Marketing program

Undergrad major

Marketing is everywhere and is a part of every organization.

It impacts the choices people make — from the cereal they eat to the car they drive.

Skyrocketing use of social media, increased mobile marketing and dynamically-changing technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), have caused the demand for marketers to continually grow and evolve.

The field offers a variety of career paths and career advancement opportunities, making it an attractive major. At UW-La Crosse, it is one of the top five most popular majors. Students have many opportunities to gain hands-on experience and engage with the business community — both in and outside of the classroom.

Marketing definition

Marketing includes designing new products, pricing, advertising and delivering products to customers. The field offers many subfields to explore such as sales, digital marketing, social media, market research, public relations, advertising, content marketing, and more. Marketing is a field that values creativity, strong analytical skills and people skills.

Although every day is a learning experience when owning a business, I feel confident that my education has set a strong foundation for me. The Marketing Department has presented several opportunities: sales competitions, networking events and hands-on advising from my professors. It has been a perfect place for me at UWL.

Olivia Steingraber

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What can I do with a marketing degree?

Marketing is a diverse field that provides a wide variety of possible careers, with opportunities across all industries. Careers opportunities include areas such as advertising and promotions, digital marketing, marketing management, market research and sales and sales management. Positions are expected to grow by 6% through 2029. The median average salary for advertising, promotions and marketing managers in May of 2019 was $135,900. Due to importance and high visibility, marketing managers often are prime candidates for advancement to the highest levels in an organization.

What distinguishes UWL's program?

Nearly all graduates find work

Among the 2018-19 marketing graduates, the job placement rate was 97%.

Popular program with a long history on campus

With more than 500 marketing majors, marking is the fifth largest declared major at UWL and sixth largest major in terms of degrees conferred in 2020. The marketing major was first offered at UWL in 1968. The department has 10 faculty members.

UWL American Marketing Association Collegiate Chapter

Membership in the UWL Collegiate Chapter of the American Marketing Association provides ample professional development opportunities, including hands-on experiential projects, resume building, business tours, regional and national conferences, and engaging speakers. The chapter helps students apply theory to practice, develop leadership skills, prepare for their careers, and create friendships that last a lifetime.

AMA chapter success

The American Marketing Association chapter at UWL was ranked a 2017 top 25 chapter. It was also ranked the fifth largest AMA collegiate chapter in the world in 2018. The chapter was a top 10 finalist in the Wall Street Journal Case Competition and was invited to present at the International AMA Collegiate Conference in New Orleans, where they earned third place.

Opportunity to study marketing in London

The department regularly offers a faculty-led International Marketing Program in London. Watch the video. In the four-week, summer program, students conduct research to explore similarities and differences in the cultural and business environments of the U.S. and U.K., and they develop a comprehensive international marketing plan for a product. Students meet marketing and advertising professionals, confer with professionals from the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy, and tour companies, as well as cultural and historic markets and landmarks.

Opportunities in sales

Students have opportunities to hone their sales skills. Along with participating in regional and national sales competitions, UWL also hosts its own sales competition so more students can participate. Students say their sales experience through competition is life changing.

Engage in research

Under the guidance of Marketing Department faculty members, students have had the opportunity to present their research at the UWL Celebration of Research and Creativity; the UW System Symposium for Research and Creativity held in Green Bay; and, at the highly-competitive and prestigious National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR). Students in marketing at UWL have been invited to present at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) every year since 2018.

A facility where modern and historic meet

UWL's College of Business Administration is located in the recently-renovated Wittich Hall. Changes to the facility preserve the history of UWL's second oldest building, while providing modern places to connect and study. The facility was renovated with student input. Student spaces include computer labs, study spaces, sales competition rooms, a finance lab and more.

