Marketing

Marketing is a primary function of organizations to ensure the needs of customers and external constituents are met.  The marketing curriculum is carefully designed to ensure students have understanding of how to successfully manage products, price, place and promotion, and have analytical and interpersonal skills.  A success measure of our marketing program is the successful placement of our graduates in business, industry, and non-profit organizations, in tandem with their enhanced abilities to manage marketing mix, analyze markets, work as a team, and make sound decisions. 

Background Information

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) accredits the undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Business at North Dakota State University.  Our College of Business is one of only two AACSB-accredited schools of business in North Dakota.

AACSB International is one of higher education’s most prestigious and rigorous accrediting bodies, emphasizing a commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, engagement, and impact in business education.  Less than 10 percent of business programs worldwide have this accreditation, highlighting the academic excellence of our College of Business at NDSU.

The Program

The Marketing major is a four-year program with a curricular blend of general education, pre-professional course work, fundamental business knowledge (accounting, finance, management, marketing, and information systems), international exposure, and in-depth marketing-specific courses.  Students in the Marketing major can also choose the Supply Chain Management track and/or pursue the Certificate in Professional Selling to advance their field-specific skills and knowledge.  The program nurtures important business skills and marketing competencies including managing marketing mix (price, product, promotion, and place), analytical ability, interpersonal skills, and teamwork.  Marketing students are thus prepared to perform the marketing function and activities in business enterprises and non-profit organizations.    

Selective Admission

Students who wish to study marketing at NDSU enroll as pre-marketing students in the College of Business for the first semester of their freshman year.  Pre-marketing majors then apply for admission to the professional program after completing the pre-professional courses required for professional program admission, including ENGL 120, COMM 110, MATH 144, ECON201 or 202, and PSYC 111 or SOC 110.  Transfer students with appropriate course work also may apply. 

Admission to the professional program is based on the successful completion of the pre-professional course requirements and a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5.

The Faculty

To provide a rigorous and relevant educational experience to our students, faculty in our program are highly qualified in their respective areas of expertise.  Our faculty have been recognized for their teaching excellence by their students and colleagues and for their outstanding research by their peers.  They employ a wide variety of instructional techniques and embed both classical and cutting-edge knowledge into their classes.  They remain current in their fields by actively engaging in research and/or with firms and business professionals regarding their marketing practice, business challenges and issues. 

The Practicum

Marketing majors are encouraged to complete practicum experiences, ideally at the end of sophomore and junior years.  The practicum is designed to enable our students to connect marketing concepts learned in the classroom with live business situations and to broaden their horizons beyond the classroom setting.  The practicum also gives students a competitive edge in job placement.  

Career Opportunities

Graduates with a marketing major have career opportunities in business, industry, government service, and the non-profit sector, both regionally and globally.  Employment opportunities for marketing majors are significant as the marketing function exists in every type of business and organization, whether for-profit or not-for-profit.  Major job categories include sales, retailing, product/service management, advertising and promotion, and market research.

The College

In addition to marketing major, the College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, business administration, finance, global business (second major only), management, and management information systems.  The College of Business also offers five graduate programs including Master of Business Administration, Master of Accountancy, Master of Managerial Logistics, Master of Transportation and Urban Systems, and Doctorate in Transportation and Logistics.

High School Preparation

It is recommended that high school students interested in studying marketing at the university level take mathematics courses at least through pre-calculus.  High school electives in the social sciences, communication, and English also would be of benefit.  Students who have satisfactorily completed Advanced Placement courses in Calculus, Economics, English, Communication, and Psychology or Sociology may directly apply for admission to the professional program.  Please speak with a professional advisor for more information.

Plan of Study 

Please note this is a sample plan of study and not an official curriculum.  Actual student schedules for each semester will vary depending on start year, education goals, applicable transfer credit, and course availability. Students are encouraged to work with their academic advisor on a regular basis to review degree progress and customize an individual plan of study.

Note: Marketing majors can pursue a supply chain management track as part of their program, provided that the 300-400 level business, marketing, and free electives taken meet the track requirements.