waste. Recent graduates have accepted positions at leading research institutions, including UCLA and Columbia University, and have gone on to data science careers in industry.

Current Students

Vanessa Alwan

Salman Arif Andrew Bai

Soaham Bharti

Samuel Borislow

Sara Drango

Fatemeh Gheshlaghpour

Nicholas Herzog

Stephanie Hong

Quoc Dang Hung Ho

Daniel Katz

Juan Mejalenko

Natalie Moore

Timothy Schwieg

Semyon Tabanakov Sophie (Jiarui) Wang

Ningyin (Ariel) Xu

Shuqiong (Lydia) Zhao Grace Zhang

Program Expectations and Requirements

The Stevens Doctoral Program at Chicago Booth is a full-time program. Students generally complete the majority of coursework and examination requirements within the first two years of studies and begin work on their dissertation during the third year. For details, see General Examination Requirements by Area in the Stevens Program Guidebook below.

Download the 2023-2024 Guidebook!

• Youth Program
• Wharton Online

Wharton’s Marketing faculty, the most published and cited in the world, are leaders in developing new knowledge in marketing and related core disciplines.

The Wharton doctoral program offers students an unmatched interdisciplinary environment within which to generate creative ideas and hypotheses and to develop the analytic skills to evaluate them.

Faculty members are active in diverse research areas that connect to initiatives and centers both within Wharton more broadly, and other departments within the university. Recent research topics include such areas as: cognitive processes of consumers; consumer preference measurement; marketing decision support systems; design and adoption of new products and services; and social media and consumer inter-dependencies.

The Marketing Program requires students to have a basic knowledge of various business areas, computer programming, calculus, and matrix algebra.

For information on courses and sample plans of study, please visit the University Graduate Catalog .

For more information about the Joint Doctoral Degree in Marketing and Psychology:  https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/joint-doctoral-degree-in-marketing-and-psychology/

Get the Details.

Visit the Marketing website for details on program requirements and courses. Read faculty and student research and bios to see what you can do with a Marketing PhD.

• How it works

Useful Links

How much will your dissertation cost?

Have an expert academic write your dissertation paper!

Dissertation Services

Get unlimited topic ideas and a dissertation plan for just £45.00

Order topics and plan

Get 1 free topic in your area of study with aim and justification

Yes I want the free topic

25 Marketing Management Dissertation Topics

Published by Owen Ingram at January 2nd, 2023 , Revised On August 18, 2023

Are you a marketing or management student looking for specific marketing management dissertation topics? If yes, your search is over because this article provides 25 highly focused marketing management dissertation ideas and examples for your consideration.

Marketing management refers to planning, organising, coordinating, and controlling marketing functions within a company. Sales, distribution, and customer service are all related to marketing management because they connect a brand with customers, suppliers, and other partners. Other areas of marketing management include public relations and direct advertising activities.

Furthermore, marketing management involves planning for the marketing mix, which is essential for promoting any business. It encompasses various responsibilities, from product development to pricing strategies and channel selection.

Marketing managers perform:

• Detailed market research
• Develop product and service branding strategies
• Develop strategies for targeting customers
• Identify the marketing activities to be undertaken within the budget.

Increased sales revenue and market share are the primary goals of marketing management. Therefore, improving product quality and service levels will improve customer satisfaction.

Also read Sports management dissertation topics , event management thesis ideas , operations management thesis ideas , management thesis topics , and asset management thesis topics .

Marketing Management Research Areas For Dissertation

Marketing management can be divided into four main types as categorized by the American Marketing Association (AMA):

• Customer relationship management (CRM)
• Product lifecycle management (PLM)
• Supply chain management (SCM)
• Market analytics.

These are briefly explained below.

Customer Relationship Management

Customers who have not engaged with a company for a long time can be won back through CRM strategies—providing personalized products, services, and communication to create a long-term relationship with the customer.

Product Lifecycle Management

The PLM process adds new features, services, and components to existing products over time to create more value. Maintaining consumer needs helps companies improve their margins.

Supply Chain Management

SCM uses technologies like supply chain software to manage inventory flows throughout their supply chain, which extends the company’s internal resources into all aspects of their external relationships with vendors, suppliers, distributors, and retailers.”

Market Analytics

Companies use market analytics to gather insights into consumer behaviour and preferences to make better business decisions. Business Intelligence: Business intelligence collects, analyses, and interprets data from multiple sources to understand how the business performs.

Furthermore, if you are studying business, you may also want to look at the list of business dissertation topics  and  finance dissertation topics .

Benefits of Marketing Management

There are various benefits of using Marketing Management. Some of them are as follows:

• It increases sales and profits.
• It improves customer satisfaction.
• It reduces costs
• It helps you to identify the problems in your business.
• It improves the quality of products and services.
• It builds a competitive advantage.
• It makes processes more efficient.
• It increases customer satisfaction.
• It improves sales
• It helps to identify new markets.

Order a Full Dissertation

Worried about your dissertation writing project? Not sure where to start?

• Choose any deadline
• Plagiarism free
• Unlimited free amendments
• Free anti-plagiarism report
• Completed to match exact requirements

List of Dissertation Topics for Marketing Management

Marketing management is a vast field, and it can be challenging to know where to start! Luckily, we’ve done the work for you. Here is a list of the latest marketing management dissertation topics to help you out.

• Using financial products in the UK retail banking sector
• A study of how service quality and customer satisfaction affect brand equity
• A study of the antecedents and consequences of a firm’s reputation
• Impact of social media marketing on consumer behaviour
• The role of internet advertising as a marketing tool
• A study of how supermarket retailers can use customer relationship management (CRM) data to identify consumers and predict buying behaviour
• The influence of reference groups on purchasing patterns among British consumers
• Factors that influence product packaging decisions
• An investigation into how organizational culture influences employee behaviour
• A preliminary study examined how sales assist the marketing role of security solutions.
• A thorough analysis of the literature on the term “Coopetition.”
• The function of marketing management in maintaining efficient supply chains
• Review of the literature on product innovation in multinational companies
• The psychology of consumers, how to evaluate it, and how it relates to digital marketing
• Several of the most prevalent errors are made today in email marketing.
• Correlation between marketing problem-solving techniques and marketing management support systems.
• A comparison of marketing management practices in industrialized and developing countries.
• A comprehensive review of the connection between management sciences and marketing management.
• Exploring the potential link between corporate financial success and corporate social responsibility
• A comparison of the regional strategic management of fashion apparel brands.
• Analysis of market segmentation’s effect on hotel industry customer loyalty.
• The analysis of the influence of social media on customer relationship management in the hotel industry.
• The analysis of supply chain management on operational efficiency in the hotel industry.
• The relationship between customer satisfaction, market share, and profitability
• An empirical study into the relationship between brand image and consumer perception.

Marketing management has a broad scope as it is not confined to one industry or market. It is necessary to effectively market goods and services in any economic sector. In marketing, strategic thinking, management practices, and techniques are used to develop and implement marketing programs that help businesses flourish and grow. We hope you can pick one from the aforementioned marketing management dissertation topics.

Alternatively, you may want to read about the dissertation proposal writing service and the full dissertation writing service to see how our services can ease your workload by completing your dissertation to the required criteria.

Free Dissertation Topic

Phone Number

Academic Level Select Academic Level Undergraduate Graduate PHD

Academic Subject

Area of Research

Frequently Asked Questions

How to find dissertation topics about marketing management.

For dissertation topics in marketing management:

• Study recent marketing challenges.
• Explore consumer behavior trends.
• Analyze digital marketing innovations.
• Investigate branding strategies.
• Examine market segmentation.
• Consider ethical marketing issues.

You May Also Like

Need interesting and manageable Education dissertation topics or thesis? Here are the trending Education dissertation titles so you can choose the most suitable one.

Auditing dissertation study provides professionals and students with a variety of chances to improve quality in healthcare and commercial organizations.

The study of cognitive psychology focuses on how the brain processes and stores information. The underlying mechanisms are investigated using experimental methods, computer modeling, and neuropsychology.

USEFUL LINKS

LEARNING RESOURCES

COMPANY DETAILS

• How It Works

Smart. Open. Grounded. Inventive. Read our Ideas Made to Matter.

Which program is right for you?

Through intellectual rigor and experiential learning, this full-time, two-year MBA program develops leaders who make a difference in the world.

A rigorous, hands-on program that prepares adaptive problem solvers for premier finance careers.

A 12-month program focused on applying the tools of modern data science, optimization and machine learning to solve real-world business problems.

Earn your MBA and SM in engineering with this transformative two-year program.

Combine an international MBA with a deep dive into management science. A special opportunity for partner and affiliate schools only.

A doctoral program that produces outstanding scholars who are leading in their fields of research.

Bring a business perspective to your technical and quantitative expertise with a bachelor’s degree in management, business analytics, or finance.

A joint program for mid-career professionals that integrates engineering and systems thinking. Earn your master’s degree in engineering and management.

An interdisciplinary program that combines engineering, management, and design, leading to a master’s degree in engineering and management.

Executive Programs

A full-time MBA program for mid-career leaders eager to dedicate one year of discovery for a lifetime of impact.

This 20-month MBA program equips experienced executives to enhance their impact on their organizations and the world.

Non-degree programs for senior executives and high-potential managers.

A non-degree, customizable program for mid-career professionals.

Marketing addresses problems that organizations face in seeking to provide products and services that satisfy customers' demands. Students are expected to acquire a solid grasp of behavior and management science theory and method through their coursework. Relevant disciplines include behavioral science, economics, operations research, and statistics. Through workshops, seminars, and applied and theoretical research with faculty, candidates gain experience that is the prerequisite for independent work.

PhD candidates work alongside MIT Sloan's world-renowned marketing faculty. The pioneering research of MIT Sloan faculty in building and implementing marketing models and decision-support systems has enhanced new product development for decades. Other award-winning research projects focus on customer satisfaction and the psychological underpinnings of economic and consumer behavior.

Marketing Faculty

More Information

Marketing Graduates

Example Thesis Topics

• Harvard Business School →
• Doctoral Programs →

PhD Programs

• Accounting & Management
• Business Economics
• Health Policy (Management)
• Organizational Behavior
• Technology & Operations Management

Students in our PhD programs are encouraged from day one to think of this experience as their first job in business academia—a training ground for a challenging and rewarding career generating rigorous, relevant research that influences practice.

Our doctoral students work with faculty and access resources throughout HBS and Harvard University. The PhD program curriculum requires coursework at HBS and other Harvard discipline departments, and with HBS and Harvard faculty on advisory committees. Faculty throughout Harvard guide the programs through their participation on advisory committees.

How do I know which program is right for me?

There are many paths, but we are one HBS. Our PhD students draw on diverse personal and professional backgrounds to pursue an ever-expanding range of research topics. Explore more here about each program’s requirements & curriculum, read student profiles for each discipline as well as student research , and placement information.

The PhD in Business Administration grounds students in the disciplinary theories and research methods that form the foundation of an academic career. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program has five areas of study: Accounting and Management , Management , Marketing , Strategy , and Technology and Operations Management . All areas of study involve roughly two years of coursework culminating in a field exam. The remaining years of the program are spent conducting independent research, working on co-authored publications, and writing the dissertation. Students join these programs from a wide range of backgrounds, from consulting to engineering. Many applicants possess liberal arts degrees, as there is not a requirement to possess a business degree before joining the program

The PhD in Business Economics provides students the opportunity to study in both Harvard’s world-class Economics Department and Harvard Business School. Throughout the program, coursework includes exploration of microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, probability and statistics, and econometrics. While some students join the Business Economics program directly from undergraduate or masters programs, others have worked in economic consulting firms or as research assistants at universities or intergovernmental organizations.

