Marketing BS

College of Management
Undergraduate major / Bachelor of Science

About this program

Marketing activities play a critical role in the achievement of an organization's missions and objectives. Students in the marketing major will study the demographic, psychographic, social, economic, technological, environmental and cultural factors that influence the demands for consumer and industrial goods and services.

This program offers courses related to marketing principles, buyer behavior, marketing research, marketing communications, international marketing, and others.  All of the courses in this major are designed to enhance students' understanding of marketing as a multifaceted and cross-functional discipline that plays a key role in an organization's vitality.  

This program can be completed on campus, online, or by combining on campus and online courses. Program requirements are the same, regardless of the delivery mode.

Student outcomes

A student majoring in Marketing will be able to: 

  • Develop primary research for use in making marketing decisions.
  • Assess brand strategy and ethics of an organization. 
  • Apply buyer behavior theories and principles to a brand.
  • Create an integrated marketing communications plan. 
  • Develop a successful global marketing plan.

Enrolling in this program

Program eligibility requirements

Prior to declaring this major, students must complete the COM Foundation Courses with a grade of C- or better.   The COM Foundation Courses are prerequisites for many upper division College of Management courses. Completing these courses early in your program will help you succeed and have the most valuable experience in other College of Management courses.

Current students: Declare your program

Once you’re admitted as an undergraduate student and have met any further requirements your chosen program may have, you may declare a major or declare an optional minor.

Future students: Apply now

Apply to Metropolitan State: Start the journey toward your Marketing BS now. Learn about the steps to enroll or, if you have questions about what Metropolitan State can offer you, request information, visit campus or chat with an admissions counselor.

Get started on your Marketing BS

More ways to earn your degree: Metropolitan State offers the flexibility you need to finish your degree. Through programs at our partner institutions, you can find a path to getting your Marketing BS that works best for you.

About your enrollment options

Program requirements

Marketing Major Residency Requirement:  At least 16 credits from among the Major Required Courses and Major Electives must be completed at Metropolitan State.  See also the COM policies page for requirements that are common to all programs.

Course requirements

Requirements (120 credits)

College of Management Foundation (22 credits)

MIS 100 Fundamentals of Information Technology in Organizations

4 credits

This course is the first information technology foundation course in the College of Management. It focuses on the technology literacy, managerial and business problem solving dimensions of computer based information systems. It provides students with an introduction to the fundamental terminology of the hardware, software and the people involved with computer based information systems. The course includes hands on computer lab time to introduce students to word processing, database, spread sheet, and Internet microcomputer applications. This course is designed specifically to prepare students for information technology competence as needed in College of Management courses.

Full course description for Fundamentals of Information Technology in Organizations

MATH 115 College Algebra

4 credits

This course develops the fundamental concepts of algebra with an emphasis on the classification and analysis of linear, quadratic, polynomial, exponential and logarithmic functions. Applications to the natural and social sciences are given throughout. It aims to provide insights into the nature and utility of mathematics, and helps students develop mathematical reasoning skills.

Full course description for College Algebra

STAT 201 Statistics I

4 credits

This course covers the basic principles and methods of statistics. It emphasizes techniques and applications in real-world problem solving and decision making. Topics include frequency distributions, measures of location and variation, probability, sampling, design of experiments, sampling distributions, interval estimation, hypothesis testing, correlation and regression.

Full course description for Statistics I

ECON 201 Macroeconomics

3 credits

This course focuses on the economy as a whole and studies how government can affect the economy. After starting with principles of markets, the price system and supply and demand, the course covers national income accounting, business cycles, inflation, unemployment, fiscal policy, monetary policy and the Federal Reserve System, different approaches to economic growth, and the foundations of international trade.

Full course description for Macroeconomics

ECON 202 Microeconomics

3 credits

This course focuses on the interactions between the consumer and the producer. It begins with the theory of markets, supply and demand, and the price system. Then it covers demand elasticity, the costs of production including the various factor inputs, the four major market structures (pure competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly and monopoly), and ways to increase the competition in markets.

Full course description for Microeconomics

ACCT 210 Financial Accounting

4 credits

This course in financial accounting acquaints students with the "language of business" and the concepts and practices of accounting in order to understand, interpret, and analyze the financial accounting reports of economic entities. Topics include: economic context of accounting; introduction to basic financial statements with emphasis on the statement of cash flows; measurement fundamentals; analysis of financial statements; cash; receivables; inventories; investments in equity and debt securities including Consolidations; long-lived assets; current and long-term liabilities; stockholders' equity; and time value of money concepts and computations for decision making: international accounting practices are incorporated into every topic. This is not a bookkeeping course.

Full course description for Financial Accounting

College of Management Business Core (20 credits)

DSCI 434 Introduction to Operations Management

4 credits

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the fundamental concepts and techniques of production and operations management for both service and manufacturing organizations. It will address the role of operations in relation to other functions and the methods to increase organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Topics covered include: product and service design, capacity planning, design of work systems, location planning and analysis, material requirements planning, supply-chain management, enterprise resource planning, inventory management, total quality management, Six Sigma, lean enterprise and kaizen approaches, aggregate planning, just-in-time systems, scheduling, and project planning. Also included are tools and processes used in operations decisions such as forecasting, breakeven analysis, and critical path method using available software.

