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MBA in Marketing Online Graduate Degree Program

Nikki Bennet, who earned her degree from SNHU, wearing a dark blouse posing in a stairwell.

Cost per credit $637

Total courses 10

Term length 10 weeks

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Program Overview Why get an MBA in marketing online?

Marketing is about more than selling a product. It's about creating a lasting relationship between a brand and a consumer. It's one of the most powerful tools there is to drive business — and the need for good marketing (and marketers) isn't going anywhere.

When you earn your Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), you'll learn how to maximize market potential for brands while building a solid foundation of business knowledge that can take you further — no matter where you choose to take your career next.

SNHU's MBA is one of the most affordable master of business administration programs in the nation. And in about a year, you could not only get an MBA, but also earn embedded, industry-recognized credentials to help build your resume and strengthen your personal brand along the way.

Skills you'll learn:

  • Application of business practices in a marketing context
  • Data analysis & interpretation skills to inform decisions
  • Adaptable strategy development & advancement
  • Models & processes to improve organizations
  • Approaches to cultivate globally aware teams
Tanzania Fair, who earned her degree from SNHU in 2020, sitting in an office, working on her laptop with her framed diploma on the wall in the background.

Courses & Curriculum Online MBA marketing courses that prep you for success

The online MBA in marketing program's coursework was revised in 2021 to ensure its relevancy to today's rapidly changing, tech-driven world. Your courses are designed to help you understand how to attract buyers of all demographics and use your expertise to meet business marketing objectives. Alongside a foundation of business knowledge, the MBA in marketing also challenges you to develop skills around emotional intelligence and critical thinking to better understand — and effectively reach — target consumers.

Degree Courses

Online MBA in marketing courses

The online MBA in marketing strikes the perfect balance between foundational business knowledge — in topics like leadership, strategy and innovation — with marketing-specific skills. In your courses, you'll learn how to balance brand management with impactful marketing strategies. You'll also get hands-on experience developing marketing strategies for organizations, applying skills you're building like market research, target market identification, customer trends in the marketplace and ethical considerations.

The MBA in marketing program consists of 7 core MBA courses and 3 marketing courses: Promotions Management, Consumer Behavior and Marketing and Brand Management. Depending on your academic background, you may also need to supplement the core courses with business foundation coursework.

And if you don't have a business background? No problem. Our MBA is accessible to everyone. Interested students must have a conferred undergraduate degree for acceptance, but it can be in any field.

Courses may include:

Course ID: MBA 580
High performance organizational leaders cultivate innovative thinking and processes and their application to developing successful business strategies. Students will analyze the attributes of innovative thinkers and cultures and how organizational structure and policy can promote or inhibit innovation. The course will explore the market and technology forces that drive the adoption of innovation and the tools and methods--such as risk analysis, economic analysis, statistics, and forecasting--to drive the analysis, selection, and implementation of innovative products and processes.
Course ID: MBA 645
Organizational leaders balance brand management and its relationship with impactful marketing strategies. Students will study the key brand elements of identity, trust, and building habit-forming brand experiences. By applying market research, target market identification, customer trends in the marketplace, and ethical considerations, students will develop a marketing strategy for an organization.
Course ID: MKT 610
This course addresses the specific activities involved in managing an advertising campaign, including research, media selection, copywriting, layouts and the role of ad agencies.
Course ID: MKT 620
This course focuses on the market's consumer behavior by investigating its psychological, sociological, economic, and anthropological influences, both theoretical and research based. Designing effective marketing strategies will be explored using the knowledge of these influences.
Course ID: MKT 678
Strong brands are increasingly recognized as one of a company's most valuable assets. Brands create expectations in consumers, and by their nature implicate the company in delivering on those expectations. Therefore, the tasks of creating, building and managing brands are critical success factors for a firm. This course seeks to develop in students an understanding of the theories, models, and strategies that enable a firm to achieve its branding goals. Through a combination of text and current research publications, students will be exposed to current and emerging brand theories and models. By analyzing cases, and reading and reviewing current business literature, students will gain understanding into how those theories and models translate into strategies and implementations.
Visit the course catalog to view the full MBA in Marketing curriculum.

Apply for free in minutes

Our no-commitment application can help you decide if SNHU is the right college for you and your career goals. Apply up until 2 days before the term starts!

Upcoming term starts: March 24, 2025 | June 9, 2025

Next term starts:
Jan. 6, 2025

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Online Student Experience What’s it like going to SNHU?

Attending college online at SNHU can be a life-changing experience. In fact, 93.2% of online students would recommend SNHU according to a 2023 survey with 21,000+ respondents.

What to expect:

10-week terms

Learn around your schedule

24/7 online support

Online Classroom

What does an online course look like?

