PHILOSOPHY OF THE PHD PROGRAM IN MARKETING

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is the mark of highest achievement in marketing scholarship. The Doctor of Philosophy in Marketing at LSU is designed to produce scholars who will conduct original research that makes a significant contribution to knowledge within the marketing discipline. By the completion of the program, students are expected to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the theoretical, conceptual, and managerial foundations of marketing. Advanced study in research methods and quantitative analytical procedures provides the additional tools necessary to conduct and publish original research.

A combination of coursework, research, and enrichment experiences allows students to develop a set of values, including intellectual curiosity, self-motivation, and a strong work ethic, that are crucial to a successful academic career. The knowledge and experience gained through the PhD program at LSU should produce marketing scholars with the skills necessary to publish internationally recognized research and to successfully organize and teach undergraduate, MBA, and PhD level courses. The combined experiences achieved through the PhD program are designed to prepare the student to be a researcher, teacher, and colleague at the university level.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM

Qualified holders of Bachelor's Degrees and/or Master's Degrees from accredited colleges and universities are eligible for admission to the PhD program, regardless of the applicant's previous field of study. A personalized program may be designed to fit the research and teaching interests of each student. Admission is based on a number of factors, including the applicant's record, scores obtained on standardized admission tests, career objectives, a commitment to an intellectually demanding program of study, letters of recommendation, his/her overall standing compared with other applicants, and the number of vacancies in the program in a given year.

Most successful PhD applicants at LSU have satisfied the following requirements:

• A grade point average of at least 3.40 in the most recently completed 60 hours of work;
• A score on the graduate management admission test (GMAT) of 560 or above;
• Strong recommendations from individuals who have had the opportunity to observe the applicant's interest, ability, and commitment to a career of scholarship.

As part of the application procedure, applicants are encouraged to supply supplementary explanatory material where appropriate. Such supplementary material might include evidence of the applicant's motivation for pursuing the advanced degree and a statement of the applicant's goals and objectives. If feasible, the applicant may wish to make a personal visit to the Marketing Department and meet with the faculty and current PhD students to discuss the program.

OVERVIEW OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM

The PhD program in Marketing is designed to be a year-round program of study for full-time students. The program consists of 21 semester hours of Marketing coursework, a 12-semester-hour minor area, 6 semester hours for a support field, and up to 24 semester hours of common body of knowledge coursework covering all other business disciplines. Individuals with a Master's degree in a business field may substitute much of their previous graduate coursework for the common body of knowledge coursework. You can count on spending 2-3 academic years (Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters) in completing your coursework. Each PhD candidate is required to design, implement, and complete an original Dissertation under the supervision of a Marketing faculty member. The Dissertation stage usually takes about 12-18 months to complete. Overall, our PhD program usually requires four years to finish. Students without a Master’s degree may require more than four years.

Additional information pertaining to the structure of the program is presented in the Doctoral Program Timetable presented below.

TIMETABLE FOR THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN MARKETING AT LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY

YEAR 1

FALL SEMESTER:  Meet with the Graduate Advisor and identify prior coursework which can be used to satisfy program requirements. The most probable courses to be waived are in the Breadth of Knowledge area.

SPRING SEMESTER:

1. Decide on coursework remaining at LSU. This covers major, minor, breadth of knowledge and support area coursework.
2. Decide on a minor area. The student must identify a minor professor and specific courses (numbers and titles) to be taken. The student should consult the minor department concerning the scheduling of minor courses and how their scheduling affects other coursework.
3. Gain approval of a program of study for all coursework at LSU. The Department of Marketing will assign a major professor and three additional marketing faculty members to serve as the examination committee (this committee need not be the same as the student’s Dissertation committee). It is the student's responsibility to obtain a minor area faculty member to serve on the committee. The program of study is then submitted to the and defines the course requirements for the degree. It may be modified/amended through the Graduate Advisor.

SUMMER:  Student will conduct an independent research project, under the supervision of a Marketing faculty member, as part of the Applications of Marketing Theory course. The goal is to produce a publishable manuscript.

