phd in digital marketing

2024 Best Online PhD in Digital Marketing [Doctorate Guide]

A PhD in Digital Marketing online program can give you the opportunity to specialize in business research. A PhD is also one of the highest educational qualifications that you can get in the field.

Digital marketing is an innovative and future-ready field, and it’s already essential for many businesses. In a digital marketing PhD program, you can work toward becoming a domain expert and get firsthand experience with research.

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With the growing number of distance learning options, it’s now more convenient than ever to earn this lucrative doctorate.

Universities Offering Online Doctorate in Digital Marketing Degree Program

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

California Baptist University

California Baptist University offers a Doctor of Business Administration online program. This is a 56-unit program created for working adults. It can potentially be completed in as little as 3 years, including the dissertation. Classes are 8 weeks long and are taught by credentialed faculty with real-world business experience.

California Baptist University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission.

Concordia University – Chicago

Concordia University—Chicago offers a Doctorate in Business Administration that can be earned entirely online. It requires the completion of 60 credit hours and can potentially be completed in just 3 years.

Two specializations are available within the program: Innovation in Health Care Management and Strategic Leadership and Innovation.

Concordia University Chicago is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

George Fox University

George Fox University offers a Doctor of Business Administration. Concentrations are available in Accounting, Management, and Business Analytics. This is an online program that follows a cohort model. There are two required in-person sessions in Newberg, Oregon.

Students typically spend 3 years on coursework and 1 year completing a dissertation.

George Fox University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Grand Canyon University

Grand Canyon University offers a Doctor of Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing (Quantitative Research). The program focuses on the collection and interpretation of numeric data to aid in making business decisions.

Courses include Digital Technology and Consumer Behavior, Economics for Business Decisions, Complexity of Marketing, and The History and Philosophy of Marketing.

Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State University offers a PhD in Business Administration. The program is mostly online, but there is an in-person residency once a month. It is often useful for business professionals wishing to pursue academic positions.

Concentrations are available in Accounting, Information Systems, Management, and Marketing.

Kennesaw State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Liberty University

Liberty University offers a Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing. Courses are 8 weeks long and 100% online. Courses include Strategic Marketing Management, Marketing Promotions, Supply Chain Management, and Marketing Research.

The program requires the completion of 60 credit hours, and students usually finish in 3 years. It is designed to teach practical, real-world skills.

Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

National University

National University offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration with a specialization in Strategic Marketing. The program is designed to help prepare students for leadership roles in a variety of business settings. It requires the completion of 60 credit hours and can usually be completed in 3 to 4 years.

National University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Trident University International

Trident University International offers a Doctor of Business Administration that can be earned 100% online. The program covers how to make evidence-based decisions and strategically improve business processes and outcomes. It is designed to provide flexibility for adult students.

Students in the program are required to complete an applied doctoral study project rather than a dissertation.

Trident University International is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

University of the Cumberlands

The University of the Cumberlands offers an online program for a Doctor of Philosophy in Business. Students can choose a specialty in Accounting, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Healthcare Administration, Project Management, or Strategic Management.

Core courses include Advanced Managerial Accounting, Strategic Marketing: Research and Practice, and Corporate Finance: Fiscal Management in a Global Climate.

The University of the Cumberlands is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Walden University

Walden University offers a Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing. The program covers key marketing concepts, including competitive intelligence, marketing channels, product development and commercialization, and consumer behavior. It also includes a capstone project.

Students have up to 8 years to finish the program.

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

PhD in Digital Marketing Online Programs

PhD in Digital Marketing programs are focused on creating scholars and knowledgeable experts who can help the industry move forward with original research. You can be trained to use your data analysis skills to solve marketing challenges.

Digital marketing is a quickly evolving field that relies on the latest technology.

It spans many of the modern tools and strategies currently used by companies to reach their target audiences, including social media, email, search engines, websites, and analytics.

As a digital marketing PhD student, you’ll likely choose a specific research question and build your expertise around that area. Doctorate programs in digital marketing typically emphasize econometrics, statistical analysis, and experimental research. You’ll likely take classes on marketing theories and applications as well.

During the second half of your PhD program, you’ll probably spend most of your time working on a dissertation that can be published in an academic journal.

Most programs will provide opportunities to learn how to critically analyze current papers on digital marketing and will have experienced faculty members with similar research expertise that can help guide you.

Different programs offer different concentrations, but here are some of the most common research areas:

• Consumer culture
• International marketing
• Product development
• Marketing innovation
• Social media sentiment
• Online advertising

To create an original research paper, you can study advanced models in marketing along with special topics. You can also practice using mathematical and economics tools to get insights from data.

Because of the focus on independent research, digital marketing PhD programs often include seminars and customizable classes along with plenty of time to work on your own.

Most graduates with a PhD in Digital Marketing become professors who conduct university research. Since data analysis expertise is highly sought after, others become market research consultants. Some take on strategic, executive-level roles instead, where they can apply what they’ve learned in a business setting. 

Digital Marketing Careers & Salaries

With the specialized skills that you can develop through a digital marketing PhD program, you can pursue careers in both the public and private sectors.

The most common career track for PhD graduates is academia, where they often teach marketing or business classes in colleges and universities. Because a PhD in Marketing is research-intensive, graduates are often well-equipped to conduct research alongside teaching.

For those who prefer to work for private companies, management roles in marketing and sales are often possible.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , here are the yearly median salaries of some of the advanced careers related to digital marketing. 

T hese are only the median salaries for each job. Actual salaries can vary based on location, your field of expertise, and many other factors. Still, the main career tracks—management, academia, and data analysis—may lead to high-paying roles down the road.

Outside of academia, professionals with a PhD in Marketing may become market research analysts or data analysts. Marketing is one of the fastest-growing fields today, with roles in diverse industries, such as management consulting, technology, and healthcare.

Digital Marketing PhD Curriculum & Courses

Online doctorate in digital marketing programs usually involve a lot of independent study, and classes vary based on the school, but you’ll likely take classes similar to the following:

• Microeconomic Theory : This course explores how individuals and organizations interact in different market structures, utilizing game theory to make predictions for decision-making.
• Econometrics : Going beyond economic theory, this course discusses how to make forecasts and draw cause-and-effect relationships through data analysis tools.
• Statistical Analysis : This course lays the groundwork for more advanced research classes by covering statistical methods for gathering and analyzing data.
• Qualitative Research : This class can give you the opportunity to have hands-on practice with qualitative research methods—such as one-on-one interviews, focus groups, and observation—and learn how to write reports about your findings.
• Industrial Organization : This course gives an overview of how organizations function realistically and how they influence each other when it comes to advertising, product placement, and other marketing dynamics.
• Marketing Management : This class delves into how to launch and implement marketing strategies across an entire organization, including tracking analytics, developing a brand, and maintaining customer relationships.
• Advanced Marketing Theory : This course delves into traditional and modern marketing models that are backed by research. You’ll likely need to read a wide range of academic papers and give your own critical analysis.
• Quantitative Research : This course aims to teach how to apply the statistical and econometric tools learned in other courses in order to design your own experiments.
• Consumer Behavior : The core of marketing lies in getting to know your consumers’ motivations, goals, and pain points and then adapting to these for effective brand positioning.
• Social Psychology : This class examines how people behave in a social environment and what factors influence their behavior.

Aside from these courses, a PhD in Digital Marketing will usually allow you to choose from several electives based on your research interests as well.

Admissions Requirements

Most digital marketing PhD programs have the following admission requirements:

• School transcripts . You’ll probably be asked to submit transcripts of all your previous undergraduate and graduate work.
• GMAT or GRE scores . Some doctorate programs still ask for standardized test scores, but a growing number of schools no longer require them.
• Recommendation letters . PhD programs generally favor academic references from former professors.
• Personal statement . You’ll typically be asked to describe your career goals and research plans.
• Resume . Admission officers may want to see if you’ve done any related work in your career.

Admissions for a PhD program tend to be stricter since it takes a lot of time and dedication to finish.

Accreditation

Since a PhD is the highest educational qualification that you can get, it’s essential to choose an accredited school with a high-quality program.

Regionally accredited schools meet up-to-date educational standards for their programs. Attending an accredited school is an eligibility factor for government financial aid as well. Employers may also favor degrees from accredited schools, especially if you’re planning to work at a university.

The US Department of Education maintains a list of accredited schools across the US, so you can confirm a school’s accreditation status on their website.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

As an incoming PhD student, you have a number of financial aid options you can explore. You may want to start your financial aid search by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) . This will determine your eligibility for government financial aid in the form of loans, grants, and work-study programs.

There are also opportunities for fellowships, which, if awarded, will allow you to focus on a specific field of research while getting your tuition fully paid. These are awarded on a merit basis, and a regular stipend may be included.

Another option would be to pursue graduate assistantships, where you can teach or help with a school’s research projects while you continue your studies. Assistantships can be beneficial since you can work for the school while increasing your research and teaching experience.

There are also private and public scholarships available for qualifying PhD students. These are usually merit-based as well.

Do You Need a Masters to Get a PhD in Digital Marketing?

It depends on the university, but many PhD programs accept students who only have an undergraduate degree.

The most standard track, though, is to earn your master’s and then apply for a PhD program. Still, it’s possible to skip your master’s and go straight to doctoral studies after earning your bachelor’s degree. This could potentially fast-track you by 1 to 2 years, but you’d also have less experience with research.

