Master of Science in Marketing

The online marketing master's degree program has been designed in the heart of Silicon Valley to help you grow into a visionary leader conversant in the burgeoning field of marketing technology, or "MarTech." MarTech describes the applications, interfaces, and tracking technologies that leading-edge marketing organizations use to operate with agility and solve the impossible-seeming marketing problems that arise in the contemporary digital world. Coursework for the Online MS in Marketing emphasizes all aspects of MarTech, from analytics and customer behavior tracking to social media integration and digital content strategy. Powerful digital marketing tools demand responsible leaders who will use them ethically, with respect for consumer protection and privacy. With help from Santa Clara University\'s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, we develop thought-provoking discussions of data collection, customer privacy, and other hot-button marketing issues with global impact today. Students will graduate from the Online Master\'s in Marketing instilled with the values and perspective necessary to lead the right way in Silicon Valley and beyond.

Admissions

Applicants for admission to the MS Marketing program must have a U.S. bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or its foreign equivalent before registering in the Leavey School of Business.

Submitting an Application

Applicants for the MS Marketing program may apply to begin study in the fall and winter quarters. MS Marketing program information and additional details are available here. Admission correspondence also may be sent via email to omsm-studentservices\@scu.edu.

Applicants must complete and submit the following items before the Admissions Committee will render an admissions decision:

• Submit an online application form and $148 application fee paid by credit card

• Resume

• Business Essays

• Academic Records and Transcripts*

• Official GMAT or GRE exam results (students may apply for a GMAT/GRE waiver)

• Official TOEFL exam results. If your first language is not English, submit your official TOEFL (preferred) or IELTS test score. TOEFL is waived(if the Verbal section of the GMAT or GRE is above the 50% mark.

• Two (2) Letters of Recommendation

Online application fees must be paid by credit card or electronic check and submitted electronically.

Applicants must have their official GMAT or GRE score reports sent directly to the Graduate Business Admissions Committee. Applicants whose first language is not English must either achieve a minimum score of 100 on the TOEFL (internet-based test) or a 7 on the IELTS.

Applicants are responsible for the appropriate submission of all application materials, including:

• Application form, resume, fee, and essay responses submitted online

• Recommendation letters and transcripts

• GMAT/GRE and TOEFL/IELTS/PTE scores sent directly from the test center to the MS Marketing Admissions Committee

The MS Marketing Admissions Committee will not review applications until all materials have been received.

* Undergraduate degrees conferred outside of the US are required to be evaluated by WES using their ICAP, course-by-course evaluation.

Admissions Contingencies

Applicants may be admitted with one or more contingencies. All contingencies are documented on the student's Program Plan Card which is provided to the student at the time of admission. All contingencies must be fulfilled by the end of the student's first term in residence. Students who do not fulfill their contingency requirements by the end of their first term in residence will not be permitted to register for classes until the contingency is fulfilled.

Application Deadlines

The completed application package should be sent as early as possible. The deadlines are:

- Fall Quarter\ Round 1: July 20, 2020 Priority Deadline\ Round 2: September 6, 2020 Final Deadline

- Spring Quarter

Round 1: February 7, 2021 Priority Deadline

Round 2: March 14, 2021 Final Deadline

Admissions Decisions

Admissions decisions are made throughout the year. Applicants are admitted on the basis of academic ability as indicated by college records and GMAT/GRE scores, demonstrated technical management potential (including work experience and recommendations), and motivation to complete a demanding academic program. Once accepted, a non refundable tuition deposit is required prior to registration. The deposit is applied toward the student's first-term tuition.

Academic Standing

To qualify for the MS Marketing degree, a student must maintain an overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in all work taken in the Leavey School of Business. A grade of C- is considered a minimum passing grade in each course. A grade of F is considered a failing grade, and the units will not be counted toward graduation requirements.

If a student has a cumulative GPA below a 3.0, he/she will be placed on academic probation. A student then has one quarter to raise the GPA to a cumulative 3.0 or they will be dismissed from the program. Students failing required classes may be dismissed immediately if it is mathematically impossible to return to good standing and remain on track to graduate with his/her class.

The administration will contact faculty midway through the term to acquire a status update on academic performance to ensure students are aware of academic resources and tutoring in an attempt to resolve matters before they affect GPA.

If a student has a cumulative GPA below a 3.0 at the end of his/her final quarter and all course requirements have been satisfied, no degree will be awarded until the cumulative GPA is a 3.0 or better through completion of additional graduate course work in the Leavey School of Business.

