Our Graduates
Graduates of our PhD program are well prepared for careers as marketing faculty and currently occupy positions at several leading universities throughout the world. In recent years, our graduates have obtained faculty positions at a number of prominent institutions, including the University of Michigan, Indiana University, University of Arizona, University of Colorado at Boulder, Rutgers University, and the National University of Singapore, among others.
Recent research indicates that graduates of our PhD program are thought leaders in the academic marketing community, as a recent presentation by Robinson and Adler (2004) shows that Wisconsin’s doctoral program is among the top ten institutions in terms of the research impact of our graduates.*
*Presented at the 2004 Annual Conference of the Academy for Marketing Science, Vancouver, Canada.
Our recent graduates offer the following insights about their experiences as marketing PhD students at the University of Wisconsin:
Anocha Aribarg
PhD 2003
Assistant Professor
University of Michigan
[Website]
"One of the best decisions I have ever made was to get my marketing PhD from the University of Wisconsin. First and foremost, the UW marketing faculty is absolutely incredible. From day one, they treated me like a colleague, but more importantly they became my teachers who relentlessly taught and inspired me to reach my fullest potential as a research scholar. The training was rigorous, both in its breadth and depth. The marketing faculty is diverse in their research expertise. I was exposed to different research interests, which gave me a broader perspective and a better appreciation of interdisciplinary research. Another great advantage of attending UW is that I had opportunities to take the classes from other renowned departments (e.g., Statistics, Economics). Learning from and interacting with faculty both inside and outside the marketing department made me feel confident that I received fantastic doctoral education. My personal experience was also extremely satisfying. My fellow PhD students became good friends, who gave me not only moral support but also constructive comments and advice. Madison is also a lively and fun college town surrounded by beautiful lakes. Many people may think that the only enjoyable day in a PhD program is the day of graduation. However, for me, I can honestly say that I enjoyed every moment of my PhD experience at UW."
Neeraj Bhardawaj
PhD 2000
Assistant Professor
Temple University
"One of my mentors once told me: any endeavor that you ever pursue should provide you with the following: 1) the opportunity to learn, 2) the opportunity to apply what you have been learning, and 3) the opportunity to have some fun along the way. The Ph.D. program at the University of Wisconsin lived up to the billing on all three accounts. I found that being able to interact with top-notch faculty and doctoral students enabled me to acquire the research and teaching skills necessary to prepare me for an academic career. Furthermore, the Terrace, Hoofer’s sailing club, Badger football, and Madison’s music scene provided an outlet for my fellow doctoral students and I to keep matters in perspective and develop some long-lasting friendships along the way. I would encourage those interested in pursuing a doctorate in Marketing to seriously consider the Ph.D. program at the University of Wisconsin."
James Burroughs
PhD 1998
Associate Professor
University of Virginia
[Website]
"The University of Wisconsin is a special place. You have access to the tremendous resources of a world-class research university, yet its culture is unique. The environment encourages eclectic thinking. Though I have long since focused my interests, the breadth of the program helped me to recognize the vista of opportunities available to me and I continue to try and follow Wisconsin's model of reading and thinking broadly. But perhaps more important than anything, Wisconsin provided outstanding training for the field of academia through a balance of support and restraint. In the end being an academic is a very independent enterprise. One must have the requisite tools, but one must also be self-directed. Doctoral students who are either coddled or left dangling will face enormous problems down the line. Wisconsin recognizes this and takes great care to insure that each student is provided enough support and guidance to succeed, yet has the space to find their unique path."
Alan Malter
PhD 2000
Associate Professor
University of Illinois - Chicago
“The University of Wisconsin-Madison was an ideal place to study for my PhD in marketing. The program was intense, challenging students from the first day to the final dissertation defense. The faculty were leading scholars and great role models for students aspiring to a future academic career. The larger university provided an incredibly stimulating intellectual environment. I enjoyed studying with top scholars in psychology, sociology, philosophy, and statistics, some of whom became members of my dissertation committee and coauthors.
Rebecca Slotegraaf
PhD 2000
Assistant Professor
Indiana University
[Website]
“While at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for my doctoral degree, I found the level of research energy to be quite contagious. The atmosphere was very collegial, there was rich discourse between doctoral students and faculty, and the focus was on generating interesting and counter-intuitive research – all of which enhanced my motivation and passion for research. The camaraderie among doctoral students also cultivated several long-term friendships. Overall, I enjoyed my doctoral experience at UW and the excitement for research that it cultivated.”