Marketing is at the heart of a firm’s success as it involves researching, creating, delivering and communicating value to customers. It encompasses what services, goods, and/or experiences to sell, how much to sell them for, where to sell them, how to communicate them, and how to ensure differentiation from competitors. If done well, sustainable profits and a positive impact on society can be achieved. If done in an inadequate and unethical way, significant losses and social backlash can result. Success thus requires that understanding customers and how they make their decisions, which ones to build relationships with, how to develop a product that customers will value and choose, and how to navigate the ethical dilemmas that may arise. This course will provide students with foundational knowledge about these marketing elements, exposure to ethical dilemmas, and opportunities to apply these insights so that they can grasp the nature of marketing decisions and their impact on success.
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring
MK 321 Consumer Behavior (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course provides students with an understanding of consumers as human beings, how they form perceptions, how they learn, and how they make decisions. Topics covered also include the individual and group-level influences on consumer behavior, such as motivation, self-identity, social class, cultures, and social media. The course focuses on concepts and theories initially developed in psychology, sociology, demography, anthropology and other behavioral disciplines, and their application to understanding individuals as consumers. Another focus of the class is on the pragmatic implications of such consumer understanding for marketing practice.
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring
MK 322 Marketing Research (3 credits)
Pre-Req: [GB 214 and (Pre or Co-Req: GB 213)] or [MK 250 and (Pre or Co-Req: ST 113)]
Students will examine the fundamental concepts and techniques used in marketing research as decision-making tools. Problem formulation, research design, primary data collection, types of information and measurement scales, and evaluation and utilization of secondary data will be discussed. Through hands-on analyses using modern data analysis tools, students will learn how to formulate marketing problems as testable hypotheses, systematically gather data, and apply statistical tools to yield actionable marketing insights.
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring
MK 330 New Product Development and Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course considers the role of new products in the survival and growth strategies of organizations. It focuses on the major problems firms encounter in directing and managing their product development and marketing activities. It examines the development process from conception of ideas to commercial introduction using best practices information technology. The course also considers the shorter marketing life cycle from introduction to deletion of products in the information age.
Typically Offered: Once a year
MK 332 Promotional Strategy (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course explores promotional goals and processes as they relate to the total marketing program of the organization. It examines advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and publicity as promotional techniques. The course includes detailed analysis of planning and implementing promotional campaigns.
Typically Offered: Once a year
MK 340 Customer Insights Using Analytics (3 credits)
Pre-Req: (GB 214 or MK 250) and MK 322
This course explores concepts, tools, and methods to comprehend heterogeneity and dynamism in customer needs, to build and enhance relationships with “empowered” customers, and to guide wise business decisions and monitor performance by multifaceted marketing metrics. Topics covered include customer profiling, STP (segmentation, targeting, and positioning) strategy, modeling marketing responsiveness and decision making, and understanding the essence and linkages of modern marketing metrics. A primary emphasis throughout the course will be placed on hands-on experience with data-driven analytics, critical thinking regarding results interpretation, and visualization.
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring
MK 342 Advertising (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course considers the role of advertising and sales promotion within an institution and within society. It examines the advertising function in its social and ethical, economic, historical, legal and technological contexts. The course explores a firm's advertising and sales promotion decisions, and focuses on the design, content and delivery of advertising messages from a communication standpoint. It investigates media, budget and measurement issues in advertising, and explores the increasing use of technological tools used by today's advertising professionals to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of a firm's communication effort.
Typically Offered: Once a year
MK 344 Retailing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course examines various types of retail formats from the perspective of a professional manager and from that of an entrepreneur. It includes analysis of competitive strategies, information technology in relation to distribution and merchandising, operating in multiple channels, site analysis, e-tailing, store layout and design, merchandise selection, inventory control, pricing, promotion, and integration of the retail mix.
Typically Offered: Every two or more years
MK 346 Luxury Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
Luxury brands are one of the fastest growing areas of global business. This course is designed to provide participants with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to succeed in the marketing and management of complex, luxury brands. It develops an appreciation of how luxury brands have evolved over time and place, and introduces the material, symbolic and experiential dimensions of luxury. Building upon the principles of creating and developing luxury brands the course explores a range of premium industries including fashion, perfume, jewelry, the finest hotels and exclusive clubs, yachts and high-end automobiles.
Typically Offered: Once a year
MK 350 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Marketplace: Exploring and Correcting Marketing Injustices (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
In this course, by applying a critical race theoretical lens, students will understand the systemic nature of inequities that pervade the marketplace and marketing practices, and explore possible solution to achieving diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice and belonging. Through discussions, reflections, and explorations of the history of systems and practices and possible solutions, such as multicultural marketing, students will come to be in a position where they can challenge marketplace inequities as they pursue careers in marketing-related fields.
