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Marketing: Admission to the Program

Our Strength: Our Program

The PhD program in Marketing is looking for accomplished graduate and undergraduate students with degrees in business (e.g. MBA), economics, quantitative methods or related fields, or degrees in psychology, sociology or related fields. Successful applicants demonstrate their excellence through outstanding grades, top scores on standardized test, and quantitative or behavioural research skills.

APPLICATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 2024 ARE NOW CLOSED. Applications for Fall 2025 will be open in September 2024.

Who are we Looking for?

Accomplished graduate students with an masters degree in business (e.g. MBA), economics, quantitative methods or related fields, or a masters degree in psychology, sociology or related fields.

Outstanding undergraduates: we also admit outstanding undergraduates directly into the PhD program with a strong background in a) business, b) economics, quantitative methods or related fields or c) psychology, sociology or related fields. 

Transfers from PhD programs in economics and related fields: students who have done extremely well in their first or second year of their PhD program who are interested in transferring to marketing.

Transfers from PhD programs in Psychology, sociology and related fields: students who have done extremely well in their first or second year of their PhD program who are interested in transferring to marketing.

Admission is highly competitive: we only admit two-to-four students each year. Successful applicants in the past have demonstrated their excellence through outstanding undergraduate grades, top scores on GMAT/GRE standardized test, and the skills necessary to achieve excellence in either quantitative or behavioral research in marketing. Marketing PhD students join a broader graduate-student community that includes more than 40 new admits each year in economics and psychology and a current cohort of 80 Rotman PhD students in eight academic areas.

Before being offered admission, selected students will be interviewed (either in person or via video conference) and may be invited to visit the campus. The program can be completed in four to five years, depending upon prior training and student progress.

Find out more about Admission to the PhD Program