Depending on the program, if you’re applying with a bachelor’s, you may need a stronger application to help you stand out amongst applicants with master’s degrees.

If you do decide to earn a master’s, it may be worth noting that a number of universities offer an online masters in digital marketing , which may allow you to better balance your life responsibilities. Some also offerb accelerated marketing degree options at the master’s level.

What Can You Do with a Doctoral Degree in Digital Marketing?

A PhD in Digital Marketing can help you build a career in research, teaching, data analysis, and management. The academic field is the most popular destination for PhD graduates of digital marketing. They often work as professors who are active in research.

Some graduates opt to work in management, with roles such as chief executive and marketing manager.

Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many management jobs offer higher than average salaries. Graduates may also use their knowledge of statistics and data analysis to work for technology and research companies.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Doctorate in Digital Marketing Online?

Most digital marketing PhD programs take 3 to 5 years to complete if you’re studying full-time. On a part-time schedule, it will often take longer. Time to completion varies a lot from program to program. One factor that can change how long it takes is how many credits you’re required to complete.

A dissertation requirement is another factor that can impact your timeline to graduation. Typically, the second half of a PhD program involves writing a dissertation, which is often the most time-consuming part. Without a dissertation requirement, you might be able to finish in 3 years with full-time study.

What’s the Difference between a DBA vs. PhD in Digital Marketing?

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Digital Marketing has a different focus compared to a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA).

A PhD in Digital Marketing is ultimately focused on how to publish research.

What’s the Difference between Digital Marketing vs. Social Media Marketing?

The terms “digital marketing” and “social media marketing” are often interchanged, but they’re not the same.

Social media marketing is only one component of digital marketing, which is much broader.

What’s the Difference between Internet Marketing vs. Digital Marketing Doctoral Programs?

Internet marketing and digital marketing doctoral programs have different areas of study. 

There are slight differences, but digital marketing can cover both internet marketing and offline marketing.

Is a PhD in Digital Marketing Worth It?

Yes, a PhD in Digital Marketing is worth it for many students. If you’re aiming for a career in academia, a PhD in Digital Marketing can help you qualify. It can also help prepare you for research-intensive industries, especially since you’ll be graduating with your own original research.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, postsecondary teachers are in demand and expected to see 12% job growth over the next ten years. The market research job sector is also growing much faster than average.

Outside of research and academia, your PhD degree can also be a sign to employers that you have a good work ethic and specialized knowledge. 

Getting Your PhD in Digital Marketing Online

A PhD is the highest education credential that you can get in the field of digital marketing. It can be a stepping stone for working in research and academia.

Earning your PhD in digital marketing can help you become an expert in the subject matter. PhD programs in this field typically provide extensive training in delving into research and analyzing digital marketing trends. 

Since completing a doctorate can take several years, one option is to get your PhD in Digital Marketing online. Online marketing degree programs often allow for more flexible and convenient scheduling, better enabling you to balance your studies with work and life responsibilities.

If you’re ready to set out on your doctoral journey, there are many accredited schools with diverse research interests that you can explore.

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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.

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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, in a polarized world, an open mind can hurt your reputation, a little fun — and a discount — can steer kids to healthier foods, what people really think about search engine ads. (you might be surprised.).

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Program Requirements

• Program Requirements →

Below please find the program requirements for a students in Marketing . Doctoral students in Marketing generally complete the program in five years.

A minimum of 13 semester courses at doctoral level are required. Each semester students will consult with the Marketing faculty coordinators to receive approval of their course selections.

Students in the Marketing program choose one of the following sequences

Microeconomics

• Microeconomic Theory I (HBS 4010/Economics 2020a)
• Microeconomic Theory II (HBS 4011/Economics 2020b)
• Social Behavior in Organizations: Research Seminar (Psychology 2630)
• Advanced Social Psychology (Psychology 2500)

Students must take four research methods courses, including at least one course in research design.

Research methods courses that meet this requirement include, but are not limited to:

Quantitative Research Methods

Research Methods Courses

• Introduction to Econometrics (Economics 1123)
• Introduction to Applied Econometrics (Economics 2120); (prerequisite Economics 2110; the pre-req will count towards 4 course requirement)
• Econometric Methods II (Economics 2115)
• Advanced Applied Econometrics (Economics 2144)
• Industrial Organization (Economics 2610)
• Statistical Methods for Evaluating Causal Effects (Econ 1127)
• Advanced Quantitative Methods II (KSG API 210i)
• Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics (HKS API 222)
• Statsitical Machine Learning (Statistics 195)
• Probability Theory (Statistics 210)
• Statistical Inference (Statistics 211)
• Bayesian Data Analysis (Statistics 220)
• Incomplete Multivariate Data (Statistics 232)
• Sequential Decision Making (Statistics 234)
• Advanced Demand Modeling (MIT 1.205)
• Advanced Natural Language Processing (MIT 6.864)
• Bayesian Modeling Inference (MIT 6.435)
• Inference Causal Parameters (MIT 14.388)

Quantitative Research Design Courses

• Advanced Quantitative Research Methodology (Gov 2001)
• Program Evaluation: Estimating Program Effectiveness with Empirical Analysis (HKS API-208)

Consumer Behavior

• Intermediate Statistical Analysis in Psychology (Psychology 1950)
• Multivariate Analysis in Psychology (Psychology 1952)

Research Design Courses

• Design of Field Research Methods (HBS 4070)
• Experimental Methods (HBS 4435)
• Field Experiments (HBS 4430)

Marketing students are required to take five additional doctoral courses.

Quantitative-track students are required to complete:

• Consumer Behavior (HBS 4630)
• Marketing Models (HBS 4660)
• Two breadth courses
• Three elective doctoral courses

Consumer Behavior-track students are required to complete:

• Micro Topics in Organizational Behavior (HBS 4882)
• Behavioral Approaches to Decision Making and Negotiation (HBS 4420)
• One elective doctoral course

All students without an MBA degree are required to complete two case-based HBS MBA courses.

Students are strongly encouraged to attend and participate in seminars throughout their program. Students are expected to attend the Marketing Unit Seminars .

Good Academic Standing

To remain in good academic standing, doctoral students are expected to maintain a B grade point average.

Teaching Requirement

Students are required to complete a teaching engagement of one full academic term that includes at least 8 hours, or 3 class sessions, of front-of-class teaching experience and at least 16 hours of teaching preparation time.

Special Field Exam

Students are required to pass the Special Field Exam at the end of the second year or beginning of the third year. This exam has two parts: a written exam and an oral exam based on a research paper a student has written.

Dissertation Proposal

By the end of their third year, all students are required to obtain approval of their dissertation proposal by their Dissertation Chair.

Oral Examination

Students are required to complete a dissertation proposal oral examination. In evaluating the student’s performance at the orals, the Dissertation Committee will take into account the quality of the student’s oral presentation, the quality of the student’s responses to questions from the Dissertation Committee, and the written material prepared prior to the oral date.

Dissertation

Students are required to write a dissertation, which typically takes the form of three publishable papers, to the satisfaction of their Dissertation Committee. The dissertation defense is oral and open to the public.

• Doctoral Programs

Quantitative Marketing

The PhD degree in Marketing is a research degree that is focused on developing cutting-edge skills that are needed to do research on the frontiers of marketing.

Behavioral Marketing

The PhD program in Behavioral Marketing at Yale focuses on how individuals think and behave in consumer-relevant domains. The program of study is inter-disciplinary, drawing from the fields of consumer behavior, social psychology, cognitive psychology, decision research, and behavioral economics.

Yale Marketing Seminar

The Yale Marketing Seminar Series presents recent research papers in marketing. The goal is to bring researchers from other universities to the Yale campus to stimulate exchange of ideas and deepen understanding of marketing trends.

PhD | Marketing

The Ph.D. in Marketing

Stern’s Ph.D. program in marketing trains students to perform research in a broad array of behavioral areas such as consumer psychology, information processing, and judgment and decision making. The program also teaches students how to conduct research that develops econometric and statistical models to investigate consumer, firm, and market phenomena. The behavioral work in the department emphasizes experimental methodologies while the marketing science research focuses on structural models and Bayesian analyses. Applications of theory focus on current topics such as branding, social networks and media, word of mouth, and the use of digital media. The department is proud of a long tradition of close collaboration between doctoral students and faculty members.

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PhD Programs in Marketing

The AMA helps potential doctoral students find the right program for them by maintaining a global list of PhD and DBA-granting institutions that offer the opportunity to specialize in marketing. If you would like your institution added to the list below, please email [email protected].

Current doctoral students may find helpful resources via the AMA DocSIG and PhD students who are going on the market should check out the AMA Transitions Guide or learn about Academic Placement at the Summer Academic Conference .

