Marketing Programs

There are a variety of different marketing degrees available. You can earn an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree in marketing. If you want to further your education, consider pursuing a masters in marketing, or a Marketing MBA.

To help decide which program is right for you, consider the amount of time you want to spend in school. Think about a possible career path you would like to follow. Also, think about the companies for which you would like to work.

The time it takes to complete a marketing program may be a deciding factor for some. Sometimes, students just cannot or do not want to spend four (or more) years in college, but, they still want to pursue a degree. An associate's degree only takes two years to complete. Students looking to earn a bachelor's degree, will need to attend a four year marketing program. Masters or MBA programs can add up to one or two more years in school, depending on the type of program.

Think ahead 10-15 years and imagine what your career looks like. What are your career aspirations? You may dream of climbing the corporate ladder to a top managerial position. Or maybe you are content with a position that allows you to use your marketing skills without having to climb to the top. Career goals can help decide what type of marketing program to attend. The higher you climb, the more advanced degrees you typically need.

Also, consider the types of companies for which you would like to work. Large corporations, like Fortune 500 companies, may require a bachelor's degree to work in their marketing departments. Regional or local companies may only require an associate's degree.

Master's degrees and Marketing MBAs are earned after a bachelor's degree. Many students decide to pursue these degrees for greater earning potential and career advancement. Rarely do entry-level marketing jobs require these degrees. Some choose to pursue this degree as soon as their bachelor's degree is completed. Others choose to go out in the workforce, gain experience, and then go back to school. The company you are work for may offer programs to help pay for your master's degree.

Everyone's situation and career goals are different. Pick a marketing program that best fits your needs.

Associate's Degree

Students may choose to earn an associate's in marketing (AA). An associate's degree usually takes just two years to earn. It is considerably more affordable than earning a bachelor's degree. Many marketing programs at community colleges and online universities offer an AA.

A student pursuing an associate's degree in marketing will learn the basics of marketing. Students typically take courses in communications, consumer behavior, economics, advertising, retailing, and management. The coursework will prepare you for many entry- level marketing jobs in sales, retailing, and market research.

Earning an Associate's Degree:
If you plan to earn an associate's degree in marketing, consider attending a community college. The majority of community colleges have an open admissions policy. An open admissions policy means that pretty much anyone can attend, regardless of grades or standardized test scores (like the SAT or ACT). Most will require a high school diploma or a GED and many community colleges require an applicant to take some sort of placement test. The placement tests required are different for each school.

Many online universities also offer associate's degree marketing programs. These universities may have a campus in your city. Admissions requirements vary widely by school. Many only require a high school degree or diploma. Some require you to be employed.

Make sure to carefully examine an online university or community college's accreditation status. This is especially important if you are considering transferring credits to a bachelor's degree program at a larger school. Many bachelor's degree programs will only accept associate's degree credits from an accredited school.

Time and money are two main reasons why some students choose to pursue an AA degree.

Benefits of a Marketing Associate's Degree:

• It only takes two years to complete your degree. This gives you the opportunity to enter the workforce quicker. Many companies with entry-level marketing jobs will hire you with just an AA degree. You can decide if this is the career path you want to continue down and earn money while you are deciding.
• Many students will attend a community college to earn the degree. Community college is considerably cheaper than attending a four year university. Tuition and fees can be up to 50 percent less than at a large university. You will also save on housing costs. A community college is probably located close to where you live. Flexibility is also a plus. Many classes are scheduled in evenings to accommodate working students.
• After beginning your associate's degree, you may decide that you want to pursue a bachelor's degree. Credits may be transferred to a bachelor's degree program. The ability to transfer credits is based varies depending on the institution you attend.
• Maybe you didn't have the best grades in school or struggled on college entrance exams. Many schools that offer associate's degrees do not consider these criteria. You will be able to earn a degree proving you are ready to enter the workforce and be a productive employee.

Disadvantages of a Marketing Associate's Degree:

Earning potential is hampered when you only have an associate's degree in marketing. Students with AA degrees can expect entry-level marketing job offers. Advancement may also be harder when competing with someone who holds a bachelor's or master's degree in marketing. High- paying marketing jobs require a more advanced degree. Many large corporations will only consider hiring a person who holds at least a bachelor's degree.

