Program of Study

The Department of Marketing at Clemson University offers the Master of Science (MS) in marketing degree, intended for students interested in advanced studies in analytical marketing. The program is intended to advance your knowledge and expertise in marketing theory and practice and prepare you for a career in marketing analysis, research, management and scholarship. A coordinated curriculum of quantitative and analytical skills development, research methods, consumer analysis and strategic marketing analysis will provide you with the necessary background to pursue a career in marketing and/or as a platform for further education to prepare you for a career in academia. This is accomplished through rigorous course work and seminars and a major research project. This one-year master’s degree is designed to enhance your skills and training gleaned from your prior academic and work experience in business. The MS degree requires successful completion of 30 credit hours of graduate marketing and related coursework. Core classes include:

• EXST 801,Statistical Methods I (4 hrs): Role and applications of statistics in research, estimation, test of significance, analysis of variance, multiple comparison techniques, basic designs, mean square expectations, variance components analysis, simple and multiple linear regression and correlation, and non-parametric procedures.

• MKT 861, Marketing Research (3 hrs): Marketing theory and critical thinking to support decision making; data analysis and advanced marketing models are employed with emphasis on building assessment skills. The primary topics covered in the class are gathering primary and secondary data, questionnaire design, sampling, experimental design and data analysis.

• MKT 862, Quantitative Methods in Marketing (3 hrs): Introduction to advanced quantitative analytic methods and their use in translating facts into meaningful information. Provides practical understanding of several advanced quantitative data analytic procedures including both predictive and interdependence techniques. Application to case analysis format to broaden analysis skills.

• MKT 863, Buyer Behavior (3 hrs): Buyer decision processes in the purchase and consumption of goods and services by both businesses and consumers. Topics include economic, socio-cultural and psychological aspects of buying behavior; decision making processes and buyer choice; individual and group level influences on consumer behavior and implications of consumer behavior for marketers.

• MKT 860, Marketing Analysis and Strategy (3 hrs): Advanced marketing theory and critical thinking skills applied to support strategic decision making; data analysis and advanced marketing models are employed with emphasis on building analytic and assessment skills.

• MKT 865, Seminar in Marketing Management (3 hrs): Current research and practice components of marketing management. In-depth discussion of marketing mix variables, segmentation, targeting and positioning, and budget-related issues.

• MKT 866, Selected Topics in Marketing (3 hrs): Current topics in marketing theory and research. May be taken more than once for credit so long as subject matter is not repetitive.

• MKT 870, Master’s Project Research (1 hr): Student development and participation in research. Application to a current business problem or development of new research on marketing theory and practice. A formal presentation and written report are required. May be repeated for a total of five credit hours.

• Analytic Methods (3 hrs): Extended coverage of analysis methods suited to the goals and background of the individual student. Courses approved to fulfill this requirement include courses in statistics, economics, management, psychology and sociology.

Career Opportunities in Marketing

Jobs in marketing and survey research are numerous and expanding, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Positions in this field have increased dramatically in recent years. In the last decade two major forces have changed the nature of employment in the US. First, the information revolution has changed how firms use data to understand and manage customer demand. The use of credit cards, bank and grocery cards, online shopping and customer databases generated by sales and inquiries have created a wealth of consumer information and offer advantages to those who can evaluate and assess consumer preferences, sentiments and consumption patterns. In a knowledge-driven economy, the ability to use these kinds of information to better serve customers is a competitive advantage. Second, global competition has placed a premium on jobs that can improve the likely success of new products, more effectively target consumers’ wants and needs, minimize inventory levels and reduce the costs of advertising. This is what market and survey researchers are charged to do. These jobs will be central to success in the 21st Century economy. The MS program is designed to prepare students to participate in this important and exciting field.

Financial Aid

A limited number of assistantships are available for qualified students.

Student Profile

If you are interested in applying, you should have an undergraduate degree in business from an accredited college or university.

Applying

You may apply online at www.grad.clemson.edu/Admission.php. Applications, along with a $70 nonrefundable fee for domestic applicants, $80 for international applicants, should be received no later than five weeks prior to registration. All supporting documentation, including transcripts, GMAT scores and letters of recommendation, must be received for full consideration of application. You should apply as early as possible for the best funding opportunities.

Faculty Listing

The faculty of the Department of Marketing includes scholars recognized for their expertise in consumer behavior, marketing research, advertising research, services marketing, public policy, marketing ethics, electronic commerce, macromarketing and marketing strategy. They are editors and former editors of leading journals in the field, officers in major international marketing societies and principal or co-principal investigators on over $500,000 in funded research. They include:

• Thomas L. Baker, Associate Professor; PhD, Florida State University,marketing research, services marketing, strategy; former President, Society for Marketing Advances.

• Michael J. Dorsch, Associate Professor; PhD, University of Arkansas, marketing research, strategy; former editor, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice.

• Charles R. Duke, Professor; PhD, University of Texas at Arlington, new product development, international marketing, consumer decision-making; associate editor, Journal of Marketing Education.

• Roger Gomes, Associate Professor; PhD, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, business to business, international marketing.

• Stephen J. Grove, Professor; PhD, Oklahoma State University, services marketing.

• Christopher D. Hopkins, Associate Professor; PhD, Mississippi State University, e-commerce, marketing research.

• Scott A. Jones, Assistant Professor; PhD, University of Oregon, entrepreneurship, sports marketing, consumer behavior.

• William E. Kilbourne, Professor; PhD, University of Houston, marketing research, international marketing, macromarketing; section editor, Journal of Macromarketing.

• Patricia A. Knowles, Associate Professor; PhD, Bowling Green State University, non-profit marketing, consumer behavior.

• Mary C. LaForge, Associate Professor; PhD, University of Georgia, consumer behavior.

• John D. Mittelstaedt, Associate Professor; PhD, University of Iowa, international marketing, macromarketing, consumer decision-making.

• Jesse N. Moore, Associate Professor; PhD, University of South Florida, professional selling, sales management.

• Gregory M. Pickett, Professor and Chair; PhD, Oklahoma State University, services marketing, sport marketing, sales management.

• Adam Rapp, Assistant Professor; PhD, University of Connecticut, professional selling, sales management

• Mary A. Raymond, Professor; PhD, University of Georgia, marketing strategy.

The University

Clemson is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as Doctoral/Research University–Extensive, a category comprising less than four percent of all universities in America. The University’s mission is to fulfill the covenant between its founder and the people of South Carolina to establish a “high seminary of learning” through its responsibilities of teaching, research and extended public service. The University has identified eight areas of academic emphasis that create collaborations that, in turn, help fulfill the University’s mission.

Location

Clemson is a beautiful college town in upstate South Carolina. The Upstate is one of the country’s fastest-growing areas and is an important segment of the I-85 Corridor, a multi-state area along Interstate 85 that runs from the metro Atlanta area (home to nearly five million people) to Richmond, Virginia and encompasses Charlotte (the US’s second-largest financial center), North Carolina’s Research Triangle. Atlanta and Charlotte are each a two-hour’s drive away. Many financial institutions have regional offices located in the Upstate, including Wachovia and Bank of America. Other major industries of commerce in the Upstate include the auto industry, healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Corporations based in or with a major presence in the Upstate include BMW, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, Bosch North America, Bowater, Charter Communications, Ernst and Young, Fluor Corporation, IBM, Microsoft, Michelin of North America and others.

For More Information

Dr. Thomas L. Baker
Department of Marketing
College of Business and Behavioral Science
234 Sirrine Hall
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina 29634-1325
United States
Telephone: 864-656-2397
Fax: 864-656-0138
Email: tbaker2@clemson.edu