Marketing (Business) Graduate Programs

Marketing Graduate Programs and Curriculum

Students pursuing a marketing graduate degree should have a keen interest in sales, public relations, business management and business development. They should enjoy working in a team environment, and they should have excellent communication and leadership skills.

People in advertising, marketing, sales and public relations often work long hours under tight and fluctuating deadlines. Marketing management positions receive a great deal of scrutiny and pressure because clients expect to see results in the form of increased revenue through the company’s marketing strategy.

People who are interested in obtaining upper-level marketing management jobs need specialized and targeted knowledge in areas such as:

• Strategic marketing
• Marketing theory
• Quantitative analysis in marketing
• Managerial economics

Students who have an interest in earning a master’s in marketing should know that the coursework usually takes about two years to complete. Many programs require applicants to have at least one year of relevant work experience; however, many programs will consider senior level students at the bachelor level with appropriate GPA scores and relevant internship experience. Often, graduate programs in marketing require letters of recommendation for admission, as well as minimum scores on any required entrance examinations.

Most marketing graduate programs require students to choose a specialized area of focus. Some options are:

• Digital marketing
• Marketing analytics
• Brand management
• Strategic marketing

All marketing students are required to complete core class requirements. These might include:

• Statistical analysis
• Business communication
• Financial analysis of marketing decisions
• Business law

Most marketing master’s degree programs do not require the preparation and defense of a thesis paper.

A Ph.D. in marketing paves the way for scholarly research in the marketing field. Students who complete a Ph.D. program in marketing generally seek employment at colleges, universities and research institutes. Marketing Ph.D. programs generally take anywhere from four to six years to complete, and have similar application guidelines to master’s programs. The primary difference in the two programs is the focus of study. Virtually all Ph.D. programs require participation in research and teaching activities, as well as the preparation and defense of a dissertation in the final years of the program.

Ph.D. marketing courses may include:

• Judgment and decision making perspectives on consumer behavior
• Empirical models in marketing
• Research methods in marketing
• Information processing perspectives on consumer behavior

Marketing Career Paths

Students who complete a marketing graduate degree will be prepared to work in a variety of fields and industries that needs to sell or market its services or products. Marketing is a vital aspect of the world’s economy, and experienced and educated marketing managers will have good job prospects. While a bachelor’s degree in marketing is the satisfactory for entry-level marketing positions, those who wish to seek managerial jobs in the field will have much better prospects with an advanced degree.

Marketing Future Job Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for advertising and promotions managers in advertising, public relations and related services was $105,960 in 2008. Competition for jobs in the marketing field continues to be high, especially at the higher levels of management because of the excellent salary potential and prestige. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in this sector are expected to grow with an increase of 13 percent between 2008 and 2018.

Data according to

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Ed.