Every brand needs marketing communications to project a product or service to its customer base. A great marketing professional is required to have a holistic outlook towards building a brand and business growth, including a perceptive understanding of technology and a creative mindset. Northwood’s Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing Communications builds future marketing leaders who are able to use data-driven insights to inform their marketing decisions.
Northwood’s Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing Communications program is a STEM certified program for Optional Practical Training (OPT) purposes. This means that it offers the potential for international students to work in the US for a total of 3 years and the potential for a work visa (H1-B, etc.) This makes it the perfect platform to launch your career in marketing communications.
This program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
A career as a marketing communications expert is dynamic and highly-regarded across the globe. Marketers play a crucial role in communicating the benefits of goods and services across industries to consumers for maximum profitability. This makes marketing communications a thriving career, especially with the steady growth of digital media. Here is a glimpse into a career in marketing communications:
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS CAREERS AND SALARIES
*Source: Average base salaries in the US taken from Salary.com, Indeed.com, Payscale.com, Glassdoor.
Here is look at a few companies who have employed our graduates:
THE NORTHWOOD DIFFERENCE
For over 60 years, Northwood University has prepared students to launch their careers successfully in their selected field. And our holistic approach develops the future leaders of a global free-enterprise society.
At Northwood, you will start classes in your major on your first day. This means you can validate your interest in a major field of study early and be prepared for internships after your first year. During your time at Northwood, you will;
CURRICULUM
The Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing Communications will provide you with a comprehensive education in the field of marketing and communications. The curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including consumer behavior, advertising, public relations, branding, and digital marketing. Students will learn how to develop effective marketing strategies and how to create compelling messages that truly resonate with target audiences. Through a combination of lectures, hands-on projects, and case studies, you will develop the skills needed to apply what they learn in the real world.
- FDN 1110 Student Success Seminar or FDN 2500 Strategies for Success — 1 credit hour
- FDN 1300 Student Leadership Seminar (campus only) — 1 credit hour
- FDN 2250 Blueprint for Success or FDN 3200 Career Advancement — 1 credit hour
General education courses are the foundation of the University’s outcomes and attributes for its graduates.
- ENG 1150 Composition I — 3 credit hours
- ENG 1200 Composition II — 3 credit hours
- MTH 1150 College Algebra or MTH 1100 Finite Math — 3 credit hours
- SPC 2050 Speech — 3 credit hours
- NSC 2100 Environmental Science or Natural Science — 3 credit hours
- HIS 2100 Foundations of the Modern World I or History Elective — 3 credit hours
- MTH 2310 Statistics I — 3 credit hours
- PSC 2010 Introduction to American Government — 3 credit hours
- 3000/4000 Psychology, Sociology or Humanities Elective — 3 credit hours
- ACC 2410 Fundamentals of Financial Accounting — 3 credit hours
- ACC 2415 Fundamentals of Managerial Accounting — 3 credit hours
- ECN 2210 Principles of Microeconomics — 3 credit hours
- ECN 2220 Principles of Macroeconomics — 3 credit hours
- LAW 3000 Business Law I — 3 credit hours
- MGT 2300 Principles of Management — 3 credit hours
- MIS 1500 Business Productivity Software — 3 credit hours
- MKT 2080 Principles of Marketing — 3 credit hours
- FIN 3010 Financial Management — 3 credit hours
- MGT 4250 Organizational Behavior — 3 credit hours
- MGT 4800 Strategic Planning — 3 credit hours
- PHL 3100 Ethics — 3 credit hours
- ECN 4010 Economics of Public Policies — 3 credit hours
- PHL 4100 Philosophy of American Enterprise — 3 credit hours
Note: MKT 2080 is included in the Major Core and Common Professional Core.