The PhD program in Health Policy (Management) is rooted in data-driven research on the managerial, operational, and strategic issues facing a wide range of organizations. Coursework includes the study of microeconomic theory, management, research methods, and statistics. The backgrounds of students in this program are quite varied, with some coming from public health or the healthcare industry, while others arrive at the program with a background in disciplinary research

The PhD program in Organizational Behavior offers two tracks: either a micro or macro approach. In the micro track, students focus on the study of interpersonal relationships within organizations and the effects that groups have on individuals. Students in the macro track use sociological methods to examine organizations, groups, and markets as a whole, including topics such as the influence of individuals on organizational change, or the relationship between social missions and financial objectives. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program includes core disciplinary training in sociology or psychology, as well as additional coursework in organizational behavior.

Accounting & Management  

Business economics  , health policy (management)  , management  , marketing  , organizational behavior  , strategy  , technology & operations management  .

• Open Search box
• Ph.D. Program Home
• Admissions Overview
• Admissions FAQ
• Areas of Study Home
• Accounting Overview
• Meet the Students
• Courses and Seminars
• Behavioral Decision Making Overview
• Decisions, Operations and Technology Management Overview
• Finance Overview
• Global Economics and Management Overview
• Management and Organizations Overview
• Marketing Overview
• Strategy Overview
• Current Job Market Candidates

From the Marketing Chair

"Welcome and thank you for your interest in a Ph.D. in marketing from UCLA Anderson! Marketing is a broad area, and we encourage curious individuals with strong economics, psychology or business training, as well as documented research experience, to apply. Our Ph.D. program is designed to allow students to concentrate in either a behavioral or quantitative marketing track, with training in economics and psychology to complement your coursework within marketing. We foster a collaborative environment and work hard to establish our students as successful researchers with strong publication records prior to graduation. Our excellent track record of placing our students in top research schools around the world speaks to the strength of our approach. To learn more about what our program focuses on, and to clarify the match to your own research interests, we strongly encourage you to read more on these pages about the work done by our faculty and students. "

Hal Hershfield, Ph.D. Marketing Chair

Explore the Program

Milestone publications.

People Who Choose Time over Money Are Happier Hal Hershfield and Cassie Mogilner Holmes

Although thousands of Americans say they prefer money, having more time is associated with greater happiness.  

Read Publication

Effects of Internet Display Advertising in the Purchase Funnel Randy Bucklin

Model-based insights from a randomized field experiment analyzed the value of reallocating display ad impressions across users at different stages.  

The Benefits of Emergency Reserves: Greater Preference and Persistence for Goals That Have Slack with a Cost Suzanne Shu

The exploration of how marketer-based programs designed to help consumers reach goals face dual challenges of consumer signup and motivating consumers to reach desirable goals.  

Alumni Success

Julia Levine (’23)

Dissertation: State Dependence in Brand, Category and Store Choice

Sherry He (’23)

Dissertation: Essays on Platform Policies, Ratings and Innovation

Kate Christensen (’21)

Dissertation: Moving Through Time: How Past and Future Connections Impact Consumer Decisions

Marissa Sharif (’17)

Dissertation: The Emergency Reserve: Benefits of Providing Slack with a Cost

Wayne Taylor (’17)

Dissertation: Modeling Customer Behavior in Loyalty Programs

Elizabeth Webb (’14)

Dissertation: Understanding Risk Preference and Perception in Sequential Choice

Claudia Townsend (’10)

Dissertation: The Impact of Product Aesthetics in Consumer Choice

Oliver Rutz (’07)

First academic placement: Yale University Dissertation: Essays in Cooperative Game Theory

• About UCLA Anderson
• Our Character
• Our Strategic Plan
• Our Leadership
• Our History
• Office of Development Home
• Impact Stories
• The Anderson Fund
• Student Fellowships
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Centers@Anderson
• Faculty Research
• Dean’s Society Leadership Giving
• Reunion Giving
• Anderson Affiliates
• Ways to Give
• Contact Development
• Our Centers Home
• Center for Global Management Home
• For Students Overview
• Specialize In Global Management
• On-Campus and/or Hybrid Global Management Courses
• Global Immersion Courses
• Global Nonprofit Capstone Projects
• MBA Research Assistants
• Career and Personal Development
• UCLA-NUS Executive MBA
• F/EMBA International Exchange
• EMBA International Business Residency
• Global Management Seminars
• International Exchange
• Events and Discussions Overview
• Global Conferences
• Greater China and LatAm Series
• Global Management Speaker Series
• Global Management Lecture Series
• Global Business & Policy Forums
• World Today Discussion Series
• Robertson Lecture Series on Global Business Leadership
• Lunch and Dinner Series
• External Collaborative Partnerships
• Upcoming Events
• Past Center Sponsored Events
• Other UCLA Events
• Faculty & Global Research
• Video Gallery
• Support The Center
• Center for Media, Entertainment & Sports Home
• Events Overview
• Pulse Conference Home
• Entertainment Case Competition
• Game Day Sports Case Competition
• Global Sports Business Forum
• INSIGHTS - Big Data Conference
• Real Madrid Global Sports Leadership
• Research & Insights
• Corporate Partnership
• Student Experience Overview
• Industry Network
• Undergraduate Summer Institute Overview
• Howard University Initiative
• High School Summer Discovery
• About The Center for Media, Entertainment & Sports
• Board of Directors
• Easton Technology Management Center
• Innovation Challenge Home
• Sustainability Track
• Healthcare Track
• Generative AI Track
• Mentors & Advisors
• Competition Details
• Past Events
• Easton Courses
• Specialization
• Innovate Conference
• Tech + Society Conference
• The Embracing AI Summit
• Easton Instructors
• Get Involved
• About The Easton Technology Management Center
• Board of Advisors
• Faculty Advisory Board
• Fink Center for Finance & Investments Home
• Career Impact
• Student Fellowships Overview
• Investment Banking Fellowship
• Kayne Investment Management Fellowship
• Brown Private Equity and Alternatives Fellowship
• Quantitative Finance Fellowship
• News and Events Overview
• Conference on Financial Markets
• Fink Investing Conference Home
• Private Equity Roundtable
• Fink Credit Pitch Competition
• Faculty & Research
• Meet Our Board
• Meet Our Team
• Center for Impact Home
• Academics Overview
• Specializations and Certificates
• Impact Investing
• Social Impact Consulting
• Open For Good Transparency Index
• Environmental Metrics
• Social Metrics
• Governance Metrics
• Our Methodology
• State of Corporate Sustainability Disclosure
• 2023 Report
• 2022 Report
• Sustainability Workshops
• Corporate Partnership Program
• Faculty and Research
• Research and Seminars
• Research in Energy
• Research in Sustainability
• Research in Social Responsibility
• Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability ARCS
• Impact Week
• Morrison Center for Marketing & Data Analytics Home
• Gilbert Symposium
• Research Overview
• Funded Research
• Student Programs Overview
• Affiliated Student Organizations
• Case Competitions
• Ph.D. Students
• Morrison Center Advisory Board
• Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Home
• Fellowships
• Undergraduate Minor in Entrepreneurship
• Student Investment Fund
• For Professionals Overview
• Health Care Executive Program
• Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans
• UCLA Head Start Management Fellows Program
• Steinbeck Family Business Seminar
• Management Development for Entrepreneurs
• UCLA Health Care Institute
• Anderson Venture Accelerator Home
• Our Programs
• Our Companies
• Mentors and Advisors
• Showcase 2024
• Showcase 2023
• Showcase 2022
• Showcase 2021
• Showcase 2020
• Knapp Venture Competition
• Entrepreneur Association (EA)
• Past Winners
• Hire an Anderson Intern
• UCLA Anderson Forecast Home
• Research and Reports Overview
• Forecast Direct Podcast
• Projects and Partnerships Overview
• Forecast Fellows Program
• Allen Matkins
• Cathay Bank
• City Human Capital Index
• Los Angeles City Employment
• Engage with Us Overview
• Become A Member
• Become A Sponsor
• Speaking Engagements
• Member Login
• Renew Membership
• Join Email List
• UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate
• Howard and Irene Levine Fellows
• Peter Bren Fellows in Entrepreneurial Real Estate
• Corporate Concierge Recruiting
• Howard and Irene Levine Affordable Housing Development Program
• Alumni (UCLA REAG)
• UCLA Ziman Center Symposium
• Howard J. Levine Distinguished Lecture on Business Ethics & Social Responsibility
• UCLA Distinguished Speaker Series in Affordable Housing
• Faculty & Research Overview
• UCLA Gilbert Program in Real Estate, Finance and Urban Economics
• UCLA Economic Letter
• UCLA Affordable Housing Policy Brief
• Working Papers
• Eviction Moratoria and Other Rental Market COVID-19 Policy Interventions
• Mortgage Default Risk Index (MDRI)
• CRSP/Ziman REIT Data Series
• Conference on Low-Income Housing Supply and Housing Affordability
• Impact on Our Community Overview
• Housing as Health Care Initiative
• Howard and Irene Levine Program in Housing and Social Responsibility
• Board Leadership
• Clubs & Associations Home
• Anderson Student Association (ASA)
• Think in the Next Innovation Challenge
• Innovation & Design Case Competition
• Strategy and Operations Case Competition
• Health Care Business Case Competition
• Challenges in Energy Case Competition
• Professional Clubs
• Association of Veterans at Anderson (AVA)
• Association for Real Estate at Anderson (AREA)
• Energy and Cleantech Association (ECA) Home
• Energy Innovation Conference
• Entertainment Management Association (EMA) Home
• International Film Festival
• Healthcare Business Association (HBA) Home
• HBA VITALS Conference
• Innovation & Design at Anderson (IDeA) Home
• Innovation and Design Case Competition
• Investment Finance Association (IFA)
• Management Consulting Association (MCA)
• Marketing Association (MA)
• Net Impact (NI) Home
• High Impact Tea
• Sports Business Association (SBA)
• Strategy & Operations Management Association (SOMA) Home
• Tech Business Association at Anderson (AnderTech) Home
• Unchained: Blockchain Business Forum
• Women’s Business Connection (WBC)
• Identity Clubs
• The Alliance for Latinx Management at Anderson (ALMA)
• Asian Management Student Association (AMSA)
• Black Business Students Association (BBSA) Home
• BHM Events - Better Together
• Christian Student Fellowship (CSF)
• European Business Association (EBA)
• Greater China Business Association (GCBA)
• Japan America Business Association (JABA)
• Jewish Business Students Association (JBSA)
• Joint Ventures (JV)
• Korean Business Student Association (KBSA)
• Latin American Business Association (LABA)
• Middle East & Africa Club
• Muslim Business Student Association (MBSA)
• Out@Anderson (O@A) Home
• LGBTQ Awareness Week
• South Asian Business Association (SABA)
• Southeast Asian Business Association (SEABA)
• Taiwanese Student Business Association (TSBA)
• Institutions Clubs
• Anderson Onboarding Committee (AOC)
• Admissions Ambassador Corps (AAC)
• Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition
• Interest Overview
• A Comedy Club (ACC)
• Adam Smith Society (SmithSoc)
• Craft Beverages Club
• Eats (AnderEats)
• Wine Club at Anderson (WCA)
• Athletics Overview
• Basketball Club at Anderson (Anderball)
• John Anderson Golf Club
• Outdoor Adventure Club (OAC)
• Soccer Club (SC)
• Tennis Club at Anderson (TCA)
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Events and Spotlights
• Embracing Diversity Series
• Hear to Include
• Student EDI Council
• Key EDI Activities
• What You Can Do
• Pathway Guidance Program Overview
• Inclusive Ethics Initiative
• Asian@Anderson
• Black@Anderson
• Latinx@Anderson
• LGBTQ@Anderson
• Veterans@Anderson
• Women@Anderson
• Information & Technology Home
• New Faculty Information
• New PhD Information
• New Student Information
• Anderson Computing & Information Services (Intranet Portal)
• Rosenfeld Library Home
• Databases Overview
• Business Databases by Name
• Business Databases by Category Overview
• Analyst Reports
• Company Information
• Industry Information
• International Information
• Market Research
• Taxation & Accounting
• Books & Other Sources
• Anderson Proxy Server / Off-Campus Access
• Database Alerts (Under Revision)
• Discipline eSources Overview
• Decisions, Operations and Technology Management
• Global Economics and Management
• Information Systems
• Management and Organizations
• Working Papers, Cases
• Business Topics
• Government Information
• Search & Find
• Electronic Journals at UCLA
• New "Management" Titles at Rosenfeld and Other UCLA Libraries
• Citation Linker for Articles in (or Not in) UCLA-Licensed Online Content
• Career Management
• Company Ratios
• Industry Ratios
• Internet Search
• Special Collections
• UCLA Library Catalog
• Melvyl (UC Libraries)
• Citing Business Sources
• Assessing Global Issues
• Career Research in the Rosenfeld Library
• Competitive Intelligence
• Research Toolkit
• Services Overview
• Faculty Course Support
• Media & Technology Industry Information
• Ph.D. Research Support
• Consult a Business Research Librarian
• Borrowing Privileges
• Document Delivery
• Field Study Research Support: AMR/BCO/GAP/SMR/UCLA-NUS EMBA
• Course Reserves Overview
• Find Reserve Items
• Info for Faculty
• Hours of Operation
• Conduct in the UCLA Libraries
• External (Non-Anderson) Users of Rosenfeld Library
• New "Management" Titles RSS Feed
• UCLA Library
• User Rights and Responsibilities
• Facility Use
• Rental Spaces
• Vendor Contacts
• Maps & Directions
• Parking Information
• Degrees Home
• Full-Time MBA Home
• Admissions Home
• Request Information
• Requirements
• Admissions Events
• Class Profile
• International Applicants
• Concurrent Degrees
• Admission Policies
• Consortium Candidates
• Academics Home
• Customizable Schedule
• Flexibility & Specializations
• Capstone Project
• Business Creation Program
• Anderson Student Asset Management (ASAM) Home
• Annual Report
• Fund Strategies and Resources
• Academic Centers
• Global Options
• Academic Calendar
• Consulting Career Path
• Marketing Career Path
• Entertainment Career Path
• Technology Career Path
• Finance Career Path
• Social Impact Career Path
• Health Care Career Path
• Entrepreneurship Career Path
• Real Estate Career Path
• Operations Career Path
• Energy Career Path
• Retail Career Path
• Sports Career Path
• Living in L.A.
• Family Life
• Clubs & Associations
• Embracing Diversity
• Financing Overview
• Financing Opportunities
• Financing Requirements
• Connect With Our Students
• Getting Here
• Admit Central
• Why UCLA Anderson
• Timeline & Email Archive
• Student Life Home
• Clubs & Extracurriculars
• Getting Settled Home
• Housing and Utilities
• Transportation and Parking
• Campus Resources
• Student Health
• International Students Home
• Student Visas
• Your Academic Experience
• Your Career Considerations
• International Students Onboarding Sessions
• Tips for International Students
• Anderson Onboarding Home
• Anderson Onboarding FAQ
• Curriculum & Academics Home
• Course Schedule
• Academic Preparation
• Career Services Home
• Career Preparation
• Industry Camps
• Paying for School
• Financing Your MBA Home
• Meet the Team Home
• Fully Employed MBA Home
• Assistant Dean's Advice
• Connect with a Student
• UC Transfers
• Exam Waiver
• Military and Veterans
• Admissions Policies
• Specializations
• Global Experience
• Flexible Options
• Drive Time Podcast
• Student Perspectives
• Costs & Financing
• Meet our Team
• Admit Central Home
• Why UCLA Anderson?
• Accepting Admission
• Important Items & Official Onboarding
• Build Your Network
• Executive MBA Home
• Requirements and Deadlines
• Connect with an EMBAssador
• U.S. Military, Reservist, & Veterans
• Flexible Schedules
• Electives & Specializations
• Capstone Overview
• For Companies
• Culture Overview
• Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
• Conferences and Special Events
• Clubs and Associations
• Meet the Team Overview
• EMBA Admit Central Home
• Finalizing Admission
• Pre-EMBA Academic Preparation
• Important Dates and Events
• Cost and Financing
• Career Services
• Directions and Accommodations
• Curriculum & Schedule
• Admissions Requirements
• UCLA NUS Alumni Connect
• Fees and Financing
• Meet the Team
• Visit UCLA-NUS Full Site
• Master of Financial Engineering
• Admissions Ambassadors
• Career Impact Overview
• Career Paths Overview
• Quant Trading and Sales Trading
• Data Science
• Quantitative Research and Analysis
• Strats and Modeling
• Portfolio Management
• Risk Management
• Consulting and Valuation
• Employment Report
• Alumni Coaches
• Advisory Board
• Student Life
• For Companies Overview
• Recruit An MFE
• Meet our Team Overview
• MFE Admit Central Home
• Admit Checklist
• Career Support
• Curriculum and Academics
• For International Students
• Prep Before You Start
• Program Calendar and Fees
• Master of Science in Business Analytics
• Prerequisites
• Holistic Career Services
• Constant Industry Infusion
• Student Outcomes & Placement
• Career Services FAQ
• Meet Our Students
• Recruit MSBAs
• Capstone: Applied Analytics Project
• Class of 2018
• Class of 2019
• Class of 2020
• Class of 2021
• Class of 2022
• Class of 2023
• Class of 2024
• Meet Our Team Overview
• Executive Education Home
• Open Enrollment Overview
• Executive Program
• Corporate Governance
• Women's Leadership Institute
• Women In Governance Overview
• Board Ready Candidates
• Inclusive Leadership Program
• Strategic HR Program
• Leading High Performing Teams
• Customized Solutions
• Partner Programs Overview
• Accounting Minor Program Home
• Accounting Minor Admissions Requirements
• Enrolling In Classes
• Courses Overview
• Management 195
• Course Syllabus
• Useful Links
• Graduating Seniors
• Leaders in Sustainability Certificate Program
• Riordan Programs Home
• Riordan Scholars Program Overview
• Saturday Business Institute
• Riordan MBA Fellows Program Overview
• Riordan College to Career Program Overview
• Alumni Association
• Our Purpose
• Get Involved Overview
• Donor Honor Roll
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Spark Campaign
• Who We Are Overview
• Volunteers and Mentors
• Riordan Podcast
• Media Entertainment & Sports Summer Institute
• Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson Home
• HealthCare@Anderson
• Health Care and Behavioral Economics
• Women and Healthcare
• Research and Development
• Health Care Operations
• Healthcare Pricing and Financing
• Other Research
• Sector-Focused Programs for Professionals
• Faculty and Research Home
• Accounting Home
• Seminars and Events
• Ph.D. Program
• Behavioral Decision Making Home
• Decisions, Operations & Technology Management Home
• Meet The Ph.D. Students
• DOTM Supply Chain Blog
• Finance Home
• Global Economics and Management Home
• Meet the Ph.D. Students
• PIEP Conference Home
• Submit A Paper
• Previous Papers
• Management And Organizations Home
• Anderson Behavioral Lab
• HARRT at UCLA
• Marketing Home
• Strategy Home
• Information Systems Research Program Home
• Connections
• IS History Home
• Faculty Directory
• Faculty Awards
• Faculty Expertise Guide
• Open Positions
• Emeriti Faculty
• For Companies Home
• Hire an MBA
• Hire an MFE
• Hire an MSBA
• Engage a Student Consulting Team
• Applied Management Research Program Home
• Requirements & Schedule
• Benefits To Companies
• Application
• Student Experience
• Faculty Advisors
• Global Access Program Home
• Global Partner Network
• Meet the Advisors
• Past GAP Companies
• Executive Portal Home
• Key Dates and Schedules
• Event Registration
• Hotels and Directions
• Visa Information
• Explore Los Angeles
• Post-GAP Consulting Providers
• Strategic Management Research Program
• Applied Finance Project
• Applied Analytics Project
• Early-Stage Investment Fund
• Field Experiments in Strategy
• Management Practicum
• News and Events Home
• News Archive
• News Archive 2022-2023
• News Archive 2018-2021
• Virtual Events Archive
• Signature Events Overview
• Gerald Loeb Awards Home
• 2024 Loeb Awards Open Call For Entries
• Banquet and Ceremony
• Submit Entry
• Competition Categories
• Historical Winners
• Career Achievement Categories
• Eligibility and Rules Home
• Administration of Awards
• Final Judges
• Embracing Diversity Week
• Commencement Overview
• MBA, EMBA, FEMBA, Ph.D. Commencement Overview
• Commencement Speaker
• FAQ Students
• UCLA-NUS Commencement
• MFE Commencement Overview
• Parking & Directions
• MSBA Commencement Overview
• Hotel Information
• Video Archives
• John Wooden Global Leadership Awards Overview
• Fellowship Application
• John Wooden
• Anderson Speaker Series
• Dean's Distinguished Speaker Series
• Velocity Women's Summit
• 'Palooza
• Anderson Student Kickoff
• Alumni Home
• Alumni Directory
• All Chapters and Groups
• International
• Worldwide Welcome Weeks 2023
• Alumni Weekend 2024
• Friday Faculty Chats
• Alumni Weekend
• Alumni Weekend 2022
• Alumni Weekend 2021
• Alumni Weekend 2019
• Alumni Weekend 2018
• Worldwide Welcome Weeks 2022
• Worldwide Welcome Weeks 2021
• Worldwide Welcome Weeks 2018
• Worldwide Welcome Weeks 2017
• Career Re-LAUNCH
• UCLA Campus
• Career Services Overview
• Career Resources
• Stay Connected Overview
• Alumni Community
• Email Lists
• Class Notes
• News@Anderson
• Alumni Awards
• Board of Directors Overview
• Letter from the President

• Majors & Careers
• Online Grad School
• Preparing For Grad School
• Student Life

Top 10 Best PhD in Marketing Programs in the US [2024]

How deep do you want to dive into the ever-growing marketing field? A marketing background is a lucrative education choice that brings you applicable expertise for any industry. These days, marketing managers  make upwards of $130,000 per year. A master’s in marketing  is a great start.

But a PhD in marketing takes your career to the highest levels, though not only for individual businesses. You can take that expertise and dive deeper into research or pursue a teaching career in academia.

What are the best marketing PhD programs, and where can you find them? We’ve put together a solid list that even includes online marketing PhD programs for you to choose from!

Table of Contents

Best Marketing PhD Programs and Schools

Arizona state university, w. p. carey school of business, phd in marketing.

ASU was ranked no. 1  by the US News and World Report on its list of the most innovative schools. In this PhD marketing program, you can choose between three tracks: consumer behavior, quantitative marketing models, and service strategy. There are also core courses shared by all streams, which cover research methods and marketing models.

• Duration: 5 years
• Tuition : $11,720 per year
• Acceptance rate: 88.4%
• Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Harvard University, Harvard Business School

Harvard University is a world-renowned Ivy League  university known for its strength in research. This program draws on various disciplines, such as research methods, statistics, computer science , machine learning, and field seminars. After the first two years, students can embark on their dissertation. Although the Harvard Business School offers this program, doctorate candidates can also collaborate with other Harvard schools and MIT.

• Courses: 13
• Tuition : $50,928
• Acceptance rate: 5%
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts

The University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin School of Business

The Wisconsin School of Business has a strong reputation for its excellent faculty and reasonable tuition. The school’s core research areas for their marketing PhD are quantitative modeling, marketing strategy, and consumer behavior. Interested in a research position at a university, or teaching a specialized course? You’ll find many network opportunities if you enroll in this prorgam.

• Tuition: Refer tuition page
• Acceptance rate: 57.2%
• Location: Madison, Wisconsin

Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business

Phd program in marketing.

Carnegie Mellon University is based in Pittsburgh but has campuses all over the world. Their marketing PhD program covers topics like brand-choice models, marketing/operations interface, and theories of consumer behavior. Students are supported by excellent faculty to pursue quality research in specialty areas like behavioral and experimental economics , high-tech marketing, and two-sided market pricing.

• Duration: 4 to 5 years
• Tuition : $47,000 per year
• Acceptance rate: 17.3%
• Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The University of Colorado Boulder, Leeds School of Business

The University of Colorado Boulder is the flagship institution of the University of Colorado system and has nine schools and colleges offering around 150 programs. Its PhD in marketing is an advanced degree covering experimental and statistical methods, predictive modeling, quantitative marketing, and theory building, with crucial courses built around consumer behavior and quantitative modeling.

• Tuition : $2,811 per credit
• Acceptance rate: 84.2%
• Location: Boulder, Colorado

The University of Missouri, Robert J. Trulaske Sr. College of Business

The University of Missouri is a public land-grant university that offers high-quality but affordable education. Its PhD program in marketing focuses on developing teaching and research skills and helps students prepare for careers in various research settings. The program offers small class sizes and promotes a collaborative environment.

• Semester hours: 72
• Tuition : $414.60 per credit hour
• Acceptance rate: 81.8%
• Location: Cornell Hall | Columbia, Missouri

Florida International University, College of Business

Phd in business administration (marketing).

FIU College of Business is a world-renowned institution that falls within the top 5% of elite business schools globally and has been ranked second  in the nation for international business programs. Its PhD in Business Administration with a focus on marketing equips students with the knowledge necessary to establish successful careers in academics and research. The program’s key courses include marketing research methodology, advanced data analysis, and statistical methods in consumer research.

• Duration: 4 years
• Tuition : $10,935.36 per year
• Location: Miami, Florida

Drexel University, LeBow College of Business

Drexel University is a well-known private research institution and center of higher learning that emphasizes experiential learning. Its PhD in marketing program covers both the macro and micro aspects of marketing, though with a greater focus on the microelements. You can also choose between electives in economics-oriented or behavior-oriented subjects. Economics-oriented courses include econometrics and advanced microeconomics, while behavior-oriented includes multivariate analysis, and behavioral science research.

• Tuition : $2,000 per credit hour
• Acceptance rate: 77.2%
• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Liberty University

Online doctor of business administration (dba) – marketing.

Looking for online marketing doctoral programs? Liberty University offers various fully online programs flexible enough for working professionals. Its DBA program in marketing includes strategic marketing management, supply chain management, marketing research, and marketing promotions. As one of the only fully-online marketing PhD programs available, it is ideal for working professionals who want to keep a balance between work and study. The program also lets you transfer up to 50% of credits from previous degrees.

• Credit hours: 60
• Duration: 3 years (average)
• Tuition : $595 per hour
• Acceptance rate: 50.1%

Grand Canyon University, College of Doctoral Studies

Doctor of business administration (dba): marketing (quantitative research).

Grand Canyon University is the largest private Christian university with almost 100,000 students. Unlike a qualitative DBA, which attempts to analyze topics using insights into how and why people think and behave, this quantitative DBA focuses on analysis by interpreting numeric data. This online doctorate in marketing includes courses about quantitative data collection and analysis, the complexity of marketing, and digital technology (a PhD in digital marketing is a great specialty!) and consumer behavior.

• Credits: 60
• Tuition : $702 per credit
• Acceptance rate: 80.7%

Should I Get a Doctorate in Marketing?

With a doctorate in marketing, you’ll be eligible for various high-level roles in academia, business, and research. These positions can offer salaries anywhere from $55,000 to $155,000, making the degree a valuable qualification for your CV.

Of course, like any discipline or program, a marketing PhD has advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of Having a PhD in Marketing:

• Excellent career prospects:

A PhD in marketing will qualify you for roles at the highest levels of business management, which you otherwise might not access with a master’s alone. Alternatively, you use this degree to pursue a career in academia and research.

• Job opportunities in academia:

A PhD is a prerequisite if you want to teach marketing at a post-secondary level or pursue certain research career paths.

• Scope for innovation:

A PhD in marketing helps you contribute to advances in the field, especially in cutting-edge areas like artificial intelligence and natural language processing. In contrast, a master’s degree has a smaller scope for research.

Drawbacks of a PhD in Marketing:

• You have to wait to launch your career:

Studying a PhD is a serious time investment: it takes around five years to complete for most people. Of course, this is after you’ve already completed your bachelor’s and master’s degrees, so it will take you an average of 11 years before the degree brings you higher on the career ladder.

• It’s a balancing act:

By the time you start your PhD, you might have a family to take care of. As a result, managing your studies, research, and family could be a challenge.

How to Choose a Marketing Doctoral Program?

With so many options, you might have trouble picking from the top marketing PhD programs. Here are some essential factors to consider before deciding:

1. Your career goals

You might be able to build a worthwhile career in marketing with a master’s degree . But for heavy research and academic or teaching work, you’ll need a PhD. If you’re not interested in teaching or research, you might reconsider the time and financial commitment needed to complete a marketing PhD.

2. Accreditation

Check each school you’re considering for their regional accreditation. Some marketing programs may even have programmatic accreditation to look out for. This is an important factor in picking a reputable program that’s attractive to potential employers.

3. Mode of delivery

If you’re already a working professional, full-time, on-campus study might not be an option for you. In this case, you must look for a PhD in marketing online that offers remote learning and flexibility.

These are just a few ideas to keep in mind. Weigh all your options and listen to your gut feeling in the end.

Alternatives to a Marketing Major

Marketing is a specialized discipline with well-defined objectives, needing specific skillsets. However, in today’s interconnected world, various disciplines share many of the same concepts.

You can still build a high-level career in marketing with qualifications in different fields, like:

• Advertising
• Data analytics
• Strategic management
• Analytical management
• Production management

Careers with a PhD in Marketing

A PhD in marketing can open doors to various top-level roles.

Here are some of the most common roles for professionals with a marketing doctorate, with the median annual salaries for each:

• Marketing Manager ( $67,696 )
• Market Research Analyst ( $55,742 )
• Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ( $156,413 )
• Professor (Marketing) ( $89,181 )

What Do You Need to Get into a Marketing Doctoral Program?

Every marketing PhD program has specific admission requirements. Always double-check by referring to the admission webpage or contacting a school representative. Usually, a master’s degree in a related field is required for admission.

Most programs will also require:

• A statement of purpose , research proposal, or both
• Letters of recommendation
• Academic resume
• GRE/GMAT scores may or may not be required

PhD Marketing vs. Master’s Degree: Which is Better?

A master’s degree in marketing is a career-oriented qualification that can propel you into a meaningful marketing career for a variety of corporations or small businesses. On other hand, marketing PhD programs are generally research-based and will give you more specialized knowledge that equips you for a career in the academic sphere.

PhDs also require a much more significant time and financial commitment.

PhD in Marketing FAQs

What can you do with a phd in marketing.

Popular career choices for marketing PhD grads include market research analysts, chief marketing officers, and marketing professors. This advanced degree will not only equip you for roles in senior management, but also the fields of research and academia.

How Many Years is a PhD in Marketing?

A PhD in marketing typically takes five years to complete. However, some universities allow you to earn your doctorate in as little as three years, though usually only if you have enough transfer credits. At the other end of the scale, your PhD may push out to up to seven years.

Is There a PhD in Marketing?

Yes. Many universities offer a PhD degree in marketing, as well as online marketing doctorate programs for working professionals. Some schools also offer a comparable DBA (Doctor of Business Administration)..

Can I Do a PhD in Marketing After an MBA?

Yes, you can do a PhD in marketing after completing an MBA. In fact, you might consider completing a DBA to be more in line with your studies.

Key Takeaways

You can access a wealth of career opportunities available with an MBA or another master’s degree . But if you want to open more doors in research and academia, a PhD in marketing is the way to go. With so many online study options, it’s easier now than ever to complete a remote degree while juggling work or a family.

If you want to explore more options for excellent advanced degrees, take a look at our guides for:

• Best online PhD in Psychology programs
• History PhD programs
• Best PhD programs in California

Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

• Lisa Marlin https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/lisa-marlin/ 12 Best Laptops for Computer Science Students
• Lisa Marlin https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/lisa-marlin/ ACBSP Vs AACSB: Which Business Program Accreditations is Better?
• Lisa Marlin https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/lisa-marlin/ BA vs BS: What You Need to Know [2024 Guide]
• Lisa Marlin https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/lisa-marlin/ The 19 Best MBA Scholarships to Apply for [2024-2025]

The 9 Best Free Master’s Degree Online Programs [2024]

What is the easiest master’s degree + 10 easiest grad schools to get into [2024], related posts.

• How New Grads Research Companies to Find Jobs

• Experience Paradox: Entry-Level Jobs Demand Years in Field

• Grad Trends: Interest in Artificial Intelligence Surges

Applying to Big Tech This Year? Here’s How to Ace It.

73% of job seekers believe a degree is needed for a well-paying role–but is it?

Tech Talent Crunch: Cities with More Jobs Than Workers

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Recent Posts

• Computer Science Graduate Admission Trends: Annual Results
• The Best Academic Planners for 2024/2025

© 2024 TheGradCafe.com All rights reserved

• Partner With Us
• Results Search
• Submit Your Results
• Write For Us

• Youth Program
• Wharton Online
• PhD Course Descriptions

MKTG9400 - Meas Data Analys Mktg A (Course Syllabus)

MKTG 9400 and MKTG 9410 provide an understanding and working knowledge of statistical data analysis for assessing how one variable is predicted (and possibly caused) by other variables. The courses focus on "funny Y's and messy X's" and extend the students' tool kit beyond classic linear regression and ANOVA in two directions. (1) Analyzing binary data, ordered response data, choice data, count data, truncated or censored data, and duration data; (2) Identifying and tackling causal identification challenges when analyzing non-experimental data. All assignments can be completed using R, SAS, or Stata.

MKTG9410 - Meas Data Analys Mktg B (Course Syllabus)

Mktg9420 - research methods mktg a (course syllabus).

This course provides an introduction to the fundamental methodological issues that arise in experimental and quasi-experimental research. Illustrative examples are drawn from the behavioral sciences with a focus on the behavior of consumers and managers. Topics that are covered include: the development of research ideas; data collection and reliable measurement procedures; threats to validity; control procedures and experimental designs; and data analysis. Emphasis is placed on attaining a working knowledge of the use of regression methods for non-experimental and quasi-experimental data and analysis of variance methods for experimental data. The primary deliverable for this course is a meta-analysis of a research problem of the students choosing that investigates the effects of research methods on empirical results.

