A Master’s degree in Marketing can take you places. If you want to be involved in the aspect of communicating a brand’s value to a target demographic, the first step is earning your degree. It is very common for college students fresh out of high school to enroll in an undergraduate degree program without much of a clue about what they plan on doing once they enter the working world. While some students are confident with the majors they have chosen, many undergraduate students will change their majors or pursue a career in an entirely different field once they have graduated. If you are no longer interested in the field you majored in as an undergrad, you may be wondering if you can still pursue a Master’s degree in Marketing. Here is your guide to understanding admissions requirements for the best Master’s degree programs with a focus in Marketing.
Admissions Requirements for a Graduate Program with a Marketing Concentration
Postgraduate degree programs are designed to take the basic knowledge and principles that you have gained in an undergraduate program to the next level. If you have done your research and decided that you would like to enter the field of marketing or advertising, you might be wondering if your BA in Business is going to satisfy the strict admissions requirements of a business school, and this is a legitimate concern when you are switching your field of interest. Luckily, most schools do not require a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing to enter a Master’s degree program with a focus on Marketing. There are, however, strict requirements that you must satisfy, and the competition can be fierce. Here are some requirements that are very common:
* A business related undergraduate degree
* Students with a non-business undergraduate degree may be able to fulfill this requirement by completing prerequisite courses in Marketing, Accounting, and Financial Management
* Acceptable grade point average
* Acceptable score on the GMAT graduate school admissions exam
* Work experience in marketing or a related business field. The amount of experience required can vary from 2 years to 10 years depending on the program.
Why Should You Choose a Master’s in Marketing?
Now that you are relieved to learn that there are graduate schools that will accept you without a BA or BS in Marketing, you need to gain an understanding of how a Master’s in Marketing will propel your career. In the field of marketing, you have to prove yourself to become a marketing department manager or an advertising head. In order to prove yourself, you have to be able to get your foot in the door in a position that has some sort of voice. Assistants can work their way up, but with a Master’s you will receive more opportunities and more attention. Marketing is one of the few fields that was not affected by the recession of 2007 through 2009, and it is a field where demand remains high. By choosing to earn an advanced degree in the field, you can develop the skills you need to compete in a multi-channel global marketing world.
Compare all of the marketing programs that are available, and choose a Master’s degree program that is respected and accredited. By spending the extra time, you can enter a field you never knew you wanted to enter.
