University Catalogues

Marketing (MK)

MK 250 Marketing Essentials     (3 credits)

Not eligible for students who have completed GB 214

Marketing is at the heart of a firm’s success as it involves researching, creating, delivering and communicating value to customers. It encompasses what services, goods, and/or experiences to sell, how much to sell them for, where to sell them, how to communicate them, and how to ensure differentiation from competitors. If done well, sustainable profits and a positive impact on society can be achieved. If done in an inadequate and unethical way, significant losses and social backlash can result. Success thus requires that understanding customers and how they make their decisions, which ones to build relationships with, how to develop a product that customers will value and choose, and how to navigate the ethical dilemmas that may arise. This course will provide students with foundational knowledge about these marketing elements, exposure to ethical dilemmas, and opportunities to apply these insights so that they can grasp the nature of marketing decisions and their impact on success.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

MK 321 Consumer Behavior     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course provides students with an understanding of the process of consumer decision-making, the individual and group-level influences on consumer behavior, and the implications of consumer behavior for marketers. The course focuses on concepts and theories initially developed in psychology, sociology, demography, anthropology and other behavioral disciplines, and their application to understanding individuals as consumers. Relevant information technology concepts are incorporated into analysis of consumer trends and patterns.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

MK 322 Marketing Research     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: [GB 214 and (Pre or Co-Req: GB 213)] or [MK 250 and (Pre or Co-Req: ST 113)]

This course introduces tools and techniques of marketing research as an aid to marketing decision-making. It covers definitions of research problems, research methodologies, design of research projects, analysis and interpretation of research results. the course emphasizes practical aspects of conducting and evaluating marketing research studies.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

MK 330 New Product Development and Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course considers the role of new products in the survival and growth strategies of organizations. It focuses on the major problems firms encounter in directing and managing their product development and marketing activities. It examines the development process from conception of ideas to commercial introduction using best practices information technology. The course also considers the shorter marketing life cycle from introduction to deletion of products in the information age.

Typically Offered: Once a year

MK 332 Promotional Strategy     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course explores promotional goals and processes as they relate to the total marketing program of the organization. It examines advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and publicity as promotional techniques. The course includes detailed analysis of planning and implementing promotional campaigns.

Typically Offered: Once a year

MK 340 Customer Insights Using Analytics     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: (GB 214 or MK 250) and MK 322

This course explores concepts, tools, and methods to comprehend heterogeneity and dynamism in customer needs, to build and enhance relationships with “empowered” customers, and to guide wise business decisions and monitor performance by multifaceted marketing metrics. Topics covered include customer profiling, STP (segmentation, targeting, and positioning) strategy, modeling marketing responsiveness and decision making, and understanding the essence and linkages of modern marketing metrics. A primary emphasis throughout the course will be placed on hands-on experience with data-driven analytics, critical thinking regarding results interpretation, and visualization.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

MK 342 Advertising     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course considers the role of advertising and sales promotion within an institution and within society. It examines the advertising function in its social and ethical, economic, historical, legal and technological contexts. The course explores a firm's advertising and sales promotion decisions, and focuses on the design, content and delivery of advertising messages from a communication standpoint. It investigates media, budget and measurement issues in advertising, and explores the increasing use of technological tools used by today's advertising professionals to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of a firm's communication effort.

Typically Offered: Once a year

MK 344 Retailing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course examines various types of retail formats from the perspective of a professional manager and from that of an entrepreneur. It includes analysis of competitive strategies, information technology in relation to distribution and merchandising, operating in multiple channels, site analysis, e-tailing, store layout and design, merchandise selection, inventory control, pricing, promotion, and integration of the retail mix.

Typically Offered: Every two or more years

MK 346 Luxury Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

Luxury brands are one of the fastest growing areas of global business. This course is designed to provide participants with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to succeed in the marketing and management of complex, luxury brands. It develops an appreciation of how luxury brands have evolved over time and place, and introduces the material, symbolic and experiential dimensions of luxury. 

Building upon the principles of creating and developing luxury brands the course explores a range of premium industries including fashion, perfume, jewelry, the finest hotels and exclusive clubs, yachts and high-end automobiles.

Typically Offered: Once a year

MK 350 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Marketplace: Exploring and Correcting Marketing Injustices     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

In this course, by applying a critical race theoretical lens, students will understand the systemic nature of inequities that pervade the marketplace and marketing practices, and explore possible solution to achieving diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice and belonging. Through discussions, reflections, and explorations of the history of systems and practices and possible solutions, such as multicultural marketing, students will come to be in a position where they can challenge marketplace inequities as they pursue careers in marketing-related fields.

Typically Offered: Once a year

MK 361 Digital Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

The development of information technology has changed how individuals and organizations acquire and market goods and services. This course adopts a managerial, applied perspective to examine continuing technology-driven changes in consumers, business activities, and the marketplace itself.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

MK 362 Digital Marketing Analytics     (3 credits)

Pre- Req: MK 250 or GB 214

This course will provide students with basic knowledge of digital analytics concepts and practices. The course consists of three main parts: (1) digital analytics for website optimization, (2) measuring marketing campaigns online, and (3) consumer privacy and ethics. Topics covered include understanding the importance of digital analytics in marketing, identifying KPIs and key metrics used in digital analytics, implementing website optimization techniques, assessing digital campaigns including email and online advertising, and comprehending regulations regarding consumer privacy and data usage as well as reflecting on related ethical issues. Applying a hands-on approach, the course will allow students to explore various tools and software used in digital analytics, such as Google Analytics and SEMrush. Students will have the opportunity to receive a certificate from the Digital Analytics Association.

MK 363 AI and Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-req: MK 250 or GB 214

If AI is shaping our world, then what is AI? In this course, students will be presented with a framework for AI divided into 4 categories based on two dimensions: (1) level of intelligence, and (2) integration with an organization’s technology. Students will explore key marketing concepts within this framework, and examine two types of intelligence, task automation and machine learning. They will study AI applications that are standalone or integrated into a larger system. Students will examine AI within the functions of marketing, how it is used and how it is transforming the following functions: Advertising, Analytics, Communications, Content Marketing, Customer Service, Ecommerce Email Marketing, SEO, and Social Media Marketing.

MK 365 Marketing of Services     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course examines the dimensions of the service sector, including the structural differences between services and consumer/industrial products. It explores service marketers' difficulties in using traditional marketing concepts. The course focuses on new marketing approaches in service sectors in the information-age economy.

Typically Offered: Every two or more years

MK 366 Marketing for Nonprofits and Social Enterprises     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course examines a wide range of marketing tactics for nonprofit organizations, social enterprises, and for-profit CSR initiatives, focusing on their unique needs and challenges. In this course, students will have an opportunity to engage with and learn from practitioners, read and discuss research articles on various topics, work through case studies, and apply their knowledge to a marketing-related project.

Typically Offered: Every two or more years

MK 367 International Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course analyzes the decision-making process of marketing products and services in the international marketplace. A strong emphasis is placed on the emerging role of information technology as it affects marketing managers' decisions on the product, pricing, distribution and advertising/promotion. Through the appreciation of the differences and similarities of the international environment, students will gain a better understanding of how marketing divisions need to be adapted for overseas markets.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

MK 368 Business-to-Business Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course examines the processes and activities that enable the profitable development and delivery of goods and services in business-to-business (B2B) markets. It focuses on the strategic importance of information technology (IT) in managing relationships when both buyers and sellers are organizations. Areas of study include customer value assessment, organizational buying behavior, value-based segmentation, and the creation and evaluation of integrated business marketing programs. An interactive B2B marketing simulation and in-depth case analyses require the application of the concepts and tools discussed in the course.

