Marketing, M.S.

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Bruce K. Pilling, Program Director, 404-413-7673, bpilling@gsu.edu

The Master of Science program is designed particularly for students who already have an undergraduate degree in business administration and wish to study one of the disciplines in which a major is offered in greater depth. Students who do not have an undergraduate background in business but have already established a career in a field related to one of the M.S. majors may find that the specialized degree can be tailored to fit career needs.

The requirements for each of these major fields of study are given in the following sections.

The MS in marketing is designed primarily for persons with an undergraduate business degree who want to distinguish themselves as marketing specialists. The major is designed to provide the in-depth theoretical and applied training needed to excel in a leadership position in marketing. The program extends the students’ previously acquired basic business and marketing skills by developing advanced technical and analytical competency in a selected area. It therefore allows graduates to make more informed decisions in an increasingly complex marketing environment.

* This program is currently only available in the one year format.

Degree Requirements

Regulations for the Degree

The Masters of Science in Marketing is now available in a one year fast-track format. For additional information on this format, please visit the following website: marketing.robinson.gsu.edu/academic-programs/ms/.

All Master of Science students will complete the Business Communication Skills Requirement explained earlier in this chapter. The regulations, policies, and procedures given in the “Master’s Enrollment” and “Master’s Programs” sections of this chapter apply to the M.S./Marketing program. A maximum of six hours of transfer credit is permitted in this 30-hour program.

Course Requirements. The course requirements for the degree Master of Science with a major in marketing and the format of the program follow:

Foundation Courses

The courses in this list are in addition to the 33 hours required for the degree. They are assigned as part of the admissions process based on a review of each student’s transcripts. They can be exempted if equivalent course work has been previously completed with grades of C or higher. For descriptions and prerequisites of the undergraduate foundation courses, see the Course Descriptions chapter of the Georgia State University Undergraduate Catalog. This catalog is available at catalog.gsu.edu.

Accounting/Finance

MBA 8025 - Financial Statement Analysis 3 Credit Hours
or
financial and managerial accounting principles and corporate finance principles (ACCT 2101, ACCT 2102 and FI 3300)

Behavioral Science

MGS 3400 - Management Principles
MGS 4000 - Managerial Decision Making
MK 3010 - Marketing Principles
PSYC 1101 - Psychology
SOCI 1101 - Sociology
or
ANTH 1102 - Anthropology

Economics

ECON 2106 - Microeconomic Principles

Mathematics

MATH 1111 - College Algebra

Statistics

MATH 1070

Required Courses in the Major (9 Hours)

MBA 8145 - Marketing Management 3 Credit Hours
MK 8100 - Buyer Behavior 3 Credit Hours
MK 8200 - Marketing Research 3 Credit Hours

Marketing Electives (18 Hours)

These electives may be chosen from among the 8000-level marketing courses that are not required as core or capstone courses. A maximum of nine hours of appropriate 8000-level courses from other departments in the Robinson College of Business or from elsewhere in the university may be substituted for these courses with departmental approval.

Capstone Course (3 Hours)

MK 8900 Strategic Market Planning 3 Hours

Program of Study

Each student’s program must be planned in consultation with the M.S./marketing faculty adviser before a non-required course is taken. Contact the department to schedule an appointment. A copy of the program will be filed with the Office of Graduate Student Services for review and approval. Progress toward the degree, including clearance for graduation, cannot be confirmed without an approved program of study. Any changes in the program must be approved by the faculty advisor and a copy of the changes sent to the Office of Graduate Student Services. Students always must consult the Course Descriptions chapter of the current graduate catalog to determine if they have met the prerequisites for any course to be taken.

Time Limit. The time limit for completing the M.S./marketing is five years from the first semester a course in sections B, C, or D (above) is taken.

One Year MS in Marketing Format

One Year Master of Science (MS) in Marketing is a year-long cohort program for marketing professionals who want to update/expand their knowledge, managers who oversee marketing activities but lack formal training, and career changers. Students proceed as a group through a sequenced curriculum of five session modules. The program runs from Fall to Summer semester of each year.

In addition to the required courses outlined in the general curriculum above, candidates must take 21 credit hours of pre-selected electives for this one year format. Students must fulfill the specialized master’s foundation requirement (section 7110.10). Courses meet at Georgia State University’s Buckhead Center on Monday and Wednesday evenings. New cohorts begin in August of each year. Program enrolls in the Fall semester only.

The internationally renowned faculty of Robinson’s Department of Marketing, Social Media Intelligence Lab, and Center for Excellence in Brand and Customer Management have developed the program, drawing on their expertise as researchers and theorists, strategists and practitioners. Concurrent to earning a Master of Science in Marketing, students also will earn Robinson’s Certificate in Brand and Customer Management.

The program is open to full-time working professionals, full-time students and international students.