Master of Science in Marketing
Designed for recent graduates and early career professionals seeking advanced, specialized
and focused training in Brand/Retail marketing to facilitate career opportunities
in the marketing field.
Offered by the Sam M. Walton College of Business, this degree is grounded in a deep
understanding of the increasing complexity and breadth of the marketing discipline.
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The Master of Science in Marketing degree is designed to foster customer-focused innovation
and decision-making skills essential for success in brand management. Students will
understand the challenges faced by organizations in an environment altered by changes
in consumer behavior, technology and globalization.
Students will also gain applied understanding of standard and advanced marketing analytics
used to assess performance and apply data to gain insights and drive business results.
Career Development
Job prospects for graduates?
What can I expect?
Courses and Schedule
What coursework is required for this degree?
Just the Facts
How Much? How Long?
Who can enroll?
How Do I Enroll?
Admission to Walton College masters programs is selective. Enrollment in each program is limited.
Podcast Interview
Craig Geiger, full time instructor and Director of the newly launched Master's of Science in Marketing degree at the Walton College, sits down with Dean Matt Waller to discuss how incoming students stand to benefit. View podcast page with transcript.
Just the Facts: Master of Science in Marketing
Program Length
One Year
Start Date
Fall or Spring
New cohorts begin each fall and spring semester for this degree program.
Admissions Info
Do I Qualify to Enroll?
Complete your undergraduate degree and meet additional requirements. View Requirements
Entrance Test
GMAT or GRE
Students may be eligible for a GMAT/GRE test waiver with a 3.2 undergraduate GPA or 3 years of professional work experience. Please review our master's admissions policies.
Application Deadline
FALL
International applicants: February 15
Priority (domestic applicants): April 15
Final (domestic applicants): July 1
SPRING
International applicants: August 15
Final (domestic applicants): November 1
Total Estimated Cost
$20,763*
*In-state tuition and fees. Additional tuition costs applied for out-of-state and
international students.
View cost details
Career Development
Close ties with our corporate partners facilitate recruiting and networking opportunities, internships, and careers.
Students can participate in corporate internships, career counseling, and take advantage of all the Walton College Career Services has to offer.
Courses and Program Schedule
To obtain the Master of Science in Marketing degree, students must complete the following 30 hours of coursework.
Marketing Core Courses
MKTG 51003: Introduction to Marketing
Introduction to marketing concepts and practices as applied to the retail consumer environment. Focuses on the strategic development, positioning, and management of products, promotion, distribution, pricing, and store environments in building customer relationships from retailer and supplier perspectives.MKTG 54303: Consumer and Market Research
Modern marketing research methods and analyses applied to consumers, shoppers, and buyers of goods and services sold in competitive retail environments. Attention is given to both quantitative and qualitative methods, analyses, interpretation, and decision making.MKTG 53403: Digital Marketing
As an increasing number of companies embracing the digital world (e.g., online advertising and e-commerce), there is a growing need for marketers to understand the implications and interruptions brought by this change.MKTG 55203: Marketing Analytics
This course is intended to teach students how to use data analytics to improve marketing decision making at every stage of the Strategic Marketing Process. The focus will be on the skills and tools needed to obtain, process, and analyze data to formulate and answer critical marketing questions and make managerial recommendations. This is a hands-on course that employs real-world databases, lectures, cases, and exercises.MKTG 53303: Retailing Strategy and Processes
Strategic planning and operation of retailing organizations. Investigation of the various types of retailing with emphasis on both the strategic and functional aspects in retail processes.Electives
Students must choose a minimum of three Marketing electives. Other elective courses may be approved by the MS MKTG director.
MKTG 53503: Category Management and Assortment
Category Management is a collaborative continuous process between manufacturers and retailers to manage a Shopper need state which we refer to as a 'category'. The purpose of this process is to optimize shopper satisfaction and fulfill the role chosen by the retailer (store and online) for that category within the overall portfolio of categories in the retail format. The end state of the category management process is that combination of assortment, price, shelf presentation and promotion which optimizes the category role over time.MKTG 55103: Sales Analytics
Recent years have witnessed increasing competitive pressures along with an explosion in the quantity and quality of data available. Big Data is rapidly changing how we view and analyze problems to make decisions in the marketplace. Whether a firm is consumer, business or service-oriented, acquiring and using information on its customers, competitors, and markets is critical for sales planning and decision-making. This course will emphasize how to analyze data to support and guide sales decisions.MKTG 55503: New Product Development and Strategy
Behavioral and social science concepts applied to retail shoppers, buyers, and consumers of products and services. Attention is given to research on the cognitive, affective, and experiential aspects involved in the acquisition, consumption, and disposal of products and services by individuals and households.MKTG 55703: Advanced Marketing Analytics
This course is intended to advance students' knowledge in data analytics to improve marketing decision making at every stage of the Strategic Marketing Process. This is an advanced course focused on the skills and tools needed to obtain, process, and analyze data to formulate and answer critical marketing questions and make managerial recommendations. We will provide an in-depth coverage on a variety of advanced analytical models and emphasize their applications to real-world marketing problems.MKTG 55803: Social Media Marketing
Social media is changing how business is done around the world in almost every industry. Many companies have embraced social media as a strategic component in their promotion/communication mix (e.g., advertising, sales/trade promotion, personal selling, publicity/public relations), and in connecting brands to current, like-minded, and potential consumers. Identifying and engaging influencers via social media continues to grow as a major component in consumer communications, brand engagement, and promotion strategy. This course is designed to help you understand how marketing has (and has not) changed due to the rise of social media and changes in various underlying contextual factors, such as dramatically increased speed of information dissemination across consumers and brands.MKTG 54103: Special Topics in Marketing
Seminar in special topics in marketing. Topics vary depending on the instructor.
The Northwest Arkansas Community
Join a supportive and engaging community located in the vibrant business network of Northwest Arkansas, with over 300 Fortune 500 companies with a presence in the region.
Business leaders and Walton alumni are closely connected to the college, not just during your studies, but throughout your career.