Department of Marketing

Theresa B. Clarke, Academic Unit Head
Phone: (540) 568-3238
Email: clarketb@jmu.edu
Location: Showker Hall, Room 4024
Website: http://www.jmu.edu/cob/marketing

Professors
I. Clarke, T. Clarke, V. Larsen, M. Tokman, A. Wood

Associate Professors
W. Faranda, J. Parker

Assistant Professors
G. Atav, J. Derby, K. Naletelich, T. Ozcan

Lecturers
C. Collins, L. King, S. Kozak, R. McMillen, B. Rhodes, C. Snyder, A. Strunk, R. Tate

Mission

The marketing department’s mission is to develop highly successful marketing professionals who deliver exceptional value to their customers, employers and communities and to advance the practice of marketing through academic and professional engagement.

The marketing curriculum focuses on traditional and emerging marketing skills needed in various business settings and industries. The curriculum seeks to develop competence in five areas: factual and conceptual knowledge, problem-solving skills, communication skills, experiential learning and the use of information technology. Students will be prepared to enter corporate, small business or not-for-profit environments with highly valued skills and an understanding of the need for continuous learning.

Marketing students may select an optional concentration in Digital Marketing or Professional Sales.

Goals

To deliver a solid foundation of the concepts and theories of the marketing discipline, including market environmental issues; strategic market planning, implementation, and evaluation; marketing research; buyer behavior and market segmentation; and development of marketing programs.
To engage students in critical thinking processes, requiring an in-depth analysis of qualitative and quantitative market data and the development of subsequent marketing strategies based on this analysis.
To enable students to evaluate marketing alternatives and commit to a course of action, using financial, organizational, environmental and ethical criteria as bases for decision making.
To teach students a variety of information technology tools and techniques to improve marketing and overall business performance and deliver greater value to customers.
To facilitate students’ continuing development of listening, writing and oral communication skills.
To develop students’ marketing-based interpersonal skills, such as group-based negotiation, consensus building, delegation and performance evaluation.
To integrate classroom study with exposure to industry practices throughout the marketing curriculum and ensure marketing students access to experiential learning opportunities in marketing career tracks.
To introduce students to the fundamentals of professional selling and develop students’ interpersonal communication skills through face-to-face role-play scenarios.

Career Opportunities

Consumer marketing and business-to-business marketing: market analysis, product development, services marketing, global marketing and customer relationship management.
Digital Marketing: search engine marketing, search engine optimization, mobile marketing, digital account management, content marketing, social media marketing and marketing analytics.
Marketing research: database management, market research analyst and project management.
Not-for-profit marketing: fund-raising, direct marketing and customer service.
Product/Brand management: product specialist, channel development and promotional marketing.
Retailing: store management, merchandise buying, trend analysis, omnichannel retail management and visual merchandising.
Professional Sales: Product and service sales positions across a broad range of companies and industries as sales development representatives, account managers, inside sales representatives and outside sales representatives.

Co-curricular Activities and Organizations

AMA. This student club is affiliated with the American Marketing Association, a national marketing organization for marketing professionals, faculty, and students. AMA is open to all JMU students. AMA is comprehensive with its marketing programming and offers students information and activities in marketing management.

DECA. Collegiate DECA is a student-driven business organization that values competence, innovation, integrity, and teamwork. DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management.

Delta Mu Sigma. DMS is a newly established honor society dedicated to the commitment of growth, innovation, and integrity of digital marketing scholarship and practice. The society hosts guest speakers and networking events with digital marketing professionals. Admission is by application only.

Mu Kappa Tau. M.K.T. is an honorary marketing society for students with high collegiate scholastic records. Admission is by invitation only.

Pi Sigma Epsilon. PSE is a national, professional co-ed business fraternity that focuses on programming and extracurricular experiences in marketing, personal selling, and sales management.

Professional Sales Club. This organization strives to help all students interested in sales and give them the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in a professional sales role.

Scratch Pad (Ad Club). Scratch Pad is JMU’s only student advertising club and a student chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF). This organization competes in the National Student Advertising Competition each year.

Transfer Credit Policy

The marketing program will accept no more than two courses for transfer credit toward the major. These courses must be from AACSB institutions. In addition to this general College of Business policy, there are restrictions on which courses will be accepted for transfer credit.

Students must take the following courses at JMU: