Marketing and Sales Degree

Completing a traditional or online marketing and sales training program prepares aspiring professionals for a career in one of many different related career fields, including advertising management, marketing, public relations, or sales management. While these career fields differ from each other in many ways, marketing schools focus on the salesmanship techniques required for each. Sales-related employment fields require you to promote a business's goods or services, and quality courses in marketing at a reputable college, university, or online program will show you how.

Marketing and Sales Degree Description

Marketing schools typically offer Bachelor of Science or Master's of Science/Business Administration in business administration, marketing, or sales. However, some individuals focusing more on either a public relations or advertising career might be better served by pursuing a journalism, communications, or advertising degree according to the 2010-11 Occupational Outlook Handbook. Even if this is the case, students should certainly strive to take several courses in marketing, as even these positions can benefit from solid marketing and sales training at an accredited educational institution.

Typical courses in marketing that students will need to complete during their marketing and sales training include classes on fundamentals of leadership, brand management, promotion, professional selling techniques, market research, business law and ethics, international marketing, e-business fundamentals, finance, product design and development, economics, and statistics. Additionally, communications, technical writing, and public speaking classes may help students as they prepare for their future career at a traditional or online marketing school.

Marketing and Sales Careers

As previously mentioned, marketing and sales training can help aspiring professionals obtain employment in a variety of different careers. Advertising managers are in charge of a firm's promotional campaign, working with a creative staff to formulate ad campaign ideas while making sure to meet time and budget restraints. Marketing managers help identify products that generate high customer demand and working with other departments to ensure that ad dollars are spent wisely. Promotions managers often are in charge of customer incentive or rewards programs, while public relations managers tend to focus on selling the image of the company instead of the products that they make and sales managers oversee the distribution of a good or service in certain regions or territories.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, four-fifths of those who graduate from marketing school and enter the work force in this field typically work 40-plus hour weeks in corporate offices. These careers might also require dealing with high-pressure situations, tight deadlines, and lots of travel. Average job growth is expected for this highly competitive industry, which can be quite rewarding financially for those who complete courses in marketing. The Occupational Outlook Handbook cites median career salary figures of more than $80,000 for advertising or promotions managers, $87,000 for public relations managers, $97,000 for sales managers, and $108,000 for marketing managers.