Marketing

Marketing involves much more than advertising and selling. It's an important strategic function that reaches across all aspects of business. With a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Marketing from the University of Idaho, you will have the expertise to understand what consumers want, the knowledge to produce and package a product to meet this demand, and the know-how to persuade consumers to buy it.

As a marketing major, you will learn how to apply the four “P’s” of marketing (Product, Promotion, Price, Place) to develop effective marketing and communication strategies that sell. You’ll learn to conduct market research, analyze consumer data, help design marketable products, and create packaging, pricing and distribution plans. You will explore all aspects of business, with courses in accounting, statistics, economics, management, business law, and operations. You will also gain the broad business perspective required for success in the marketing profession. A double major or minor in marketing also is an excellent complement to other business fields, such as human resources, finance and management.

The acclaimed Integrated Business Curriculum (IBC) is the college's signature program. In your junior year, you will work as part of a team with other business students to address problems for companies such as Boeing, Micron, Starbucks, Columbia Sportswear and Coldwater Creek. The yearlong experience strengthens your teamwork and decision-making skills, and gives you valuable cross-functional knowledge in business systems, product and process planning, managing firm resources and business operating decisions.

Prepare for Success

Marketers are outgoing people. They are highly inquisitive and well versed in current trends and events. To be successful, you must master the art of persuasion, and also have the ability to research and analyze complex market data. If you’re interested in a career in marketing, you should be a natural leader, a creative thinker, an exceptional communicator, competitive, cooperative and persuasive. To prepare, take courses in high school that improve your communication and research skills.

Your First Year

During your first year in the College of Business and Economics, you will complete core discovery courses and general university requirements in English, math, science and communication. You also will take Business 100, an introductory course that provides a broad overview of all business majors.

You will take foundation business courses during your second year and spend your junior year working as part of a small team with other business majors in the Integrated Business Curriculum. Your fourth year will include an intensive capstone course and upper-division courses in your major.

Marketing Curriculum Sheet

What You Can Do

Depending on your personal interests and goals, you may pursue a career as a:

• Marketing manager
• Sales manager
• Retail manager
• Retail and industrial buyer
• Sales representative
• Brand manager
• Advertising account manager
• Market research analyst
• Product marketing manager
• Pricing specialist
• Entrepreneur/small business owner
• e-Marketing and customer relations specialist
• Public relations specialist

For more information, visit www.careers-in-marketing.com.

Opportunities

A degree in marketing positions you for a variety of well-paying and challenging career opportunities. From large corporations to small nonprofits, qualified, creative marketing professionals are always in demand. Recent graduates have a reported starting annual salary of $43,000. Our graduates have been hired by major companies, including:

• E. & J. Gallo Wines
• Coldwater Creek
• University of Idaho
• Silverwood Theme Park
• EntrePrises Climbing Walls
• Enterprise Car Rental
• Northwest River Supply
• Micron Technology
• Northwestern Mutual

Current Research

Faculty members in the College of Business and Economics are nationally and internationally recognized for their marketing expertise. Current faculty research projects and interests include:

• Effects of Web-based advertising
• Consumer dissatisfaction and satisfaction
• Wine quality and pricing
• Retailer group development and group decision-making
• Channel/supply chain decision-making
• Biodiesel market development
• New product development and the relational capability of the firm
• Assessing service quality across and within industries
• Service guarantees
• E-mail to solicit information for advertising
• Information technology in marketing performance

Activities

American Marketing Association (AMA) Student Chapter: A national organization for students, academics and professionals. Join as early as your freshman year to learn about marketing career opportunities.
Mu Kappa Tau (MKT):  A national honor society that recognizes top marketing students who retain a 3.25 cumulative GPA. Membership provides many marketing career opportunities.

Hands-On Experience

In the College of Business and Economics (CBE), you will have hands-on experiential learning opportunities to ensure your readiness for the real business world. These interactive programs give you practical experience and business know-how that will set you apart. Our signature programs include:

• Integrated Business Curriculum: The program revolutionizes the traditional model of teaching business in standalone classes and emphasizes a more realistic approach to business education. The innovative yearlong program brings together juniors in all business majors to address real issues.
• VIEW Entrepreneurship Program: Vandal Innovation and Enterprise Works (VIEW) provides opportunities for you to create and pursue new business ideas and build entrepreneurship skills. The program is available to all majors and hosts an annual competition for teams of student entrepreneurs.
• Vandal Solutions: A nonprofit, student-operated company that gives you practical business experience, while offering the university and local businesses market research, Secret Shoppers and feasibility studies. Proceeds benefit university programs and activities.
• Barker Capital Management and Trading program: Students gain practical experience in this sophisticated trading room outfitted with 60-inch plasmas tuned to CNBC, a real-time trade station and current technologies. 
• International Experiences: Discover business globally by studying abroad for a semester or accompanying our faculty on one of several CBE student international trips.
• Internships: Gain valuable on-the-job experience through quality internships with major employers.

Facilities

The modern J.A. Albertson Building is home to the College of Business and Economics. Here students learn in technologically advanced classrooms featuring smart boards and wireless connectivity.