MBA: Marketing Specializations
Gain the Marketing Skills You Need for a Successful Career
Marketing is an exciting, dynamic, and diverse discipline that serves a wide variety of functions within an organization. Marketing's core function involves strategic analyses of consumers, the competition and the environment in order to provide product offerings that are relevant, resonant, and profitable.
An MBA with a specialization in marketing through the Carlson School of Management's Full-Time MBA or Part-Time MBA program develops the skills for how to support this process by gathering market intelligence and developing products, strategy, insights, pricing, promotions, and distribution channels.
Full-Time: On-campus
Part-Time: In-person, Online
Full-Time: 2 years
Part-Time: Average 3.5 years
Full-Time: Average 5 years
Part-Time: Average 6 years
Full-Time: Fall (September)
Part-Time: Fall (September); Spring (January); Summer (June)
Marketing MBA Courses
Following the core marketing management course (MBA 6211), students are advised to take the three following foundational marketing courses. These marketing MBA courses develop the most widely used and sought-after competencies in marketing strategy, insights, and analytics. Please note, not all courses listed are offered every semester. Use the One Stop Class Schedule to verify each semester's course offerings and the assigned professor.
From there, your courses will be determined by your concentration. Choose from two concentrations:
Take all 3 of the following:
- MKTG 6088: Strategic Marketing - 3 credits
- MKTG 6051: Marketing Research: Rapid Insights - 2 credits
- MKTG 6052: Marketing Analytics: Managerial Decisions - 2 credits
These courses are designed to complement either marketing concentration, as well as develop skills for students with interests beyond marketing:
- MKTG 6072: International Marketing - 4 credits
- MKTG 6084: Persuasion & Influence - 2 credits
- MKTG 6085: Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth & Happiness - 2 credits
- MKTG 6087: Power of Story - 1 credit
- MKTG 6090: Marketing Topics—special topical courses offered periodically
Grow Your Marketing Skills with an MBA
No matter your career aspirations, the Carlson School is here to support you. You can work with the Carlson Business Career Center (CBCC) to search for jobs, polish your resume, and practice your interview skills. It's a one-stop shop to help you on every step of your career journey.
Some titles our graduates pursue include:
- Marketing director
- Marketing analyst
- Digital marketing manager
- Digital strategist
- Product marketing manager
per year median salary for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers in 20231
growth for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers from 2022 to 20231
More Ways to Customize Your MBA
Explore our other specialization options:
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore some of our frequently asked MBA specialization questions below.
Apply to the MBA program using our online application. You will not apply to the specialization. Request information for the Full-Time or Part-Time MBA program and we're happy to answer any outstanding questions.
Generally, specializations require students to complete a track of 12-13 credits of courses within a specified subject area. Course recommendations for each specialization are outlined on the documents posted on the specialization webpage.
Yes. Choosing a specialization is not required, and you can change your pathway during your program to pursue another.
A specialization indicates your mastery of and demonstrated interest in a specific area of business, as well as your commitment to that area. Being able to tailor your degree to your goals makes you uniquely qualified for the roles you're planning to pursue after graduation.
Some titles our graduates pursue include marketing director, marketing analyst, digital marketing manager, digital strategist, and product marketing manager.
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