Marketing (BS)

Chair: Nicolas Lorgnier, PhD

Introduction

Marketing is a thrilling and dynamic discipline that helps organizations and individuals become successful by building relationships with customers and other stakeholders and creating products and services that are valued by customers. Every year excitement comes from new product launches, popular advertising campaigns, social media and innovative approaches to doing business in traditional industries. Marketing is global, fast-paced and rewarding. Marketing offers students the opportunity for an exciting career anywhere in the world. Marketing positions are available in all types of global industries ranging from financial services and health care to high technology and telecommunications. The marketing major is designed for students who want a balanced career that rewards both creativity and the ability to achieve strategic objectives.

Marketing positions are available in a variety of consumer, industrial and institutional market areas, including such non-business fields as health care, government administration and cultural development. The marketing program is designed for those who wish to pursue careers in international marketing, brand and product management, global retailing, e-tailing and distribution, marketing research, fashion merchandising, electronic and Internet marketing, sales and sales management.

The marketing curriculum is designed to help students achieve a number of important learning goals (see Learning Goal section below). The faculty annually conduct assessments to determine how well students are progressing toward the achievement of these goals. A process of continuous quality improvement based on these assessments is used to make decisions about curriculum, instructional methods, and the expected goals and objectives. This process is responsible for helping Canisius University maintain a marketing program worthy of national recognition and accreditation by the most well respected professional and academic accrediting organizations in the world.

Qualifications

Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in their major and a 2.0 overall GPA to graduate with a degree in Marketing. All students must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours to graduate.

Advisement

All students should have an advisor in the major and should contact the department directly to have an advisor assigned if they do not already have one.  Meetings with academic advisors are required prior to students receiving their PIN for course registration each semester. All majors should work closely with their advisor in discussing career expectations, choosing their major electives, developing their entire academic program and planning their co-curricular or supplemental academic experiences.

Fashion Institute of Technology

This program combines professional fashion-related education with marketing courses to provide a concentration for students interested in a career in the fashion industry. Students accepted into the program typically spend their senior year in New York City at the Fashion Institute of Technology completing practical coursework in fashion marketing and merchandising leading to an Associates Degree. Students in the program satisfy their Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing using a modified curriculum and therefore should consult with the program director early in their college career (freshman or first semester sophomore year). For further information, contact Dr. Gregory Wood, the F.I.T. program director.

Major Experiences

All students are strongly encouraged to become involved in the Canisius College American Marketing Association (CCAMA) beginning in their freshman year. This organization offers important extra-curricular programs designed to connect students with the business community and help them develop a greater understanding of how marketing concepts are applied in the business world. Participation in this organization is an essential part of your preparation for professional life.

Career Preparation

All marketing majors are expected to begin planning for their business careers as early as the freshman year. This planning process typically involves taking advantage of the career services offered by the Griff Center for Student Success located in Old Main 016. These services include assessment tools for identifying attractive careers, resources for researching and exploring different careers, instruction in how to utilize various online tools for conducting a job search, preparation of resumes, interview skills training and other professional development services. The Griff Center staff offers a variety of workshops and seminars as well as providing one-on-one counseling and training to assist students preparing for the world of work. Finally, the Griff Center is the primary point of contact for employers seeking to hire students for internships and full-time jobs. Therefore, it is in students’ best interest to work closely with the Griff Center throughout their college years to prepare for their future career.

Double Majors

Students who wish to expand their educational opportunities may decide to declare a double major. This decision may be based on career goals, planned graduate studies, and/or other student interests. Before a student declares a double major, it is important to meet with the appropriate academic departments for advisement.  In order to declare a double major, the student must complete the Major/Minor Declaration form. This form will be submitted electronically and reviewed and approved by each department chairperson as well as the appropriate associate dean. 

Per university policy, each additional major requires a minimum of 15 credits that do not apply to the student's first or subsequent major.  Some double major combinations can be completed within the minimum 120 credit hour degree requirement, but in other cases additional course work may be required. Please note that students will receive only one degree unless completing the dual degree requirement including at least 150 undergraduate credit hours, regardless of the number of majors they complete. Both (all) majors appear on a student’s transcript.