Sample courses

MKT 309 Principles of Marketing An introduction to the study of marketing in business and other organizations. Topics include: the marketing environment, marketing strategies and decision-making, marketing ethics and the international dimension of marketing strategy. Prerequisite: ECO 110; business minor or a major with a business concentration and junior standing, or admission to business. Offered Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

MKT 341 International Marketing An analysis of worldwide marketing opportunities through a consideration of political, legal, economic, and cultural factors in the international context. Prerequisite: MKT 309; admission to business or international business minor, or French/German/Spanish major with a business concentration. Offered Fall, Spring.

MKT 351 Sustainability in Marketing The course addresses environmental, social and economic sustainability issues facing society and modern marketing professionals. Course discussion will include sustainable marketing strategies, consumer attitudes, and consumption. Prerequisite: MKT 309; admission to business. Offered Spring.

MKT 362 Buyer Behavior This course examines basic concepts related to understanding buyer behavior. Topics include information processing, perception, and decision making. Also examines individual and socio-cultural variables which influence buyer behavior. Prerequisite: MKT 309; admission to business or exercise science sport management. Offered Fall, Spring.

MKT 365 Integrated Marketing Communications This course introduces the various forms and tools of marketing promotion. It includes an analysis of promotional activities in the development of an integrated marketing communications plan. It also develops student understanding of the role of promotion and the integrated nature of marketing planning. This course details the nature and process of developing integrated marketing campaigns as a part of the promotional mix. Students examine integrated marketing research, media planning, budgeting, creative activities, and ethical considerations. Prerequisite: MKT 309; admission to business or exercise science sport management. Offered Fall, Spring.

MKT 367 Market Research This course examines the research techniques commonly used to examine buyer behavior, including secondary data, surveys, and focus groups. Topics also include an analysis of research design methods, and the application of research to marketing decision making. Prerequisite: MKT 309; ECO 230; admission to business. Offered Fall, Spring.

MKT 370 Professional Selling and Sales Management This course examines the role of personal selling in the marketing mix and addresses personal selling activities and techniques. Topics covered include communication and persuasion, prospecting, overcoming objections, presentations, questioning and closing methods, time and territory management, social, ethical, and legal issues. The course will focus primarily on business-to-business sales. Prerequisite: MKT 309; admission to business or exercise sport science - sport management. Offered Fall, Spring.

MKT 386 Business Marketing and Distribution Business-to-business marketing issues are explored, including distinctive characteristics of the business market, ways in which organizations make buying decisions, requirements for marketing strategy success, with an emphasis on distribution/supply chain in business marketing. Prerequisite: MKT 309; admission to business. Offered Fall, Spring.

MKT 444 Sports and Recreation Marketing A comprehensive study of the planning, organization and implementation of marketing plans for all segments of the sports and recreation industry. Topics covered include: assessing market potential, defining the customer, location analysis, pricing, promotion, facilities and services management. Other issues addressed include the impact of new technology, cultural changes and other uncontrollable factors on sports marketing. Prerequisite: MKT 309; admission to business or exercise sport science - sport management. Offered Fall.

MKT 445 International Marketing Strategies A study of policy and strategy formulation in the context of international marketing. Emphasis is placed on both the theory and application of international marketing decision processes. Prerequisite: MKT 309; MKT 341 or instructor approval; admission to business or international business minor. Offered Occasionally.

MKT 465 Digital Marketing and Analytics This course offers a hands-on, application-based approach to the use of digital channels as marketing tools. The course explores how marketers use digital media, such as websites, blogs, social media platforms, and email for marketing communication purposes. Topics covered include search engine optimization, website design, content strategy, social media marketing, campaign management and evaluation, advertising, and digital marketing metrics and analysis. Prerequisite: MKT 309; MKT 365 or concurrent enrollment; admission to business. Offered Fall, Summer.

MKT 479 Marketing Management The analysis, planning, implementation and control of marketing programs designed to bring about desired exchanges with target markets within organizational objectives. Prerequisite: MKT 341, MKT 362, MKT 367; to be taken in the student's semester of graduation; admission to business. Offered Fall, Spring.