MKTG9430 - Research Methods Mktg B (Course Syllabus)

Mktg9500 - jdgmnt & dec making cb a (course syllabus).

The purpose of this course is to provide a solid foundation for critical thinking and research on the judgment, decision-making and choice aspects of consumer behavior. There is a focus on how people process information when making judgments and choices and how the processes of judgment and choice might be improved. Topics of discussion include rationality, judgment under uncertainty, judgment heuristics and biases, risk taking, dealing with conflicting values, framing effects, prospect theory, inter-temporal choice, preference formation, and the psychology of utility. The focus will be on the individual decision-maker, although the topics will also have some applicability to group and organizational decision-making and behavioral research methodologies.

MKTG9510 - Judmnt & Dec Making Cb B (Course Syllabus)

The purpose of this course is to build off MKTG 950, "Judgment and Decision Making Perspectives on Consumer Behavior - Part A" with a more specialized focus that will vary from year to year. This course is intended for those interested in deepening their study of Judgment and Decision Making beyond the basics.

MKTG9520 - Consumer Research Topics - A (Course Syllabus)

The purpose of this seminar is to provide graduate students with an overview of contemporary topics in consumer research. Depending on faculty, areas addressed may include basic research on consumer knowledge (learning and memory), goals, persuasion, and emotions, with applications to branding. consumer finance, human-technology interaction, and social influence. The course draws from the literature in marketing, psychology and economics. The course will enable students to conceptualize, operationalize, and develop research ideas. Therefore, the focus is on understanding theoretical and methodological approaches to various aspects of consumer behavior, as well as advancing this knowledge by developing testable hypotheses and theoretical perspectives that build on the current knowledge base.

MKTG9530 - Consumer Research Topics - B (Course Syllabus)

Mktg9540 - econ/or models in mktg a (course syllabus).

This doctoral seminar reviews analytical models relevant to improving various aspects of marketing decisions such as new product launch, product line design, pricing strategy, advertising decisions, sales force organization and compensation, distribution channel design and promotion decisions. The primary focus will be on analytical models. The seminar will introduce the students to various types of analytical models used in research in marketing, including game theory models for competitive analysis, agency theory models for improving organization design and incentives within organizations, and optimization methods to improve decision making and resource allocation. The course will enable students to become familiar with applications of these techniques in the marketing literature and prepare the students to apply these and other analytical approaches to research problems that are of interest to the students.

MKTG9550 - Econ/Or Models in Mktg B (Course Syllabus)

This is a continuation of MKTG 954. This doctoral seminar reviews analytical models relevant to improving various aspects of marketing decisions such as new product launch, product line design, pricing strategy, advertising decisions, sales force organization and compensation, distribution channel design and promotion decisions. The primary focus will be on analytical models. The seminar will introduce the students to various types of analytical models used in research in marketing, including game theory models for competitive analysis, agency theory models for improving organization design and incentives within organizations, and optimization methods to improve decision making and resource allocation. The course will enable students to become familiar with applications of these techniques in the marketing literature and prepare the students to apply these and other analytical approaches to research problems that are of interest to the students.

MKTG9560 - Empirical Models Mktg A (Course Syllabus)

This course is designed to generate knowledge of the use of quantitative statistical, econometric, and Machine Learning methods and their application to Marketing problems. A strong emphasis is also placed on the applied nature of applying these methods in terms of data requirements, exogenous versus endogenous variation, and computational challenges when using complex models. Students outside of Marketing are welcome, and we discuss how these models can be applied to other disciplines. By the end of the course, students should be familiar with the key issues and approaches in empirical marketing modeling.

MKTG9570 - Empirical Models Mktg B (Course Syllabus)

This course is designed to generate awareness and appreciation of the way several substantive topics in marketing have been studied empirically using quantitative models. This seminar reviews empirical models of marketing phenomena including consumer choice, adoption of new products, sales response to marketing mix elements, and competitive interaction. Applies methods and concepts developed in econometrics and statistics but focuses on substantive issues of model structure and interpretation, rather than on estimation techniques. Ultimately, the goals are a) to prepare students to read and understand the literature and b) to stimulate new research interests. By the end of the course, students should be familiar with the key issues and approaches in empirical marketing modeling.

MKTG9710 - Adv Topics Mktg Part A (Course Syllabus)

Taught collectively by the faculty members from the Marketing Department, this course investigates advanced topics in marketing. It is organized in a way that allows students to 1) gain depth in important areas of research identified by faculty; 2) gain exposure to various faculty in marketing and their research values and styles; and 3) develop and advance their own research interests.

MKTG9720 - Adv Topics Mktg Part B (Course Syllabus)

Mktg9730 - research sem mktg part a (course syllabus).

This course is taught collectively by the faculty members from the Marketing Department. It is designed to expose Doctoral students to the cutting-edge research in marketing models in order to help them to define and advance their research interests. This course will offer: in-depth discussions on some important topics in marketing by experts in respective areas; tools, and methodologies required for conducting research in those areas; broad exposure to our faculty members and their proven research styles.

MKTG9740 - Research Sem Mktg Part B (Course Syllabus)

Mktg9950 - dissertation (course syllabus), mktg9999 - independent study (course syllabus).

Requires written permission of instructor and the department graduate adviser.

Descriptions of all active courses are listed. To see a summary of the active titles, as well as discontinued or renumbered courses, see the Ph.D. Course List.

FOR CURRENT STUDENTS:

• Marketing Department PhD Manual
• Marketing Degree Program Requirements
• Joint Doctoral Degree Program in Marketing and Psychology Requirements
• Masters Degree Requirements
• Advising and Course Registration Procedure
• Seminars & Colloquia Participation
• PhD Course List
• Program Course Sequence Sample
• PhD Course Schedule
• PhD Alumni List
• Wharton Policies
• Wharton Doctoral Inside

RETURN PhD Program Home

RETURN Current Students Home

For more information or to request admission application forms:

Marketing Dissertation Topics

Marketing is a broad and exciting field of study that intertwines with related subjects such as Psychology, Sociology, Business, and even Anthropology.

The field of marketing is always evolving, so there are plenty of ‘gaps’ in the literature to be filed by budding marketing students – whether you’re an undergrad or postgrad!

To help in the preparation of your marketing dissertation, this article suggests marketing dissertation topics that you could base your research on. These subject areas include relationship marketing, branding, direct marketing, international marketing (including influencer marketing), social listening, consumer psychology, online marketing, mobile marketing, marketing mix, social networks and marketing ethics.

Relationship Marketing Dissertation Topics

Branding dissertation topics, direct marketing dissertation topics, cultures and marketing dissertation topics, consumer psychology and marketing dissertation topics, online marketing dissertation topics, mobile marketing dissertation topics, the 4ps (price, product, promotion, place) of marketing mix.

• Social Networks and Marketing Dissertation Topics

Ethics in Marketing Dissertation Topics

Relationship marketing refers to the use of relationships rather than purely transactional means, while focusing on long term customer engagement. This lets companies acquire customers, while also maintaining customer loyalty that results in repeat custom for the firm. It is an important area for modern businesses, and a topical area on which to base your marketing dissertation with highly diverse topics:

• Digital relationship marketing in the age of COVID-19: Analysing the importance of personalisation and customisation.
• Generating customer loyalty through high-value content creation – a case study of UK fitness brands.
• What are the challenges for Tesco’s loyalty card scheme in today’s competitive business environment?
• Are switching costs effective barriers to customer retention in the airline industry?
• How can Amazon.com charge a premium price by using its diverse set of services and products?
• What are the motivations and expectations behind loyalty schemes for businesses to attract customers in the long run?
• To what extent does Café Nero’s app foster customer loyalty?
• How and why can relationship marketing be used to attract new customers through social media?
• How does product quality affect customer loyalty among high and low contact products?
• Can luxury goods retailers prevent barriers to switching by locking in customers through a unique set of services and products?
• How do retailers cope with polygamous behaviour among consumers?
• How does customer loyalty at Waterstone’s change when customers shop at their online store rather than in the high street as compared to customers of Amazon.com?
• In what ways does Waterstone’s improve its customer loyalty through its online store and smartphone apps?
• How can companies adopt social media for successful development of relationship marketing with customers?
• What are the challenges for small companies when adopting social media for increasing customer loyalty?
• Using smartphone apps to attract and retain new customers: Advantages and challenges for MNCs.
• Exploring the efficacy of customer service chatbots – helpful or frustrating?
• Exploring the effectiveness of online consumer tribes: A case-study of Tarot reading and personal development industries.

Branding is the promise of a company to its customers. Branding is an umbrella term to refer to a wide body of literature examining how businesses can use their brands to achieve a competitive advantage, through building brand equity, launching brand extensions, managing global brands, and so forth. Marketing dissertations on branding could be based on the following topics:

• An examination of the relationship between perceived risk and brand equity: A comparison of supermarket retailers in the UK.
• How does innovation impact consumer brand resonance? A case study of hospitality brands who were forced to innovate as result of COVID-19.
• Do consumers really understand a company’s brand values? The case of Starbucks vs McDonalds.
• How does the relative importance of tangible and intangible brand values vary across product types?
• Using digital methods to increase brand salience – a case study approach.
• Do leading brands need to have the products which attract a large number of customer segments?
• How is brand image affected by product availability for SME?
• Can the brand image be transferred between sectors? The case of Virgin Cola in the UK.
• How does unethical behaviour affect the brand image? The cases of Shell, Nike and Starbucks.
• How do firms use corporate social responsibility to build brand equity? The case of Body Shop.
• How can innovations sustain brands through the use of social media marketing?
• Can brand equity be transferred to a supermarket’s own branded products in the low-price segments?
• Using social media marketing to attract customers to brands of small companies.
• How can companies use smartphone apps to improve brand equity? The case of Starbucks and Café Nero.
• Targeting customers in ethnic markets: The case of Indian food customers in the UK supermarket sector.

The world of direct marketing is changing rapidly, as new technologies and social media allows companies to connect directly with the customer. This involves a wide range of tools and techniques that can be used to target consumers in a predominantly transactional manner. Direct marketers rely on information and a series of direct marketing media such as direct mail, magazines, newspapers, TV/radio, co-ops, telemarketing/teleservices and increasingly social media to disseminate their messages and acquire new customers. We have provided some suggested topics on direct marketing based on current trends, which you could use for your marketing dissertation:

• How do Tesco and Body Shop use their loyalty schemes to sell directly to the customer?
• How does the importance of factors that influence online selling vary according to product type in the services industry in the UK?
• Do customers respond differently to short and long-term offers in a competitive online environment? The case of online book sales.
• In what ways do free online chat rooms influence consumers’ response to direct sales promotions in social media environments?
• Assessing the effectiveness of beauty brands’ direct marketing via YouTube.
• How does the nationality (accent) of telemarketers influence customer response in an increasingly diverse international selling environment?
• Do consumers know how to protect themselves from unscrupulous direct marketing tactics used by social media marketing companies?
• How does message length affect the success of direct marketing messages? A comparison of online and offline mediums.
• Can direct online and social media marketing be used to build customer relationships or is it simply a transactional medium to acquire new customers in the short run?
• Can online marketing be as effective as a group-orientated tool as it is an individual-orientated one?
• How do prospecting methods differ in an online and offline environment? The case of the airline industry in the UK.
• Using SMS and email to connect with customers: Advantages and limitations of direct marketing.
• Social media marketing as a tool to target luxury customers: Advantages and issues for small companies.
• Using social media to reduce the cost of direct marketing: The case of small companies in the UK.