• ​Chinese University of Hong Kong  
• City University of Hong Kong 
• Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 
• Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
• JK Business School
• Lingnan University​​
• Management Development Institute  
• Nanyang Technological University ​
• National University of Singapore  
• Aston Business School
• Athens University of Economics & Business  
• Bilkent University 
• Bocconi University  
• Boğaziçi University
• Cardiff University  
• City, University London  
• Copenhagen Business School
• Cranfield University  
• Erasmus Research Institute of Management  
• ESSEC Business School
• Frankfurt School of Finance & Management  
• Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt  
• Grenoble Ecole de Management  
• HEC Paris  
• Hanken School of Economics  
• INSEAD 
• ICTE Business School  
• Kingston University  
• Koc University  
• Lancaster University  
• Loughborough University 
• Lausanne University  
• London Busines s School  
• Maastricht University  
• Manchester Business School  
• Nottingham University  
• Tilburg University  
• Umea University  
• University of Bradford
• University College Dublin 
• University of Cologne​
• University of Exeter  
• University of Glasgow  
• University of Grenoble  
• University of Groningen
• University of Guelph  
• University of Liverpool  
• University of Mannheim
• University of Muenster
• University of Navarra, IESE  
• University of St. Gallen 
• University of Southern Denmark  
• University of Stirling​
• University of Strathclyde 
• University of Valencia  
• VU University Amsterdam 
• Wilfrid Laurier University 
• Warwick Business School 
• Yeditepe University
• Carleton University  
• Concordia University 
• HEC Montréal  
• Laval University  
• McGill University
• McMaster University  
• Queen’s University
• Simon Fraser University 
• University of Alberta 
• University of British Columbia 
• University of Calgary
• University of Manitoba​
• University of Toronto  
• Western University  
• York University ​

Australia and New Zealand

• Bond University 
• Deakin University
• Griffith University​ 
• La Trobe University  
• Macquarie Graduate School of Management 
• Melbourne Business School  
• Monash University 
• Queensland University of Technology 
• Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology 
• University of Adelaide 
• University of Ballarat 
• University of Canterbury​
• University of Melbourne 
• University of Newcastle 
• University of New South Wales  
• University of Otago 
• University of South Australia  
• University of Sydney 
• University of Technology, Sydney  
• University of Western Australia 
• University of Wollongong

United States of America

• Arizona State University  
• Bentley University  
• Boston University 
• Carnegie Mellon University 
• City University of New York (Baruch College) 
• Cleveland State University 
• Cornell University 
• Columbia University  
• Drexel University  
• Duke University  
• Emory University  
• Florida Atlantic University  
• Florida International University 
• Florida State University
• Fordham University  
• George Washington University 
• Georgia Institute of Technology  
• Georgia State University 
• Grand Canyon University  
• Harvard University  
• Indiana University  
• Iowa State University  
• Kennesaw University 
• Kent State University  
• Louisiana State University
• Louisiana Tech University  
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology  
• Michigan State University  
• Mississippi State University 
• Morgan State University 
• New Mexico State University 
• New York University  
• Northwestern University  
• The Ohio State University 
• Oklahoma State University  
• Old Dominion University
• Pace University  
• Pennsylvania State University  
• Purdue University  
• Rutgers University  
• Saint Louis University 
• Southern Illinois University  
• Stanford University  
• State University of New York, ​Binghamton  
• Syracuse University 
• Temple University  
• Texas A & M University  
• Texas Tech University 
• University of Alabama 
• University of Arizona  
• University of Arkansas 
• University at Buffalo  
• University of California, Berkeley  
• University of California, Irvine  
• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of California, Riverside
• University of California, San Diego  
• University of Central Florida 
• University of Chicago 
• University of Cincinnati 
• University of Colorado at Boulder  
• University of Connecticut  
• University of Florida  
• University of Georgia 
• University of Hawaii at Manoa  
• University of Houston  
• University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign 
• University of Illinois at Chicago 
• University of Iowa  
• University of Kansas 
• University of Kentucky 
• University of Maryland  
• University of Massachusetts – Amherst
• University of Massachusetts – Lowell  
• University of Memphis  
• University of Miami 
• University of Michigan  
• University of Minnesota  
• University of Mississippi  
• University of Missouri 
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln  
• University of North Carolina 
• University of North Texas 
• University of Oklahoma 
• University of Oregon  
• University of Pennsylvania  
• University of Pittsburgh 
• University of Rhode Island 
• University of Rochester  
• University of South Carolina  
• University of Southern California  
• University of South Florida  
• University of Tennessee 
• University of Texas – Arlington 
• University of Texas at Austin – Marketing 
• University of Texas – Dallas 
• University of Texas – El Paso​
• University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley  
• University of Texas – San Antonio 
• University of Utah  
• University of Virginia 
• University of Washington  
• University of Wisconsin-Madison 
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 
• University of Wyoming  
• Vanderbilt University 
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University  
• Washington State University  
• Washington University in St. Louis  
• West Virginia University 
• Yale University  
• Wayne State University  ​​​

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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]

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Best Online Doctorates in Digital Marketing: Top PhD Programs, Career Paths, and Salary

Are you looking for the best online PhD in Digital Marketing to help you advance your digital marketing career and earn a higher salary? This in-depth article will dive into the essential details on everything you will need to complete a digital marketing PhD online.

You will learn about schools, tuition costs, degree requirements, and program length. We have also provided information on digital marketing jobs, which include average salary, possible positions, highest-paying states, and job outlooks. Read on to learn about digital marketing trends and other vital skills that will equip you for a more successful career path.

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Can you get a phd in digital marketing online.

Yes, you can get a PhD in Digital Marketing online, although these programs may be difficult to find. Not many universities and colleges have online PhDs in Digital Marketing, but a Doctor of Business Administration in Digital Marketing is a more common marketing doctoral degree .

An online PhD is a graduate degree at the highest level you can pursue. During your PhD you will need to complete the required coursework, a qualifying exam, and a defense of your dissertation. Online PhDs in Digital Marketing often have online videos to watch and live lectures that allow you to complete your degree from anywhere and at any time.

Is an Online PhD Respected?

Yes, an online PhD is respected when it is completed through an accredited institution. Accreditation means that a college or university delivers good quality education and meets industry standards and a specific educational standard.

It’s important to be aware of possible online degrees being scams. If you are unsure whether a school is a scam, you can look at their website. Usually, a college or university will include alumni success stories, and it will state whether or not the university is accredited. You can also look for reviews on the specific program you applied to.

What Is the Best Online PhD Program in Digital Marketing?

The best online PhD program in Digital Marketing is the PhD in Digital Marketing offered at Bircham International University. There are many excellent digital marketing PhDs online, and it can be hard to choose the best one for you. When deciding on the best online digital marketing PhD you should consider courses taught, program length, and tuition costs.

Why Bircham International University Has the Best Online PhD Program in Digital Marketing

Bircham International University has the best digital marketing PhD program because it has a short duration and a fairly low tuition cost. This digital marketing PhD is two years in length. Two years is brief compared to other programs that can take between four and eight years.

Another factor that makes this the best PhD program in digital marketing is that it only costs $170 per credit hour. Bircham International University is also accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The low tuition cost, short duration, and good accreditation make the online PhD in Digital Marketing at Bircham the best offered.

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Online PhD in Digital Marketing Admission Requirements

The admission requirements for an online PhD in Digital Marketing can be quite specific. Typical PhD admission requirements are an application form, standardized test scores, academic transcripts, and a master’s degree. Every school has specific requirements you can find either on the program web page or the university’s website. Be sure to check these requirements during your school search.

Your application should include standardized test scores like the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), and proof of English proficiency if you are an international student. Most PhD programs require students to have a master’s degree in a topic related to the field and a good GPA between 2.8 and 3.5.

• GPA of 2.5 to 3.5
• Application form
• Standardized test scores; GRE, GMAT, proof of English proficiency
• Prerequisite courses
• Academic transcripts
• Master’s degree or equivalent
• Recommendation letters
• Personal statement
• Writing samples
• Admission interview

Best Online PhDs in Digital Marketing: Top Degree Program Details

Best online phds in digital marketing: top university programs to get a phd in digital marketing online.

The top university programs to get a PhD in Digital Marketing online are Alliant International University, Trident University International, and Clemson University. If you want to broaden your knowledge and opportunities in the marketing industry, read the detailed list of schools below that includes the best online PhDs in Digital Marketing.

Throughout these excellent programs, you will learn from industry experts who will help you gain the skills necessary to land a high-paying job in digital marketing. You will also acquire the hands-on experience to have a career in many other fields related to digital marketing.

Alfred Nobel Open Business School is a Zurich-based university in Switzerland that offers many excellent online degrees to international students. It offers master’s and doctoral degrees and certificate programs in tourism, law, healthcare, and cyber security.

DBA in Mobile & Digital Marketing

The online DBA in Mobile & Digital Marketing is entirely online and enables learning through online lectures, videos, and consultations. Students will learn about tools and techniques for effective communication with customers to create targeted digital marketing campaigns during this program.

It also teaches students about strategic marketing concepts and tools that aid in making informed decisions. During this 60 credit-hour program, students will complete online digital marketing courses , including Introduction to Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) , and Marketing Analytics.

DBA in Mobile & Digital Marketing Overview

• Accreditation: World Certification Institute
• Program Length: 2 semesters
• Acceptance Rate: 65%
• Tuition and Fees: €5,000 per semester (approx. $5,258)

DBA in Mobile & Digital Marketing Admission Requirements

• Copy of qualifications

This highly reputable university traces its roots back to 1909. Alliant International University prides itself on its excellent research institutes that focus on mental health and LGBTQ+ psychology. It boasts hands-on training, small class sizes, and students' immersion in their interested industry.

Students work closely with faculty to work on presentations to showcase at industry conferences. Alliant International University helps students gain real-world experience to prepare them to join the workforce after graduation.

Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing

Alliant International University offers students a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), which allows them to choose a marketing concentration. Students need to complete 60 credit hours by the end of this program.

