Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration - Marketing - Consumer Behavior Research

The PhD Program in Marketing provides students with both strong empirical skills in econometrics, psychometrics, and statistics and strong theory development in consumer behavior, psychology, and strategy.

The department and its faculty consistently rank high in terms of research productivity. The department is ranked 15th worldwide based on publications in the premier American Marketing Association (AMA) journals in 2010 2019. The department is also ranked 22nd among all U.S. public schools in the UT-Dallas North American Research Rankings. Faculty have won multiple research awards and serve on the editorial boards of prestigious academic journals.

Doctoral students work with faculty at all phases of the research processfrom research question formulation, research design, and data analysis to writing up the study. The culture is collegial and informal, with students viewed as colleagues and coauthors. Moreover, students are encouraged to work with multiple faculty, not just their chosen advisor or dissertation chair.

Consumer behavior research focuses on how consumers decide what and how much to consume and how consumers integrate different pieces of information (both consciously and unconsciously) to make predictions and judgments about their environment and target stimuli to inform their consumption decisions. Consumer behavior students take additional courses in psychology and sociology.

Admission Criteria
To be considered for admission, applicants should have:

A four-year baccalaureate degree in any discipline from a regionally accredited institution.
A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale).
Admission is highly selective and identifies individuals who are prepared to meet the academic challenges of the program. The selection committee evaluates each file on its individual merits as it relates to the goals and purpose of our program. Selection combines evaluations of an applicant's scholastic ability, professional activities, and career performance.

Additional Documents for International Applicants
Two copies of unofficial academic transcript (submitted to the Graduate School), official copies required following admission
TOEFL or IELTS scores
After recommended for acceptance, international applicants will receive an email with more information on how to submit visa documents and proof of finances to the Office of Global Engagement.

Required Documents for All Applicants
Unofficial transcripts from institutions youve attended Submit an English version if you have attended schools outside the US. Official transcripts will be required upon admission. UGA students and alumni are exempt as their records are on file.
GMAT or GRE scores
Some departments (Economics) require the GRE, other departments (ACCT) require the GMAT, while some other departments may accept either under certain circumstances.
3 letters of recommendation
Letters should be from individuals who have knowledge of your academic and/or professional capability. The application will prompt your recommenders to submit their letters electronically.
Statement of Purpose
As part of the online application, you are required to upload a Statement of Purpose (essay) that describes your motivation for pursuing doctoral study.

all international students whose native language is not English and wish to be considered for financial aid must submit a TOEFL iBT score along with the application, regardless of the graduating institution. Strong preference will be given to students who score 26 or higher on the iBT Speak Test and 100 or higher on the total TOEFL test.