You’ll take your courses within SNHU’s Brightspace platform. This is where you’ll find your:

  • Schedule of weekly assignments
  • Discussion boards
  • Grades
  • Instructor announcements
How to Take an Online Class at SNHU
5 ways SNHU makes the admission process "easy-peasy" #shorts

Admission Applying to SNHU is fast and free

No application fee. No test scores. And no college essay. Just a simple form with basic information. It’s another way SNHU helps you reach your goals sooner.

All it takes is 3 simple steps

It's easy, fast and free.

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Whether you're applying for an undergraduate or graduate degree, you’ll fill out a form to verify your previous education experience. As part of our admissions process, we'll help you request transcripts from your previous school(s) to see if you can transfer any credits into your SNHU program! (Also for free!)

After reviewing your official evaluation, you can decide if SNHU is right for you! If you choose to enroll, just pick your start date and get ready for classes to begin.

Talk to an admission counselor: 888.327.SNHU | enroll@snhu.edu

Accreditations

SNHU is accredited by the regional accreditor the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The university also carries specialized accreditations for some programs.

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Tuition Cost & Savings College can be more affordable than you think

As a nonprofit university, SNHU offers some of the lowest online tuition rates in the country. And when you work with our Financial Services team, we'll explore ways to help you save even more on your education – and customize a payment plan that works for you.

Online graduate tuition

Student
Cost per credit
Cost per course
Cost for 30-credit degree*
Full- and part-time students
$637
$1,911
$19,110
Active-duty military and spouses | Full- and part-time students**
$470
$1,410
$14,100

*before previously earned credits are applied

Tuition rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually.

**Note: Students receiving this rate are not eligible for additional discounts.

Additional costs: Course materials vary by course.

Transfer credits and lower your cost by:

$1,274 $2,548 $3,822
Transfer credits and lower your cost by:

If 2 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $17,836

If 4 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $16,562

If 6 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $15,288

How we estimate your tuition cost:

We look at the cost per credit multiplied by the number of credits you need to earn for a MBA degree. Most master's degrees require 30 credits. SNHU allows you to transfer in up to 6 credits, requiring a minimum of 24 credits to be taken at SNHU. This is only a tuition estimator and doesn't account for other fees that may be associated with your program of choice.

Career Outlook What can I do with an MBA in marketing?

A focus in marketing with a foundation in business can help open many different doors to your future.

Whether you're looking to join forces with an established corporation or use your talents to help build a startup from the ground up, you'll be positioned to take the next step of your career — in corporate marketing, advertising, sales or a related field. And because you're completing a master's program, you'll be prepared for many types of senior positions.

Faced with a truly global marketplace, companies continually seek new ways to make their products and services stand out in a crowded market and connect with consumers. With the recent increase in use of social media platforms to promote companies' brands, products and services, employees with expertise in the latest marketing trends will be especially valued.1

Industries

Marketing specialists can find roles in a wide array of industries, including:1

Create interest among potential buyers of a product/service for a department or entire organization.

Estimate the demand for products/services that an organization and its competitors offer.

Use customer/trend research to create strategies that will influence how consumers perceive a brand.

Promote healthcare organizations and ensure patients receive information needed to make critical healthcare decisions.

Direct and oversee an organization's sales department, including policies, objectives and initiatives.

Clarify an organization's point of view to its main audience through media releases and interviews.

6%

Increase in advertising, promotions and marketing manager positions through 2032, projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).1

$138,730

The median annual salary for advertising, promotions and marketing managers as of May 2023, according to the BLS.3

Understanding the numbers
When reviewing job growth and salary information, it’s important to remember that actual numbers can vary due to many different factors—like years of experience in the role, industry of employment, geographic location, worker skill and economic conditions. Cited projections do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

What SNHU students are saying

Michael Krupa ’20
Michael Krupa ’20

Earning my MBA in Marketing was not only a huge personal accomplishment, but one that comes with a number of professional benefits as well. Knowledge is power, and the more you learn, the more of an asset you become to any organization.

Michael Krupa ’20

Frequently Asked Questions

Most definitely. Results from the Corporate Recruiters Survey 2020 from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) look promising: Even during the 2020 pandemic, 89% of recruiters surveyed said they had plans to hire MBAs in 2021.2 

Dr. Jessica Rogers cropped headshot.

"Because an MBA program covers various areas of business and the relationships therein, it can provide a well-rounded understanding of the business landscape and help marketers make more informed decisions, as well as collaborate more effectively with other business leaders," said Dr. Jessica Rogers, senior associate dean at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

Given marketing’s essential role in growing business, SNHU’s online MBA in marketing is a worthwhile investment in your career.

An MBA in Marketing covers a lot of ground in business.

For example, at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), there are 7 core business courses in the program. Here, you'll cover leadership, strategy, innovation and more.

