As the job market continues to prove difficult for graduates across the country, many are looking for ways to set themselves apart and give themselves an upper hand as they advance into the work force. To do this, many look to graduate school where they can receive advanced knowledge in their field, better mentorship from faculty, and tangible skills that will improve their appearance to potential hiring managers. To meet this growing demand for advanced education and specialized skills, the Sam M. Walton College of Business is developing programs tailored to prepare students for success in competitive industries.
In 2023, Walton College introduced the Master of Science in Marketing (MSM) program. The program provides a unique and rigorous marketing-focused curriculum designed for students who are passionate about a career in brand management, digital marketing, retail marketing, and marketing services. While enrolled in the program, students gain a comprehensive knowledge of these fields and build skills that organizations seek such as brand strategy, market trends analysis, competitive analysis, brand positioning, and project management.
“Understanding and addressing consumer needs in this dynamic world is challenging. Our program is designed to enable students to meet these challenges,” said Craig Geiger, the MSM program director.
The program is not just about the diploma but also about providing students with real, applicable skills through hands-on learning experiences. Students have the ability to work on live marketing campaigns and deliver marketing plan recommendations through the organizational partnerships of the program.
“These hands-on, real-world experiences enable the students to build their business analysis, creative problem solving, project management and presentation skills,” Geiger stated.
These experiences give them the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom and use them to build essential skills for employers and often open doors to internships and career opportunities. In May of 2024, the MSM program graduated its first cohort of students who have started their marketing careers in companies such as Tyson, Colgate, PrizePicks, PepsiCo, Accenture, and other leading organizations.
One of the most notable advantages of the MSM program is the location: Northwest Arkansas. Since the region is a global epicenter of corporate retail and supply operations, students are given invaluable access to some of the world’s leading corporations. Geiger highlights the location as one of the standout features of the program, noting that it offers “the perfect foundation for outstanding, leading edge marketing opportunities. That is a key element that sets our program apart.”
The program’s leadership combines faculty who are academic scholars as well as professors of practice with deep research and academic experience as well as decades of industry marketing experience with major consumer packaged goods companies, agencies, and retailers. Additionally, leadership works closely with industry leaders to make sure that students are getting leading edge course materials, topics, guest speakers, and class projects.
“We have purposely selected an outstanding faculty made up of academic scholars and professors of practice with extensive industry experience to ensure the subject matter and learning is relevant, leading edge and applicable to today’s marketing environment,” said Geiger.
In addition to technical skills, the program also stresses leadership, storytelling, presentation and communication skills in the discussion and group-project based curriculum. Courses within the program are specifically designed to address the latest trends in marketing. This includes courses in social media marketing, digital marketing, special topics in marketing, and consumer research that cover the latest emerging trends. “This approach sets up our graduates for careers in brand marketing, digital marketing, market research and insights, creative agencies and other marketing and consulting-related positions,” said Geiger.
The program is a full-time, in-person commitment completed over two semesters, comprising 30 credit hours through 10 courses. Students have the flexibility to begin in either the Spring or Fall semester, with applications accepted on a rolling basis. All classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, allowing students to hold internships or other forms of employment on their off days. The flexible schedule demonstrates not only the school’s quality education, but also their commitment to furthering students’ professional goals.
“There is not a better time, better place, or better program than the University of Arkansas Master of Science in Marketing Program if you are a student with a passion for a career in marketing,” said Geiger. “The world of marketing is moving so fast and has so many exciting opportunities for creative, problem-solving leaders who love to understand and meet the needs of consumers.”
Kaslyn Tidmore is a second-year graduate student at the University of Arkansas, earning
her master’s degree in public relations and advertising. Before relocating to Arkansas,
Kaslyn graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in print
journalism and a minor in editing and publishing. During this time, she interned with
publications such as, Parker County Today Magazine, WedLinkMedia, Modern Luxury, and
the school’s newspaper, the OU Daily. Following her role as the graduate assistant
to Editor-in-Chief Ryan Sheets, Kaslyn now serves as a GA in the Center for Media
Ethics and Literacy at the School of Journalism and Strategic Media.
