There is no doubt that a proper education and experience can carry a business professional a long way in the field of marketing. While there is no standard requirement for a degree in marketing, an undergraduate degree is a great way to start. Coupling a foundational degree like that with a Master's in Marketing Management makes a potential hire even more attractive. But what does it take to attain a degree at this level? What will a graduate student who is pursuing a master's degree in marketing management be exposed to?
Here are the five areas explored within a Master's in Marketing Management.
Marketing
Marketing managers are responsible for how a brand communicates with its target market. With proper marketing, a company can build a customer base which will purchase its products or services for years to come. Strong marketers will be aware of their customers' spending tendencies and be able to forecast what consumers will desire in the future. Effective marketing also includes the ability to use current technologies to maximize exposure. One of the nation's best MBAs with a concentration in Marketing is delivered at Indiana University. Specialized courses within this excellent full-time, on campus degree include Marketing Performance and Productivity Analysis, Marketing Strategy, Business Marketing Strategy and Management, Marketing Intelligence Management, Brand Asset Management, and Global Marketing Management
Communications
A company can create the most innovative and high-quality product on the market, but without the ability to communicate well with customers, the product may never reach its full potential in the marketplace. Understanding the many facets of communication and being able to capitalize on them in the business sector can pay off in huge ways. Students in Master's in Marketing Management programs get the opportunity to sharpen their verbal, written, and digital communication skills.
Public Relations
A good PR representative can help an organization launch a new technology or product or help alleviate damage to a company's image when news of a corporate issue or scandal arises. While marketing managers may not be responsible for the bulk of an organization's public relations department, an education with this topic included within its curriculum can be helpful.
Accounting and Finance
At the base of any good master's degree is the foundational coursework that deals with basics of accounting and finance. For example, Ohio University's Fisher College of Business stresses these topics at the beginning of their stellar full-time MBA in Marketing with a two-week intensive introduction to the program which equips students with a leadership foundation. Topics included in this program's core courses are Accounting, Data Analysis, Finance, International Business, Leadership, Managerial Economics, Operations, and Organizational Behavior. The content within such courses "provide in-depth exploration of the functional areas that are critical to a complete understanding of the business environment."
Business Management
Students interested in marketing will often have a background in graphic design or perhaps an interest in advertising. The coursework within a Master's in Marketing Management is designed to harness these talents and interests in a way to make them effective and efficient for business management. Many business schools use cohort-based education techniques to build strong team-minded individuals. The business management skills acquired within a full-time graduate degree will serve a business management professional well for years to come.
Marketing management degrees are designed to give a student a solid foundation in business leadership and the proper exposure to current trends in the world of marketing. This field can be rewarding to all professionals interested in advertising, promotions, marketing, and leadership.