M.B.A. Concentration in Marketing

The Marketing Department offers a total of eight concentrations in addition to the general Marketing Management concentration.

Brand Management

The concentration in Brand Management is designed to educate participants in how to manage brands and brand-related assets. The concentration in Brand Management will provide the following benefits to participants:

Learning how to manage existing brands as well as how to plan, develop, launch, and manage new brands
Assessing brand equity
Understanding the current branding environment
Developing analytic, creative and organizational skills
Understanding advertising and promotion management

Who should take this concentration:

Marketing professionals interested in acquiring expertise in brand management
Advertising professionals interested in learning about brands and brand management
Brand managers, assistant brand managers, and brand associates

Individual Courses: 4 courses are required for the concentration in Brand Management and 5 courses are recommended as suggested electives

Required courses:

Brand Management (MKT 541)
Brand Culture (MKT 542)
Consumer Behavior (MKT 545)
Advertising and Promotion Management (MKT 575)

Suggested courses:

Precision Marketing (MKT 529)
New Product Management (MKT 537)
Effective Business Communication (MKT 576)
Sales Strategy and Technology (MKT 578)
Marketing of Services (MKT 590)

Customer Relationship Management

The concentration in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) provides the following benefits to students:

Learning how to plan, develop, implement, and continually improve CRM strategies for large, medium, and small organizations across multiple vertical markets
Understanding the similarities and differences in CRM strategies for B2C, B2B and B2B2C
Gain an appreciation of organization dynamics and how the organization must change to ensure a successful CRM strategy
Introduction to technology and how it can be leveraged to enable CRM
Learning marketing campaign methodologies, communication strategies, measurement methods, marketing channel optimization, value chain member strategic inclusions, and analytical methods
Gain insights into customer/prospect data gathering, data integration, data transformation into knowledge, data mining, one-to-one strategy within market segments, data suppression and enhancement

Who should take this concentration:

Marketing professionals and students of marketing interested in learning best practices in CRM methodologies
Computer system technology professionals and students interested in learning how marketing professionals have leveraged technology to achieve their CRM objectives and what opportunities that may exist for new technological innovation in support of CRM
Non-marketing business & non-computer system technical professionals and students interested in learning the roles their respective disciplines play in an organization’s CRM strategy and the benefits accrued to them for taking on a CRM strategy
Entrepreneurs, General Management and Executives identifying how they can leverage CRM to grow their businesses and increase their competitive advantage

Individual Courses: The concentration consists of the following three courses:

Required courses:

Principles of Customer Relationship Management (MKT 530)
CRM Analytics Measurement and Campaign Management (will be MKT 531)
CRM Implementation and Strategy (will be MKT 532)

Suggested courses:

Business to Business Marketing (MKT 550)
Marketing of Services (MKT 590)
Consumer Behavior (MKT 545)

Integrated Marketing Communications

The concentration in Integrated Marketing Communications offers students a package of benefits not available at any other institution:

Business school rigor
Communications courses supported by outside professional organizations like CADM and BMA
Internship opportunities at Chicago area agencies and media

Who should take this concentration:

Advertising account executives who want to round out their expertise and understand how their clients are approaching their markets
Media sales professionals who want to understand their clients who use their media and see how they view the total communications landscape.
Advertising Coordinators and Directors who need to learn tools and techniques of more direct and one-to-one communications concepts
Public Relations specialists who need to upgrade their knowledge and skills into more controlled communications media
Non-profit development officers who need to cultivate marketing communications programs on a limited budget

Individual Courses: Three courses will be required for the concentration in Integrated Marketing Communications. For students who have the interest and scheduling flexibility, there are four “strongly suggested” electives of which we will advise selection of two. Finally, there is a list of three “suggested” courses, of which we recommend that students take one. Thus, students could earn the concentration with three courses or go into greater depth with up to six courses.

Required Marketing “Communications Discipline”:

Advertising and Sales Promotion (MKT 575)
Sales Strategy and Technologies (MKT 578
Internet and Interactive Marketing (MKT 595)

Strongly suggested to take 2 of the following “Integration Discipline”:

Customer Relationship Management (MKT 530)
Campaign Management (MKT 531)
Effective Business Communications (MKT 576)
Marketing Communications Internship (MKT 799)

Suggested to take 1 of the following “Research Tools”:

Marketing Research (MKT 525)
Qualitative Research (MKT 528)
Precision Marketing (MKT 529)
Brand Culture (MKT 542)
Consumer Behavior (MKT 545)
International Marketing (IB 550)

Marketing Research and Analysis

The concentration in Marketing Research and Analysis will provide the following benefits to students:

Learning how to plan, execute, analyze, and deliver high-quality market research to enhance business decision-making ability
Provide a deep understanding of the tools and techniques necessary to become well versed in marketing research
Make analytical presentations in a client-based atmosphere supported by substantiated facts and inferences
Provide preparation for a successful career in marketing research or research-based consulting

Who should take this concentration:

Marketing professionals interested in acquiring expertise in marketing research
Technical professionals interested in acquiring expertise in marketing research
Marketing research professionals interested in learning tools and techniques for advanced marketing research

Individual Courses: Four courses are required and three courses are recommended as strongly suggested electives for the concentration in Marketing Research and Analysis

Required Courses:

Marketing Research (MKT 525)
Precision Marketing (MKT 529)
Analytical Tools for Marketers (MKT 534)
Consumer Behavior (MKT 545)

Suggested Courses:

Advanced Marketing Research (MKT 526)
Qualitative Research (MKT 528)
Effective Business Communication (MKT 576)

Marketing Strategy and Planning

The concentration in Marketing Strategy and Planning provides the following benefits to students:

Learning how to organizing to manage customers, product lines, and new product development
Developing in-depth understanding of the design and sustainability of innovative business models
Learning how to manage existing product lines
Planning for the future by developing blueprints to grow existing product lines and to develop new product lines as part of a systematic strategy for achieving firm objectives

Who should take this concentration:

Marketing professionals interested in acquiring expertise in marketing strategy and planning
Business consultants interested in acquiring expertise in marketing strategy and planning
Product development professionals interested in learning tools and techniques for new product development and management
General managers seeking to grow their businesses through the management of existing product lines, through innovative business model design, and through launch of successful new product lines

Individual Courses: Three courses are required and four are strongly recommended as electives

Required courses:

Customer Relationship Management (MKT 530)
Marketing Strategies and Planning (MKT 535)
Strategic Marketing: Developing Sustainable Business Models (540)

Strongly suggested courses:

Business to Business Marketing (MKT 550)
International Marketing (IB550)
Effective Business Communication (MKT 576)
Marketing of Services (MKT 590)

Marketing Management

The Marketing Management concentration is designed to develop and sharpen skills in analysis, planning, and control of marketing activities. The concentration aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to identify and develop programs and products that meet customer needs and to prepare students for assuming and successfully discharging managerial responsibilities in marketing or marketing-related positions within a firm.

Requirements:

To complete the four-course concentration in Marketing Management, students must complete Marketing 525 and 545, and any two additional graduate-level Marketing courses. Students are encouraged to consult with department faculty for course recommendations.

Marketing Research (MKT 525)
Consumer Behavior (MKT 545)

Other graduate-level Marketing courses available:

Advanced Marketing Research (MKT 526)
Qualitative Research (MKT 528)
Precision Marketing (MKT 529)
Customer Relationship Management (MKT 530)
Campaign Management (MKT 531)
Measurement and analytics (MKT 532)
Analytical Tools for Marketers (MKT 534)
Marketing Strategies and Planning (MKT 535)
New Product Management (MKT 537)
Strategic Planning for New Product Management (MKT 538)
Brand Management (MKT 541)
Brand Culture (MKT 542)
Consumer Behavior (MKT 545)
Business to Business Marketing (MKT 550)
International Marketing (MKT 557)
Advertising and Sales Promotion (MKT 575)
Effective Business Communication (MKT 576)
Fundamentals of Sales and Networking (MKT 577)
Sales Strategy and Technologies (MKT 578)
Sales Organization and Management (MKT 579)
Marketing of Services (MKT 590)
Internet and Interactive Marketing (MKT 595)
Special Topics (MKT 798)
International Marketing (IB 550)

New Product Management

The concentration in New Product Management is designed to educate participants on how to plan, develop, and launch successful new products and services.