For some products and services, cultural considerations can play an important role in how marketers interact with consumers. With the increasing globalisation of business, firms have to pay greater attention to how national culture impacts upon consumer behaviour and customers’ reactions towards different types of marketing communication. Marketing across cultures is becoming more prominent in business, as more and more businesses are expanding throughout the world. This creates an ideal area to base your marketing dissertation on.

• How does innovation and culture influence the market performance of SMEs in China?
• Native advertising: Exploring its effectiveness in the UK, China, and the US.
• What are the effects of social media on organisational culture in the UK’s fashion industry?
• How is globalisation affecting the organisational culture of Toyota’s global operations?
• How does language impact upon brand identity? The case of Coca-Cola in the People’s Republic of China.
• How does culture affect the marketing of automotives? The Case of Toyota in China.
• What effect does culture have on marketing communications? The case of Coca Cola in India.
• How do marketers take into account regional differences in “national” culture? The case of banks in the Basque country and Catalonia, Spain.
• Can automotive vendors afford to treat consumers as a homogenous mass? The case of the North-South divide in Sweden.
• How does individualism-collectivism influence the sales of mobile phones? The case of the People’s Republic of China.
• How do supermarket chains overcome language differences in Switzerland?
• How can banks use pricing strategy to boost customer satisfaction and profitability?
• How can national culture explain the prominence of Scottish whiskey sales in the global whiskey market?
• How can countries use national culture to help them promote major exports? The case of the Champagne region, France.

Marketing is fundamentally underpinned by consumer behaviour, which can largely be explained by examining consumer psychology. This highlights how consumers behave in each stage of the buying process and why they react as they do. On this basis, marketers can design and implement communication strategies that target specific customer groups based on their psychological profiles. Some suggestions to base your marketing dissertation within the area of marketing and consumer psychology are as below:

• What motivates consumers to purchase products from Amazon?
• What are the uses and gratifications associated with consumer online reviewing?
• How does marketing intelligence and planning affect sports marketing?
• How can organisations make effective use of Big Data to gain an understanding of their customers’ psychology?
• What are customers’ perceptions towards green marketing?
• What are customers’ attitudes towards digital marketing activities of Burberry?
• What are the antecedents of word-of-mouth communications? The case of blockbuster marketing.
• What are the effects of negative word-of-mouth communications on organisational performance?
• How does gender effect information processing among consumers of luxury goods?
• What role does motivation play in buying behaviour? An examination of the mobile ringtone market in the UK.
• How does gender effect selective distortion among luxury goods buyers?
• What role does learning play among functional online advertisements?
• Does the importance of beliefs and attitudes vary across low and high involvement products?
• How does gender influence online purchase behaviour of luxury goods?
• How is social media affecting the buying behaviour of luxury goods in the fashion industry?

When marketing moves online the traditional rules are either broken or extended. Such extensions include the need to take into account privacy, security, the greater ability to customise and personalise user experiences, the changing nature of consumer behaviour and the interaction of online and offline mediums. Online marketing has become essential for organisations in gaining competitive advantages and enhancing their business performance. Online marketing is a useful and current area of market research. Some suggestions to base your dissertation on online marketing are as below:

• How can firms customise their products? The case of Apple.
• What are the effects of a successful digital marketing campaign on Dior’s brand performance?
• What are the benefits and challenges of using social media to market luxury goods?
• How does using web analytics for digital marketing enhance brand performance?
• What is the impact of digital marketing innovation on Apple’s performance?
• What are the benefits and challenges faced by Burberry in using digital marketing?
• How can firms personalise their products? The case of Nike.
• An assessment of the value of assortment to customers: The case of Dell Computers.
• How does a consumer’s perception of control affect their choice of brand? The case of buying computers online.
• How does visual constituency affect site identity and product attitude?
• How does gender affect online consumption behaviour?
• How can firms successfully combine online and offline shopping features? The case of Amazon.com/Toys-R-Us.
• What product attributes are most valued by consumers in search, comparison and purchase decision-making online?
• How do consumers react to brand alliances online? The case of Amazon.com and Wal-Mart.
• An investigation of the antecedents of consumer behaviour in online auctions? The case of eBay.

Mobile marketing has become the latest marketing communications medium which enables large brands such as Coca-Cola, Nintendo, MTV, New Labour, Lastminute.com, and others to attract new customers and retain existing ones in both traditional and non-traditional ways. With the lowering of mobile phone tariffs and the increased levels of Internet browsing using mobile phones, this medium has become increasingly important to marketers. Below are suggestions for dissertation topics in the area of mobile marketing:

• How does permission-based marketing impact mobile marketers when developing and implementing international marketing campaigns?
• How can brand image be conveyed in a mobile marketing environment?
• Can a strong brand image be built through mobile marketing techniques?
• What do customers want from mobile marketing messages?
• How does location influence mobile marketing communications?
• What role does timeliness play in mobile marketing communications?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of push and pull mobile marketing strategies?
• How can mobile marketing be used as a viral marketing tool?
• How can mobile payment services increase revenue for mobile marketers? The case of Vodafone.
• How can customer relationship management (CRM) be applied in a mobile marketing environment to improve customer loyalty?
• How can marketing managers drive consumer acceptance of mobile marketing?
• What impact does brand personality have on purchase intentions in the context of mobile marketing?
• What are the diffusion and success factors of mobile marketing?

The 4Ps concept represents the cornerstone of marketing is widely used by marketing managers when trying to influence consumer decision-making processes. Below are suggestions for dissertation topics in the area of the Marketing mix:

• How do price adjustment strategies vary in online and offline environments? The case of music sales.
• Can an overt international pricing strategy negatively affect the brand image? The case of iTunes.
• How effective are public relations campaigns following brand failures? The cases of Nike, Shell, and Marks and Spencer.
• The impact of firms varying the frequency of their advertisements in online and offline environments on customers’ purchase intentions? The case of Waterstone’s.
• The impact of product information availability and persuasive advertising on consumer behaviour.
• Differences between comparison and non-comparison advertising and the impact on customers’ purchase intentions? The case of the alcoholic drinks industry in the US.
• Advantages and disadvantages of online advertising in international marketing.
• Can point-of-purchase promotions be as effective in an online environment as they are offline?
• How important is location to customer choice in the UK’s airline industry?
• How has the Internet helped unsought goods build brand awareness? The case of comparison websites.
• Is word-of-mouth (i.e. online customer reviews) the new element of the Marketing mix?
• How important is the Marketing mix for non-profit organisations?
• The effect of brand awareness on consumers’ purchase intentions. The case of low and high involvement product categories.

Social Media Marketing Dissertation Topics

Social media networks (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn) are not only changing the consumers’ attitudes and behaviours, but they are also presenting marketing practitioners with new challenges when trying to reach and acquire customers online. As social media networks become more popular, a marketing dissertation in this area will be timely and in line with current marketing research trends.

• What uses and gratifications are provided by beauty brands’ social media content?
• A content analysis of Food brands Instagram posts.
• An examination of the positive, neutral and negative user comments on Facebook and their impact on future participation in discussions.
• Why have functional applications on Facebook achieved so little success compared with their fun counterparts?
• How do applications of Facebook turn users into sales? The relationship between total installs, daily active users, and application valuation.
• A comparison of the effectiveness of banner advertising on different social media networks? The cases of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
• What impact does newsfeed restriction have on consumers’ attitudes and behaviours towards using Facebook?
• Is electronic word-of-mouth more persuasive than traditional word-of-mouth? An investigation into online customer reviews.
• Does traditional customer loyalty apply to consumer behaviour in social media networks?
• How do non-profit organisations execute marketing campaigns on social media networks such as Facebook?
• Can firms measure the ROI of their social media marketing?
• An investigation of the impact of brand post popularity on Facebook brand fan pages on social media marketing.
• Usage, barriers and measurement of social media marketing: Implications for marketing managers.
• The impact of social media marketing on brand loyalty.
• How do firms use social media marketing to encourage customers’ purchase behaviours?
• How do vegan brands use social listening to enhance their marketing strategy?
• Instagram, influencer marking and trust – a critical investigation.
• Partnering with YouTube content creators and influences – an effective marketing strategy for fitness brands?

The power of the media in changing consumer attitudes has a significant impact on how firms are expected to behave, as well as how they should integrate ethics into their marketing campaigns. As a consequence, marketing ethics is concerned with a range of issues from ethical business practices, to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes and cause-related marketing. Below are suggestions for dissertation topics in the area of marketing ethics and CSR:

• The role of EasyJet’s low fare online pricing strategy on changing customer demand trends?
• Exploring Patagonia’s marketing strategy – Green or Greenwashing?
• The impact of FairTrade labels on consumers’ purchase behaviours?
• Vegan vs cruelty-free: the politics of labelling and why it matters.
• What impact do published codes of conduct have on customer buying behaviour? The cases of The Body Shop, Levi Strauss, and Marks and Spencer.
• How do ethical purchase intentions and ethical awareness affect purchasing behaviour? A comparison between the sales of battery and free-range chickens.
• What impact do cause-related marketing campaigns have on consumer buying behaviour? The case of Starbucks’ Raise a cup to a good cause campaign.
• Why do some controversial marketing communications work whilst others fail? The case of PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
• How have spam laws improved marketing ethics online?
• What factors distinguish a consumer’s choice of most and least socially responsible firms?
• How do firms use public relations to recover from consumer boycotts? The case of Shell and Nestle.
• The role of gender differences in the impact of CSR perceptions on corporate marketing outcomes.
• The relationship between marketing ethics and corporate social responsibility: Serving stakeholders and the common good.
• The role of trust in building company reputation and brand equity through CSR initiatives.
• Firm performance and corporate social responsibility. An investigation into the role of marketing competence and market environment.

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

Dissertation Topics in Marketing

• Updated on  
• May 8, 2023

As a Marketing graduate, you are expected to submit a Dissertation as a part of your degree or PhD programme. Your Marketing Dissertation topic can connect to various areas including, branding, link marketing, wire/automated marketing, retailing principles, or any alternative field of marketing. Often, students have difficulty finding the correct dissertation topic for their Marketing course. Hence, to encourage you to get established with topic suggestions, we have acquired a list of the recent arguments you can use to create your Marketing Dissertation. Keep reading this blog to know more!

Also Read: Dissertation vs Thesis

This Blog Includes:

Dissertation topics for marketing, topics for mba marketing, b2b marketing topics , topics on digital marketing, relationship marketing dissertation topics, branding dissertation topics, direct marketing dissertation topics, cultural and marketing dissertation topics, online marketing dissertation topics, mobile marketing dissertation topics, the 4ps of (price, product, promotion, place) of marketing mix, consumer psychology and marketing dissertation topics, social media marketing dissertation topics, ethics in marketing dissertation topics , explore the well-crafted marketing dissertation topics  , present the perfectly written dissertation on marketing.

