Major in Marketing

Students may seek either an academic major or minor in marketing.

The marketing major prepares students with the marketing skills and business acumen necessary for professional and personal success in today's global business environment. The curriculum provides a balanced course of study that exposes students to a common body of knowledge and leads them to understand marketing processes and situations, think independently, communicate effectively, and appreciate their own and other cultures. Students with a major in marketing will be well-positioned to enter a broad spectrum of marketing positions in private and public corporations, marketing agencies, or entrepreneurial endeavors.

Intended Program Outcomes

The student who graduates with a major in marketing will be able to

• Apply marketing knowledge and skills to meet organizational goals through analytic and managerial techniques related to customers, executives, finance, information technology, law, operational domains, and customer relations.
• Employ strategic marketing skills, including scenario planning, market intelligence, customer profiles, marketing plans, and competitive analysis, to respond to organizational marketing challenges.
• Conduct research, analyze data, create an effective marketing plan, and support decisions that meet the needs and wants of global customers.
• Utilize verbal and nonverbal communication skills, including strategic communication, technology, fluency in business language, and effective customer communication, to achieve personal and organizational goals.
• Act with personal and professional integrity, conveying an ethical orientation in the global marketplace of employers, peers, and customers.
• Cultivate and maintain positive interpersonal relationships based on demonstrated character, behavior, engagement, and positive interaction with teams, managers, and customers.

Degree Requirements

A degree with a major in marketing requires the successful completion of 120 credits of coursework, including 36 credits for the major; 41 credits in general education requirements; and 43 credits in the minor, electives, and other degree requirements. At least 18 credits in the major must be earned in upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above).

Requirements for the Marketing Major

Coursework for a major in marketing includes the following:

• Required business courses (15 credits): ACCT 301 (or 221); BMGT 364, 380, and 496; and STAT 230
• Required marketing courses (12 credits): MRKT 310, 354, 410, and 412
• Supplemental major courses (6 credits): Any MRKT courses
• Required capstone course (3 credits): MRKT 495
• Required related courses (9 credits), which may be applied anywhere in the degree: ACCT 326 (or IFSM 300) and ECON 201 and 203

Recommended Sequence

The following course sequence will fulfill all the requirements for the BS in marketing. Coursework for the major is indicated by . Since some recommended courses fulfill more than one requirement, substituting courses for those listed may make it necessary to take additional courses to meet degree requirements. Students should consult an advisor whenever taking advantage of other options.

Marketing Degree Courses

First Courses (to be taken within the first 18 credits)

Note: Placement tests are required for math and writing courses.

• EDCP 100 Principles and Strategies of Successful Learning (3)
  (strongly recommended as first course)              
• LIBS 150 Introduction to Research (1)
• WRTG 101 Introduction to Writing (3)
• MATH 106 Finite Mathematics (3)
  or a higher-level math course               
• BMGT 110 Introduction to Business and Management (3)
  (strongly recommended elective for students with no prior business experience)

Introductory Courses (to be taken within the first 30 credits) 

• ECON 201 Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
  (related requirement for the major; also fulfills the first behavioral and social sciences requirement)   
  
• NSCI 100 Introduction to Physical Science (3)
  and NSCI 101 Physical Science Laboratory (1)
  or other biological and physical sciences lecture and laboratory course(s)
• WRTG 291 Research Writing (3)
  or other communications/writing course
• IFSM 201 Concepts and Applications of Information Technology (3)
  or CMST 303 Advanced Application Software 
• STAT 230 Introductory Business Statistics (3)
  
• PHIL 140 Contemporary Moral Issues (3)
  or a foreign language course or other arts and humanities course

Foundation Courses (to be taken within the first 60 credits)

• PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology (3)
  or SOCY 100 Introduction to Sociology or other behavioral and social sciences course (discipline must differ from first)
• BIOL 101 Concepts of Biology (3)
  or ASTR 100 Introduction to Astronomy or other biological and physical sciences lecture course
• HIST 142 Western Civilization II (3)
  or HIST 157 History of the United States Since 1865 or other arts and humanities/historical perspective course (discipline must differ from other humanities course)
• ECON 203 Principles of Microeconomics (3)
  (related requirement for the major)
• ACCT 301 Accounting for Nonaccounting Majors (3)
  or ACCT 221 Principles of Accounting II (students should note prerequisite)
• SPCH 100 Foundations of Oral Communication (3)
  or WRTG 293 Introduction to Professional Writing or other communication, writing, or speech course
• BMGT 364 Management and Organization Theory (3)  
• IFSM 300 Information Systems in Organizations (3)
  or ACCT 326 Accounting Information Systems (related requirement for the major; fulfills the interdisciplinary issues/computing requirement; students should note prerequisite)
• MRKT 310 Marketing Principles (3)         

Additional Required Courses (to be taken after introductory and foundation courses) 

• WRTG 394 Advanced Business Writing (3)
  or other communications/upper-level advanced writing course      
  
• BMGT 380 Business Law I (3) 
  
• MRKT 354 Integrated Marketing Communications (3) 
  
• MRKT 395 Managing Customer Relationships (3)
  or other supplemental major course         
  
• MRKT 410 Consumer Behavior (3) 
  
• BMGT 496 Business Ethics (3)
  
• MRKT 454 Global Marketing (3)
  or other supplemental major course 
  
• MRKT 412 Marketing Research (3)  

Capstone Course for Major (to be taken in the last 15 credits) 

• MRKT 495 Strategic Marketing Management (3)

Minor and/or Elective Courses (34)
(to be taken in the last 60 credits along with required major courses)

Total credits for BS in marketing: 120

• Marketing Degree Planning Worksheets