Many people are intrigued by this new buzz of neuromarketing, and they want to know one thing, “How soon can I start?”
The answer is sooner than you think. And we can help you get there.
I realized yesterday, after reading this post by Roger Dooley, that we’re not doing a good enough job telling the world about our programs at Texas Tech.
Our program’s not called “neuromarketing,” but if you want to understand the intersection of physiology, psychology, and marketing communication, there is no better place to do it.
Texas Tech offers both a M.A. and a Ph.D. in mass communications, and every graduate student has the opportunity to work in the psychophysiology lab.
We Have Fun, Too!
The lab is a vibrant mix of professors, doctoral students, master’s students, and undergraduate students. Every lab member is passionate about understanding the intersection of mind and media.
More importantly, we work hard while having fun.
We have a fully functioning state-of-the-art psychophysiology lab. We measure skin conductance, heart rate, facial electromyography, blood flow, and electroencephalogram (brain waves).
We also have an eye-tracking lab and a 20 person computer-based experimental lab.
Within the College of Mass Communications, we have five experimental scientists as professors, and we have hired a second psychophysiologist, who will begin in the fall. Two additional experimental scientists will start in the fall.
We have nationally recognized researchers in advertising and public relations.
Our national board of directors includes industry leaders from around the nation, and they travel to Tech every year. It’s an amazing opportunity to showcase our research to some of the top media and marketing professionals in the country.
Earn While You Learn
And perhaps the best part is that qualified graduate students have their tuition paid by the college, and they are paid a monthly stipend for helping in the lab or classroom. Ph.D. students earn more than master’s students, and right now doctoral students earn more than $18,000 a year plus paid tuition and health insurance.
Our graduate students are active members of the Society for Psychophysiological Research, the American Academy of Advertising, and the International Communication Association. The student research conducted here is well respected.
Beware of the Magnet
If you’ve followed neuromarketing, you’ve probably heard a lot about fMRI, or functional magnetic resonance imaging. Around here we just call it “the magnet.”
Be careful. There are a lot of naked emperors running around in new fMRI clothes right now. Come study at Tech, and you’ll know why most of the fMRI studies you’ve seen are silly and don’t really teach us anything. Come study at Tech, and you’ll know how to design a real neuromarketing study.
We’re designing our first fMRI study here, and we hope to begin data collection in 2009.
We have an amazing team here. But we’re a growing program, and we need more talented people to help make us better. I hope you’ll be one of those people.
Take a look at my lab page, and please contact me if you’re interested.
I’d also be happy to put you in touch with one or more of our amazing graduate students.
Usually university slogans are silly. But in this case, I believe Texas Tech’s is totally appropriate: “From here, it’s possible.”
Sound interesting? Have questions? Start by leaving a comment below.
I'm a cognitive scientist and communication scholar who manages a psychophysiology lab at Texas Tech. I teach courses about the cognitive processing of media messages and research methods.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
So, how may I contact You?
I’m interested in the field, but moving to TX isn’t an option for me — are there any comparable programs in the midwest (i.e. Chicago in particular?)
The closest I know of would be Indiana University in Bloomington. That’s about four hours.
I´m very very interested in graduate study related to neuromarketing, what´s the application process? Who do I talk to?
Are there any programs in los angeles, SF or NY similar to your program? for Neuromarketing?
I was wondering if you know any Neuromarketing programs somewhere in Europe? or something very close to this field? Thank you
Hi! I’m from Mexico but I almost finish my carreeer and I’m really interested in neuromarketing, Who can I talk to or write to??
Hello. I am currently a Danish undergraduate student at Copenhagen Business School. But my true passion and interest lies within the field of Neuromarketing and Neuroscience. Therefore I would like to know if you at Texas Tech takes exchange students or if it is possible as a foreigner to com study a whole program in this field?.
I am very much looking forward to your answer.
Best
Catrine Jacobsen
Catrine:
How about a visiting professor comes to Copenhagen? I like that better!
