Marketing is a vital business function in any organization. Marketing managers are among the busiest professionals in any industry. Responsible for driving revenue and profitability, while increasing market share, they have a variety of important functions, including hiring staff, building marketing budgets, developing marketing plans, coordinating marketing campaigns, managing research teams and tracking results of all of their efforts.
Those who can execute these responsibilities successfully are duly rewarded in a fast-growing industry with high earnings potential. The advertising, promotions and marketing field is anticipated to grow 10 percent between 2016 and 2026 (as of November 2018), and median pay for managers is currently at $129,380 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Often, marketing professionals find that opportunities in management and executive roles require knowledge they have not been able to acquire on the job, or require an MBA. These professionals have reached a career plateau, a common occurrence for those with three to seven years of experience. Employers need specially trained experts in product and brand management, market research, consumer behavior, data analysis, competitive positioning, advertising, public relations, creative team management, and many more functions in order to sustain long-term success. But when you are working full time, how do you find the time to pursue this degree without leaving your job and taking inordinate financial risks?
The Online MBA Is Ideal for the Working Marketing Professional
The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) recently published a report titled “Beyond Demographics: Connecting With the Core Motivations of Business School Candidates.” They uncovered the core aspirations, information gathering behaviors, and motivations of 5,900 business school candidates from around the world. The report identified seven distinct candidate profiles, and two are especially prevalent in the world of marketing:
Career Revitalizers: These professionals are motivated to invest in their futures by work-related issues and potential promotions and raises. Of this segment, 96 percent are employed full time and want to continue to work as they attend business school.
Skill Upgraders: Marketing is divided into many disciplines, each requiring the expertise and leadership of specialists. These professionals want expertise in areas such as digital marketing and creative team management. Many of these people also work full time.
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside’s MBA with a Concentration in Marketing online program has been developed to meet the needs of professionals matching these career profiles, given their limited time and ambitious objectives. The program has 12 start dates per year, enabling the working professional to begin at a time that is convenient. It is an accelerated program that students can complete in as few as 12 months, limiting the amount of time it takes to earn the degree. The program’s combination of core courses and electives enables each student to tailor the curriculum to specific career objectives. Perhaps most important, the program is 100 percent online, which provides three key benefits that today’s marketing professionals need:
Accessibility: People anywhere in the United States and around the world can earn this degree without moving to a campus and leaving their jobs and families. The online format enables access from any internet-enabled device, from anywhere, at any time.
Flexibility: Marketing professionals can continue working while balancing academic, professional and personal obligations. They can take more or fewer classes, depending on their schedules.
Affordability: The online model reduces the cost of tuition, making the program an option for now, rather than at some future point. The tuition is just $18,000 for both in-state and out-of-state students, and financial aid is available.
If you are an ambitious marketing professional at or nearing a career plateau, the UW-Parkside specialized online MBA is designed to meet your specific needs.
Learn more about the University of Wisconsin-Parkside’s online MBA with a Concentration in Marketing program.
Sources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers
GMAC: Beyond Demographics: Connecting with the Core Motivations of Business School Candidates