Student Responsibility

Students enrolled in the MS Marketing program are required to follow the same policies and procedures as students in the evening MBA program. Each student is personally responsible for knowing all of the academic regulations of the graduate business school. This includes, but is not limited to: grading, honor code, leave of absence, withdrawal, and concurrent enrollment policies. Please refer to the Academic Information section, Chapter 5, for additional information.

Academic Information

Curriculum Clusters

1. Core Business Knowledge (3 courses)

Gives students an understanding of the context in which information systems operate. Students acquire a basic knowledge of business and organizational requirements that enables them to understand how information systems are designed and successfully implemented. Students must complete all of the following courses:

- MKTG 2300 Marketing Trends and Technology ( 2 units)

- MKTG 2316 Foundations of MarTech ( 2 units)

- MGMT 3200 Ethics for Managers (2 units)

2. Core Marketing Knowledge (3 courses) Teaches students about the technical aspects of information systems design and the strategic issues around the use of such systems. Students must complete all of the following courses:

- MKTG 2310 Marketing is Everything (4 units)\

• MKTG 2312 Analysis of Customers and Markets (4 units)\
• MKTG 2314 Marketing Analytics (4 units)

3. Specialization (choice of of 18 units)

Offers a variety of electives to help students develop capabilities in a specific area. Students must complete nine of the following courses or course units must equal to 18 units total:

- MKTG 3710 Tech Marketing: Winning Strategies for Effective Messaging (2 units)\

• MKTG 3712 Brand Management (2 units)

- MKTG 3716 Digital Advertising (2 units)

- MKTG 3718 Sales Management (2 units)\

• MKTG 3720 Product Innovation (2 units)

- MKTG 3726 Programmatic Advertising (2 units)\

• MKTG 3728 Social Media Marketing (2 units)

- MKTG 3730 Fundamentals of B2B (2 units)\

• MKTG 3732 MarTech Integration and Challenges (2 units)

- MKTG 3734 Distribution Channels (2 units)

- MKTG 3736 E-commerce: Challenges and Opportunities (2 units)

MS Marketing Graduation Petition Process

In order to graduate, all MS Marketing students must complete and submit an online Petition to Graduate. The information provided in the petition is used to order and mail the diploma and list names in the SCU Commencement Book. If this data changes after the petition has been submitted, students must re-submit an amended petition. Students failing to do so could be omitted from the commencement book and ceremony.

In order to be eligible to graduate, MS Marketing students must complete:

• All required coursework specific to the year in which they began the program

• The required number of units specified to the year in which they began the program The total program with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher

• Not have any I or N grades listed on their transcripts

Deadlines to submit a Petition to Graduate are as follows:

• June graduation February 1

• September graduation May 1

• December graduation August 1

• March graduation November 1

Students wishing to participate in the June Commencement Ceremony must complete all degree requirements by the end of the Spring quarter.

To [Petition to Graduate] please visit the website.

Business Foundations Curriculum CORE:

MTKG 2300: Marketing Trends and Technology (2 units)

This Residency Course introduces key CMO and Marketing Technology issues that marketers face in their firms every day. It discuss the use of online dashboards for tracking, evaluation and reporting; and outlines the underlying technology and data that feeds into the dashboards. The course also focuses on broad technological advances in marketing, highlights the CMO/CFO interface, looks at the latest trends in marketing automation, and evaluates the role of outsourcing as part of the overall marketing resource mix.

MKTG2316: Foundations of MarTech (2 units)

The profusion of information available to the buyers, thanks to the internet, has fundamentally altered the marketing landscape. Marketers now need the power of technology to engage with buyers in meaningful and consistent way, and drive results. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to core technology platforms at the intersection of marketing and information systems and to present an overview of some popular platform solutions including Salesforce, Oracle's Eloqua, Adobe's Marketo and more.

MGMT3200: Ethics for Managers (2 units)

This course is an introductions to business ethics that focuses specifically on the kinds of ethical issues that marketing managers typically encounter. Course topics include the psychological factors that influence moral decision-making, normative approaches for dealing with ethical issues in management, and application of these concepts to cases involving use of customer data, customer privacy, online engagement and addiction, deceptive advertising, and pricing.

MS Marketing Curriculum CORE:

MTKG 2310: Marketing is Everything (4 units)

Focuses on decisions faced by managers concerning market segmentation, targeting, and positioning. Covers concepts such as new product development, pricing strategies, distribution channels, customer relationships, and performance metrics within a strategic planning framework. Students apply these key concepts and frameworks to cases and to formulating a comprehensive marketing plan centered on sustainable profitability and capabilities. Cases cover various environments and industries, especially those of concern to Silicon Valley firms.

