Marketing & Sales

Marketing & Sales Degrees

Marketing and sales programs teach business professionals how to gain a competitive edge over rival sellers. You’ll learn how to identify potential customers, develop products and services that meet their needs, distribute products and services to the target market, set prices to maximize profits, and use promotion techniques to increase sales. You can pursue a Marketing and Sales degree at the associate, bachelor and master’s degree levels.

By earning an associate’s degree in marketing, you will be prepared to fill entry level marketing positions such as a retail sales associate or a customer service representative. An associate’s degree program requires 2 years of study, and often, the credits you earn in this program can be applied towards a bachelor’s degree.

A bachelor’s degree in marketing, or often a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing, will give you many more job opportunities. These programs prepare graduates for management jobs in marketing, retail merchandising, marketing research, and promotions. A bachelor’s degree will require 4 years of study.

You also have the option to earn an MBA in marketing. These programs are designed to cater to the educational needs of professionals who work in the fields of marketing, advertising, and public relations. You will need to earn a bachelor’s degree before you will be able to enroll in a master’s degree program.

Job Opportunities in Marketing & Sales

Employment in marketing and sales is expected to increase through 2018, but competition for job positions will be fierce. Job opportunities will be best for computer savvy college graduates who are creative, have strong communication skills, and are on top of the current market trends. If you like to be ahead of the trends, a career in marketing will put you where you want to be. It’s a field that takes a competitive nature, a strategic mind, and analytical ability.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition