7.4.12 CURRICULUM IN MARKETING 

Marketing is the field of business concerned with (a) the identification and analysis of consumer and business market needs and (b) the development and management of marketing programs to satisfy those needs. Marketers are responsible for product development and management, promotional programs, distribution systems, and appropriate pricing for targeted market opportunities. The Master of Science in Marketing (MSM) degree program is based on an intensive 30-hour curriculum designed to provide students with advanced analytical skills and hands-on experience to prepare them for fast-track jobs in such fields as:

• product or brand management
• marketing research
• supply chain management
• professional selling
• services marketing
• purchasing
• retail management

Admission Requirements

Students accepted into the Master of Science in Marketing degree program must have strong academic and professional potential as evidenced by Grade Point Average (GPA), scores on the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE), information in letters of recommendation, and professional or analytical experience.

GPA of 3.00 and GMAT score of 550 (GRE of 1100) are minimum requirements for admission to the program. However, meeting the minimum requirements is no guarantee of acceptance. Students completing the MSM program will

• earn a graduate business degree (Master of Science)
• enhance their employment opportunities and upward mobility through a program of advanced marketing coursework and hands-on project experience

The program is also appropriate for persons who wish to earn a master's degree en route to a Ph.D. in marketing. Typical applicants will be

• seniors in all business majors
• seniors with non-business majors
• persons with non-business graduate degrees seeking employment in marketing
• individuals currently working in the private or public sector

Prior study of business is not required. Students with liberal arts, engineering, science, communications, as well as business undergraduate backgrounds are encouraged to consider this program.

Degree Requirements

Coursework in the Master of Science degree program in marketing is designed to provide students with

• a solid understanding of contemporary marketing issues
• experience in advanced analytical and marketing research techniques necessary for sound marketing decisions.

The MSM program requires 30 hours of coursework, with the expectation that the degree will be completed in two semesters. Entrance is limited to the fall semester.

The first semester (fall) coursework involves an in-depth immersion into marketing issues and decision-making, marketing strategy, marketing research tools, statistics, and an overview of project management.

The second semester (spring) coursework involves the use of many of the research and project management tools to complete a specific team-based comprehensive marketing research/strategy project for a company or other organization. Clients for the team-based marketing projects and internships have included Fortune 500 companies, national and regional firms, local businesses, public sector organizations, and start-ups. Other courses are graduate electives, selected by the student from a set of options based on his or her areas of interest.

Six hours of internship allow students in the MSM program to gain valuable marketing project or employment experience. 

Faculty

The marketing faculty at The University of Alabama is nationally recognized for high quality teaching, research, and service to the state and nation. Faculty members work closely with students as teachers, project and team mentors, and as resources for placement and career planning after as well as before graduation.

 

Placement

Placement of students is a priority. We have recent graduates in nearly every conceivable marketing position around the world. Graduates have careers in brand management for consumer product firms, in banking, in industrial and pharmaceutical marketing and sales, in automobile manufacturing, in marketing research, in supply chain management, in sports and entertainment marketing, in entrepreneurship, in the public sector, in marketing of non-profit organizations, and in academics.

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA GRADUATE CATALOG

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Update: Sep. 2007