In the program, 42 of the 60 credit hours consist of coursework, including survey and qualitative research methods, advanced statistics, and dissertation research. After completing all the required core courses, students will start a research project to prepare for their dissertation. During their dissertation, students will complete their specialization courses in marketing.

Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing Overview

• Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
• Program Length: 3 years
• Acceptance Rate: 67%
• Tuition and Fees: $950 per unit

Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing Admission Requirements

• Application fee of $65
• GPA of 3.0 or more
• Master’s degree transcripts
• Two letters of recommendation 
• Faculty interview

Bircham International University was founded in 1992 to help more adults reach their academic goals. It offers online associate degrees , in addition to bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs to students. It provides over 200 online majors to its students and is a well-known distance learning university.

PhD in Digital Marketing

The PhD in Digital Marketing at Bircham International University is entirely online and consists of 45 to 72 credit hours. Students will learn about top new trends in digital marketing and digital marketing strategies. There are classes on how to learn search engine marketing (SEM) , search engine optimization, and social media marketing throughout the program. 

Courses included in this degree program are Social Media Management, Digital Marketing, and Promotional Strategies. Students need to complete the required coursework and finish a thesis. The thesis portion makes up approximately 30 percent of the degree program.

PhD in Digital Marketing Overview

• Accreditation: Council for Higher Education Accreditation
• Program Length: 2 years 
• Acceptance Rate: N/A
• Tuition and Fees: $170 per credit

PhD in Digital Marketing Admission Requirements

• Registration fee
• Master’s degree diploma 
• College transcripts and certificates

This outstanding university was established in 1889 in Clemson, South Carolina. It is known for its high-quality research and expertise in human resilience, sustainable environment, and advanced materials. Clemson University offers over 130 graduate degrees, including many excellent online master’s and doctoral degrees. Currently, it has 27,341 students enrolled.

PhD in Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design

The PhD in Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design is an online degree program that prepares students to work at universities and organizations in the public and private sector. The focus of the program is on new media, social media, technology, communication, and advertising.

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Students must complete required courses, write a qualifying exam and complete a defense of their dissertation. Courses that students need to complete are cultural research, communication studies, and professional communication.

PhD in Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design Overview

• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• Program Length: 8 years (on average)
• Acceptance Rate: 62%
• Tuition and Fees: $15,558 per year (resident); $38,550 per year (non-resident)

PhD in Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design Admission Requirements

• Minimum GPA of 3.5 
• Transcripts of graduate and undergraduate studies
• Portfolio including writing samples
• GRE test scores
• Three recommendation letters

This university was established in 1949 and offers both in-person and online associate and bachelor’s degrees , and master's and doctorate programs to its students. Grand Canyon University has various degree programs in liberal arts, education, business, and nursing. This university also conducts research in psychology, counseling, and other areas of social science.

DBA in Marketing

Grand Canyon University's DBA in Marketing consists of 60 credits. It helps students understand the influence of digital technology in marketing, learn to evaluate data-driven marketing strategies, and use qualitative methodologies. This degree includes courses and a final dissertation.

Students will complete courses in the Complexity of Marketing, Data-Driven Marketing Management, and Digital Technology and Consumer Behavior. After graduating, students will be prepared for a job as market research analysts and chief marketing officers.  

DBA in Marketing Overview

• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Program Length: 3.5 years (on average)
• Acceptance Rate: 73%
• Tuition and Fees: $715 per credit

DBA in Marketing Admission Requirements

• Admission form
• Undergraduate degree with a GPA of 2.8 or a master’s degree
• GMAT or GRE scores
• College transcripts

Liberty University is an excellent university founded in 1971 and offers over 450 programs. It has over 100,000 students, and 75 of its online degrees are doctoral programs. This university is known for its liberal arts education and excellent research in medicine, chemistry, graphic design, and biology.

The Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing is an excellent online program offered to graduate students at Liberty University. This course teaches students how to create and manage marketing campaigns using the digital marketing skills learned throughout the program.

Courses required during this program include supply chain management, strategic marketing management, and quantitative research methods. Students must achieve 60 credit hours of coursework over three years and complete an applied research project.

• Tuition and Fees: $595 per credit
• Application fee of $50
• Official college transcripts or master’s degree
• English proficiency test scores for international students

LIGS University is an international online private university located in Honolulu. This university offers master’s and doctoral degrees to its students with specializations in marketing, financial management, and marketing. There are 28 specializations that students can choose from at various educational levels.

LIGS University’s DBA in Marketing is a doctoral degree aimed at managers and business people. It teaches students how to use management tools to assess a business' advantages, challenges, and limitations. Students will gain critical thinking skills, investigate concepts of scientific research, and learn how to put these into practice.

Students will need to complete the self-guided coursework and submit a dissertation thesis. Courses included in this degree are Marketing Communications, Digital Marketing, Media Communication, Strategic Communication, and PR.

• Accreditation: Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges, and Universities
• Program Length: 2 to 3 years
• Tuition and Fees: $9,660 per year
• Enrollment agreement
• Master’s degree
• Five years of experience as a manager
• English proficiency test scores
• Identity documents
• Dissertation proposal and draft

Trident University International is a highly reputable online school known for its high-quality online master’s, bachelor’s, associate, and doctoral degrees. It was established in 1998 to help adults continue their education while working. This online university has around 25 programs available for distance learners.

Online PhD in Business Administration Degree

The Online PhD in Business Administration Degree is entirely online and has many concentrations. The marketing specialization helps students contribute to research on topics, including social media marketing, online promotions, and consumer behavior.

Students must complete core courses, dissertation courses, and marketing concentration courses. These courses include Strategic Marketing Management, Strategic Management, and Introductory Data Analysis. Students need to complete all coursework, write a qualifying exam, and complete all the dissertation preparation to submit their final dissertation. 

Online PhD in Business Administration Degree Overview

• Program Length: 9 years (on average)
• Tuition and Fees: $990 per credit

Online PhD in Business Administration Degree Admission Requirements

• 3.0 GPA 
• Official master’s degree transcripts
• Writing sample
• Cover letter

The University of North Dakota was launched in Grand Forks in 1883 and has become a high activity research university. This public institution's online university offers 190 degree programs. It encourages students to conduct research during their degree and has research centers conducting biomedical research, STEM research, and computational research.

PhD in Communications

The PhD in Communications at the University of North Dakota ensures that students learn about how we communicate with each other across different systems and diverse cultures. This 90-credit-hour program consists of coursework, research projects, a comprehensive exam, and a dissertation. 

The research faculty are known for their excellent work in new media and cyber culture as well as strategic communication in digital and social media environments. Students will get to work closely with these faculty members and attend classes in international media, information communication technologies, and concepts in quantitative communication research.

PhD in Communications Overview

• Program Length: 3 to 5 years
• Acceptance Rate: 76.61%
• Tuition and Fees: $569.88 per credit

PhD in Communications Admission Requirements

• Application fee of $35
• Statement of goals
• Three professional or academic reference letters
• MA in Communication or average undergraduate GPA of 3.0
• Academic writing sample of 10 to 15 pages
• Proof of English proficiency for international students

Walden University is a fully online university founded in 1970. This online university has over 100 degrees and certificates with more than 260 concentrations. It offers degrees in social work, education, and science.

Its excellent online courses and degrees will prepare students for their education, psychology, marketing, or social work career. It also prides itself on being a certified B corporation, meaning that it is recognized for its high environmental and social impact standards.

The DBA In Marketing at Walden University helps students learn all about marketing challenges, marketing channels, and how to use marketing strategies in global marketing. This program has 37 credit hours, and students can choose from 11 specializations taught by trained and supportive faculty. 

Coursework that students will cover includes business essentials, marketing research, and business-to-business (B2B) marketing. Students must complete core courses, research courses, specialization courses, and a doctoral dissertation.

• Tuition and Fees: $1,015 per credit
• Online application form
• Master’s degree or higher
• Employment history
• Official college transcripts

Online Digital Marketing PhD Graduation Rates: How Hard Is It to Complete an Online PhD Program in Digital Marketing?

It is extremely hard to complete an online PhD in Digital Marketing. A digital marketing PhD online requires a lot of independent work and research, unlike a bachelor’s degree, where students have much more guidance. Many students do not fully understand what a PhD entails when they enroll and eventually drop out of their PhD program.

According to a paper that reviewed the doctoral student retention rate, between 50 and 70 percent of doctoral students drop out before graduation . When enrolling in a PhD, read all the PhD requirements carefully and ensure you understand what is expected. If you are dedicated to earning a PhD and are a highly motivated person, you will succeed.

How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD in Digital Marketing Online?

It takes approximately three and five years to get a PhD in Digital Marketing online. The length of a PhD varies depending on the subjects, school, dissertation topic, and specific graduation requirements. According to Statista, the average time to complete a PhD is seven and a half years.

Many schools specify that a PhD can be completed in three to five years. However, it may also take much longer. Universities usually have a policy on the maximum time limit for students to meet all PhD requirements. This maximum time limit for completing a PhD is about eight to nine years. Choose a pace that works best for you and set yourself a timeframe for completion.

How Hard Is an Online Doctorate in Digital Marketing?

An online Doctorate in Digital Marketing is very hard. A PhD is the highest degree level you can achieve at a university. During a PhD you will need to complete several courses to earn credit hours and do a large amount of independent study and research.

