Strategic Marketing Certificate

The Strategic Marketing post-baccalaureate certificate is designed for emerging professionals in the fields of marketing, management, public relations and integrated marketing communication. Students learn to think strategically about marketing, from developing market-responsive products to branding to developing effective communication. The courses in this program blend theory and practice, drawing upon examples from recent and noteworthy marketing campaigns and market-leading products and services.

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About Strategic Marketing

Strategic Marketing Goals and Courses

Additional Information

Other 300-level marketing courses may be used as a substitute for two of the above courses. Students should have academic writing and research experience before enrolling.

Strategic Marketing Tuition

Post-baccalaureate students at Northwestern's School of Professional Studies pay per course. For more information about financial obligations and tuition, please visit the Tuition page.

Admission for Strategic Marketing

In addition to completing an online application, you'll also need to submit a few supplemental materials. A list of requirements for admission including application deadlines and tips on how to apply can be found on the Admission page.

Strategic Marketing Registration Information

Whether you're a first-time registrant or current and returning student, all students register using our online student registration and records systems. Important information about registering for courses at SPS, including registration timelines and adding or dropping courses in which you are already enrolled, can be found on the Registration Information page.

Find out more about the Strategic Marketing Certificate


Program Courses:Course Detail
Intro to Public Relations <> ADVT 370-CN

Public relations is a core management function for every type of organization, whether public or private. Public relations spans a wide range of marketing disciplines including media relations, corporate reputation, community affairs, issues/crisis management, investor relations, and government affairs. PR is one of the primary tools used to reinforce a company's brand and support its competitive position. Students learn the essential components of an effective PR strategy; how to evaluate and manage outside PR counsel; essentials of media relations and crisis management; and how to draft PR messages. Students select a "beat" or coverage area to investigate as part of the class homework projects. This course involves heavy writing; it may not be audited.This course is cross-listed as MKTG 390-CN.


There is no available section.
Visual Communication <> ADVT 380-CN

Through a combination of technical and theoretical instruction, students in this course will learn basic concepts of visual communication as they tap into the potential of industry-standard software and their own brains as tools for creation. Ultimately, they will emerge with a better understanding of the relationships between the practical and aesthetic concerns that go in to effective graphic design. 

Students must possess a working laptop computer with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign (CS6 or later; Creative Cloud recommended) to enroll in this course. Visit adobe.com to check hardware requirements and purchase/subscribe.

This course may not be audited. This course was previously ADVT 390-CN: Topics in Advertising: Introduction to Visual Communication


View ADVT 380-CN Sections
Principles of Marketing <> MKTG 201-DL

Marketing structure and processes whereby products proceed from the place of production to final use or consumption. Sales management, retailing, foreign trade, advertising, channels of distribution for marketing different types of products, activities of wholesale and retail middlemen and other important marketing institutions, cooperative marketing, market risk, sources of marketing information, price determination, governmental activity related to marketing, cost of marketing, and general critique of market structure.

 

This course is conducted completely online. A technology fee will be added to tuition.


View MKTG 201-DL Sections
Integrated Marketing Communications <> MKTG 310-CN

Integrated Marketing Communications MKTG 310 provides students with an opportunity to understand and apply IMC strategic concepts and methods. IMC is essentially defined as Customer Centric Marketing driven by deeper insights and creative, innovative IDEAS grounded in/supported by real time data and information.

The course covers the main functions of Marketing and Marketing Communications including brand identity, brand strategy, segmentation, targeting, positioning, and brand activation and marketing math required to make informed decisions. The key themes that run through this course, and differentiate it from traditional ways traditional Marketing is taught.

Class periods will consist of participative discussions along with lecture content focused on key topics supported by relevant readings, discussion board peer to peer conversations, case study analyses, and a team project centered on building an IMC plan.

This course was formerly MKTG 390-CN: Topics in Marketing: Integrated Marketing Communications. This course will be running remotely on Tuesdays during the Fall 2023 quarter.

Course canceled as of 9/7/23.


View MKTG 310-CN Sections
Brand Management <> MKTG 320-CN

Some of the most valuable assets managed by companies today are the brand names associated with their products and services. Strong brands can influence purchase decisions by communicating the value of and providing differentiation for products and services. Effective brand management is critical to maintaining the long-term profitability of products and services.

This course is designed to develop students’ understanding of the importance of brand equity as well as how to build, measure and manage brand equity. Topics will include understanding brands from the customer’s perspective, building brand equity, measuring brand equity, leveraging brand equity, managing brand portfolios and managing brands over time.

See Northwestern Summer Session schedule  to view available sections of this course.

The Summer 2023 section is canceled as of 6/14/23.


View MKTG 320-CN Sections
Brand Management <> MKTG 320-DL

Description TBA.

This course is conducted completely online. A technology fee will be added to tuition.


View MKTG 320-DL Sections
Market Research <> MKTG 350-CN

This course will introduce students to marketing research and the marketing research process. Initially, the class will orientate the student into the world of marketing research. After that initial survey, the course will then move into four different parts of the research process, integrated into in-class examples: (1) the different kinds of data, (2) tools and techniques to analyze that data, (3) how the results might be presented and (4) how managers might use the data to make decisions. The course will include lectures, as well as hands-on work analyzing market data. This course was formerly MKTG 390-CN: Topics in Marketing: Marketing Research

This course has been canceled as of 3/24/23. 


There is no available section.
Market Research <> MKTG 350-DL

Description TBA.

This course is conducted completely online. A technology fee will be added to tuition.


View MKTG 350-DL Sections
Public Relations MKTG 370-DL

Description TBA.

This course is conducted completely online. A technology fee will be added to tuition.


View MKTG 370-DL Sections