Typically Offered: Every two or more years

MK 369 Sports Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

Sport permeates daily life from both a social and economic viewpoint. Often, businesses, teams, athletes, nonprofit organizations and governments depend on sports as an integral part of their marketing campaigns. The political and financial impact of these decisions will have global and local ramifications. Students will be introduced to the fundamental issues related to the industry of sport. The course examines the aspects of sport and its impact on business and marketing. Specifically, the course examines sports marketing from the following perspectives: 1. the strategic planning process associated with team sports 2. the marketing of sporting goods and related products 3. the use of sports in the marketing of other goods and services

Typically Offered: Once a year

MK 372 Pricing Strategies     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

The objective of this course is to provide a useful conceptual framework as well as analytical techniques that can be applied in understanding and managing prices from a marketing perspective. The conceptual framework consists of three modules, including setting an initial price, modification of existing prices, and developing a price structure by applying different price-segmentation fences. Specific topics to be covered include assessing value to the customer, customer cognitive and emotional responses to price changes, identifying price-segmentation fences, pricing strategies, tactical issues related to pricing, pricing methods, consideration of competition, legal and ethical limitations, and the role of price in customer buying decisions for both consumer and industrial goods and services.

Typically Offered: Once a year

MK 388 Creative Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course will teach students the value of creativity within an organization and specifically for marketing. Creativity and innovation are often evoked in company mission statements, but more often than not, companies fail at fostering either of them within their ranks. Students will learn to understand why and how creativity fails within organizations, and how to avoid these pitfalls. The focus of the course is explicitly on group and organizational creativity, particularly cross-functional creativity and its importance for functions such as new product development and marketing communications. Students in this course are encouraged to think of themselves as future change agents within organizations. They will learn the tools to build processes and spaces for creativity with tangible results.

MK 398 Experimental Course in Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

Experimental courses explore curriculum development, with specific content intended for evolution into a permanent course. A topic may be offered twice before it becomes a permanent course. Students may repeat experimental courses with a different topic for credit

MK 399 Experimental Course in Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

Experimental courses explore curriculum development,with specific content intended for evolution into a permanent course. A topic may be offered twice before it becomes a permanent course. Students may repeat experimental courses with a different topic for credit.

Typically Offered: Every two or more years

MK 400 Strategic Marketing Management     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: (GB 214 or MK 250), two other Marketing courses, and at least 81 completed or in progress credits

This course serves as a capstone course for marketing majors. It is a case driven course that integrates materials covered in the marketing curriculum and relates them to the design and implementation of marketing strategy. Selected cases will emphasize the integration of technology into the marketing process. Students are expected to demonstrate competency in analytical and presentation skills. Additionally, students will be required to utilize contemporary hi-tech tools.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

MK 401 Directed Study in Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: Instructor permission required

This course permits superior students to study special topics. (Allows repetition for credit.)

Typically Offered: Every two or more years

MK 402 Seminar in Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: (GB 214 or MK 250), 3.0 GPA, and at least 81 completed or in progress credits

This course covers in-depth examination of contemporary and emerging marketing practices, issues and topics, as well as other advanced or scholarly marketing topics, depending on the interests of participants and/or instructor. Teaching pedagogy includes journal articles, a field project, and individual assignments.

MK 403 Special Topics in Marketing     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course examines a specific and major marketing topic(s) or theme(s).

Typically Offered: Every two or more years

MK 411 Marketing Project     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: [(GB 214 or MK 250) and two other marketing courses] or instructor permission

This course focuses on the design, developments and execution of a marketing project on a team basis for an actual client organization. It studies management issues in implementing marketing plans and activities. The course examines how specific projects relate to an organization's overall marketing strategy and the resources needed to implement such activities. It discusses criteria used to measure the effectiveness of specific marketing activities.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

MK 421 Internship in Marketing Practice     (3 credits)

Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250

This course offers a field-based learning experience for selected full-time students in marketing. Requires the student to select a seminar project related to his/her internship experience, in consultation with the internship advisor. The course requires students to attend regular seminar meetings, submit progress reports, and prepare a substantial report on academic concepts related to the work experience.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring