The Marketing Concentration

Other Requirements

Examinations: Students must pass a qualifying examination at the end of the first year of course work. In addition, after satisfactory completion of all course work, students must pass a comprehensive examination.

Summer Research Project: During the second summer, the student will complete a self-directed empirical research project. A presentation of this work will be made to the faculty during the fall semester.

Dissertation: After successfully completing the comprehensive examination, the student must propose, conduct, and defend a piece of original research, under the guidance of a dissertation committee. The committee is typically comprised of four professors with a record of scholarly publication in an area relevant to the student's dissertation. A student first submits a dissertation proposal to the committee. Once the proposal is approved, the student conducts the research and defends the completed dissertation before the committee.

Titles of recent dissertations include "Measuring Reverse Cannibalization: Strategic Implications for Category and Product Line Management," "Managing the Retail Sales force for Superior Service Quality," "Strategic Alliance Outcomes: The Role of Strategic Fit," "Product Complexity and Customer Satisfaction," "Managerial Perceptions of Corporate Environmentalism: Antecedents, Consequences, and Implications for Marketing Strategy," "The Effect of Ambient Scent on Consumer Behavior: Implications for Retail Atmospherics," "An Investigation Into the Impact of Human Age on Persuasion and Advertising."