Smart Marketing Starts Here: Inside Towson’s Graduate Open House

On Saturday, October 24, Towson University opened its doors to prospective graduate students from across Maryland and beyond. The Graduate Studies Open House brought every graduate program at TU under one roof, giving visitors a chance to meet program representatives, current graduate students and university staff, and to ask the questions that matter before taking the next step in their careers.

For the Marketing Intelligence (M.S.) program, it was a chance to show prospective students what happens when marketing strategy meets data analytics, and why that combination is one of the most in-demand skill sets in business today.

One morning, every graduate program

The open house is held each fall by TU's College of Graduate Studies for anyone considering a graduate degree. Whether visitors came with a clear plan or were still exploring, the day offered a simple advantage: the ability to compare programs side by side, talk one-on-one with the people who run them, and get a feel for campus life as a graduate student.

At the Marketing Intelligence table, conversations centered on a few big questions: What exactly is marketing intelligence? Do I need a technical background? And what kind of job does this lead to?

So, what is Marketing Intelligence?

Marketing intelligence is the integration of marketing research, strategy, analytics, data management and interactive marketing. In plain terms, it's about using data to understand customers and make smarter business decisions, then communicating those insights in a way that moves an organization forward.

Towson's program was built with input from local and national business leaders to fill the gap between information technology and marketing. Graduates learn to create, implement and evaluate data-driven marketing strategies, a skill set that sits at the center of how modern brands compete.

What you'll study

The M.S. in Marketing Intelligence is a 30-unit program that draws on marketing, computer science and project management. Core coursework includes:

• Marketing Intelligence Strategy (MKTG 605)

• Marketing Research Methods (MKTG 607)

• Database Querying and Visualization (MKTG 610)

• Digital Marketing (MKTG 710)

• Consumer Sentiment Analysis (MKTG 720)

• Market Segmentation Research (MKTG 750)

• Marketing Analytics and Metrics (MKTG 770)

• Advanced Marketing Analytics (MKTG 780)

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Several requirements offer alternatives from related fields, such as Social Network Analysis, Data Mining, Customer Relationship Management or Project Management, so students can shape the degree toward their interests.

Good news for anyone worried about the technical side: the program is designed to teach these skills, and many students arrive from creative, communications or general business backgrounds.

Tools and certifications that employers recognize

Students graduate with hands-on experience in the tools used across the industry:

• SQL, Python, R and Tableau for data querying, analysis and visualization

• Google AdWords, Hootsuite and HubSpot certifications, which students can earn along the way

• CEGA databases, with data on roughly 230 million U.S. consumers and 16 million U.S. businesses, for real-scale analysis

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Real-world experience, built in

Marketing Intelligence at TU is applied by design. Every student completes two applied courses, choosing between a project or an internship at each stage:

• Digital Marketing Project or Digital Marketing Internship

• Marketing Intelligence Project or Marketing Intelligence Internship

In the independent client project, students plan, implement and evaluate a solution to a real-world business problem. Beyond the classroom, the program offers:

• Guest speakers and site visits with marketing companies such as Merkle, Jellyfish and Salesforce

• A cohort model that builds a close professional network among classmates

• Research and focus group facilities, including a Behavioral Lab with eye-tracking equipment

  
  

Flexible, and STEM-designated

The program is designed for both full-time students and working professionals. Students can finish in one year or two, depending on their pace.

The degree also comes with extra credentials:

• A Graduate Certificate in Interactive Marketing is embedded in the degree

• Students on the two-year plan can also earn a Graduate Certificate in Project, Program and Portfolio Management

For international students, one detail drew particular interest: the program holds STEM designation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. That means eligible F-1 graduates can apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, gaining additional time to work in the U.S. after graduation.

Where graduates go

Graduates are prepared for roles such as:

• Marketing Intelligence Analyst

• Digital Marketing Manager

• Marketing Research Analyst

• Customer Insight Specialist

The outlook is strong. The program cites U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections of 22% growth for market research analysts from 2020 to 2030, much faster than average.

Thinking about applying?

If you visited us at the open house, or wish you had, here's what to know. The Marketing Intelligence program admits students for the fall term only, with three deadlines:

• Early deadline: January 15

• Priority deadline: June 15

• Final deadline: August 15

Undergraduates at TU can also explore the accelerated bachelor's-to-master's option, which lets students complete both degrees in less time.

Have questions? Reach out to Program Director Dr. Hua Chang at chang@towson.edu or 410-704-2426, or visit the Marketing Intelligence program page.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by on October 24. We hope to see you in the cohort next fall.