MBA in Marketing Online Graduate Degree Program

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 

"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.”