Students completing a PhD will conduct a research project before starting their dissertation.  Students will need to attend compulsory research courses and pass a qualifying exam that tests knowledge and assesses the ability to complete a dissertation. Afterward, they will begin to write a thesis or dissertation on a particular marketing topic.

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What Courses Are in an Online Digital Marketing PhD Program?

The courses in an online digital marketing PhD cover marketing topics such as digital marketing, social media marketing, and promotional strategies. There are required core courses, elective courses, and research courses in a PhD program.

There are many intriguing elective courses to choose from that will help you learn more about the digital marketing field. The research courses will prepare you for your research project and dissertation.

Main Areas of Study in a Digital Marketing PhD Program

• Digital marketing
• Promotional strategies
• Quantitative research methods
• Social media marketing
• Search engine optimization

How Much Does Getting an Online Digital Marketing PhD Cost?

An online digital marketing PhD costs an average of $19,314 per year , according to The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The cost of your digital marketing PhD online will differ depending on specific factors like the school, the location of the school, and whether it is a private or public institution.

The average cost of a PhD program at a public institution is $12,171 per year, while it costs $25,929 to get a PhD from a private institution. According to Statista, the most common reason students pursue an online degree is the program’s affordability. Online degrees usually cost less than in-person degrees.

How to Pay for an Online PhD Program in Digital Marketing

You can pay for an online PhD program in digital marketing by applying for financial aid such as grants, scholarships, fellowships, or work-study programs. There are many excellent financial aid options at most universities.

Federal student aid is offered to accredited institutions by The US Department of Education. 

You may also seek out a work-study program that allows you to work, gain experience in your field, and lighten your financial burden. Additionally, applying for grants and fellowships can be beneficial for paying for books, tuition, and funding for PhD research. 

How to Get an Online PhD for Free

You can’t get an online PhD for free, and you won’t find any free in-person PhDs either. Some universities have financial awards and aid that can cover the cost of a PhD, and students usually have to apply for these financing options. You can reach out to your university or college to find out whether they have aid options that cover the total cost of your PhD.

What Is the Most Affordable Online PhD in Digital Marketing Degree Program?

The most affordable online PhD degree program is the online PhD in Digital Marketing at Bircham International University. This digital marketing PhD costs $170 per credit. This degree consists of between 45 and 72 credit hours, meaning the degree will cost you between $7,650 and $12,240.

A degree that costs between $7,650 and $12,240 is much more affordable than the PhD in Communications at the University of North Dakota, which costs $569.88 per credit and has 90 credit hours. The PhD in Communications will cost approximately $51,289 in total.

Most Affordable Online PhD Programs in Digital Marketing: In Brief

Why you should get an online phd in digital marketing.

You should get an online PhD in Digital Marketing because it will help you expand your marketing industry knowledge and become a marketing expert. It will broaden your career opportunities and increase your potential salary. You’ll have hands-on experience and be able to advance your digital marketing career.

Top Reasons for Getting a PhD in Digital Marketing

• Gain access to more job opportunities. Earning a PhD in Digital Marketing will increase the number of job opportunities and higher job positions, such as senior digital marketing roles. A doctoral degree is the highest level of university education and shows employers your level of commitment and hard work.
• Learn valuable specialized skills. Pursuing a PhD in Digital Marketing online will help you learn skills specific to the digital marketing field and will help you become a digital marketing expert. You will gain vital skills such as SEO and SEM.
• Contribute to the marketing industry. A huge part of completing a PhD is the independent research and thesis or dissertation. Conducting in-depth research in the marketing world will give you insight into several marketing issues, and writing a dissertation will add a lot of insight and value to the marketing field.
• Earn a higher salary. Once you have completed your online PhD in Digital Marketing, you will start earning a higher salary because of your educational qualifications. According to a report on Statista, doctoral degree graduates earn the highest salary among college graduates.
• Get a competitive edge. While completing an online digital marketing PhD students need to complete a large amount of research to write their dissertation. Having good research methods will give you a competitive edge in the digital marketing field.

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What Is the Difference Between an On-Campus Digital Marketing PhD and an Online PhD in Digital Marketing?

The difference between an on-campus digital marketing PhD and an online PhD in Digital Marketing is the location of the classes and schedule flexibility. In-person classes are held at the university and have a fixed schedule. In contrast, online programs have live sessions, videos, and a flexible schedule. Below we’ve outlined some key differences to help you make the best choice for your degree in marketing.

Online PhD vs On-Campus PhD: Key Differences

• Method of delivery. Students completing an online PhD in Digital Marketing attend live classes and can watch videos of lectures. On-campus PhD classes require students to participate in classes on campus.
• Contact with faculty. While pursuing a PhD in Digital Marketing, you will work closely with faculty members, which will be simple when studying on campus. Communication with faculty during an online PhD may be more difficult.
• Affordability. Doing an online PhD is a lot more affordable because there are fewer expenses for the school, such as books and other overhead costs. However, it is essential to remember that a degree is a costly investment regardless of the format.
• Flexibility. Online PhDs in Digital Marketing usually don’t have set class times and can be done at any time and anywhere. It is a perfect alternative for students who are working while they study.

How to Get a PhD in Digital Marketing Online: A Step-by-Step Guide

To get a PhD in Digital Marketing online, you need to meet specific requirements set by your university. Let’s break it down step by step and look at how to get a PhD in Digital Marketing online, from submitting your application to completing your dissertation.

The first step in this process is applying for your online digital marketing degree by submitting an online application. The application includes personal details, an application fee, and supporting documents. Typical documents for a PhD application are a resume, college transcripts, and a statement of purpose. You may also need to attend a college interview before being accepted.

Before you begin your doctoral program, you must pay for your tuition or make a payment plan and apply for financial aid. Many colleges offer scholarships, grants, and fellowships. You can apply for loans and federal student aid through your university. Each school will have specific information about financial assistance and funding options on its official website.

At the beginning of your advanced degree, you must complete several online courses before starting the dissertation process. PhD programs include core, elective, and research courses, and each course has a particular number of credit hours to be completed. Core courses are fixed and required, while elective courses are chosen from a list of optional online courses.

Before starting your dissertation process, you must write a qualifying exam managed by the dissertation committee. The qualifying exam tests students' knowledge of the courses in the program and their ability to conduct research. This exam typically has a written and an oral section. Before starting your dissertation, you need to choose a dissertation advisor.

During this crucial step, you will conduct your research and write a proposal for your dissertation to submit for approval. Once your dissertation proposal has been approved, you will move on to researching and writing your dissertation.

A dissertation is a quantitative research project where students will develop a theory or problem and find a solution or defend their theories. This step involves conducting research and creating data-driven hypotheses. You will research, write, and then submit your dissertation to the dissertation committee during this step.

After submitting your final dissertation, you will complete the last step in the process, which is defending your dissertation. You will defend your dissertation in front of the dissertation committee. Some universities require the dissertation committee to sign forms that indicate you have passed your dissertation defense. Submit these forms to the graduate office, and you will be ready for graduation.

Online PhD in Digital Marketing Salary and Job Outlook

Completing an online PhD in Digital Marketing will help you broaden your digital marketing knowledge and open up many high-paying digital marketing jobs. You can get a job as a marketing manager with good career satisfaction and a median salary of $135,030 per year.

The average job growth for a digital marketing career is between 10 and 22 percent, which is higher than the average job growth of all professions. Below we will discuss important details about the best digital marketing jobs for PhD graduates.

What Can You Do With an Online Doctorate in Digital Marketing?

With an online doctorate in digital marketing, you can become a market research analyst, a digital marketing professor, or work on social media platforms as a social media marketing manager. An online PhD in Digital Marketing will open up endless career opportunities and land you a senior or managerial position in the digital marketing field.

Best Jobs with a PhD in Digital Marketing

• Digital Marketing Professor
• Digital Marketing Manager
• Social Media Marketing Manager
• Marketing Content Specialist
• Market Research Analyst

Potential Careers With a Digital Marketing Degree

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What Is the Average Salary for an Online PhD Holder in Digital Marketing?

The average salary for an online PhD holder in digital marketing is $77,000 annually , according to PayScale. That is a highly favorable salary and increases depending on factors including location, level of position, proven track record, and experience. The higher your level of experience and the more senior your post, the higher your salary will be.

For example, the average salary of a marketing director is $92,200 per year , and employees in the 90th percentile earn up to $152,000 per year, based on PayScale data. Read the list of jobs below to find out information on job outlook, average salary, number of jobs, and job responsibilities of five of the highest-paying digital marketing jobs for PhD holders.

Highest-Paying Digital Marketing Jobs for PhD Grads

Best digital marketing jobs for online phd holders.

The best digital marketing jobs for online PhD holders are chief marketing officer, advertising and promotions manager, and digital marketing professor. These excellent jobs require academic excellence, strong communication skills, and an understanding of a digital platform.

Below we have broken down the highest-paying digital marketing jobs for PhD holders in detail. We’ll discuss the job description, the salary, the job outlook, and the highest-paying states for each profession.

Chief marketing officers are managers responsible for overseeing a company's marketing and sales vision. They use digital marketing tactics to manage sales and marketing groups and are in charge of interviewing and hiring new digital marketing professionals and staff. Sales and staff members rely on chief marketing officers to reach goals in a specific time frame. You will need some managerial experience to become a marketing manager .