MKTG2312: Analysis of Customers and Markets (4 units)

Topics include frameworks for understanding how customers make decisions and adopt innovations, metrics for assessing customer attitudes, satisfaction and loyalty, methods for segmenting a market, and measures of brand equity. The focus throughout is on techniques for gathering and analyzing data on customers and markets in both on-line and traditional channels. Addresses B-to-B and B-to-C decision processes in rapidly changing markets.

MKTG2314: Marketing Analytics (4 units)

Prepares managers to (1) identify the competitive advantages that come from leveraged analytics; (2) apply the tools, and evaluate the advantages and limitations of each; (3) implement these tools, ask relevant business questions that could be solved with them; and (4) interpret the input and communicate the output from such tools and models to achieve more profitable business decisions.

MS Marketing Curriculum ELECTIVES:

MKTG 3710: Tech Marketing: Winning Strategies for Effective Messaging (2 Units)

The success of a marketing campaign or overall strategy ultimately depends on how a company\'s end customers perceive, accept and adopt a products value proposition/ positioning/resulting messaging. Especially in high technology markets, where new purchases are capital investments measured by impact to the business and return on investment, a products value proposition has to be extremely clear, tangible and differentiated in order to achieve vendor preference, as well as maintain desired pricing and margin levels. This two credit-hour course focuses on proven, effective strategies for understanding customer requirements and translating them into clear, digestible and differentiated messaging statements. We will provide strategies and examples to achieve strong competitive positioning, as well as how and when to (re-)define an entire market vs. just differentially position your products. Specific topics will include best practices for positioning and messaging creation, competitive landscape modeling and developing differentiation, translating customer requirements into effective positioning/messaging, and wholesale market (re-definition). Additional focus will include an overview of core media assets to effectively drive adoption of positioning/ messaging in today\'s increasingly Web 2.0 world.

MKTG 3712: Brand Management (2 Units)

Brand development and brand management are not only a potentially powerful weapons in the marketing arsenal but also they are a major business resource and a key intangible financial asset for beating the competition.. Yet many Silicon Valley marketers rely only on technology, attributes and/or price and overlook the strategic and tactical benefits that a well-managed brand provides. Achieving Brand Leadership provides a framework and tools for marketers to successfully brand products and services and add an additional layer of advantage with in the competitive environment. The course defines and examines the concept of branding through a theoretical and conceptual framework and in number of business contexts. Beginning with a fundamental review of the core branding elements, we weigh the importance of both the promise and the experience aspects of branding in building and sustaining trust. An examination of brand measurements illuminates the power of metrics and highlights different aspects of branding strategies. A look at past cases of successful and unsuccessful branding brings out variations in approaches to such issues as master brands, sub-brands, and the branding of services. Finally, the impact of branding architectures and creative positioning on brand equity are considered. The course will use both management readings and current articles to provide a solid foundation for analysis. A series of cases drawn from both the product and service arenas will enable students to apply this analytical framework to actual situations. Brand equity and its related metrics provide a standard basis in evaluating various strategies for establishing and growing brands. A final individual course project offers an opportunity to integrate various facets of branding for a specific product or service.

MKTG3716: Digital Advertising (2 Units)

This course covers key issues in internet advertising. Provides an in depth understanding of search ads, search engine optimization, search engine marketing, display ads, retargeting, ad auctions, programmatic implications. You will also gain a deep understanding of critical measurement methods and issues relating to paid advertising. Also discusses advertising on mobile devices.

MKTG3718: Sales Management (2 Units)

Provides the student with user-level knowledge of sales concepts and management methodologies necessary to effectively perform and manage the sales function. In the role of a sales or marketing manager, enables the student to apply these concepts to selling consumer products as well as high-tech industrial products. Includes concepts related to organizational structuring, territory plans and reviews, resource management, sales incentives, and compensation programs.

MKTG3720: Product Innovation (2 Units)

Presents the product manager or marketer as a generalist with responsibility for the multifunctional, multidisciplinary approach required to develop, launch, and manage successful products. Includes in-depth treatments of product life cycle analysis, buyer utility, competitive set, customer and market analysis, pricing, and the product launch process. Appropriate for those interested in high-technology and/or consumer product markets.

