5 Ways to Specialize a Marketing Degree

According to Forbes magazine, there are many marketing jobs that offer bright futures and excellent salaries. Entry level marketing careers are open to those with general marketing degrees, but the best jobs can be found through the following marketing degree specializations.

Social Media Marketing

The purpose of social media marketing degrees is to train students how to drive traffic to websites, boost brand engagement and increase customer loyalty. Students are exposed to a variety of tools and techniques that can be used on various social media platforms. Social media is important because it gives brands and businesses endless ways to personally interact with customers and the public. These individualized interactions can change how a brand is perceived, so social media marketers learn how to properly manage content and messaging. Social media marketing degrees teach students about online data analysis, sales funnels, consumer behaviors and research methodologies.

Sales and Marketing

Marketing and selling products and services are inseparably linked, so this degree specialization will help students understand new media, advancing technology and business management. Students gain the kinds of sales and marketing skills that employers desire through tutorials, case studies and comparative learning. This degree is perfect for students who want careers in fields like advertising, public relations, digital marketing and product management. Students are taught how to integrate the roles of personal selling and sales management with marketing research and campaigns. This will support organizational and operational goals. Students learn about selling techniques, such as prospecting and qualifying, as well as technology solutions, such as social media platforms and customer relationship management programs.

Related resource: 40 Great Value Online Colleges for Marketing (Bachelor’s)

Entrepreneurship

Colleges and universities that offer interdisciplinary degrees often encourage students to combine various business majors together. A dual degree in marketing and entrepreneurship is perfect for students who want to start their own business. These degrees provide coursework and hands-on experiences that give entrepreneurial students the tools they need to start and grow new ventures and drive innovation. Students learn how to analyze changing trends, competitive landscapes, leadership challenges and industry opportunities to implement action plans. Students will gain the analytical skills to recognize new business opportunities and the managerial skills to deal with financial limitations and workforce nuances.

Marketing Management

A marketing management specialization degree provides students with a basic understanding of the leadership skills needed to supervise teams and programs. Students learn how to develop and implement marketing plans that provide organizations with increased revenue and competitive advantages. Students are trained to analyze and understand internal and external environments in order to successfully achieve results. The management side of the degree may touch on globalization, economic change, technological advances, business management and human resources. Students learn to appreciate process improvements, workforce diversity, employee engagement, technology synchronization and leadership excellence.

MBA in Marketing

This graduate level degree in marketing provides students with critical thinking, analytical and detail-oriented skills needed for top leadership positions. The marketing side may emphasize creativity, research and customer relationship management. The business side may emphasize data interpretation, organizational skills and project management. These degrees will touch on brand, financial, employee and operational management tools. These degree programs may include classes in consumer behavior, strategic planning, promotion coordination and organizational change. Other common classes include financial accounting, global leadership, organizational behavior, managerial economics and strategic management.

Other marketing degree specializations include marketing research, digital media, public relations, international marketing and qualitative analysis.