YEAR 3

FALL SEMESTER:  Comprehensive Exam begins

Marketing Requirements

1. The comprehensive exam consists of two portions: a written exam on coursework within the program and an oral examination which constitutes the general exam requirement of the Graduate School. The student must have completed all marketing coursework before the written exam is taken. If necessary, the exam can be taken concurrently with the last semester of Marketing coursework.
2. Test dates are determined by the Marketing Department. Students do not register for the general exam with the Graduate School until they have passed their written exams. The request for examination must be made to the Graduate School at least 3 weeks prior to the desired date.
3. If coursework remains in other areas (minor, Breadth of Knowledge, etc.), it must be completed in the next semester after the general exam is taken. This is not encouraged and will be allowed only in exceptional circumstances.

Minor Area Requirements

1. The minor department has complete control over all requirements, including the decision of whether an exam is given, timing, etc.

DISSERTATION

Stage 1: Dissertation Proposal

1. Copies must be given to committee members at least two weeks prior to the scheduled date.
2. The student will present and defend the Dissertation proposal before the committee members.
3. Final determination of the acceptability of the proposal shall be made by the committee members in writing. A copy of the accepted proposal, along with the documentation of acceptance, will be placed in the student's departmental file.

Stage 2: Final Dissertation Defense

1. It is the responsibility of the Dissertation Chairperson to formally request the final Dissertation defense with the LSU Graduate School at least 3 weeks prior to the final date for Dissertation defenses.
2. The student is responsible for two deadlines with regard to the final document:
   • The document must be in the possession of committee members at least 2 weeks in advance of the scheduled Dissertation defense date.
   • The student must submit the final document at least 3 weeks in advance of the date established by the LSU Graduate School as the final day for submitting the approved Dissertation to the LSU Graduate School.

OVERALL TIME REQUIREMENTS

A student is required to complete all degree requirements, including a successful Dissertation defense, within seven years after being admitted to the program and initiating coursework.

FINANCIAL AID

Graduate assistantships are generally awarded to all PhD students accepted into the program. The pay varies depending on how many students are enrolled in the program, but generally a student earns a minimum of $12,000 per year and may have the opportunity to earn additional funds through summer teaching (though summer teaching opportunities are not guaranteed). Our assistantships also provide a tuition waiver for Fall and Spring semesters. When you are awarded an assistantship, we will renew that assistantship annually for four consecutive years, assuming satisfactory progress toward completion of your degree. You will be assigned to a faculty member for 20 hours of work per week. Your assistantship duties will be varied, and may include working jointly with a faculty member on a specific research project aimed at producing a publishable manuscript, library work, assistance in grading, data entry and computer analysis of data sets. During your second or third year, you will be required to teach sections of a marketing course, such as Principles of Marketing, Consumer Behavior, or Retailing, depending upon your interests and ability. You must maintain full-time student status (nine hours during Fall and Spring semesters, six hours in Summer) to retain an assistantship.

ALVIN C. BURNS FELLOWSHIP

The Department of Marketing is pleased to announce a new fellowship to assist a doctoral student in Marketing in the E. J. Ourso College of Business at LSU. The Alvin C. Burns Fellowship has a stipend of $20,000 per year in addition to tuition waivers for Fall and Spring semesters. It is awarded to a promising student for a minimum of one year and a maximum of two years. The recipient of the Alvin C. Burns Fellowship is not required to perform Graduate or Teaching Assistant duties and therefore may focus exclusively on doctoral studies.

Applicants with exceptional GMAT scores and academic performance (as reflected in the grade point average, taking into account the rigor of previous degree programs), in addition to strong letters of recommendation from individuals who have had the opportunity to observe the applicant's interest, ability, and commitment to a career of scholarship, will be given highest consideration for the Alvin C. Burns Fellowship. Continuation of the Fellowship after the first year of study will be based on academic performance during the student’s first year of study in the PhD program. Qualified holders Master's Degrees from accredited colleges and universities are eligible for admission to the PhD program, regardless of the applicant's previous field of study.

To be considered for the Alvin C. Burns Fellowship, completed applications must be submitted by December 15.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

First, the student applies to the LSU Graduate School for graduate admission, which forwards the application to the graduate office in the E. J. Ourso College of Business, which then forwards it to the graduate advisor in the Marketing department. The Marketing department reviews PhD applicants in January for Fall admission. Please direct all applications to the LSU Graduate School. You can apply online or request a paper application at the LSU Graduate School Web site (http://appl003.lsu.edu/grad/gradschool.nsf/index) or call 225-578-2311 for more information. For more information on the PhD program in Marketing, you may call the Marketing Department at 225-578-8684.