Ana:
Sorry it took me so long to respond. E-mail me at sam dot bradley at ttu dot edu.
sam, you are very welcome. That would even work better for me as well
However are there any demands for students to study a semester at TT? perhaps acceptance qualifications?
Best
Catrine
Hi,
I am very interested in neuromarketing. I graduated in Management with a major in Marketing at McGill University in Montreal and I am moving to New-Jersey. I would like to take a master degree related to the field. Where should I go ? What is the best path to follow ?
I thank you in advance for your help,
AML
Where do I sign up?
I’m expecting to graduate with a major in Biology and minors in Psychology and Business Management from the American University of Beirut.
So, my only question is, where do I sign up? =D
Sorry for my very slow responses. What a semester this has been.
Catrine: There are many interesting people in the world with whom to study. Lubbock is not feasible for everyone, of course. As a traditional master’s program, our college at Texas Tech is typically looking for a well-rounded student with a combined GRE verbal and quantitative of at least 1,000 to be competitive for funding. And for most that is the only way that a master’s is affordable.
Ann-Marie: McGill? Very cool. On the east coast, there will be lots of options. I would suggest keeping an eye on trade journals, such as Advertising Age to see what is being written. But beware the snake oil salespeople. Most people claiming to do neuromarketing know a lot about branding but almost nothing about the brain. And that renders their work meaningless.
Gino: You sound like you have very interesting background perfectly suited for this type of study. I direct you to our graduate program Web site, here or e-mail me with any specific questions.
I just read through the comments and I’m more than interested in the program. I have a bachelor’s degree in business Administration , a professional diploma in Public Relations, and master’s degree in media and communications. with these qualifications qualify me for a PhD program at Texas tech?
kindly furnish me all details.
I just read through the comments and I’m more than interested in the program. I have a bachelor’s degree in business Administration , a professional diploma in Public Relations, and master’s degree in media and communications. will these qualifications qualify me for a PhD program at Texas tech?
kindly furnish me all details.
Manuel — many apologies for the delay in response. It’s been that kind of summer.
Your qualifications appear well matched with what we seek in potential students. If you’ve looked at the requirements, I encourage you to send me an e-mail (the address is easily found; I shan’t post here as to avoid spambots) and tell me more about your interests.
- Sam
Hey there,
My name’s Fiona and i have recently graduated from a BSc degree in Psychology in the UK and am now studying MSc Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL
Neuromarketing strikes me as something i definitely would like to become part of, however i have tried to contact some of the (very few) companies i can find that are doing it in London and have not been very successful with getting replies
Can you give me any advice on how to get into the industry at this level? Would there be any suitable oppurtunities at Tech?
Many thanks
That’s great …I would like to study a master in neuromarketing or a Ph.D.
please give me feedback.
Thanks a lot.
Andy García (Lima, Peru)
Hi Samuel,
I’m writing you from Ecuador – South America. I’m very interested in this program. I have a bachelor’s degree in Economics at a university in Ecuador, a professional diploma in business competitiveness, and got my MBA in Tech of Monterrey in Mexico. Will these qualifications be enough for the PhD program in Texas Tech?.
Also, I would like to know if you have, or if you are interested on any agreement with universities in Ecuador. I’m a professor in the Universidad de Cuenca in my home city.
I want to do my PhD, and Neuromarketing and Neuroeconomics are two fields that have become a passion for me. The problem is that I have a family here in Ecuador and is very difficult for me to leave my country for a long time. That’s why I wanted to know how the PhD program works? How long does it take to get the PhD, and how long do I have to be in the US? Can I work some of the PhD program in my local university through some kind of agreement?
Thank you for your time.
Juan,
Family is, of course, very important. I cannot imagine being one state away, let alone another continent.
As of today, we have not found a way to deliver Ph.D. level content at a distance that meets our standards — in fact, not even close. Although our program is new, we believe strongly in the mentorship relationship between doctoral student and advisor. And we just cannot find a satisfactory way to replicate that long-distance.
There are programs online, but allow me to suggest buyer beware. You get what you pay for.