Typically Offered: Once a year
MK 361 Digital Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
The development of information technology has changed how individuals and organizations acquire and market goods and services. This course adopts a managerial, applied perspective to examine continuing technology-driven changes in consumers, business activities, and the marketplace itself.
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring
MK 362 Digital Marketing Analytics (3 credits)
Pre- Req: MK 250 or GB 214
This course will provide students with basic knowledge of digital analytics concepts and practices. The course consists of three main parts: (1) digital analytics for website optimization, (2) measuring marketing campaigns online, and (3) consumer privacy and ethics. Topics covered include understanding the importance of digital analytics in marketing, identifying KPIs and key metrics used in digital analytics, implementing website optimization techniques, assessing digital campaigns including email and online advertising, and comprehending regulations regarding consumer privacy and data usage as well as reflecting on related ethical issues. Applying a hands-on approach, the course will allow students to explore various tools and software used in digital analytics, such as Google Analytics and SEMrush. Students will have the opportunity to receive a certificate from the Digital Analytics Association.
MK 363 AI and Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-req: MK 250 or GB 214
If AI is shaping our world, then what is AI? In this course, students will be presented with a framework for AI divided into 4 categories based on two dimensions: (1) level of intelligence, and (2) integration with an organization’s technology. Students will explore key marketing concepts within this framework, and examine two types of intelligence, task automation and machine learning. They will study AI applications that are standalone or integrated into a larger system. Students will examine AI within the functions of marketing, how it is used and how it is transforming the following functions: Advertising, Analytics, Communications, Content Marketing, Customer Service, Ecommerce Email Marketing, SEO, and Social Media Marketing.
MK 364 Innovative Marketing Analytics with AI (3 credits)
Pre-req: ST 113 and second year standing or higher
This course is an introduction to the analysis of marketing data, using tools from statistics and conceptual foundations from marketing. Marketing analytics are best viewed as a set of tools (conceptual models, statistical techniques and optimization software) designed to translate data into marketing strategy. Emphasis will be placed on the appropriate usage of techniques – not upon the mathematical theory underlying the techniques. The goal of the course is to develop skills in creating mathematical models that are useful in tactical and strategic marketing decisions. Furthermore, in today's rapidly evolving landscape, businesses are utilizing the power of machine learning (or artificial intelligence) to analyze large and complex datasets with increased efficiency. In the latter part of this course, we will explore how machine learning techniques can be effectively applied to enhance marketing analytics and discuss the significant advantages over traditional statistical models.
Typically Offered: Fall
MK 365 Marketing of Services (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course examines the dimensions of the service sector, including the structural differences between services and consumer/industrial products. It explores service marketers' difficulties in using traditional marketing concepts. The course focuses on new marketing approaches in service sectors in the information-age economy.
Typically Offered: Every two or more years
MK 366 Marketing for Nonprofits and Social Enterprises (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course examines a wide range of marketing tactics for nonprofit organizations, social enterprises, and for-profit CSR initiatives, focusing on their unique needs and challenges. In this course, students will have an opportunity to engage with and learn from practitioners, read and discuss research articles on various topics, work through case studies, and apply their knowledge to a marketing-related project.
Typically Offered: Every two or more years
MK 367 International Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course explores the development of international marketing programs from the determination of objectives and methods of organization through the execution of research, advertising, distribution, and production activities. Students examine the international similarities and differences in marketing functions as related to the cultural, economic, political, social, and physical dimensions of the environment. Students also consider the changes in marketing systems and the adoption of marketing philosophies and practices to fill conditions in different countries.
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring
MK 368 Business-to-Business Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course examines the processes and activities that enable the profitable development and delivery of goods and services in business-to-business (B2B) markets. It focuses on the strategic importance of information technology (IT) in managing relationships when both buyers and sellers are organizations. Areas of study include customer value assessment, organizational buying behavior, value-based segmentation, and the creation and evaluation of integrated business marketing programs. An interactive B2B marketing simulation and in-depth case analyses require the application of the concepts and tools discussed in the course.
Typically Offered: Every two or more years
MK 369 Sports Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
Sport permeates daily life from both a social and economic viewpoint. Often, businesses, teams, athletes, nonprofit organizations and governments depend on sports as an integral part of their marketing campaigns. The political and financial impact of these decisions will have global and local ramifications. Students will be introduced to the fundamental issues related to the industry of sport. The course examines the aspects of sport and its impact on business and marketing. Specifically, the course examines sports marketing from the following perspectives: 1. the strategic planning process associated with team sports 2. the marketing of sporting goods and related products 3. the use of sports in the marketing of other goods and services
Typically Offered: Once a year
MK 372 Pricing Strategies (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
The objective of this course is to provide a conceptual framework as well as analytical techniques that can be applied to understanding and managing prices from a marketing perspective. Students will learn how to set a price for a new product, how to make price adjustments to existing products, and how to set prices to serve different customer segments. Moreover, issues of pricing of digital products and managing prices in the digital world will be discussed. This course goes beyond the numbers as we delve into the psychological and emotional facets of pricing. Students will gain insights into how consumers cognitively and emotionally respond to prices and price changes, enabling them to craft pricing strategies that resonate with their target audience. Additionally, we will foster a holistic understanding of pricing, emphasizing its multifaceted nature by incorporating considerations related to customer preferences, competitive landscapes, legal constraints, and ethical aspects.
