Today, leading business schools often structure the MBA curriculum in core and elective courses or specializations. This enables MBA students to personalize their studies in a functional or geographic area based on their career goals.
One such area is Marketing. It has been gaining ground in business strategy and operations while always on the pulse of technological advancements and new communication channels. So, Marketing is an essential part of management training in MBA programs.
Overview of an MBA in Marketing
Core curriculum and focus areas
MBA programs offer various options for customization. In addition to the core curriculum of general management courses, participants can choose specializations, concentrations or elective courses to gain insights into a specific area. You will not find many programs titled exactly ‘MBA in Marketing’. However, you can discover those with a Marketing focus easily on specialized MBA selection platforms, such as Unimy, that provide in-depth details about MBA program offerings. Let’s look at some examples of such programs.
Bologna Business School (Italy) offers a Global MBA (GMBA) in Design, Fashion and Luxury Goods. Marketing is an essential part of this industry focus, so the curriculum includes a Marketing Management course, stating that:
“Marketing activity is the core of operating business. It provides the managerial focus for interfacing with customers and the source of intelligence about customers, competitors, and the general environment.”
In this case, Marketing is a part of the core courses of the Global MBA program’s specialization in Design, Fashion and Luxury Goods.
At the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s (CUHK) MBA, Marketing is among six optional concentrations. As Hong Kong’s first business school to introduce MBA programs, CUHK is globally renowned for its top-ranked offerings. This is why CUHK offers a marketing focus to their MBA participants:
“To win in the age of the empowered consumer, Marketing concentration is primarily geared toward those students with an interest in managerial marketing and big data marketing by learning data-driven and strategic marketing knowledge.”
An MBA concentration in Marketing is usually a fixed set of courses that students complete as part of their MBA studies, in addition to the core courses.
Yet another possibility is illustrated by JS Jain Dubai’s Global MBA. The curriculum provides a flexible approach to learning and is designed for maximum career impact. MBA participants can opt to develop a cross-functional perspective or specialize in one functional area of their choice from the business school’s offerings, Contemporary Marketing Management being one of them. At JP Jain Dubai’s MBA you “can choose electives from a number of specializations and align your MBA degree with your preferred career choice.”
Skills developed in a marketing MBA program
MBA programs aim to prepare participants for managerial and senior business leadership roles. On the other hand, Masters in Marketing aim to build the professional expert knowledge and skillset. So, if you aspire to grow as a marketeer, clarify your career growth preference – an expert or a manager. It is also possible to pursue Master's degree studies first and get an MBA later to set yourself on a managerial career path.
Here are some managerial-level courses you can expect to find in an MBA program with a focus on Marketing:
Behavioral Marketing Science and Decision-Making
Brand Management and Marketing Communications
B2B Marketing
Business Negotiation
Consumer behavior
Creating Self-efficacy and Impact on Communication
Customer Experience Strategy and Design
Database and Big Data Management
Design Thinking for Business Innovation
Digital Marketing and Analytics
Luxury marketing
Research for Customer Insights
Sales and Channel Management in the Digital Economy
Career opportunities with an MBA in marketing
Popular roles for marketing MBA graduates
Marketing managers are in demand because of their role in driving business growth, brand visibility, and customer engagement in a highly competitive and dynamic marketplace. As a manager or a C-level executive, MBA degree holders are involved in strategic business growth, customer-centric business models, brand management and positioning, focusing on ROI, evolving consumer expectations, and identifying demand in emerging industries. Some of the specific roles are:
Advertising Manager
Brand Manager
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Marketing Consultant
Marketing Manager
Marketing Operations Manager
Promotions Manager
Industries seeking marketing MBAs
Marketing management is essential in any organization, particularly in digital-focused companies. Many leading businesses either maintain in-house marketing teams or rely on external marketing agencies to meet their needs. Consequently, some of the world’s largest corporations regularly recruit MBA graduates specializing in marketing.
As reported by Glassdoor, top companies actively hiring for marketing and digital marketing manager positions include: Amazon, IBM, Microsoft, Google, Dell, Salesforce, Cisco, Oracle, Intel, and Meta.
Salary expectations and career growth in marketing
Marketing managers enjoy dynamic career growth opportunities. Their performance is fueled by innovation, leadership, and strategic impact in marketing. As a strategic role, marketing ensures high salaries and opportunities for performance-based bonus schemes. Salaries depend on the level of responsibility, industry and type of organization. Glassdoor reports a median salary of EUR 96,000 for Chief Marketing Officers in Europe in 2024 with a range of EUR 65,000 – EUR 150,000.
Advantages of choosing a marketing MBA
An essential business growth area at all times, today's marketing MBA specializations boost career prospects in the dynamic digital economy. This specialization positions candidates for high-demand roles in a fast-evolving, tech-driven marketplace.
However, marketing-driven professionals must plan their studies with a clear direction. You should opt for a Master’s in Marketing if you aim to grow as an expert and choose an MBA if you aspire to a managerial or strategic-level role.
Comments