• Salary with a Digital Marketing PhD: $174,603
• Job Outlook: 10% job growth from 2020 to 2030
• Number of Jobs: 316,800
• Highest-Paying States: New York, New Jersey, California, Delaware, Virginia

Advertising and promotions managers direct teams and create advertising campaigns that generate interest in a product to increase sales. They also manage programs with incentives that promote sales of a product or service. They promote products through discounts, coupons, or gifts using email marketing, mobile marketing, online advertising, and in-store displays.

• Salary with a Digital Marketing PhD: $133,380
• Highest-Paying States: New Jersey, New York, Colorado, California, Washington

Public relations managers are accountable for doing interviews and conducting press releases to communicate a company's standpoint to its consumers. They analyze political, social, and economic trends and help a company keep a good image. They are in charge of maintaining a good appearance and work closely with other managers such as advertising managers.

• Salary with a Digital Marketing PhD: $119,860
• Job Outlook: 13% job growth from 2020 to 2030
• Number of Jobs: 89,000
• Highest-Paying States: District of Columbia, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island

Digital marketing professors are teachers that work at universities and colleges. They teach digital marketing-related courses such as digital marketing and design and traditional marketing. They also conduct and publish research. You will be able to share knowledge and help guide others to reach their digital marketing career goals if you become a professor of digital marketing.

• Salary with a Digital Marketing PhD: $79,640
• Job Outlook: 12% job growth from 2020 to 2030
• Number of Jobs: 1,276,900
• Highest-Paying States: Alaska, New York, Utah, California, New Jersey

Market research analysts research consumer habits and collect data about their needs and preferences. They analyze the data and help companies market their services and products to predict what is in demand, potential product prices, and possible consumer markets. To become a market research analyst, you’ll need to know about analysis programs and statistical techniques. 

• Salary with a Digital Marketing PhD: $63,920
• Job Outlook: 22% job growth from 2020 to 2030
• Number of Jobs: 740,900
• Highest-Paying States: Washington, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, District of Columbia

Is It Worth It to Do a PhD in Digital Marketing Online?

Yes, it is worth it to do a PhD in Digital Marketing online. Pursuing an online PhD in Digital Marketing will help you gain valuable marketing knowledge and skills from anywhere and at any time. You can complete your PhD while working or traveling while you study. After graduating, you will have achieved the highest degree possible and earn a high-paying salary.

Earning a PhD in Digital Marketing is perfect if you want to learn valuable skills and add value to the marketing industry. It will help you advance your digital marketing career as a digital marketing industry expert. Digital marketing PhD graduates can become digital marketing professors or land managerial positions such as a chief marketing officer.

Additional Reading About Digital Marketing

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Online PhD in Digital Marketing FAQ

The typical tech requirements for an online PhD in Digital Marketing include a laptop or computer and a stable Internet connection. There might be further requirements depending on the university and program. Reach out to the school to determine the program-specific tech requirements before enrolling.

Yes, you can get a job in digital marketing with a bootcamp certificate. A digital marketing bootcamp is shorter than a degree and has a fast-paced curriculum. Students learn essential industry skills needed to start a high-paying career. A quick search on the Internet will help you find the best digital marketing bootcamps .

You can find a digital marketing job by consulting a university’s career services. Many universities offer career services such as coaching sessions and interview prep to help you find your first job after graduation. You can also search in job boards like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and LinkedIn.

Yes, there are many remote digital marketing jobs available on the Internet. You can have your dream job in digital marketing and work from the comfort of your own home or simply from a coffee shop for a change of scenery.

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

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PhD Coordinator: Debanjan Mitra [email protected]

The Marketing concentration focuses on two broad areas: consumer behavior and marketing science. Students in consumer behavior learn the fundamentals of cognitive and social psychology and experimental research to examine how social, cognitive, contextual, individual, and cultural factors affect consumer behavior. Students in marketing science learn the fundamentals of microeconomics, industrial organization, and econometrics to address topics involving the mathematical and statistical modeling of consumer and firm behavior. UConn faculty work closely with doctoral students to publish articles in the top marketing journals.

Learn More About the Marketing Department

Danielle Brick Assistant Professor, Marketing Ph.D., Duke University

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• Brands and branding
• Buyer-supplier relationships
• Consumer attitudes and inferences
• Cross-category and cross-media marketing
• Cross-cultural consumer behavior
• Consumer emotions
• Consumer judgment and decision making
• Consumer well-being
• Competitive marketing strategy
• Customer relationship management
• Digital and social media marketing and analytics
• Emerging markets
• Information search
• Marketing-Finance interface
• Online retailing and channel design
• Network effects
• Pricing dynamics
• Social interactions and peer effects

Graduates have accepted faculty positions at Georgia State University, New York Institute of Technology, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, University of North Carolina, Western University (Ivey), and Wright State University.

Marketing PhD Faculty

Weining Bao Assistant Professor PhD, Johns Hopkins University Research Interests: Digital Marketing, Information Asymmetry and Incentives, Competitive Marketing Strategies, Financial Services Markets, Education Markets, Emerging Markets, Empirical Industrial Organization, Applied Econometrics.

Danielle Brick Assistant Professor PhD, Duke University Research Interests: consumer relationships, consumer well-being, brand relationships

Robin Coulter Professor of Marketing & Marketing Department Head VOYA Financial Fellow PhD, University of Pittsburgh Research Interests: global and local citizenship and cross-cultural consumer behavior, brands and branding in developed and emerging markets, consumer-based marketing strategy

Jane Gu Associate Professor of Marketing PhD, New York University Research Interests: digital marketing and analytics, online retailing, social media, behavioral economics, competitive marketing strategies

Kelly Herd Assistant Professor of Marketing PhD, University of Colorado at Boulder Research Interests: product design, creativity, identity, emotions

Stefan Hock Assistant Professor PhD, Virginia Tech Research Interests: consumer decision-making and well-being, firm performance and marketing strategies

Christina Kan Assistant Professor of Marketing PhD, University of Colorado at Boulder Interests: Consumer financial decision making, budgeting, price perceptions, sales promotions

Nicholas Lurie Professor of Marketing  VOYA Financial Professor PhD, University of California at Berkeley Research Interests: digital marketing, consumer decision making, social media, information search

Debanjan Mitra Professor of Marketing & PhD Coordinator, Marketing Department VOYA Financial Chair PhD, New York University Research Interests: innovation, quality, customer satisfaction, new product development, brand management, marketing analytics, marketing-finance interface, marketing strategy

Vishal Narayan Associate Professor PhD, New York University Research Interests: social media, marketing in emerging markets, marketing analytics

Joseph Pancras Associate Professor of Marketing PhD, New York University Research Interests: mobile and digital marketing, retailing, customer relationship management, marketing analytics, marketing media, competitive marketing strategy

Narasimhan Srinivasan Associate Professor of Marketing PhD, State University of New York at Buffalo Research Interests: survey research, consumer research, cross-cultural research, global/international issues

Quick Facts Marketing

Program Entry

Length of Program

Number of Alumni

Percentage Women

Financial Support

100% (including tuition waiver, assistantships)

Subsidized health insurance, conference travel funding

Summer Support

Available (competitive)

Research Resources

Behavioral Laboratory, Experimental Subject Pool Availability, Research Seminar Series, Brown Bag Discussions, Writing Support, Econometrics Consultation

Student Profile Marketing (2019-2023)

Acceptance Rate

Average Graduate GPA

Average Undergraduate GPA

Apply Online

grad.business.uconn.edu/apply

Business PhD applications are open. For full consideration, and to allow time for competitive scholarship nomination, apply by December 15. If you need an extension, please inquire with the PhD Program at   [email protected]   .

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Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) – Marketing Create an Impact with Your Marketing Strategies

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100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Build Your Company’s Brand with a DBA in Marketing

Marketing is a vital part of business operations. With effective marketing strategies and creative advertising, companies can reach target audiences, sell innovative goods and services, and establish trust and brand awareness among consumers.

If you want to work in top-level business roles and gain advanced knowledge of digital marketing and promotions, Liberty’s 100% online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) – Marketing degree is for you. Our program can equip you with the leadership, communication, and business skills you need to take your career to the next level.

Partner with us and prepare to lead in your field with skill and integrity.

Ranked in the Top 10% of Niche.com’s Best Online Schools in America

• What Sets Us Apart?
• Private Nonprofit University
• 600+ Online Degrees
• No Standardized Testing for Admission
• Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
• Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Why Choose Liberty’s DBA in Marketing Online Program?

If you’re worried that school will get in the way of your other commitments and priorities, we have just what you need. Our DBA is offered 100% online, allowing you to stay invested in your family and job while pursuing your degree. With our flexible format, you can complete your courses wherever and whenever it’s most convenient for you.

We’re committed to helping you achieve your personal and professional goals. In this program, you’ll learn from professors who have years of experience in business and marketing. Our faculty are passionate about what they do, knowledgeable in their field, and ready to help increase your business expertise. At Liberty, we offer affordable tuition rates, quality academics, and training that equips you to lead with excellence in the workplace.

What Will You Study in Our Doctorate in Marketing Online Degree Program?

Learn how to formulate, implement, and oversee strategic marketing campaigns that will produce results and help your business succeed.

In our core business courses, you’ll take an in-depth look at important business topics, including supply chain management, allocation of financial resources, and human resource management. You’ll also explore current trends in business administration, giving you the knowledge needed to help your company grow and thrive.

