Bachelor Degree in Marketing

Individuals with a flare for the creative, the ability to identify and develop strategies, and an interest in business should consider pursuing a career in marketing. Marketing is the key to the success of any business and skilled marketers are highly valued by employers and corporations worldwide. Marketers typically enjoy generous salaries and compensation packages.

The best way to get your marketing career off to the right start is by earning a bachelor's degree in marketing. The bachelor science (BS) or bachelor of arts (BA) of marketing is the degree of choice among top employers and is an entry-level requirement for most marketing positions. Students enrolled in a bachelor's marketing degree program will learn skills and strategies to effectively market products and services. They will take classes in marketing, economics, statistics, writing, and finance, and will graduate ready for a career within the field.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, median annual incomes for people who have completed bachelor's degree in marketing were over $65,000 as of May 2014. The median pay for advertising, promotions and marketing managers was nearly $116,000 a year. And experienced marketers can earn over $150,000 a year. There are no guarantees, but job opportunities are expected to be abundant throughout the next ten years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2012 and 2022 over 25,400 new marketing jobs will be created in the U.S. alone.

What jobs can you get with a bachelor's degree in marketing?

Most recent graduates with a bachelor's degree in marketing will get started with an entry-level job and then work their way up through the ranks. A few of the more common jobs for marketing graduates include marketing manager, sales manager, product manager, advertising manager, or public relations specialist.

Marketing Manager
Marketing managers have a number of responsibilities which include identifying new product markets, estimating product demand, developing pricing strategies, managing marketing departments, and working with sales, public relations and new product developers. While most marketing manager positions require a master's degree, there are some positions available to talented marketers who have a bachelor's degree in marketing.

Sales Manager
The primary responsibility of a sales manager is to supervise a team of sales representatives. Sales managers assign sales reps to specific prospecting territories and make sure that sales quotas are being met. They're also responsible for developing and managing incentive programs and training new hirees. The minimum educational requirement for becoming a sales manager is typically a bachelor's degree in sales, marketing or a related discipline. However, most sales managers also have extensive experience in product sales and marketing.

Product Manager
Product managers are much like marketing managers but they focus one specific product. Instead of developing marketing strategies for an entire company, division or department, product managers develop marketing strategies for specific products. A bachelor's degree in marketing is almost always required for this position. Earning a master's degree in marketing is recommended for competitive positions.

Advertising Manager
As their name suggests, advertising managers are involved in the advertising side of the marketing equation. They may be involved in advertising for specific products, projects, for a department or an entire organization. It's their job to create interest and generate additional demand for products and services. Advertising managers work for advertising agencies on behalf of their clients, with media firms or directly for corporations.

Promotions Managers
Promotions managers combine advertising and purchasing strategies to develop incentive programs aimed at boosting sales. The campaigns promotion managers develop may involve various marketing mediums including internet, direct mailers, newspaper, special events, in-store displays and product endorsements. Promotion managers may employ various strategies to support their campaigns such as rebates, samples, discounts, contests, or sweepstakes. Most promotions managers have a bachelor's degree in marketing, or a closely related discipline.

Public Relations Specialist
Public relations managers manage all aspects of an organizations communications with the public and maintain a corporations public image. They communicate with a company's customers and investors, reports and other media. Public relations managers typically have a bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, or marketing.

Curriculum and Courses

While curriculum and course requirements will vary by institution, most accredited marketing programs have a general, core and elective components. General education courses typically include the basics - math, science, English, business communication, and possibly a foreign language. While many colleges offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Marketing, the majority offer a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing (B.B.A.). Either degree path will prepare students for a career in marketing, but the B.B.A. offer students a slightly larger breadth of career opportunities in business administration and corporate management.

Core curriculum in most bachelor's level marketing programs will include the following courses:

Principles of Marketing
Finance or Fincial Accounting
Marketing strategy
Ethics
Statistics
Business Finance
Consumer Behavior
Marketing Management
Strategic Management

General education coursework is designed to teach students how to think critically and prepares them to tackle more advanced topics covered during the core curriculum. Students who successfully complete all general education and core requirements are then able to select elective courses and specialize in a specific area of study.

The Online Bachelor's Degree in Marketing

While distance education programs in marketing have been around for many years, the online bachelor's degree in marketing has exploded in popularity over the last few years. Online marketing degree programs are ideal for marketing professionals looking to complete a degree while pursuing their career, or for non-traditional students who are unable to attend a full-time, campus-based college program.

Online marketing degree programs are convenient and flexible. Students are able to attend class when they want and complete there degree at their own pace. But don't be fooled. Earning a degree online isn't easy, and it isn't for everyone. Online students are self starters, committed, good time managers and self motivated. Instead of a fully online degree program, many students opt for a hybrid program. Hybrid marketing degree programs allows students the flexibility and convenience of online learning while providing the quality education provided through a traditional campus-based program.

Bachelor Degree in Marketing

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