• What are the incentives and intentions behind support programs for corporations to engage consumers in the long series?
• To what degree does Caffe Nero’s app foster consumer allegiance?
• How and why can communication marketing be employed to entice new clients through social elements?
• How does production variety influence policy patriotism among high and low-contact producers?
• Can leisure goods merchants avoid obstacles by replacing bolt-in clients with a different set of benefits and products?
• How do entrepreneurs grapple with polygamous behaviour among users?
• Computerised communication economics in the age of COVID-19: Analysing the magnitude of personalisation and customisation.
• Growing policy support through long-value distribution management–an event study of UK health brands.
• What are the challenges for Tesco’s support card system in now’s cutthroat factory environment?
• An investigation of the relationship between observed risk and brand investment: A correlation of department store retailers in the UK .
• How does modernisation impact customer brand resonance? A process study of reception brands who were forced to innovate due to COVID-19.
• Do purchasers really figure out a company’s brand benefits? The process of Starbucks vs McDonald’s.

Students of the MBA Marketing course can refer to the following list of marketing dissertation topics.

• Involving communal systems when seeking different markets and developing the market interest.
• Systems companies use acting on customer boycotts.
• The job of joint buy in a poor industry.
• Are modernisations useful in building up the number of clients?
• The relationship between the geographic position and the nature of a system.
• The benefits groups get from the customisation of their works.
• Mobile commerce: its powers and shortcomings.
• The change in prices on offline and wire markets of properties.
• How serious is the job of branding in the progress of a business?
• Are there proper limitations in brand selling plans?
• What are the key features of Internet commerce?

Also Read: Dissertation Topic in Finance

Here are some dissertation topics for B2B marketing.

• Altering the Marketing Management. What are the new models, functions, processes, and techniques?
• Making the Idea Organisation: How to use expected control to set up brand advantage, develop leads, and interest clients.
• Getting to Love the Data Burst. Carrying out the potential of analytics for increased planning, margin control, and outcome.
• Drawing up for the B2B Social Buyer. Establishing the appropriate commerce difference between conventional customs and the new civil user.
• Sales Channel Enablement. Increasing the impact from your portfolio of enablement movements across direct and ancillary demand channels.
• Next Generation Account-Paltry Commerce. Developing the model, mix, and workforce across the full businesses and distribution cycle.

Given below is a list of Digital Marketing dissertation topics.

• How does the value of things that affect wire trade differ corresponding to the amount type in the works trade in the UK?
• Do consumers react negatively to low and high-term actions in an aggressive networked status? The process of wire record deals.
• In what respects do available wire conversation areas affect users’ return to direct selling promotions in civil form sets?
• Evaluating the power of vision brands’ direct selling via YouTube.
• How does the telemarketers’ community (tone) affect consumer feedback in a more diversified global business situation?
• Do users learn how to care for themselves from dishonest direct selling ploys employed by civil forms advertising firms?

Also Read: How to Write Acknowledgement for Dissertation?

Relationship Marketing is a marketing tactic to build long-term relationships with customers. This strategy allows companies to acquire customers, while also maintaining customer loyalty that further results in repeated customs for the respective company. In the modern business world today, Relationship Marketing can be a great base for your marketing dissertation as it provides you with a diverse range of dissertation topics:

• Digital relationship marketing in the age of COVID-19: Analysing the importance of personalisation and customisation.
• Analyzing the customer-centric marketing strategies in attaining competitive advantage for the firm and sustaining business success.
• The role of information technology in revolutionizing marketers’ approach towards manipulative advertisement.
• Customer loyalty – Behaviour or attitude? A mixed-method analysis.
• The relationship marketing strategies of Nike: A critical analysis.

In simple terms, a Brand is who you are while marketing is how you choose to build awareness about the brand. Basically, promoting a brand’s products and the services provided as a whole. Branding refers to the analysis of how businesses can use their brands to achieve a competitive advantage, through building brand equity, launching brand extensions, managing global brands, and more. Listed below are some Branding Dissertation Topics to begin with:

• How does innovation impact consumer brand resonance? A case study of hospitality brands who were forced to innovate as a result of COVID-19.
• Do consumers really understand a company’s brand values: Starbucks vs McDonald’s.
• A case study: Using digital methods to increase brand salience.
• Using social media marketing to attract customers to brands of small companies.
• The consequences of Unethical behaviour on the brand image: The cases of Shell, Nike and Starbucks.

Want to study abroad but are worried about expenses? Let Leverage Finance help you.

As technology is evolving, the concept of Direct Marketing is a boon for companies as it allows companies to connect with customers directly through advertising services such as emails, online adverts, flyers, database marketing, promotional letters, newspapers, outdoor advertising, phone text messaging, magazine adverts, coupons, phone calls, postcards, and websites. Direct Marketing allows companies to understand a customer’s specific needs to provide them with the most relevant products and services. Listed below are some topics for Direct Marketing Dissertation:

• In what ways do free online chat rooms influence consumers’ responses to direct sales promotions in social media environments?
• The effectiveness of beauty brands’ direct marketing via YouTube: Analysis
• Using SMS and email to connect with customers: Advantages and limitations of direct marketing.
• Using social media to reduce the cost of direct marketing
• Brand Loyalty And Customer Satisfaction In Online Retailing Company: A Case Study On Amazon

As businesses are expanding throughout the globe, Culture plays an important role in the interaction of marketers with customers. Culture has a great impact on international marketing due to the increase of globalisation in the business world. Companies are required to gain in-depth knowledge of the local culture before offering a product to them as effective communication is a major factor that contributes to customers buying the products. Listed below are some topics for your reference in the Cultural and Marketing Dissertation:

• Native advertising: Exploring its effectiveness in the UK, China, and the US.
• The effect of culture on marketing communications: The case of Coca-Cola in India
• How do supermarket chains overcome language differences in Switzerland?
• Effects of social media on organisational culture in the UK’s fashion industry.
• How does language impact brand identity? The case of Coca-Cola in the People’s Republic of China.

Online Marketing is an essential part of Marketing as it allows companies to build relationships with customers and spread awareness about the brand through digital marketing such as Search Engine Optimization, Pay-per-Click, Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing, Email Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Marketing Analytics and Affiliate Marketing. Unlike the traditional way of marketing that included print, billboard, television and radio advertisements, Online Marketing is a lot more affordable and effective. A dissertation on Online Marketing can definitely provide you with a wide range of topics. Listed below are some of the topics for a dissertation on Online Marketing:

• The case of Apple: How can firms customise their products?
• The impact of digital marketing innovation on Apple’s performance
• Pop-up advertisements: Hit or a miss
• Celebrities and influencers: Have they changed the game of online marketing?
• Analyzing customers’ psychology and its role in digital marketing.

Due to the increase in Internet browsing on mobile phones nowadays, Mobile Marketing has become an essential part of marketing communication. It aims to reach out to mobile users through different methods such as mobile-optimized ads, push notifications and mobile applications. Listed below are some topics for a Mobile Marketing Dissertation:

• Can a strong brand image be built through mobile marketing techniques?
• What do customers want from mobile marketing messages?
• How does location influence mobile marketing communications?
• What role does timeliness play in mobile marketing communications?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of push-and-pull mobile marketing strategies?

The 4Ps of Marketing are widely used by marketers to influence consumer decision-making. Listed below are some topics you can use as a base for writing a Dissertation on Marketing Mix:

• The impact of product information availability and persuasive advertising on consumer behaviour.
• Advantages and disadvantages of online advertising in international marketing.
• The Importance of Marketing mix on non-profit organisations.
• Is word-of-mouth (i.e. online customer reviews) the new element of the Marketing mix?
• Case of iTunes: Can an overt international pricing strategy negatively affect the brand image? 

Marketing is ultimately underpinned by customer behaviour, which may be explained in large part by studying consumer psychology. This focuses on how consumers behave at each stage of the purchasing process and why they react the way they do. Marketers can use this information to create and implement communication strategies that target specific client groups based on their psychological characteristics. Here are some ideas for marketing dissertation topics based on marketing and consumer psychology:

• What drives customers to buy things from Amazon?
• What are the benefits and advantages of customer internet reviews?
• What impact do marketing intelligence and planning have on sports marketing?
• How can businesses use Big Data to obtain a better knowledge of their customers’ psychology?
• What do customers think about green marketing?
• What are customers’ feelings about Burberry’s digital marketing efforts?
• What were the forefathers of word-of-mouth communication? A case study in blockbuster marketing.
• How does gender influence information processing among luxury goods consumers?

Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter are widely used mediums for reaching out to customers online. Social media has become an essential part of both local and international companies. Some topics for Social Media Dissertation are:

• A content analysis of Food brands Instagram posts.
• The impact of social media marketing on brand loyalty.
• Instagram, influencer marking and trust – a critical analysis.
• Partnering with YouTube content creators and influences – An effective marketing strategy for brands.
• Implications for marketing managers: limitations of social media marketing.

Ethics in Marketing is the implication of standards of fairness, or moral rights and wrongs, to marketing decision-making, behaviour, and practice in the firm. Using unethical marketing practices may put a company’s viability at risk and cost its reputation which might have taken years to build. From ethical business practices to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), several research options are available for a marketing dissertation. Some topics to begin with a dissertation on Ethics in Marketing are as listed:

• How have spam laws improved marketing ethics online?
• What impact does published codes of conduct have on customer buying behaviour? The cases of The Body Shop, Levi Strauss, and Marks and Spencer
• The influence of local culture on business ethics of immigrants- A case study of the UK
• Vegan vs cruelty-free: the politics of labelling and why it matters
• What factors distinguish a consumer’s choice of most and least socially responsible firms?
• Exploring how organizations use corporate social responsibility (CSR) to reinforce brand equity

Marketing is a process through which companies be they Local or International use to create and build brand awareness, and customer relations, and for increasing business profits. Marketing is a great field for research as it provides you with a large number of research topics and sources. Listed below are some Marketing Dissertation Topics to start from niche:

• Analysis and determination of consumer buying behaviour for Coca-Cola
• Critical research on how AI will help make better marketing decisions
• Brand advertising and political campaigns: a possible interwoven impact?
• Analysis of how brands exploit impulsive buying
• Marketing budgets included by BREXIT
• The effect of COVID-19 on the global economy
• The decline in organic reach on social media platforms
• Do people appreciate being click baited into sponsored posts?
• How the extraordinary content offered by intelligent chatbots can help sports teams strengthen fan loyalty

A dissertation requires a lot of independent research so it may get a bit difficult to start with. Demonstrating your ability to think critically and analytically is what you’re supposed to bring in your Marketing Dissertation. A marketing dissertation requires you to conduct extensive research and present an argumentation in a particular claim of the topic you have chosen. The very first step to presenting a perfectly written marketing dissertation is to choose a topic you’re genuinely interested in, this allows you to understand and present the arguments well. However, you should make sure that the topic chosen is capable enough of contributing to your future in career aspects. You can look for marketing topic ideas from present scenarios, academic journals and scholarly books. In the aftermath of choosing the topic, you’re supposed to develop a research question. While creating a research question you must keep in mind your ability to answer it through primary and secondary sources. Gather the necessary material for your research and prepare an outline for your Marketing Dissertation. The last and final step of presenting a perfectly written marketing dissertation is to revise, edit and proofread your dissertation and make changes if required. Revise your marketing dissertation as many times as you can until you are fully satisfied with the paper. 

The best research topics in digital marketing include Artificial Intelligence, Conversational Marketing, Video Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation, Influencer marketing, Pay per Click Advertising, Visual Search, and Social Media Management and Marketing.

Some special dissertation topics in commerce are: 1) Write about the influence that advertising picks up on the performance of purchasers. 2) Address about the scholars can be trained among the mobile phone business. 3)Write about how foreign commerce can manage standardisation.

Grab the expert assistance of Leverage Edu student counsellors to kickstart your admission and application process to study in the UK in 2023. Call us immediately at 1800 57 2000 for a free 30-minute therapy consultation.