The concentration in New Product Management will provide the following benefits to participants:

Learning how to plan, develop, launch, and manage new products and services to fuel firm growth as an alternative to a pure financial engineering approach
Developing methodologies for understanding new markets, new technologies, and their interface to develop new product and service lines
Planning for the future by developing blueprints to grow existing product and service lines and to develop new product and service lines as part of a systematic strategy for achieving firm objectives
Learning necessary cross-functional skills to work in and manage development teams
Developing and instituting robust new product and service development processes that are flexible enough to match changing market needs and disciplined enough to ensure fast and profitable cycle times
Acquiring adequate expertise and knowledge to be able to take the Product Development and Management Association’s PDMA certification exam

Who should take this concentration:

Marketing professionals interested in acquiring expertise in new product and service development and management
Technical professionals interested in acquiring expertise in new product and service development and management
Product and service development professionals interested in learning tools and techniques for new product and service development and management
General managers seeking to grow their businesses through the launch of successful new product and service lines

Individual Courses: Three courses are required for the concentration in New Product Management:

Analytical Tools for Marketers (MKT 534)
New Product Development (MKT 537)
Strategic Planning for New Product Management (MKT 798/538)

Sales Leadership

As part of our rapidly growing Sales Leadership Program, we have added an MBA concentration in Sales.

All firms must sell a product or service in order to make a profit. Very few universities provide more than a token course in selling at the graduate level, and fewer still offer a concentration in it. Most salespeople learn on the job and often are ill-prepared. Even those employees not directly involved in selling to customers are frequently called on to sell their ideas within the firm. However, sales can be a rewarding career from many perspectives, as well as a fast track to management. Because there is a lack of sales training, many firms report that one of their major problems in hiring is a shortage of qualified sales professionals.

The proposed concentration in Sales provides the following benefits:

An understanding of the sales techniques used across a variety of sectors
Skills in customer relationship management
Strategies for sales force management
Excellent interpersonal communication and presentation skills
Knowledge of the most current segmentation, targeting and sales strategy technology necessary to manage a territory

Who should take this concentration:

Professionals currently working in sales who want to improve their understanding of all aspects of the sales process.
Professionals who seek careers in sales.
Technical professionals who want to branch out into sales.

Courses: Three courses are required, with a fourth strongly suggested for students with room in their schedules.

Required courses:

Effective Business Communication (MKT 576)
Leading Business Development (MKT 577)
Sales Strategy and Technologies (MKT 578)

Suggested additional course:

Category Management (MKT 798)

Strategic Global Marketing

International business entails global, regional, and cross-border market/societal interactions that require timely and effective business/government/community strategies and decisions.

The Strategic Global Marketing concentration has the following learning objectives:

Develop and implement marketing strategies and programs in an international context.
Apply analytical approaches for systematically examining target-county macro and market environments.
Gain insights to alternative marketing approaches to emerging markets.
Gain insights to alternative marketing approaches to emerging markets.
Understand intercultural and cross-cultural approaches for the preparation and implementation of marketing programs in an international context.
Analyze, assess and manage political risk in an international context.

Courses: Three courses are required for this concentration:

International Marketing (MKT 557 crosslisted as IB 550)
Marketing Across Cultures: A Global Perspective (offered this fall as MKT 798, offered in the future as MKT 558)
International Business (IB 500)

Each of these courses is offered at least once per academic year.

For additional depth we recommend the following optional electives:

International Finance (FIN 557)
International Aspects of U.S. Taxation (ACC 567)
International Management (MGT 557)
Regional Marketing Study (e.g. Asia-Pacific, Latin America) Special Topics (currently offered as MKT 798)
Analytical Tools for Marketers (MKT 534)
Marketing in Emerging Markets (Special Topics Fall 2009)