phd marketing msu

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U.S. News & World Report ’s 2024 Best Online Master’s in Business Programs ranking places the Broad College at No. 2 among U.S. public schools. See the numbers .

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• (517) 353-6381

Admission Criteria

Students are admitted to the doctoral program in marketing only for a fall semester start and on a full-time basis. For admission to the program, an applicant must have:

• At least a bachelor’s degree from a recognized educational institution (master’s degree is preferred)
• Superior academic record
• Minimum GMAT score of 640 (must be less than five years old)
• For applicants whose first language is not English, minimum TOEFL score of 600 (paper), 250 (computer) or 100 (internet), with the test score being less than two years old
• Personal qualifications of sound character, perseverance, intellectual curiosity and an interest in scholarly research.

The admissions committee evaluates the applicant’s quantitative and communication skills and background, the applicant’s statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, previous work experience and an invited interview.

Only qualified applicants will be invited to participate in an interview. The preferred venue is to have the candidate visit MSU. In those cases where the distance is too great, a telephone/Skype interview will be scheduled.

International Transcripts

Please have official transcripts and an attested degree copy (both in English and original language) sent directly from your university to MSU to have your application reviewed for admission.

Note: Additional resources and helpful information for international transfer students and applicants can be obtained on the MSU Office of Admissions  International Application Checklist Page .

Application Requirements

An application to the Marketing program requires the following materials:

• A completed online application for admission to graduate studies at Michigan State University with associated fees paid. Please note that we will only consider those applications that are both complete and paid.
• Three letters of recommendation. Please include letters from past instructors who can assess your capabilities as a potential researcher.
• Official copies of college transcripts showing grades received.
• A well-thought-out statement of purpose.
• Current CV/resume
• TOEFL score if necessary (institution code 1465)

If you are interested, you should apply online , pay your application fee and send your documentation to the following address:

Official transcripts of all academic coursework completed in colleges and universities other than MSU must be provided to us directly from the institution(s) you attended and received before the application deadline . Transcripts that can be sent electronically (from U.S. institutions only) can be emailed directly from your academic institution to the Office of Admissions at [email protected] . Hard copy transcripts can be mailed to the address below:

Michigan State University Office of Admissions 426 Auditorium Road East Lansing, MI 48824

For answers to questions that you might have, please contact Erin Johnson via email at [email protected] or via phone at (517) 355-2241. You can also learn more about the program by downloading our program viewbook .

Application Deadline

We strongly recommend that you submit your application in early fall, but no later than December 9 for consideration for admission the following fall. Well-qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible since, for such candidates, there is a possibility of submitting their applications for consideration for doctoral fellowships at either the university or college levels.

Take the next step to become a leader in business scholarship and research. Apply to the marketing doctoral program at Michigan State University.

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• East Lansing, MI 48824

Department of Economics

PhD Programs

• Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program in MSU’s Department of Economics is a leader in economic research and training, routinely being ranked between the 25th and 35th best economics departments in the United States according to U.S. News & World Report. According to the current Research Papers in Economics (RePEc) rankings, MSU is 24 th in the United States and is in the top-three in the Big 10 in Econometrics, International, Labor, Micro, and Public. For additional rankings, see the  American Economic Association .

We recognize that the best education comes from building a strong theoretical and econometrics foundation and working closely with faculty members and fellow classmates. As a department, we have taken steps to maximize these opportunities by offering competitive support packages, keeping field class sizes small, and fostering a collaborative environment within and between cohorts.

Our goal is that students will leave MSU with the research tools, experience, and professional network necessary to succeed in their desired careers. Recent graduates have gone on to work in tenure-track positions at top research institutions (Rutgers, Georgia Tech, Arizona, Oregon State, Iowa State, Melbourne, Essex), top government agencies (Census, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Food and Drug Administration, Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Government Accountability Office), and top private sector firms (Abt, Amazon, Citi, J.P. Morgan, Mathematica).

• Dual Doctoral Degrees

Course Selection

While our course selection changes from year to year, we have structured the program so that we can offer at least one course in all of our primary fields each year:

• Microeconomic Theory
• Macroeconomics
• Development
• Econometrics
• Environmental and Resource
• Industrial Organization
• International Trade

In addition to working on topics in these primary fields, we frequently have students working in secondary fields, including Aging, Behavioral, Education, and Health. Please see Michigan State University's  schedule of courses for a complete and up-to-date course offering.

Funding Information

All admitted students are automatically considered for funding and fellowships. In recent years, all admitted students received some form of funding, ranging from university-wide fellowships that require no teaching to teaching and research assistantships. We will communicate a student’s funding offer in the official admissions offer letter.

For more information, please contact Scott Imberman , Director of Graduate Studies, or Jay Feight , Graduate Program Coordinator. 

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