Full course description for Introduction to Operations Management

FIN 390 Principles of Finance

4 credits

This course introduces the application to financial decision-making of mathematics, statistics, economic theory, and accounting procedures. The two central ideas are time value of money and the relationship between expected return and risk, and how these ideas are used to value bonds, stocks, and other financial securities, and to make capital investment decisions.

Full course description for Principles of Finance

MIS 310 Principles of Management Information Systems

4 credits

This course is designed to define the role of information systems in organizations, and in particular the roles of IS staff and end-users in developing and maintaining computer systems. The managerial aspects and implications of databases, telecommunications, hardware, software and e-commerce are included. Special attention is given to management information systems theories in the organizational setting including: infrastructure, transaction processing, operational reporting, decision support systems and executive information systems. Also included are all phases of the systems development life cycle (SDLC) as well as alternative development methodologies. The course prototypically includes analysis of real world business cases and post-implementation audit report of a recently completed management information system. All students taking this class must have completed as a prerequisite the MIS 100 Fundamentals of Information Technology in Organizations course or its approved…

Full course description for Principles of Management Information Systems

MKTG 300 Marketing Principles

4 credits

This course surveys factors that marketing managers take into account when creating a marketing plan, including consumer behavior principles, market segmentation, product life cycle, packaging, branding, pricing, advertising, sales promotion, public relations, personal selling, product distribution methods and key laws affecting marketing practices. The course takes a practical approach to explaining how to identify marketing objectives and determine strategies for reaching them. It is useful to general business students, students who plan marketing management or marketing communications careers and those who wish to be better informed consumers. This course is also offered online. Prerequisite: Goal 1 writing requirement plus 30 credits must be satisfied.

Full course description for Marketing Principles

Required (20 credits)

MKTG 310 Consumer and Professional Buyer Behavior

4 credits

This course is designed to give both marketing management and marketing communications students an opportunity to study principles of the behavioral sciences of psychology, sociology and anthropology, and how they are used in creating marketing and communications plans aimed at consumer or professional buyers. Specific topics include perception processes, lifestyle analysis, personality, psychographics, motivational analysis and the influence of groups on their members' buying behaviors.

Full course description for Consumer and Professional Buyer Behavior

MKTG 343 Integrated Marketing Communications

4 credits

This course teaches a strategic approach to understanding and executing the full array of marketing communications. Topics include the essential role of integrated marketing communications (IMC) within the marketing function, product and service positioning, and the advantages, disadvantages and uses of various promotional tools such as advertising, sales promotion, publicity, public relations, personal selling and direct marketing. Special attention will be given to the constant changing role of interactive media. The course will focus on the process of developing effective IMC strategies that satisfy both promotional objectives and marketing goals, and developing an IMC plan.

Full course description for Integrated Marketing Communications

MKTG 420 Marketing Research

4 credits

This course examines the processes and techniques used in gathering, analyzing and reporting information that forms the basis for managerial and marketing decision making. The course content includes the study of both secondary research methods and primary research methods, with the emphasis on survey methods. There is a strong statistical analysis component, and students learn to use SPSS, statistical software used extensively in organizations that perform quantitative research. Students design and implement a marketing research study.

Full course description for Marketing Research

MKTG 480 International Marketing

4 credits

This course introduces students to the concepts and disciplines of international marketing. Students develop an understanding of the international environment and its impact on marketing. Topics include: social and cultural influences, political, legal and financial considerations, exporting and importing; organizational alternatives, information sources, market-entry strategies, pricing and distribution, sales and communications practices, counter trade, and other current international marketing issues. Major geographic marketing areas are discussed.

Full course description for International Marketing

MKTG 490 Issues in Marketing

4 credits

This course is positioned as the capstone for marketing majors. Students critically examine contemporary issues in marketing including brand strategy, consumer behavior, marketing communications, pricing, positioning, the marketing of services, interactive marketing, and ethical issues in marketing. Students analyze case studies and read articles from a wide variety of business journals and texts. Special emphasis is placed on developing analytical skills and business writing and presentation skills. Emphasis is placed on understanding complex marketing situations, drawing conclusions, and making sound marketing recommendations.

Full course description for Issues in Marketing

Electives (4 credits)

Any MKTG course or

BLAW 430 Marketing and Advertising Law

4 credits

This course addresses the laws that regularly affect day-to-day marketing and advertising practices. Topics include the cases, statutes and regulatory agencies that create liability for advertising copy and layout, and those dealing with acquiring and protecting trade names, trademarks, service marks, trade secrets, copyrights and patents, and the laws which define and create liability for unfair competitive practices.

Full course description for Marketing and Advertising Law

ENTR 495 Developing New Products and Services

2 credits

This course focuses on new product/service development from an entrepreneurial perspective. Through case studies, interactive exercises, team and individual projects, students will learn and apply ideation and harvesting concepts, gating methodologies, opportunity analysis, pro forma and forecasting. Students will enhance their research skills and critical thinking through evaluation of new product or service ideas.

Full course description for Developing New Products and Services

College of Management Capstone Course (4 credits)

MGMT 499 Case Studies in Strategic Management

4 credits

This advanced course uses the case study approach to develop systems and techniques for analyzing the internal strengths and weaknesses of diverse organizations and the external environments in which they operate. Students craft strategies and develop implementation plans that apply organizational resources to opportunities and threats in its external environment. This course should be taken during the last semester of a student's program.

Full course description for Case Studies in Strategic Management