This doesn't mean a person holding an associate's degree in marketing will not be successful. Just make sure to understand the potential career obstacles.

Bachelor's Degree

The majority of students who pursue marketing studies will earn a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree leads to greater job opportunities and higher earning potential. On average, a bachelor's degree level marketing program takes four years to complete.

To earn a bachelor's degree, a student will has to apply to a college or university. There is an admissions process that a student must follow. Typically, public and private universities require a specific GPA and standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) to be considered for admission. Admissions requirements vary by institution. If you plan on attending one of the country's top marketing programs, high standardized test scores and a high GPA are required. Many online colleges also offer bachelor's degree programs. Depending on the online school, admission requirements may be less stringent.

A bachelor's degree is an undergraduate degree. Undergraduate degrees can be awarded for a variety of studies, including marketing. These degrees can be earned in four years and require 120 credits. You can earn different types of bachelor's degrees while studying marketing: The most common types are a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Science degree, or a Bachelor of Business degree. A BS degree is more technical than a BA degree. A BA degree is less specialized and awarded to more liberal arts- oriented specialties.

The first two years of study consist of general education requirements. Each state defines which general education courses a student is required to take. These courses generally include English composition, quantitative methods, natural sciences, social sciences, and the arts. Introductory business courses are also taken in the first two years. If a student passed CLEP exams, he or she may be able to receive course credit for general education classes.

The final two years of study focus on the area in which you are specializing. If you are pursuing a marketing major, you will need at least 18 credits of required marketing courses. There will be a variety of marketing courses from which to choose. Think about the career path you might take, then speak with a marketing professor or student advisor about your plans. They can recommend classes that are consistent with your career plans. Classes may address subjects like buyer behavior, professional selling, business to business marketing, or promotion marketing. Many marketing programs will be segmented into different tracks. This helps students pick courses in the areas in which they may want to specialize.

The benefits of earning a bachelor's degree in marketing are enormous. Career opportunities, career advancement, and earning potential are greatly increased if you earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. Many companies will only hire individuals who hold a bachelor's degree. The degree shows employers that you have learned the necessary skills and have the knowledge to effectively contribute to their organization.

A student with a bachelor's degree in marketing can be considered for many mid- level jobs. A degree in marketing opens the door for a wide variety of job opportunities. If you are analytical, you may choose a career in marketing research or brand management. Sales representative positions in pharmaceutical companies can be a lucrative career path as well. For the creative marketing graduate, jobs in advertising agencies or promotional firms are popular. A degree will greatly increase your chances for career advancement. You may start out in a lower level position but quickly be promoted when the employer sees what you have to offer.

Is there a disadvantage to earning a bachelor's degree in marketing? The answer is no. Going to college can be an expensive proposition. Taking four years to go to school may seem like a lot of time, but if you are serious about a marketing career, then you must earn at least a bachelor's degree.

Master's Degree

A master's degree is an advanced degree. After completing an undergraduate marketing program, students may decide they need to continue their education. A masters in marketing can be earned immediately after completing an undergraduate degree or, after a student has entered the workforce.

Colleges and universities offer a variety of master's degree programs that coincide with many areas of undergraduate studies. A student with a bachelor's degree in marketing may choose to pursue an advanced degree in specific areas like marketing, public relations, or international management.

The school from which you earn your undergraduate degree will probably offer a master's degree program as well. Regardless of where you decide to earn your advanced degree, there will be admissions requirements. Schools require a GMAT or GRE score along with a minimum GPA. Many graduate schools only look at the GPA earned during the last two years of your undergraduate studies, because this is when the majority of core degree specific courses are taken. If you are considering attending a top business school, high test scores and a high GPA are required.

The time it takes to complete a master's degree varies. Many students will choose to attend a master's degree program part time while they continue working. Assuming a student earns 9 credit hours per semester, the entire program can be completed in four years. A student attending the program full time can finish in two years. Many schools will require you to complete all coursework within five years.