Team Leverage Edu

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

Leaving already?

8 Universities with higher ROI than IITs and IIMs

Grab this one-time opportunity to download this ebook

Connect With Us

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

September 2024

January 2025

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Making your Research easy

Research topics in Marketing for PhD

If you are searching for good research topics for your PhD. in Marketing then this article will guide you to find the best Research topics in marketing for PhD

Research topics in marketing for PhD

Marketing management is one of the best-preferred topics for a Ph.D. in Management. Every year thousands of applicants want to peruse a Ph.D. in Marketing Management. Marketing is a topic that changes every time and it depends upon various aspect as geopolitical issues, new technology, consumer behavior, and consumer perception. production diversification etc.

In this article, we will discuss some of the trending topics for the Ph.D. in Marketing.

This will also make you understand the process to find some tips and tricks from someone who has a good amount of experience.

Here are some of the latest and trending topics.

List of research topics in Marketing Management

• Creation of a global luxury brand.
• Global versus local marketing strategy.
• Global customer management.
• The strategy of Neuromarketing.
• Effectiveness of business outsourcing.
• Measuring Customer satisfaction.
• Effective branding using social media and digital marketing.
• social media on customer purchasing choices.
• Emotions and consumer decision-making.
• Neuroscience and consumer emotions.
• Consumption-based affect regulation.
• Engineering of feelings and emotions in the marketplace.
• Emotion and consumption experiences.
• The emotional impact of the marketing mix (pricing, product, distribution, communication).
• Emotions and social media.
• The Emotions and branding.
• Emotions and marketing effectiveness.
• Emotions and consumer happiness and well-being.
• Big data of emotion in the marketplace.
• Consumer psychology and judgment and decision-making.
• Emotional and cognitive factors influence consumer judgments and decision-making.
• Cultural variations in judgment and decision behavior.
• Consumer adoption of technology products, and strategies for multi-sided platforms.
• long-term effects of marketing actions and optimal allocation of marketing budgets.
• Marketing and strategy problems in digital marketing and social media.

Many Ph.D. students appear to start their project with over-ambitious topics but the important thing is, to keep the topic to the point and resume to one central research question.

• Presenting at a conference for the first time 5 must things to do
• How to choose your dissertation topic

Before taking the decision to finalize one topic one must start working on different topics and make sure that such a topic is new and no one else worked on it.

So here are some of the topics you can work on to find a good topic for your Ph.D.

Comment below if there are any current Research topics in marketing for Ph.D .

Related Posts

How to make PPT for international conference

Royal Society of Chemistry Chemistry Week 2023, Apply for funding

How to Write a Winning Research Paper Worth of A+ Grades

• Interesting for you
• My settings

Go to your profile page to get personalised recommendations!

Browser does not support script.

Business PhD

• Full-time: 3 years
• Part-time: 6 years
• Start date: October 2024
• UK fees: £4,712
• International fees: £20,500

Research overview

With an international reputation for business research excellence, Nottingham University Business School offers a superb opportunity to develop your research skills through PhD study. Our PhD programme combines academic theory with good practice. 

You will be assigned two supervisors appropriate to your field. Please make sure that we have a supervisor who shares an interest in your proposed area of research before applying. 

Research areas

We offer PhD pathways in: 

• business and management 
• business and society 
• finance and risk 
• industrial economics 

Our research areas include: 

• accounting 
• behavioural economics 
• business and management 
• corporate social responsibility and sustainability 
• finance, banking and risk
• healthcare management and leadership 
• human resource management/organisational behaviour 
• innovation and entrepreneurship 
• international business 
• marketing 
• operations management/information systems 
• strategy 

A research degree provides you with a launch-pad to a successful career in academia, commerce, industry, the public sector or as an entrepreneur.

Course content

To help you in the transition to independent research, you will normally be expected to complete several assessed taught modules during your first and second year of study. These are designed to provide generic, as well as subject-specific training for relevant pathways. 

You may also be required to take up to 20 credits of other modules within the school/faculty. 

PhD in Business and Management

This module covers:

• philosophical foundations of research – ontology and epistemology
• critical issues relating to the conduct, context and impact of research

This module considers in detail 'academic practice’. It explores the underlying practices that support academic research, and developing academic citizenship, broadly speaking, involves ‘being an academic’ and ‘reflecting on being an academic’ in a challenging yet supportive environment.

• explore academic practices (critiquing, synthesising, presenting, reflecting)
• expose you to academic practices, encouraging engagement in the intellectual life of the school and participation with the wider faculty outside your supervisory team
• challenge you to ‘practice’ your academic practice, with your peers, and within the wider academic community of the school

The module introduces qualitative and quantitative research designs covering a range of data collection techniques. The module introduces you to the use, interpretation and presentation of an appropriate selection of techniques for the analysis of interview data, and other qualitative data sources.

In terms of quantitative research designs, the module covers measurement issues - validity and reliability issues, descriptive analysis and techniques to test for differences and for relationships.

50% advanced qualitative research methods, covering key aspects of qualitative data collection, management and analysis. Potential topics include:

• Handling Data for Qualitative Analysis
• Coding and Categorisation
• Qualitative Data Analysis
• Grounded Theory
• Narrative Analysis

50% advanced quantitative research methods, including:

• Factor Analysis
• Reliability Analysis
• Multivariate Regression Analysis
• Moderation and Mediation Effects
• Partial Least Squares Modelling
• Experimental Design and Testing

PhD in Business and Society

This module considers in detail three key, interrelated components that constitute the academic research process (i.e., becoming an academic researcher); substance, technique, and context.

• Substance: students will assimilate theoretical building blocks of academic argumentation specific to Business and Society research, equipping them to judge the potential value of new research in the field.
• Technique: students will apprehend and mobilise specific academic techniques such types and styles of questioning, conversation ‘linking’, the role of a discussant and following-up activities.
• Context: students will gain an appreciation of the dynamic and political nature of research dissemination environments and recognise the role of seminars in network building and academic citizenship.

PhD in Finance and Risk

• building time series models
• forecasting time series
• modelling volatility
• multivariate time series analysis
• instrumental variables and GMM estimation
• panel data analysis
• discrete choices models
• limited dependent variables models
• conducting empirical econometric research
• corporate financing and investment decisions
• takeovers and mergers and acquisitions
• board structure and corporate governance
• the role of asymmetric Information and agency costs in corporate finance
• asset pricing models and the valuation of securities
• measuring portfolio performance
• market microstructure
• behavioural Finance
• multivariate time series models
• matching techniques
• difference-in-differences
• regression discontinuity design
• event studies

PhD in Industrial Economics

You should select one of the following modules which are delivered by the School of Economics. Attendance will be subject to meeting any pre-requisites and at the discretion of the Module Convener.

This module covers the following:

• Dynamic general equilibrium models: Focus: How the time path of consumption, and saving, is determined by optimising agents and firms that interact on competitive markets
• Growth in dynamic general equilibrium: Focus: The Solow model and the data, and the role played by accumulation of knowledge (endogenous innovation) in explaining long run growth
• Growth and Inequality: Focus on the two major changes in the economic landscape over the past 40 years, particularly the US and the UK: Increase in household income inequality and slowdown in aggregate growth
• Real Business Cycles (RBC): Focus: How the RBC approach account for business cycle fluctuations, and what links short run fluctuations and growth processes

This module examines central theoretical aspects from modern microeconomic theory, paying particular emphasis on game theory, imperfect competition and incomplete information.

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

Meeting our English language requirements

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional English course. Presessional courses teach you academic skills in addition to English language. Our  Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

For on-campus presessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online presessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance.

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

We recognise that applicants have a variety of experiences and follow different pathways to postgraduate study.

We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications on an individual basis. We may also consider relevant work experience.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications or work experience are relevant, contact us .

Our step-by-step guide contains everything you need to know about applying for postgraduate research.

Additional information for international students

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) .

These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).

Additional costs

The Business School will issue students with a suitable laptop to approve security requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) which can be used both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice .

As a student on this course, you should factor some additional costs into your budget, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses.

You should be able to access most of the books you'll need through our libraries, though you may wish to purchase your own copies or more specific titles.

There are many ways to fund your research degree, from scholarships to government loans.

Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.

Seminars and workshops

All PhD students are expected to attend our seminar programme and relevant research workshops. Seminars take place regularly, usually on Wednesday afternoons, and are given by a range of internal and external speakers. Research workshops occur on an ad hoc basis and you will be advised by your supervisors about attendance. 

In addition to the seminar programme, we offer a doctoral seminar programme that focuses specifically on the needs of PhD students. The focus of the programme is on the research process, particularly the more informal aspects of doing research and getting it published. 

Researcher training and development

The Researcher Academy is the network for researchers, and staff who support them. We work together to promote a healthy research culture, to cultivate researcher excellence, and develop creative partnerships that enable researchers to flourish.

Postgraduate researchers at Nottingham have access to our online Members’ area, which includes a wealth of resources, access to training courses and award-winning postgraduate placements.

Graduate centres

Our graduate centres are dedicated community spaces on campus for postgraduates.

Each space has areas for:

• socialising
• computer work
• kitchen facilities

Student support

You will have access to a range of support services , including:

• academic and disability support
• childcare services
• counselling service
• faith support
• financial support
• mental health and wellbeing support
• visa and immigration advice
• welfare support

Students' Union

Our Students' Union represents all students. You can join the Postgraduate Students’ Network or contact the dedicated Postgraduate Officer .

There are also a range of support networks, including groups for:

• international students
• black and minority ethnic students
• students who identify as women
• students with disabilities
• LGBT+ students

SU Advice provides free, independent and confidential advice on issues such as accommodation, financial and academic difficulties.

Where you will learn

Library facilities - business.

The school has a bespoke  Business Library  that combines multimedia technology with traditional information resources. It houses key references, a short loan collection, past PhD dissertations and a wide range of online resources.

Jubilee Campus

Jubilee Campus has eco-friendly buildings, alongside green spaces, wildlife and a lake. 

This campus is home to our business, education and computer science schools, as well as a sports centre and student accommodation.

You can walk to  University Park Campus  in around 20 minutes or catch a free hopper bus. Nottingham city centre is 20 minutes away by public bus.

School facilities - Business

Full-time business PhD students have access to a dedicated desk, computer and locker space throughout the three years of study. You will be given a doctoral research account of £750 to support your studies, and there is also funding available to support your participation in conferences and doctoral associations.

Whether you are considering a career in academia, industry or haven't yet decided, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Expert staff will work with you to explore PhD career options and apply for vacancies, develop your interview skills and meet employers. You can book a one-to-one appointment, take an online course or attend a workshop.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route . Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

We work with you in a tailored and flexible way whether you’re an aspiring academic or looking to build a career outside of academia.

Career destinations for our research postgraduates include:

• higher education teaching professionals
• university researchers
• accountants
• finance and investment analysts
• investment bankers
• IT business analysts
• management consultants
• marketing and public relations professionals

86.2% of all postgraduates from Nottingham University Business School secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary for these graduates was £31,419.*

* HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20 data published in 2022. The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.

Research Excellence Framework

The University of Nottingham is ranked 7th in the UK for research power, according to analysis by Times Higher Education. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a national assessment of the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

• 83% of the Business School's research considered world-leading or internationally excellent
• 90%* of our research is classed as 'world-leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*)
• 100%* of our research is recognised internationally
• 51% of our research is assessed as 'world-leading' (4*) for its impact**

*According to analysis by Times Higher Education ** According to our own analysis.

This content was last updated on 08 February 2024 . Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.