When you’re ready to pursue a Master of Business Administration, you may want to consider adding a specialization to your degree. These specializations are ideal if you have a strong idea of your desired career path. The online MBA program from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland offers focused learning through relevant specializations that give you the skills to help you excel in that particular area.
Your interests and passions will typically guide your decision about which specialization is right for you. If you love working with people, learning about different cultures or interacting via social media, marketing may be the business direction for you.
Concentrating your studies in marketing can help you develop the skills to pursue a leadership role in the industry. Read on to learn more about pursuing an online MBA with a marketing specialization from the Smith School of Business:
Reasons for concentrated learning
While the Smith Online MBA program can broaden your overall perspective and understanding of the multifaceted nature of the business world, it also provides you with the opportunity to specialize in an area of interest. Along with other areas of focus, the marketing specialization at the Smith School of Business offers relevant, detailed learning for a nuanced education that can elevate your skills and knowledge and help you pursue specific career paths.
Focused on marketing
Marketing is key to building a brand image and appealing to consumers. The Smith Online MBA marketing specialization exposes students to the latest marketing topics, trends and tools, while also introducing them to data-driven strategies and brand management tactics. The marketing specialization allows you to work with experienced and industry-leading professors to build your marketing expertise and develop a strong portfolio of skills and knowledge.
Marketing curriculum specifics
Along with foundational business learning, the marketing specialization includes classes discussing topics such as proven concepts, market segmentation, target audience selection, pricing and sales force management, promotion strategies and brand positioning.
Focused courses like Co-Creating Customer Experience, Consumer Behavior and Customer Equity Management can teach you how to design, implement and innovate the customer experience, with an understanding of how these tactics retain consumers and help with company growth and profitability. You can gain a greater understanding of consumer behavior and how to use this knowledge to develop effective marketing strategies. In addition, the Customer Equity Management course focuses on the value of consumers and how it aids in selective acquisition, development and retention.
These courses will explore both business-to-business and business-to-consumer situations, as well as offer hands-on practice with the concepts discussed. You can graduate with skills that are applicable across multiple employment positions and companies.
Competitive skill development
In addition to the focus on marketing, the Smith Online MBA program can also provide you with a set of broad skills that are transferable across a variety of positions and professional situations. You can develop strong leadership skills, excellent critical thinking, ability to effectively analyze data, communication skills and digital awareness.
This holistic knowledge is critical in the marketing world, especially if you plan to work with different clients across various industries. With transferable skills, you can be the well-rounded and valued marketing leader that companies need.
Benefits of the marketing specialization
After graduation, Smith alumni who specialize in marketing go on to pursue various opportunities in the industry. Earning your Master of Business Administration degree with a marketing specialization can open many doors for your professional growth and fulfillment.
Your new skills and marketing knowledge can make you a stronger candidate for higher-level jobs and promotions. An MBA with a marketing focus can give you the edge you need to pursue senior management and executive roles in the industry, including positions such as:
- Brand Manager
- Digital Marketing Specialist
- Strategic Marketing Director
- Head of Global Content and Digital Marketing
- Director of Marketing and Communications
- Vice President of Sales and Marketing
- Chief Marketing Officer
Additionally, you can utilize your expertise and entrepreneurial skills to become a business owner.
With senior-level positions often come higher salaries — and your master’s degree can position you for positions offering other perks such as signing bonuses, additional paid vacation or stock options. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for managerial positions in the marketing industry is just shy of $145,000.
Plus, your specialization can give you a competitive edge among the applicant pool. Rather than a broad business degree, the specialization shows employers that you are passionate and focused on marketing. Many employers value MBA qualifications and feel more confident hiring employees who pursued relevant degree specializations because it implies a deeper, nuanced understanding of that topic or industry.
The online difference
An MBA can not only be a powerful tool for securing a new position, but it also can lead to new opportunities with your current employer. If you’re already working in the marketing industry, Smith’s online MBA program offers the flexibility for you to take courses without giving up your current position. Talk to your employer about your plans to pursue a master’s degree, and they may even help cover tuition costs.
Plus, you don’t have to relocate to live near campus. With a computer and reliable source of internet connection, you can start working on your online classes wherever and whenever.
Ready to become a marketing expert? Reach out to an advisor to learn more about enrolling in the online MBA program from the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.
Recommended Readings:
The specializations you can pursue with a University of Maryland Online MBA degree
How to upgrade your career with an online MBA in marketing
Sources:
Online Master of Business Administration by University of Maryland
Occupational Employment Statistics by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
4 Key Career Benefits from MBA Programs by U.S. News & World Report