The MBA is the advanced degree most business students will try to earn. Students will begin the program taking core business courses in subjects like accounting, economics, management, marketing, finance, and global business. Students who have graduated within a certain time period from an accredited college may be eligible to waive some of the core courses. Once these courses are completed, a student will be able to pick a specialized track. Popular master's degree programs for marketing professionals include marketing strategy and advanced marketing. Each school will differ in the specialized areas that are offered.

Other than a doctorate degree, a master's degree in marketing is the highest degree you can attain. The primary reason to pursue an advanced degree is more career opportunities and higher income potential. If you are considering a career path that takes you into senior management, an advanced degree may be helpful. Many companies view a master's degree as beneficial. Students will have learned the newest concepts and be able to provide meaningful ideas to move a company forward. Some companies will hire a person with a master's degree and little work experience over a person with many years of experience and a bachelor's degree. Promotions can also be decided based on the type of degree an employee holds.

Is it beneficial to earn a master's degree? Well, that depends on your situation and career goals. A master's degree is expensive. A degree may cost over $15,000 a year at a public state university. A top ranked program at Northwestern or Harvard may cost over $40,000 a year. Think about the career path you might want to take. If you do not have aspirations of being in senior management, then it may not be in your interest to spend the time and money. Think of the types of companies where you may want to work for. Many smaller companies value work experience over advanced degrees. Large companies may think an advanced degree is more important than work experience when it comes to promotions.

Your success will not be defined by whether or not you hold an advanced degree. As your career progresses, you may decide that an advanced degree is needed for future advancement or your may decide that it is not.

Marketing MBA Program

After earning undergraduate marketing degrees, many students decide to pursue an advanced degree. There are a variety of advanced marketing programs to consider. But, if you are serious about pursuing a marketing career, consider a Marketing MBA program.

A Marketing MBA can be valuable to employers. Students who attend these programs learn the newest advancements and cutting edge ideas in marketing. Marketing is a field that is constantly changing. For years, television and print ads were the tools most companies used to get their sales message out. Today, a variety of social media are used to target consumers. The landscape is constantly changing. Companies that do not adapt will struggle to stay afloat. Students attending Marketing MBA programs learn how to recognize these trends and apply them to actual business situations.

Advanced degree programs are offered at the majority of colleges and universities. However, many colleges only offer MBA's in specific areas of studies. Not every MBA school will offer a masters in marketing. When choosing a program, look at the faculty teaching the courses. . A faculty's body of work and the research projects they have completed may make the program more valuable. Review the curriculum and see if leadership programs are included. Do they use Harvard's case- study method or another version of learning?

Does it matter where you earn your Marketing MBA? You do want to attend an accredited program that is fairly reputable. You will be spending a lot of time and money earning the degree. If you are going to put in the effort, you might as well go to a good school. Many state universities earn high marks for their graduate business programs.

Regardless of where you decide to earn your Marketing MBA, you will have to go through an application process similar to the undergraduate degree process. The majority of schools will require GMAT or GRE scores along with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Schools will usually just look at GPA earned during the last 2 two years of undergraduate study, so they can see grades earned in your core business courses.

The time it takes to complete a Marketing MBA program will vary. Part time students take four to five years to complete the program. Full time students will take only two years to complete an MBA. There are also programs designed just for executives that shorten the amount of time you spend in school.

Marketing MBA programs will require students to complete core business courses that cover a broad spectrum of business fields. The remaining time in the program is dedicated to specialized classes focused entirely on marketing. Specialized marketing classes will focus on market segmentation analysis, developing marketing plans, designing market research projects, and sustainable marketing strategies.

A student who earns a Marketing MBA can expect to have greater career growth than a student who only holds a bachelor's degree. Students who want to work as marketing managers, brand managers, or ad managers for Fortune 500 companies need to consider an advanced degree. Earning potential is also greater. People with MBA's may move up the corporate ladder quicker.

The biggest drawback to earning an MBA is time and money. Top schools can exceed $40,000 in annual tuition and fees. Time is also an issue, especially if you are working while attending school. Many students decide to go back for an MBA after they have been in the workforce. First, they have gained actual experience working at a company. Second, some companies will help pay for your Marketing MBA. If you have shown potential for advancement, a company may pay a portion of your tuition. Make sure to understand what the company requires if it helps with the cost.