Typically Offered: Once a year
MK 388 Creative Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course will teach students the value of creativity within an organization and specifically for marketing. Creativity and innovation are often evoked in company mission statements, but more often than not, companies fail at fostering either of them within their ranks. Students will learn to understand why and how creativity fails within organizations, and how to avoid these pitfalls. The focus of the course is explicitly on group and organizational creativity, particularly cross-functional creativity and its importance for functions such as new product development and marketing communications. Students in this course are encouraged to think of themselves as future change agents within organizations. They will learn the tools to build processes and spaces for creativity with tangible results.
MK 392 Strategic Brand Management (3 credits)
Apple is one of the most valuable brands in the world, but how did it achieve its iconic status? In this course, students will learn how to build, grow, and protect strong brands. Using a combination of lectures, case analyses, current events, discussions, and a class project, students will learn 1) a foundational understanding of brand strategy, 2) how different approaches to brand strategy affect company performance, 3) the power of consumers in brand development and growth, 4) the role of brands in the broader culture, and 5) how to identify, measure, and protect brand equity over time.
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring
MK 398 Experimental Course in Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
Experimental courses explore curriculum development, with specific content intended for evolution into a permanent course. A topic may be offered twice before it becomes a permanent course. Students may repeat experimental courses with a different topic for credit
Typically Offered: As needed
MK 399 Experimental Course in Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
Experimental courses explore curriculum development,with specific content intended for evolution into a permanent course. A topic may be offered twice before it becomes a permanent course. Students may repeat experimental courses with a different topic for credit.
Typically Offered: Every two or more years
MK 400 Strategic Marketing Management (3 credits)
Pre-Req: (GB 214 or MK 250), two other Marketing courses, and at least 81 completed or in progress credits
This course serves as a capstone course for marketing majors. It is a case driven course that integrates materials covered in the marketing curriculum and relates them to the design and implementation of marketing strategy. Selected cases will emphasize the integration of technology into the marketing process. Students are expected to demonstrate competency in analytical and presentation skills. Additionally, students will be required to utilize contemporary hi-tech tools.
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring
MK 401 Directed Study in Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: Instructor permission required
This course permits superior students to study special topics. (Allows repetition for credit.)
Typically Offered: Every two or more years
MK 402 Seminar in Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: (GB 214 or MK 250), 3.0 GPA, and at least 81 completed or in progress credits
This course covers in-depth examination of contemporary and emerging marketing practices, issues and topics, as well as other advanced or scholarly marketing topics, depending on the interests of participants and/or instructor. Teaching pedagogy includes journal articles, a field project, and individual assignments.
Typically Offered: As needed
MK 403 Special Topics in Marketing (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course examines a specific and major marketing topic(s) or theme(s).
Typically Offered: Every two or more years
MK 411 Corporate Immersion Marketing Strategy Project (3 credits)
Pre-Req: [(GB 214 or MK 250) and two other marketing courses] or instructor permission
This course focuses on experiential learning. We fuel intellectual curiosity, leverage data analytics, and unlock creativity to shape corporate strategy in partnership with large scale organizations. Past partners have included New Balance, Bauer, Vida Shoes International, Mass Audubon, Dunkin Donuts, Mazda, GM, Microsoft, Fidelity, Sperry Topsider. Heavy emphasis is placed on the top skills employers are seeking in today’s marketplace: oral and written communication, teamwork, project management, analytics, problem-solving, research, and adaptability.
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring
MK 421 Internship in Marketing Practice (3 credits)
Pre-Req: GB 214 or MK 250
This course offers a field-based learning experience for selected full-time students in marketing. Requires the student to select a seminar project related to his/her internship experience, in consultation with the internship advisor. The course requires students to attend regular seminar meetings, submit progress reports, and prepare a substantial report on academic concepts related to the work experience.
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring
MK 444 Faculty-Led Study Abroad (3 credits)
Faculty-led international courses are 3-credit intensive study abroad experiences offered during semester breaks, usually 10 to 15 days in length during January break, Spring break (as part of a Spring semester course), or in May after exams. The professor leads his/her students on an immersive learning experience in a region of the world where the professor has expertise, offering students the opportunity to combine cultural activities with business, NGO, or other relevant site visits. Students benefit from personal interactions with companies and organizations they would not encounter as a tourist.
The intensive format allows students to study abroad without missing a semester at Bentley.
Please visit https://www.bentley.edu/offices/international-education to learn more.
Typically Offered: As needed