Minors in Other Disciplines

Minors provide students the opportunity to pursue additional interests but generally do not require as many courses as a major.  Minors generally range from five to eight required courses. To receive a minor, the student must complete at least 9 credit hours of coursework distinct from their other credentials (i.e., majors, other minors). The complete list of minors is available on the Canisius website and in the catalog and provides links to each minor. Some majors and minors can be completed within the minimum 120 credit hour degree requirement, but in some cases additional coursework may be required. Students must complete the appropriate minor request form.

Curriculum

An Ignatian Foundation

All undergraduate students must complete either the Canisius Core Curriculum or the All-College Honors Curriculum. Many schools refer to their college-wide undergraduate requirements as "general education" requirements. We believe that the core curriculum and the honors curriculum are more than a series of required classes; they provide the basis for a Jesuit education both with content and with required knowledge and skills attributes that are central to our mission.

Free Electives

Students may graduate with a bachelor's degree with more but not less than 120 credit hours. Free electives are courses in addition to the Canisius Core Curriculum or All-College Honors Curriculum and major requirements sufficient to reach the minimum number of credits required for graduation. The number of credits required to complete a bachelor's degree may vary depending on the student's major(s) and minor(s).

Major Requirements

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To fulfill this requirement, students may take three additional marketing (MKT) courses or at least two MKT courses and one of the following courses: COM 211, COM 311, COM 312, COM 414, ECO 310, or ISB 340. Students that wish to apply more than one non-marketing course to fulfill their marketing elective requirement must receive prior approval from the department chairperson.

Additional Information about the Marketing Curriculum

Cases in Marketing Management (MKT 401) is the capstone course in marketing and requires senior standing. It is also presumed that students will have completed all other required marketing courses prior to taking MKT 401. This course is not a substitute for the Core Capstone course that is a requirement of the College Core Curriculum.

Marketing Major Electives

The curriculum for marketing majors is designed to give students a breadth of knowledge in a variety of business functions as well as a depth of understanding in traditional marketing areas. Marketing electives can be used by students to pursue specific topics based on their interests or career aspirations. Marketing majors are required to take three (3) elective courses (9 credit hours) in marketing or a related discipline.

Additional Course Considerations

Internships qualifying for three hours of academic credit are available to upper-division students majoring in marketing. These involve a work-and-study situation with faculty supervision. Many are paid. Students desiring internships for credit must meet certain departmental requirements. For further information, contact the department chair.

Roadmap

Recommended Semester Schedule for Marketing Major

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 Students are strongly encouraged to complete MKT 201 during their sophomore year since it is a prerequisite for required marketing courses taken in the junior and senior year.  Failure to complete MKT 201 during the sophomore year may delay your graduation date.

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 Consumer Behavior (MKT 320) and Digital Marketing (MKT 350) are only offered during the fall semester.  Students are strongly encouraged to take these courses during the fall of their junior year to avoid a delay in their graduation date.

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 Cases in Marketing Management (MKT 401) is the capstone course in the marketing program and is only offered during the fall semester.  Students are strongly encouraged to complete all other required marketing courses prior to their senior year.  In addition, students are strongly encouraged to take MKT 401 during the fall of their senior year to avoid delays in their graduation date.

Note: All students must complete a total of 60 hours of Arts and Science courses. We strongly recommend that students run a Griff Audit to check for this and any other additional requirements.

Learning Goals and Objectives

Student Learning Goal 1

Marketing Majors will demonstrate knowledge of the principles of marketing.

Students will:

Student Learning Goal 2

Marketing Majors will demonstrate an understanding of quantitative marketing techniques.

Students will:

Student Learning Goal 3

Students demonstrate an understanding of domestic buyer behavior.

Students will:

Student Learning Goal 4

Students demonstrate an understanding of international marketing.

Students will:

Student Learning Goal 5

Students demonstrate the ability to solve and communicate solutions to applied marketing problems.

Students will:

Courses