MKTG 3726: Programmatic Advertising (2 units)

Programmatic advertising is the software-driven, algorithmic transaction of display advertising space in real time. As advertising rapidly shifts from traditional to digital formats, and as more transacts programmatically within digital advertising, the industry needs technologists who are able to harness this constantly evolving and complex domain. This course will transform programmatic novices into experts who can apply knowledge and experience to real-life scenarios. The course will provide foundational knowledge of the programmatic advertising landscape, an understanding of how it fits into marketing strategy, and the necessary skills to be able to navigate the space from various perspectives.

MKTG3728: Social Media Marketing (2 Units)

Examines the role of social media in business and brand strategy, digital advertising and overall marketing mix. This class introduces students to the current social media landscape, explores how it can be used for maximum results for both corporate and individual branding, and evaluates which social platforms are the best fit for their organization\'s marketing goals. Topics to be covered will include an overview of platforms, current social media trends and their implications, developing social media strategy, measurement, and challenges.

MKTG3730: Fundamentals of B2B (2 Units)

This course introduces the concepts critical understanding of contemporary B2B marketing and the emergence of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) as a Go-to-Market strategy. You will learn why account-based marketing has recently become important and you will gain the understanding of when it\'s appropriate to employ an ABM strategy and what types of companies utilize this approach. You will gain hands on knowledge and experience in developing and evaluating effective ABM strategies. By successfully completing this course you will be able to use cutting edge marketing technologies in the implementation of an account-based marketing strategy including their use for measuring the effectiveness of the program.

MKTG 3732: MarTech Integration and Challenges (2 Units)

This course will explore the impact of digital modernization, cyber malice and data privacy mandates on the modern marketer of 2020 and beyond. Businesses are digitally transforming like never before, as new technologies such as machine learning, IoT and adaptive business processes help to transform business models, improve customer experience, modernize workforces and drive new levels of profitability. However, modern digital transformation is disrupting traditional ideas of data privacy, cybersecurity, and business risk that carries serious legal and reputational consequences. One the front lines is the modern marketer, who now must adopt modern MarTech approaches to help businesses thrive, while navigating complex data regulations, security requirements for cloud-based marketing tools and complex and evolving ethical lines brought about by a hyperconnected and immediately consequential technology and business environment.

MKTG 3734 - Distribution Channels (2 units)

The purpose of this course is to provide conceptual frameworks and analytical skills on the effective management and strategic deployment of distribution channels for consumer product, business-to-business, and service organizations. The course covers channels functions, structure, and the evaluation of their efficiency. It also examines collaboration, relationship, conflicts, and sustainable strategy. Organizing channel members as dynamic systems concludes the course. The majority of course content uses case studies set in contexts pertinent to technology and Silicon Valley businesses. Prerequisite: MKTG3000. Students may take either this course or MKTG3590 but not both for credit.

MKTG 3736 - E-commerce: Challenges and Opportunities (2 units)

The purpose of this course is to equip students with critical thinking regarding the challenges and opportunities in today's e-commerce practice. The class time will be a combination of lectures of key e-commerce related concepts and frameworks, discussions of case studies to examine the effective internet-based business models, and hands-on experience in developing and evaluating key elements in e-commerce practice. The course prepares graduates to create, analyze and manage an internet-based business. Prerequisites are MKTG 3000. The objective of this course is to provide an in-depth introduction to the topic of Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithms. These algorithms are based on the theory of Dynamic Programming and Markov Decision Processes, which originated more than fifty years ago. But in recent years, the use of Deep Learning algorithms to RL systems, known as Deep Reinforcement Learning, has led to big gains in performance for applications such in Robotics, Quantitative Finance and Game Playing systems. In the first half of the course we start by discussing Markov Decision Processes, DynamicProgramming algorithms and the concept of Value Functions. We introduce the idea of Reinforcement Learning as a way to do optimal control in cases when a system model is not available and information about the Value Function is obtained by analyzing its sample paths. RL Algorithms such as Monte Carlo based learning, Temporal Difference Learningand Q-Learning are discussed in detail. Concepts such as on-policy and off-policy learning, policy exploration vs exploitation are also explained. In the second half of the course we introduce the idea of using Deep Learning NeuralNetworks as function approximators for RL systems, which leads to a large increase in the complexity of systems that can be handled using RL. The Deep Q Network (DQN)algorithm is discussed in detail. We then discuss Policy Gradient methods such as the REINFORCE algorithm, and then combine Value Function and Policy Gradient methods together and come up with Actor-Critic Algorithms. We also discuss Model based RL, which results in the Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) algorithm. Applications of these concepts in the areas of Game Playing systems, Finance and Robotics are also discussed.