A marketing major's course of study is not made up of only advertising and sales classes. Rather, there should be a broader range of studies aimed at understanding consumers and their behavior. Marketing requirements differ from college to college; however, overall, the courses generally include several core classes.
Business Perspectives
In order to earn a degree in marketing, students must take Business Perspectives, a class focused on basic business practices. Many schools may encourage students to create their own companies from the ground up, touching on every phase of the business process. This course serves as the base for all further business courses.
Introduction to Macroeconomics
Marketing students must understand the economy in order to understand buyers and their perspectives. Focus is placed on issues such as unemployment, economic growth and inflation. Many classes will highlight the place of the United States in the global economy.
Principles of Marketing
Before marketing students can understand specific marketing strategies, they first must learn the basics of marketing. Focus is placed on the four P's: product, price, promotion and place. Students will study the importance of segments and target markets, as well as positioning techniques and strategies. This course will establish the students' solid foundation in the understanding of marketing.
Personal Selling
Marketing majors must understand business-to-business sales. Personal selling courses teach students about different buyer types and the appropriate responses to the variety of buyer interactions. Marketing majors in personal selling courses may engage in role-playing activities to practice these sales techniques.
Marketing Research
In marketing research courses, marketing students apply the scientific method to research, understand and solve marketing problems. Students gather, analyze and interpret data and report their findings. Marketing research is typically reserved for students in the final year of their pursuit of a marketing degree.
Marketing Management
Drawing on all marketing courses, the marketing management class involves the application of everything learned in marketing courses to the study of real business cases, with a focus on management. Students learn about decisions made in actual events and explore alternatives and their consequences. Marketing management is usually considered a capstone course for marketing majors.