Marketing Communications

Women's College

Overview
Major
Four-Year Plan

Deborah Calhoun, M.B.A, Ph.D. Candidate, Coordinator

The marketing communications major is an interdisciplinary program for students in the Women's College who are interested in pursuing careers in a dynamic and rapidly expanding field. Integrated marketing communications involves the coordination of a company's marketing and communication efforts towards the creation of messages that maximize consumer satisfaction at minimal cost. The marketing communications major provides students with a comprehensive mix of real-world business skills and cutting-edge communication tools needed to succeed, whether employed in a start-up company or a global corporation.

Underpinning the marketing communications major is a liberal arts approach that allows students to draw the best from diverse disciplines. From communication arts, students receive a broad foundation in writing and speaking skills, as well as specific career training in a range of creative fields, such as advertising, public relations, event planning, and publication and digital design. From business, students acquire a broad knowledge base in key areas such as finance, teamwork, and negotiation, along with a thorough mastery of the full spectrum of marketing strategies and promotional tactics. The variety of courses available in the program allows students to develop a thorough knowledge of communication theories, processes and technologies while cultivating the necessary business experience and flexibility to adapt to current and future marketplace trends.

Through learning the language of marketing and the nature of markets, students will understand how building an organization's image and brands with an effective integrated marketing communications strategy is critical to its success. Students will complete promotions opportunity and communications market analyses, and study consumer and organizational buyer behavior. They will also assess the effectiveness of both traditional and non-traditional forms of communication, and create marketing communications plans as part of a systematic approach to defining uncontested market space. The development of teamwork, bargaining, and negotiation skills will be emphasized, along with knowledge of the basic accounting principles and financial statements needed for budgets and decision making.

The program culminates in a professional practicum through which students gain work experience analyzing, designing, implementing and reviewing integrated marketing communication plans for local businesses. Graduates from Notre Dame's program learn to 1) effectively use data in the analysis of marketing problems and in the development of the subsequent marketing communications strategy, 2) evaluate and design effective communication plans for internal and external audiences either working individually or as a member of a team, and 3) create effective marketing messages that are ethical, socially responsible and well-reasoned using diverse media.

The marketing communications curriculum prepares students to work as corporate marketing communications professionals, account managers in advertising or direct marketing firms, event planners, public relations professionals, marketing representatives, trade show coordinators, publication managers, product managers, media buyers, sales promotion directors or internet marketing managers.

Back to top

Program of Study

Required Courses for a Major in Marketing Communications (Credits)

BUS-303 Principles of Marketing (3)
BUS-334 Teamwork and Negotiation (3)
BUS-416 Managing Financial Resources (3)
BUS-482 Buyer Behavior (3)
BUS-483 Integrated Marketing Communications (capstone) (3)
COM-319 Advertising (3)
COM-331 Public Relations (3)
COM-356 Communications Research Methods or BUS-360 Business Research (3)
COM-363 Publication Design and Publishing or DMA101 Graphic Design I (3)
COM-375 Event Planning (3)
COM-401 Writing for the Web or CST-261 Web Page Design (3)
COM-461 Communication Arts Practicum or BUS-461 Business Practicum (4)

Back to top

Four-Year Plan

Sample program of study for the marketing communications major. Students should select courses with the assistance of a faculty advisor.

Note: Descriptions for the courses required as part of the marketing communications major may be found in the business, communication arts, art, and computer studies sections of the catalog.

Back to top