This program includes several research methods courses that culminate in an applied doctoral research project. By completing original research, you can develop unique solutions to current business problems.

Within the marketing specialization, you will examine topics such as market research, advertising, promotions, and consumer behavior. You’ll be equipped to help your business maintain a competitive advantage, build relationships with consumers, and market innovative products. By knowing how to develop effective marketing strategies, you can increase brand awareness among consumers and boost your company’s sales.

Potential Career Opportunities

By earning your DBA in Marketing, you can pursue a wide variety of job opportunities. Most DBA graduates work directly in business, but you can also be a professor with a DBA if you want to work in academia. Some of the roles you may qualify for after completing this program include:

• Account executive
• Brand manager
• Marketing director
• Market research analyst
• Product manager
• Sales director
• University professor

Featured Courses

• BUSI 520 – Strategic Marketing Management
• BUSI 612 – Marketing Promotions
• BUSI 613 – Supply Chain Management
• BUSI 614 – Marketing Research

Degree Information

• This program falls under the School of Business .
• View the Graduate Business Course Guides (login required).
• View the Doctor of Business Administration Handbook for additional program information.
• The Applied Doctoral Research Project (ADRP) in the DBA program relates to a business problem in your specialization.

Degree Completion Plan (PDF)

Not sure what to choose?

Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

• Tuition & Aid

Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.

Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour ( learn more ) .

All Tuition & Fees

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Financial Aid Forms & Eligibility

Scholarship Opportunities

Admission Information for Our Online Doctoral Program in Marketing

Admission requirements.

• A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required) .
• Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). At least 30 semester hours of graduate business credit, as well as a regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree in business or a business-related field with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing.
• Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy .

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

• Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
• Complete a Master’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
• Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
• Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.

Transcript Policies

Official college transcript policy.

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to [email protected] .

Admissions Office Contact Information

(800) 424-9596

(888) 301-3577

Email for Questions

[email protected]

Email for Documents

[email protected]

Liberty University Online Admissions Verification

1971 University Blvd.

Lynchburg, VA 24515

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Submit your application online or over the phone.

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

• Active Duty
• Reserve/National Guard
• Veterans/Retirees
• Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees

Military Tuition Discount

We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want – at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $300/credit hour . Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work toward your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession – for less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone with a dba be called “doctor”.

Yes! A DBA is a terminal degree that, much like a PhD, allows you to use the title of “doctor.”

How long does it take to earn a DBA in Marketing?

At Liberty, you can finish your DBA in Marketing in about 3 years. With 8-week classes and no set login times, our program offers the flexibility you need to take the next step in your career.

Why pursue a DBA in Marketing? BLS data

Earning a doctorate can have a huge impact on your marketability and earnings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, completing a doctoral degree can help you receive a salary that’s approximately 25% higher than the salary of your professional counterparts who only have a master’s degree.*

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at Unemployment rates and earnings by educational attainment (viewed online August 24, 2020). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

What’s the difference between a DBA in Marketing and a PhD in Marketing online program?

A PhD and a DBA are both terminal degrees that offer advanced training. However, they are designed to prepare students for different career paths. While a PhD in Digital Marketing can equip you for a career in research and academia, our DBA in Marketing teaches practical, on-the-job skills that can be applied to the real world of business.

What kind of degree is a DBA in Marketing?

A DBA is a terminal degree that helps you stand out in the competitive business world. By earning your DBA, you can become a better business leader and learn how to apply research and theory to current business problems. Our DBA is a great option if you want to expand your professional capacity, gain specialized vocational knowledge, and develop real-world business skills.

Who is the accrediting council for the School of Business for Liberty University?

Our DBA program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs ( ACBSP ). Our School of Business is among only 3% of business schools worldwide to earn ACBSP accreditation, and having an ACBSP-accredited degree may give you a competitive advantage in the job market and help you stand out to employers.

Is Liberty University regionally accredited?

Liberty University has achieved regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges ( SACSCOC ).

What resources will be available to you as a student?

As an online Liberty student, you can access a wealth of resources through our top-notch research portal.

How long will it take to complete this DBA degree?

You can complete your online DBA degree in 60 credit hours!

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• FACULTY RECRUITMENTS
• JOB OPPORTUNITIES
• IIMB DIGEST
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• IIMB Review Committee Report Positive Impact Carbon Footprint Report 2023 Admissions For Recruiters

The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) believes in building leaders through holistic, transformative and innovative education

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IIM Bangalore offers Degree-Granting Programmes, a Diploma Programme, Certificate Programmes and Executive Education Programmes and specialised courses in areas such as entrepreneurship and public policy.

Diploma Programme

• Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy and Management (PGPPM)

Certificate Programmes

• N. S. Ramaswamy Pre-doctoral Fellowship (NSR Pre-doc)
• Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship
• Exec Education

Centres Of Excellence

To focus on new and emerging areas of research and education, Centres of Excellence have been established within the Institute. These ‘virtual' centres draw on resources from its stakeholders, and interact with them to enhance core competencies

CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE

• Capital Markets & Risk Management
• Corporate Governance & Sustainability
• Mizuho India Japan Study Centre
• Software & IT Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Teaching & Learning

Faculty members at IIMB generate knowledge through cutting-edge research in all functional areas of management that would benefit public and private sector companies, and government and society in general.

IIMB Management Review

Journal of indian institute of management bangalore.

• Give to IIMB
• Degree-Granting Programmes and Certificate Programme
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
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IIMB Institutional Review Board (IRB)

The Doctoral Programme in Marketing focuses on a wide range of topics using a variety of research methods and tools. Faculty members have the expertise in a variety of areas including Product Management, Brand Management, Marketing Decision Models, Consumer Behaviour, Marketing Strategy, Services Marketing, Retailing, and Business to Business Marketing. The coursework includes courses on marketing management, marketing models, and research methods.

Research Overview

How do taxes affect customer choice? How do expert opinions influence consumer decision making? Auction design, experiments for digital marketing, text mining to understand platform quality perception are some of the research areas that interest the faculty in the Marketing area at IIMB. Chairperson Prof. Sreelata Jonnalagedda offers a brief overview of the course work in the programme

Research Spotlight

My area of interest is Quantitative Marketing, wherein we model customer decision-making using microeeconomic principles

Customers engage with opinions made by others on social media in a variety of ways. This includes liking, upvoting, commenting or sharing these opinions. PhD scholar Jose Manu’s research explores how and why these customer engagements occur and how the presence of others in the network motivates customers to engage with online reviews.

In her Ph.D. thesis, Dhrithi Mahadevan conceptualises and identifies specific drivers of customer experience for access-based services like Uber, AirBnB, Swiggy, Zomato etc. She uses her framework to investigate how the interactions between customers, platform and third-party providers affect the overall customer experience, which in turn affects the performance of both the third-party providers as well as the platform.

• Recent Dissertations
• Core courses taken by students in the area
• Faculty Members

Ongoing Research

To learn more about faculty in the area click here

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Marketing Analytics

Partially Online

The Master of Science in Marketing Analytics provides you with both broad and deep technical skills in Marketing Analytics as marketing positions continue to evolve into a technical role within an organization.

The Marketing Analytics Master's degree emphasizes the quantitative and analytical side of marketing managerial decision-making and provides breadth of coverage to include advanced data management and other business analytics foundations. The degree thoroughly trains you in use of business analytics to power data-driven, customer-centric decisions. This program is also offered as a 4+1 accelerated program.

Through our curriculum, you will acquire techniques that improve marketing decisions. This program is designed to provide a deep dive into advanced marketing analytics topics (advanced tools and analyses, brand management, digital marketing, sales forecasting) as well as a wide coverage of business analytics space: advanced business data management, programming for data science, latest platforms, data visualization, etc. with some room for customization to fit your individual needs. The curriculum covers a wide range of technologies and tools, including R, Python, Tableau, IBM SPSS Statistics, ForecastX, SQL, Machine Learning and AI using AWS and Google platforms, as well as digital marketing tools such as Google Analytics and SEO and SEM programs.

This program is a STEM designated degree program, which offers additional benefits for students, including potential grant funded opportunities and, for international students, extended OPT study options.

We are currently accepting applications for Fall 2024 term . For detailed information about the curriculum please refer to the graduate catalog and a sample plan of study .

• Graduate Student Admissions
• Course Requirements (Catalog)
• Meet Our Faculty
• Our Community

Point of Pride

The Marketing Analytics program is the second of its kind in Illinois and one of only 16 in the nation.

Graduate Advisor

Dr. Chiharu Ishida-Lambert (309) 438-3261 State Farm Hall of Business 323

Schedule a Visit

Discover what life as an Illinois State graduate student is like.

How to Apply

University admission requirements.

A student applying to this program must:

• have earned a four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association, or do so within one academic year
• present unofficial transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. The unofficial transcript should be easily readable and clearly indicate degree(s) awarded, courses and course grades for each term. If accepted, official transcripts can be emailed from the university to [email protected] or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, Graduate School , 209 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 4040, Normal, IL 61790-4040.
• have had undergraduate training in business and/or have been employed at least one year in a business enterprise.

International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Office of Admissions.

Additional Program Admission Requirements

To be considered for this program, you must meet the following criteria.

You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work (approximately the junior and senior years) or have a minimum 3.0 GPA for all graduate-level coursework, if applicable.

