There are four different types of marketing degrees an international student can earn. In this section we'll discuss two undergraduate degree options: associate's degree and bachelor's degree.
International students who pursue an undergraduate degree in marketing have two options when it comes to becoming a marketing major. You have the option of earning an associate's degree, otherwise known as a two-year degree, or to earn a bachelor's degree, also called the four-year degree. Although both degrees fall in the category of "undergraduate," an associate's degree usually teaches students general information about the marketing industry while a bachelor's degree provides students with an in-depth look at marketing principles and concepts. To excel in the marketing industry, knowledge and experience are required for even the most basic jobs. Make sure you're choosing the right degree based on what type of career you want to have in the future.
What is Marketing?
Marketing, put simply, is about trying to get people to buy things. Businesses use marketing techniques in the hopes that those techniques will convince consumers to purchase their goods or services. You may enjoy marketing if you enjoy learning about how people think. Marketing is often a popular area of study for people who are creative and like communicating with other people. If you are interested in a career that offers you a way to be creative and artistic, but don’t want to worry about the difficulties of a career as an artist, marketing may be for you.
Associate's Degree
An associate's degree usually takes about two years to earn. It is the quickest undergraduate degree in marketing
that you can earn; you'll need at least an associate's degree to be considered for most marketing jobs. You can earn
this type of degree from a community college, four-year college, university, vocational school, or trade school. The
benefits of having an associate's degree include:
Although this degree is the quickest and easiest to earn, bear in mind that a lower-level degree can limit you when it comes to getting a job. Usually anyone with a bachelor's degree or higher will be considered for a job over someone who has earned a two-year degree. Associate's degrees are often associated with entry level jobs so it would be difficult to obtain an administrative position right after finishing your studies. With this type of degree, you'd most likely be able to attain a job like working as an assistant or office clerk (data entry type of job). Acquiring a higher level position would be very difficult without a more advanced degree. It is always possible to move up within a company with or without a degree, but earning a four-year degree or higher will definitely improve your chances of achieving an administrative or executive position.
There are numerous colleges through the US, like Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, that offers an associate’s degree in marketing and marketing management. If you are interested in the basics of marketing, are concerned about the cost of a four-year degree, or want to earn your associate’s degree before moving on to your bachelor’s, you may consider an associate’s degree program at a college like Wilson College.
Bachelor's Degree
Another option for international students who want to earn an undergraduate degree in marketing would be a bachelor's degree. Although this marketing major requires more time than an associate's degree, it is well worth the extra effort. Some schools even offer accelerated programs wherein students can earn their degree in three years instead of four. Unlike an associate's degree, which involves studying general information, a bachelor's degree focuses on the specific skills and knowledge you'll need to excel in the marketing industry. You'll be able to advance more quickly within a company and you'll possess detailed knowledge that will help you perform your job well.
Earning a more advanced degree like a bachelor's degree will make working your way up through a company and eventually obtaining a job such as account executive, public relations specialist, marketing manager, or communications manager a lot more attainable.
When it comes to finding a university to pursue your marketing degree from, there are a number of institutions throughout the US that offer great marketing programs. One marketing program to consider is at Mississippi State University , there they offer a bachelor’s degree in marketing and marketing management. With a bachelor’s degree in marketing from MSU, graduates can go on to have careers in areas such as field sales, retail management, product management, marketing research, advertising and sales promotion, transportation and logistics, small business and entrepreneurship, and services marketing.
Classes to Expect
If you’re planning on majoring in marketing, there are a few courses you can expect to take during your studies. These classes include:
- Managerial Communications
- Macroeconomics
- Public Relations
- Principles of Marketing
- Quantitative Methods
- Principles of Finance
- Business to Business Marketing
Potential Careers
With an undergraduate degree in marketing, there are a number of career choices that you might pursue. You might find a job as a marketing consultant, and help business manage their marketing campaigns, or you might find work as a researcher, and conduct studies on behalf of a company to help determine the best ways to market their products. You might even find a job in advertising, and design and create advertisements for a given project.
Before you begin your marketing journey, it is important to know what you want to do after graduation and what finances you have available to fund your education. These will help shape your decision before you start applying to programs.
If interested in continuing your studies even further, in a separate article we cover all information on graduate graduate degrees in marketing.