- MKC 2100 Introduction to Marketing Communications — 3 credit hours
- MKC 2110 Media Economics and Technology — 3 credit hours
- MKC 2300 Digital Media Planning — 3 credit hours
- MKC 2400 Creative Concepts & Strategy — 3 credit hours
- MKC 3200 Digital, Social & Mobile Marketing — 3 credit hours
- MKC 4100 Integrated Mktg. Communications Campaigns — 3 credit hours
- MKC 4500 Current Issues in Global Mktg. & Consumer Behavior — 3 credit hours
- MKT 3050 Consumer Behavior — 3 credit hours
- MKT 4230 Marketing Research — 3 credit hours
- MTH 3340 Statistics II — 3 credit hours
- 3000/4000 Elective — 3 credit hours
- 3000/4000 Elective — 3 credit hours
- 3000/4000 Elective — 3 credit hours
- 3000/4000 Elective — 3 credit hours
- Choice Elective — 3 credit hours
- Choice Elective — 3 credit hours
- Choice Elective — 1 credit hour
Marketing Communications Course Descriptions
Explores creation and management of integrated marketing campaigns, from identification of appropriate tools and strategies to project management of budget factors such as time and cost. Integrated marketing tools to study include public relations, content marketing, sales promotion, social media, and advertising. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how to target various markets and how to develop strategic and interactive integrated marketing plans with clear objectives.
Prerequisite: MKT 2080
Focuses on the business practices of the media industry, specifically economic factors that direct and limit decisions. Emphasis is placed on the digitization of media channels and platforms. Students gain a critical understanding of fundamental concepts, theories, and approaches of media economics to aggregate audiences for advertisers. The role of technology, globalization, regulation, and other factors in shaping media economics is also explored.
Examines the structure, technology, and personnel of the media industry. Students develop digital media planning and convergent media design skills for multimedia-related careers. Exploration of leveraging data for ad targeting and implementing critical ad targeting strategies provide an understanding of how to effectively reach target audiences.
Prerequisites: MKC 2100 and MKC 2110
Introduces the creative strategy development process of an integrated marketing communications framework, which includes advertising, public relations, direct marketing, sales promotion, and social/mobile marketing. Students explore marketing planning, branding/positioning, copywriting, and design of messages for major media formats. Various verbal, written, and visual strategies and business best practices to use in creative message development are discussed (Requires Adobe Creative Suite).
Prerequisite: MKC 2100
Explores how to leverage the power of digital, social, and mobile strategies and tools to create compelling marketing campaigns. Students gain an understanding of various mobile technologies, with an emphasis on how to evaluate and implement these options to meet marketing objectives. The integration and impact of digital, social, and mobile marketing on traditional marketing channels also are addressed.
Prerequisite: MKC 2300
Examines situational analysis, audience research, strategic decision-making, and creative development of integrated marketing communications plans for diverse clients/organizations. Students create materials for different channels, using various media, including print, video, and digital.
Prerequisite: MKC 2300
Emphasizes an overview of the cultural environment as it applies to marketing through discussion of global topics such as management, political, and legal issues. Examination of and discussion about the process of planning, implementing, and analyzing marketing and other strategic communications are explored, with focus on understanding the theory, practice, and ethics of global communication.
Prerequisite: MKC 3200
ADMISSION
APPLICATION PROCESS
The program follows a simple 3-step application process. The step-by-step process is outlined below.
STEP 1: SUBMIT APPLICATION
Candidates can apply to the program online and attach all required materials as outlined in the requirements below.
STEP 2: ROLLING ADMISSION
The admissions team will assess your application as soon as it is received.
STEP 3: INTERVIEW
Candidates might be required to give an interview before being accepted into the program. Once all the requirements are completed, the admissions team will notify you with a decision.
For admissions support, we offer online office hours, an admissions checklist, and email and phone support to answer your questions.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants for the undergraduate program are required to have:
- Passport ID page (must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the entry date to Northwood University)
- Secondary school transcripts
- Secondary school completion certificate or diploma
- College or university transcripts (if you have completed any university credits)
- English proficiency
KEY DATES
- Please Note: Application fee is refunded only in the case an applicant is not offered admission to the program.
OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING – US OPT
After you have completed at least one year of your studies in the U.S. you will be eligible to participate in the US OPT (Optional Practical Training) program for F-1 students upon the completion of your undergraduate degree, allowing you to stay in the US while you start your career in marketing communications.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary employment in the US that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study. Eligible students can apply to receive up to 12 months of OPT employment authorization before completing their academic studies (pre-completion) and/or after completing their academic studies (post-completion). Please click here to know more about OPT.
Northwood’s Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing Communications program is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) certified program for Optional Practical Training (OPT) purposes. This allows the graduates of the program to apply for an additional 24 months of extension of OPT. Ultimately, it offers the potential for international students to work in the US for a total of 3 years before and the potential for a work visa (H1-B, etc.)
