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Marketing Major

Study marketing at SBU

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Are you creative? Do you like to explore the behavior of different consumer groups? Are you interested in retail management or fashion merchandising? Do you like keeping up with the latest digital and social media trends? Do you enjoy sales?

If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, then a bachelor's degree in marketing could be a great fit for you!

As a marketing major at SBU, you will engage in subject such as:

  • Advertising
  • Digital and social media marketing
  • Retailing
  • Professional selling
  • Marketing research
  • Marketing management
  • Consumer behavior
  • Graphic design
  • Along with much more!

You will have the opportunity to apply concepts you learned in your marketing courses to real-world experiences while working with local businesses on marketing projects. For example, in your advertising class you will work to create an advertising campaign for a company, which will prepare you for a future career in advertising and marketing. 

A bachelor's degree in marketing from SBU will open up numerous career opportunities and prepare you for success in the marketing industry.

The Marketing degree is offered through SBU's Robert W. Plaster College of Business. 

Resources

Major Map (PDF)

Degree plan

100%
Job
placement
rate

(100% of SBU marketing majors who graduated in 2021-2022 had employment in their field at the time of graduation.)

SBU College of Business Job Placement and Salary Data (PDF)

Students working on group projects at outside table

The SBU Advantage

  • More than 75% of students in the business administration division complete at least one internship before graduation.
  • Our course in digital and social media marketing is a unique feature that will give you an advantage compared to marketing graduates from other universities.
  • Small class sizes allow you to engage in group projects and give formal presentations, which will enhance your communication skills and set you apart from other candidates when applying for internships and jobs.
  • Working with local businesses to complete real-world marketing projects will provide you with valuable experience and networking opportunities.

Faith Integration

As a marketing major at SBU, you will learn how to use Biblical truths as the foundation for marketing strategies. For example, in your marketing courses you will explore how the "Golden Rule" is key to building trusting and long-term relationships with customers.

Psalm 15 - SBU's College of Professional Programs and the Robert W. Plaster College of Business have a Psalm 15 initiative, which provides intentional integration of faith and academic discipline. Using Psalm 15 as a basis, the Colleges have identified eight character traits that should be the hallmark of the students and graduates. These character traits are emphasized in coursework and in a special lecture series. The highlighted character traits are: Integrity, Service, Respect, Charity, Faithfulness, Truthfulness, Humility and Perseverance.

Ethics and Professional Development — As part of an intentionally Christian education, students in the Robert W. Plaster College of Business take a senior-level course in Ethics and Professional Development. The course teaches Christian personal and professional ethics and equips students with life skills such as career development, etiquette, and servant leadership, with the goal of producing ethical business leaders who will be servant leaders in the workplace.

Careers

Examples of organizations that have employed our graduates:

  • Cerner Corporation
  • Convoy of Hope
  • D3 Technologies
  • EasyMac Sales
  • Enactus
  • FORVIS
  • Grant Thorton, LLP
  • Lockton Company
  • Sam's Club

Internships

Examples of organizations that have provided internships for our students:

  • FORVIS
  • Citizens Memorial Hospital - Marketing department
  • D3 Technologies

Graduate schools

Examples of graduate schools attended by our graduates:

Caleb Lasher
"Working in small class sizes really helped me build relationships with my professors and allowed me to go to them when I had questions and needed help."
Caleb Lasher '20
Community Marketing Coordinator for the Springfield Cardinals (AA-affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team)

Clubs and Organizations

JumpStart

Want to start a business as a student? At SBU, you have the opportunity to receive guidance and funding as you build a business while pursuing your degree. One of our students, Lillian, started a hair accessory business on Etsy and earned over $12,000 in profits her first year! You even have the chance to earn funds for your business through the Jumpstart entrepreneurship competition.

Sentrepact

Sentrepact is an opportunity for you to mentor high school students as they partner with local businesses in their community. You will be putting your learned skills from the classroom into practice through partnering with high school students and providing advice on how to improve their business partnerships.

Delta Mu Delta

Delta Mu Delta is an international honor society established to recognize superior scholastic achievement of business administration students. The purpose of Delta Mu Delta is to promote higher scholarship in education for business, and to recognize and reward scholastic attainment in business subjects. Delta Mu Delta is an invitation-only society for juniors and seniors in the top 20% of their class with a minimum GPA of 3.25.

Financial Management Association (FMA)

Financial Management Association (FMA) offers amazing opportunities for business students. In the SBU FMA chapter, students have the opportunity to meet and network with local finance professionals, engage in investment competitions, participate in community service, and network with SBU peers. As a member of FMA, a national organization, students gain access to FMA's extensive online library, online forecasting competition, job posting board, and international networking and award opportunities.