Please provide an updated resume to the application.

Letters of Recommendation

Submit the names and email addresses of two references for letters of recommendation within the online application.

Submit an essay that includes the following information:

• Your professional goals and how the marketing analytics degree will help you achieve them
• An explanation of what you gained professionally and/or personally from the experiences detailed in your resume (1 -2 paragraphs)

GMAT (or GRE scores) are only required if your last 60 hour undergraduate GPA or graduate GPA (minimum of 9 hours) is less than 3.0.

English Proficiency (International Students)

International students must meet the minimum English proficiency scores set by the University: TOEFL score of at least 79, IELTS score of 6.5 band or Duolingo score of 105.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester Term — May 1
• Spring Semester Term — No spring admission
• Summer Semester Term — No summer admission

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are not offered by the Department of Marketing for this master’s degree program.

The University provides graduate assistantships as a means of financial support. They are intended as a way to facilitate a student's progress to degree while providing important professional development.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an assistantship a student must, generally,

• be admitted unconditionally as a degree-seeking student into a graduate academic program, or have a minimum of 120 undergraduate hours if in an integrated degree program
• be in good-standing
• be enrolled full-time (typically at least 9 credit hours during the fall or spring semesters, or at least 6 hours during the summer session).

Graduate assistants receive

• monthly wages paid in the form of either a stipend or an hourly wage
• a waiver for 100% of tuition during a semester of appointment
• a waiver for up to 12 credit hours of tuition for the summer term immediately following a fall or spring appointment

Costs & Funding

See  Student Accounts  for information on tuition and fees.  Funding  for graduate students is available from several different sources. Students who have been admitted from contiguous states including Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin will receive in-state tuition.

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• 309-438-7261
• State Farm Hall of Business 352
• College of Business

How Can a Master’s Degree in Digital Marketing Advance My Career?

• Academics  

The essentials of marketing haven’t changed, but the ways they’re executed have.

Promotion, content creation and advertising have always been a few of the many essentials in marketing. For this to be done successfully, marketers must understand the audiences they are trying to reach, along with their needs and wants. As technology advances, the ways to achieve this continue to change. It is vital for today’s marketing professionals to keep up with these changes and understand how they benefit your company.

An undergraduate marketing program provides the general rules of the discipline and provides students with the foundation necessary to understand their role in their company’s success. A graduate program gets more specific into digital marketing and provides students the practice needed to do their role efficiently.

Sacred Heart University offers a master’s in digital marketing program with a curriculum reflecting the dynamic elements of the marketing field. Michael Frechette , associate professor in the marketing program at SHU, has shared the ways an MA in digital marketing will prepare you to be nimble and successful in professional marketing.

Practice in data analysis and quantitative marketing

Data collection is essential for marketing success. Without it, there is no way of measuring the success of a campaign. Marketers can collect mountains of data, often asking themselves, “What can I do with all of this?”

As a digital marketer, you analyze data needed to optimize campaigns, enhance customer service and get a competitive advantage. This is done by analyzing engagement data from channels like websites, emails and social media to see how well customers are responding to your company’s marketing initiatives. You also analyze data to track customers’ purchasing habits, browser behavior and demographics.

These kinds of data were not accessible before the age of digital marketing. “The way that we analyze data is predominantly different nowadays. Since everything is digital, it allows precision that was only dreamed about before,” said Frechette.

Learn to effectively create and promote website content

One thing your company has complete control over is your own website content. From blogs and podcasts to social media content, these are outlets for your company to establish their brand messaging. This content is created to attract a target audience and engage with them.

SHU’s master’s in digital marketing program will teach you to create this content with search engine optimization, using keywords to improve the quality and quantity of website traffic from search engines. You will also learn how to increase social media engagement through social media commenting and promotions.

Young professionals are great at the operations of owned digital platforms. They are skilled in establishing pillar content and brand positioning online.

Expand knowledge on paid digital efforts

There is an art and a science to choosing the right ad network to get in front of your customer. Seeking out your target audience is essential to your company’s success. Although website content is key to engaging audiences, it is not as important for bringing in new ones. Paid digital efforts are ways for companies to bring in external audiences by paying for publicity. This is often done with website advertisements, email marketing and influencer marketing.

Paid digital efforts tie into every sector of digital marketing. They can direct traffic to your website content, increase engagement and drive customer purchasing. You can also pay for your content to be promoted on external websites and at the top of search engine results.

Interested in studying digital marketing at Sacred Heart University?

SHU’s master’s in digital marketing program teaches students the essentials in the field, such as digital marketing strategy, social media marketing, content marketing, digital advertising and marketing analytics.

For more information, schedule a meeting with Ed Nassr or reach out at [email protected] or 203-396-6877.

Want to hear more from SHU? Subscribe to our newsletters to get the latest updates delivered right to your inbox.

MKT6344 - Digital Marketing Strategy

MKT 6344 Digital Marketing Strategy (3 semester credit hours) Executive Education Course. The course explores the business development process and sales funnels, digital marketing, digital and social media concepts, business development analytics as well as concepts including the difference between inbound and outbound digital marketing strategies. Corequisite: MKT 6301 . (3-0) Y

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5 Best Digital Marketing Courses That Are Worth Taking in 2024

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Digital marketing is key for businesses that wish to increase brand awareness and draw attention to brands over long periods of time. When effectively done, digital marketing helps “funnel” potential buyers to a purchase. Training to be a digital marketer involves exploring the tools used to analyze customer data, interpreting trending topics with SEO and discovering the strategy behind driving sales.

Interested in a career in digital marketing? There are a variety of ways to enter into digital marketing as a career. For example, search engine optimization is a key part of digital marketing and may lead to a viable career path.

I chose the following digital marketing courses because of their positive reviews from the digital marketing community, their thoroughness and their approachability.

• Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate via Coursera: Coursera
• HubSpot Academy’s Digital Marketing Course: HubSpot Academy
• Moz Academy SEO Starter Pack: Moz Academy
• Semrush Academy’s Digital Advertising 101: Semrush Academy
• Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization: Coursera

Best digital marketing courses: Comparison table

Google digital marketing & e-commerce professional certificate via coursera.

Google’s digital marketing introduction from Coursera is suitable for beginners, and you’ll emerge from the course with a professional certificate. This course is backed by Google and is completely online. It covers a wide variety of topics, from search engine marketing and converting likes to sales on social media to marketing campaigns and setting up an e-commerce store.

This certification includes multiple courses, which should, together, take about six months to complete at 10 hours per week.

A Coursera subscription costs $59 per month, so the cost will depend on how quickly you complete the course. A six-month learning journey would cost $354.

HubSpot Academy’s Digital Marketing Course

HubSpot sells marketing and sales software and also offers free courses for learning digital marketing. This course covers email, SEO, social media, content creation and scheduling, and website advertising. It is particularly suitable for small business owners who have a business plan but are unfamiliar with digital marketing practices. It is taught primarily through video, with a transcript available.

The HubSpot Academy Digital Marketing Course is free. As with most online course materials, it requires an email address to log in.

Moz Academy SEO Starter Pack

When it comes to SEO, Moz Academy is a good place to start for step-by-step instructions on how to use the right tools for the trade. It provides how-tos for SERP listings and evaluating keywords; in addition, it gives contexts such as how and why pages show up in search results and the history of search algorithms. The third module, Local SEO Fundamentals, focuses on SEO strategies for local businesses.

Moz Academy generally has a good reputation among the digital marketing community in terms of a starting place for beginners. Note, there’s no guarantee the “recent trends in SEO” section will still be recent by the time you reach it since search engines are changing so rapidly.

The complete SEO Starter Pack costs $149.

Semrush Academy’s Digital Advertising 101

Business owners or marketers looking to approach their work from a strategic angle or wanting to focus on advertising may find value in this Semrush Academy course. Along with the basics of how digital advertising works, this course covers measuring how well your campaigns are doing and building solid strategies around your most successful projects. It teaches you an overview of competitor research and how to craft an overall digital advertising strategy.

Semrush Academy’s Digital Advertising 101 is free.

Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization

The Digital Marketing Specialization available on Coursera is taught by faculty members at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This is a relatively in-depth course, covering the theory and practice of digital marketing, but it may repeat some of the same content on other courses listed here, so choose which one will be the best format for you.

Coursera is generally considered reliable, though some of the same information in this course can be found for free. On the other hand, this specialization is good for people who want a guided path through the practical uses of digital marketing tools. It ends with a hands-on project that involves executing a digital marketing campaign.

A subscription to Coursera costs $59 per month, with a 7-day free trial, so the cost will depend on how long it takes you to complete the course. A four-month learning journey would cost $236.

Are digital marketing courses worth it?

Whether an online digital marketing class is worth the time, effort and money for you depends on your learning style and career goals. Digital marketing courses often provide a “one size fits all” overview instead of focusing on a specific job title or audience. It may be wise to look for free tutorials on YouTube before signing up for a paid class.

Digital marketing changes very quickly — just look at Google’s AI Overviews . Be sure any course you choose is up-to-date or that you can supplement it with contemporary content. Whether you have a professional certification may not matter to employers as much as whether you can show proven results.

Is digital marketing high paying?

As of May 2024, the average salary for a digital marketer in the U.S. was $64,898, according to Indeed. The higher end of the salary range could reach up to $113,442.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found the annual mean wage of Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists in May 2023 to be $83,190.

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