If you want to run a business with a focus on the customer then good marketing skills are important. Good marketing decisions are made by understanding the customers’ needs, as well as the competitive environment. However, to learn these things it’s essential to find a good marketing program. Not all marketing programs are created equally.
Marketing is fundamental for careers in general business management. You can even specialize in marketing and continue on in such fields as:
- strategic marketing
- product management
- market research
- e-commerce
- retailing
- advertising
- promotions
Finding a Good Program
In a good marketing program you’ll find a program that is dedicated to creating a realistic and applied learning environment for the study and practice of the subject area. Not only will you take classes that are designed to teach you skills in general business management that will prepare you for the business sector, but you’ll also be prepared for the marketing application as well.
In a good program, the faculty should be reputable and known as experts in their field. They should approach marketing with an analytical orientation and employ quantitative methods to solve practical problems. They should also be up-to-date on current trends in the marketing world and use both traditional and modern methods, including social media in their marketing techniques.
A Bachelor of Science in Marketing
The BS in Marketing program is one of the most popular marketing degrees. It normally features around 12 hours of marketing core courses along with several electives of your choice. In addition, you might also be able to decide to specialize in a certain area, such as Marketing Research and Analytics or Brand Management. Electives could include courses such as:
- Sales Management
- Advertising
- Social Media Marketing
- Digital Marketing
- Sales and Business Development
Master of Science in Marketing
In the Master of Science in Marketing, students are normally enrolled for 36 hours. Those students who wish to pursue higher level positions in marketing generally already hold a business related degree when they seek this type of advanced degree.
Classes generally consist of business core courses as well as marketing courses and electives. You might also specialize in this type of degree program too. Specializations might include Marketing Management, Digital Advertising, or Product Management.
MBA Degree with an Emphasis in Marketing
Some graduate students prefer to seek an MBA degree with their focus in marketing. This is also feasible in some cases. An MBA degree is an excellent degree choice since it can open many doors in the business world. An MBA is a good general business degree to hold and with a focus, or emphasis in marketing it can make you even more attractive to potential employers.
In this type of a degree program you would generally take general business classes, along with general marketing classes. The goal of the program is to produce a qualified graduate with a background in business concepts with an emphasis in marketing. Graduates would be able to deal with many advanced issues, both theoretical and applied, in the field of marketing as well as with many general business issues.
In addition to these degrees, it’s possible to continue on and receive your business PhD with a focus in marketing as well. This is something you might want to consider, especially if you think you might want to teach later on in the future.
With so many options available in the field of marketing, it’s important to take a look at all of the different programs that your school offers and determine which one appeals to you, and which one is going to open the most doors.
Author Bio: David Miller is an educational researcher who has several years of experience in the field of teaching, online testing and training. He is associated with prestigious universities and many leading educational research organizations. Currently, he is pursuing research in online knowledgebase software and is also a contributing author with ProProfs.
