Students

Courses

Becoming a leader in managing the world’s most valuable brands requires more than a solid education in the functional aspects of marketing. 

Functionally Well-Rounded

In recognition of the brand manager’s need to think like a general manager, our students are required to select from courses that include capital budgeting, strategic managerial accounting, global supply chain management, project management, and electronic commerce.

Beyond Functional Knowledge to Leadership Skills

What sets our program apart from other schools and programs is the recognition that a manager’s success in guiding brands is a function of “soft skills.” The Kelley School has always offered an outstanding selection of leadership-related courses as general electives. Students work with Academy Directors to create an individual program of study that focuses on areas that need development.

The Marketing Component

Beyond the first-year core, which exposes students to the fundamentals of marketing, students take at least six courses in marketing. These include courses in marketing strategy, brand asset management, and a unique course in consumer channels. Students also select from courses in advertising and promotions, consumer behavior, market research, pricing, and new-products management. The capstone marketing course for the major will hone students’ leadership skills in an experiential, simulated marketing environment. While marketing decision skills are assessed, the leadership dimensions of creativity and vision-setting, presentation and persuasion, critique and feedback, initiative, attention to detail, and group management are also put to the test.

Suggested Elective Coursework

A host of great marketing elective courses are available for brand and retail management students. Here are just a few of our unique, innovative marketing courses:

• M511 Marketing Productivity and Performance Analysis
• M512 Marketing Strategy
• M513 Marketing Simulation
• M537 Consumer Channels Management
• M575 Brand Asset Management

Additional Suggested Offerings

• M503 Applied Marketing Research
• M525 Legal Issues in Marketing Management
• M544 Managing Advertising and Sales Promotion
• M549 Marketing Intelligence Management
• M550 Customer-Oriented Strategies
• M574 Pricing Management

Brand managers and retail managers are often called "little general managers." Thus, in addition to taking a host of great marketing courses, we expect our Consumer Marketing Academy members to take a wide range of electives in other disciplines. Some suggestions include:

• A576: Strategic Cost Management
• F509: Financial Analysis for Corporate Decisions
• L533: Ethical Responsibilities of Managers
• W505: Power, Persuasion, Influence and Negotiation
• J501: Developing Strategic Capabilities
• K507: Intro to Spreadsheet Modeling
• K509: Spreadsheet Modeling for Marketing
• P552: Project Management
• P561: Supply Chain Management and Technologies