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is the largest career student business organization in the world. FBLA has more than 10,000 members and more than 500 chapters. 

SBU's FBLA chapter consistently excels at the yearly state and national competitions, earning 58 top-ten national finishes so far!

 

 

Full-Time Faculty

Troy Bethards

Dr. Troy Bethards, College Dean
Ryder King

Ryder King, Instructor
Nathan Wright

Dr. Nathan Wright, Division Head
Levi Bridge

Dr. Levi Bridge, MBA Coordinator
David Liu

Dr. David Liu, Associate Professor
Angela Brown-Peterson

Dr. Angela Brown-Peterson, Associate Professor
Bill Marr

Bill Marr, Instructor

Scholarships

The College of Professional Programs and the Robert W. Plaster College of Business offer many privately funded scholarship opportunities for their students. During a recent academic year, more than $89,000 was awarded in private scholarships to students from these college-level scholarships. Some scholarships available include:

  • Aric Beckham Memorial Scholarship
  • Bill & Geneva Williams Memorial Scholarship
  • Business College Scholarship
  • Clifford & Marie Gouge Memorial Scholarship
  • Credille Family Scholarship
  • Dexter Yager Business Scholarship
  • Don & Joan Woods Endowed Scholarship
  • Dr. B.E. Clark Distinguished Accounting Student Scholarship
  • Gary & Jane Black Excellence Scholarship
  • Gladys Henderson Memorial Scholarship
  • Melvin & Minnie Hall Memorial Scholarship
  • Nebraska Book Company Scholarship
  • Ralph Stufflebam Memorial Scholarship
  • Ruby Letsch-Roderique Business Scholarship

Taylor Center

The Robert W. Plaster College of Business is housed in the Gene Taylor National Free Enterprise Center. The Taylor Center was expanded and renovated to provide the following benefits for our students:

  • Increased number of dedicated study areas and presentation rooms that can be reserved in advance
  • Keycard access for certain majors increases building security while allowing you to access space and equipment after hours to effectively study and work on group projects
  • Student lounge and open spaces to study, relax and hang out

Marketing Four-Year Plan

Freshman

Fall Semester

ENG 1113 English Composition I 3
MAT 1243 Algebraic Reasoning and Modeling 3
CIS 1103 Computer and Information Management 3
BUS 1013 Introduction to Business 3
BIB 1013 Old Testament History 3
UNI 1111 University Seminar 1
Total hours 16

Spring Semester

ENG 2213 English Composition II 3
COM 1103 Fundamentals of Speech Communication 4
BUS 1193 Business Calculus 3
BUS 2013 Business Communications 3
BIB 1023 New Testament History 3
UNI 1121 Introduction to Critical Thinking 1
Total hours 16
 

Sophomore

Fall Semester

BUS 2023 Business Statistics 3
ART/FAR 1013 Introduction to Art 3
ACC 2013 Principles of Financial Accounting 3
ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics 3
MGT 3013 Principles of Management 3
Total hours 15

Spring Semester

ART 2703 Introduction to Graphic Design 3
HIS 2213/2223 U.S. History I or II 3
ACC 2043 Principles of Managerial Accounting 3
ECO 2033 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
MKT 3023 Principles of Marketing 3
Total hours 15
 

Junior

Fall Semester

BIO 1004 Principles of Biology 4
MGT 3033 Operations Management 3
MKT 3083 Advertising 3
MKT 4023 Marketing Management 3
PSY 1013 General Psychology 3
Total hours 16

Spring Semester

PHS 1004 Introduction to Physical Science 4
SPF 2012 Introduction to Spiritual Formation 2
MKT 3033 Consumer Behavior 3
 LDR 4043 Ethics and Professional Development 3
MKT 4253 Digital and Social Media Marketing 3
  Cultural Studies 3
Total hours 18
 

Senior

Fall Semester

BUS 3073 Legal Environment of Business I 3
FIN 3053 Business Finance 3
  Elective for 128 Hours 3
MGT/MKT 4153 Retailing 3
POL 1113 American Government and Politics 3
Total hours 15

Winterfest

MKT 3073 Professional Selling 3

Spring Semester

KIN 1162 Foundations of Physical Fitness/Wellness 2
  Upper-level COBACS Course 3
MGT 4083 Strategic Management 3
MKT 4013 Marketing Research (spring, odd) 3
CIS 3123 Survey of Data Science 3
Total hours 14

This is a proposed guideline. Please check the catalog and see your advisor for your final degree requirements.
Southwest Baptist University reserves the right to make changes to degree plans without advanced notice or obligation.
The student is responsible for understanding and completing all general education, degree, departmental and graduation requirements.

Download in PDF format:
Marketing plan (PDF)