2 classes that may be of interest to you in this part of your program are Optimizing Brands and Measuring Success in an Organization.

In the first course, you'll learn how to create awareness of your brand, while in the second class, you'll better understand how to quantify the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.

In addition to the business courses, SNHU's MBA in Marketing requires 3 concentration courses in marketing. These may include:

  • Promotions Management: This course can help expose you to the critical elements of an advertising campaign. You'll explore specific marketing activities including research, media selection, copywriting, layouts and the role of ad agencies in helping you execute your specific marketing and business goals.
  • Consumer Behavior and Marketing: Marketing is all about reaching people. From identifying target audiences and demographics, to observing their desires, pain points and motivators, this course goes in depth into what drives consumer behavior. You'll specifically examine psychological, sociological, economic and anthropological factors, both from a theoretical and research-based perspective. Finally, you'll learn how to design effective marketing strategies based on these influences, using both quantitative and qualitative research to back your findings.
  • Brand Management: What does it take to form and preserve a brand? It's a lot more than a logo or a tagline – and this course explores the nuances of what that really means. You'll learn about theories, models and strategies that can help companies achieve their branding goals. You'll also study current and emerging brand theories and models. Finally, you'll analyze cases and review the current literature – including both academic and business journals – to see how these theories and models translate into real-world strategies and implementations.

Dr. Jessica Rogers, SNHU’s associate dean of marketing, offers further insights on SNHU’s online MBA marketing programs.

“Our marketing programs are different in that they were designed with a very strategic approach by our academic team, including myself,” said Rogers. “We have connected and aligned our programs to industry.”

There's so much you can do in marketing once you've earned your MBA.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a master’s degree often improves job prospects, and likewise for those who can navigate the digital world.1 Typical roles include:

  • Advertising managers fuel interest in a product or service among consumers. They work in ad agencies that create advertising campaigns for clients, in media firms that sell ad space or time on a variety of media channels, and in organizations with large advertising budgets.
  • Promotions managers lead programs that use incentives to boost sales. Tactics might include everything from digital display ads and paid social media to in-store displays, direct mail, newspaper ads and special events. Incentives range from discounts or rebates to free samples, sweepstakes and contests.
  • Marketing managers project demand. They might monitor trends, identify potential markets and develop pricing strategies, working with sales, public relations and product development teams. They might even help develop a product or service and create a marketing plan for it.

Digital marketing is so prevalent today that any well-designed MBA in marketing program incorporates it. Whether it’s search engine optimization, social media marketing, mobile marketing or marketing analytics, digital marketing is integral to modern-day marketing plans.

Southern New Hampshire University's (SNHU) online MBA marketing program integrates digital marketing throughout. It includes a course on marketing and strategy that focuses specifically on brand management. This course approaches marketing from a strategic partnership perspective, covering concepts like pricing strategies, market analysis and product differentiation. Students learn how the marketing mix, particularly digital marketing, factors into organizational decision making.

That said, if you're interested in an online master's that takes a deeper dive into digital marketing strategies, check out our master's in digital marketing degree.

Certainly! Depending on who you are and where you'd like to go in your career, it can be the right choice for you. Not only is an MBA in marketing a versatile and desirable degree, but it also opens up diverse, well-paid employment opportunities.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of marketing managers is expected to increase by 6% through 2032 – faster than the national average for all occupations.1 In 2023, the median annual wage for these roles was reportedly $138,730 – well above the median annual salary for all U.S. workers.1

This growth is partly driven by the evolving use of digital media marketing strategies. Businesses throughout all different sectors and industries rely on websites, social media and digital videos to share their brand stories and reach consumers. An expertly crafted digital campaign can be a powerful business tool, especially when paired with consumer expectations for lightning-fast, one click away e-commerce options.

Apart from positive career projections and above-average pay in the field, an MBA in Marketing can also be a powerful vehicle for personal growth.

For Michael Krupa ’20, earning his degree marked a big step forward in his life and career.

"SNHU’s MBA in Marketing gave me an opportunity to learn from instructors with experience, interact with classmates through detailed discussions, and compile research on topics I found most interesting and wanted to know more about," he said.

Virtually every aspect of business – identifying the needs of prospective customers, designing products and packaging, setting prices, sales and distribution – depends on marketing.

As Dr. Jessica Rogers, SNHU’s associate dean of marketing, puts it, “marketing is the driving force in business.”

Related Articles

Sources & Citations

1Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet, at https://www.bls.gov/OOH/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm (viewed June 13, 2024).

Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

2Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), The Impact of COVID-19 on the Hiring of Business School Graduates: Corporate Recruiters Survey 2020 [PDF], on the internet, at https://www.gmac.com/-/media/files/gmac/research/employment-outlook/business-school-hiring-report_corporate-recruiters-survey-2019_may-2019.pdf (viewed June 13, 2024)