5 Key Courses in a Master’s in Marketing

Updated August 4, 2020

Core Coursework for Graduate Marketing Students

Creating Customer Value
Managing the Marketing Mix
Marketing Communications Strategy
Strategic Brand Management
Data Analysis and Marketing Research

A majority of Master's in Marketing programs will require students to earn a total of 30 credits in specific areas of study. At the graduate level, students should already possess a foundation of knowledge in marketing but may be required to complete foundational courses in the subject area of business. Here we discuss some of the key courses to complete in a Master's in Marketing program.

1. Creating Customer Value

The entire mission of the marketing environment is to show customers and prospects how you can create value for them in exchange for something. That something is generally monetary. To create customer value, marketers must fully understand the needs of their client base and how they can enhance their offerings, or make adjustments, to create value.

There is a psychological component to creating value and it is all based on what the customer wants the most and what type of product is being sold. This course will discuss types of customer value and how to ensure you are meeting a customer's expectations.

2. Managing the Marketing Mix

Successful marketers don't put all of the marketing dollars available into one marketing campaign. The key to engage the target market is to reach out to different demographics in different preferred ways. Graduate students will learn how to implement and manage the marketing mix. The course covers the 4P's: Product, Pricing, Place, and Promotion when a product is being taken to market.

3. Marketing Communications Strategy

There is nothing that is more strategic in marketing than communications. Marketers must be able to effectively communicate and set a tone for their communications, that may be different based on the tone. A course in Marketing Communications Strategy will help build the student's understanding of how to plan communications and how it affects consumer behavior. The course may also focus on traditional and digital marketing methods and how your marketing communications will need to be flexible for each avenue.

4. Strategic Brand Management

Big brands don't become big brands overnight. It takes a lot of strategic brand management to build a brand and keep brand equity strong. This master-level marketing course will discuss why it takes decades to build a multi-national brand and the steps that must be taken to grow brand equity.

The course will specifically talk about brand positioning, brand marketing, brand performance, and brand value. It will also discuss the importance of developing new products, modifying current products, or entering new markets that have not been tapped into.

5. Data Analysis and Marketing Research

One of the biggest roles you will have as a marketer is working with marketing researchers to gather the data that you need to make big-time strategic decisions. The course itself can be delivered in a standard classroom setting or it can be held as a seminar. Students will earn credits if they successfully use qualitative data, advanced samples, and experimental design while interpreting marketing analytics. This is the data that drives decision marketing for marketing managers.

Salaries within the field of marketing can range dramatically. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, marketing managers in the United States earn an average of $145,620 per year. The oil industry pays the highest median salary of $197,000. Earning a graduate degree in marketing can help you land a management role. Enroll in these key courses in a Master's in Marketing program to prepare you for a successful marketing career.