TUITION & SCHOLARSHIPS
TUITION AND FEES
The following figures are fixed 2024-2025 costs for 12-17 credit hours per semester.
| Expense Description | 1st Semester (Fall) | 2nd Semester (Spring) | Total Per Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition* | 1st Semester (Fall): $16,400 | 2nd Semester (Spring): $16,400 | Total Per Year: |
| Student and Technology Fee | 1st Semester (Fall): $800 | 2nd Semester (Spring): $800 | Total Per Year: $1600 |
*The fee does not include transport expenses, health insurance, any associated visa fees etc. and accommodation. It also does not cover any other expenses that are not expressly mentioned above. Students are required to live on campus for the first two years of attendance at Northwood University.
Healthcare plan is mandatory and is available for approximately USD $1,500*/year (*Subject to change per academic year).
SCHOLARSHIPS
The aim of the scholarships is to provide outstanding candidates with an opportunity to study irrespective of their financial circumstances. The program offers significant scholarship funding to the most talented applicants.
All applicants for the Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing Communications program are automatically considered for Northwood University scholarships. Scholarship amounts will be noted in your letter of acceptance.
PROGRAM EXPERIENCE
With a large international presence both at our U.S. locations and abroad, the Northwood student body is very diverse. Our alumni are at ease in complex, multi-cultural business environments with a professional network around the world. Learning at Northwood takes place in more than just the classroom. With a multitude of activities to choose from, students realize significant personal and professional growth which, after graduation, will set them apart as they launch their careers.
CAMPUS LIFE
Be it academic-based organizations like the Entrepreneurship Society, Collegiate DECA or Business Professionals of America (BPA) to Greek Life to service-based organizations like Circle K, Rotaract, the Student Athletic Advisory Council or Student Government Association, Northwood University has ways for students to be engaged and involved on campus and in the local community. These experiences help students learn first-hand, how businesses and people connect through shared experiences.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Northwood students graduate with a superior business education that gives them a foundation of understanding free markets, entrepreneurial endeavors, personal responsibility, and ethical behavior. And, NU students also graduate with the ability to effectively communicate their ideas, beliefs, and experiences in an effort to promote success in their own lives and in the lives of others. Through workshops and campus-life programming, students hone networking, interviewing and résumé writing skills putting them one more step ahead in a competitive job market.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
One hallmark of the Northwood education is hands-on, experiential learning. Many of our academic programs enhance classroom learning with large-scale, active learning student-run projects. These events allow our students to apply what they learn in the classroom to real situations.
ENTERPRISE/ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION
Many Northwood alumni earn their livelihoods in enterprises they own in whole or in part. While we offer a program in entrepreneurship, our entire curriculum is focused on enterprise models and entrepreneurial achievements. Enterprise is a key tenet of our Mission, and we believe entrepreneurship is the essential element of our free market economy.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
While our student-athletes are competing on the athletic fields as part of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC); many of our students also compete in academic arenas. Our national champion Mock Trial team has bested teams from Harvard, Georgetown, and Stanford while our Competitive Speech team, American Marketing Association, BPA, DECA, and American Advertising Federation student chapters regularly place in regional and national competitions.
ABOUT NORTHWOOD
On March 23, 1959, two young men with an idea, a goal, and a pragmatic philosophy to encompass it all, broke away from their careers in a traditional college structure to create a new concept in education.
Their visionary idea became a reality when Dr. Arthur E. Turner and Dr. R. Gary Stauffer enrolled 100 students at Northwood Institute. They envisioned a new type of university – one where the teaching of management led the way. While the frontiers of space were revealing their mysteries, Stauffer and Turner understood all endeavors – technical, manufacturing, marketing, retail, every type of business – needed state-of-the-art, ethics-driven management.
Time has validated the success of what these two young educators called "The Northwood Idea" – incorporating the lessons of the American free-enterprise society into the college classroom.
The University grew and matured; Northwood went from being an Institute to an accredited University, the DeVos Graduate School of Management was created and then expanded; the Adult Degree Program and its program centers expanded to over 20 locations in eight states; international program centers were formed in Malaysia, People's Republic of China, Sri Lanka, and Switzerland; and significant construction like the campus Student Life Centers added value to the Northwood students' experience. New endeavors such as Aftermarket Studies, entertainment and sports management and fashion merchandising, along with a campus partnership in Montreux, Switzerland, demonstrate an enriched experience for all our students.
Northwood University educates managers and entrepreneurs – highly skilled and ethical leaders. With more than 65,000 alumni and a vibrant future ahead, The Northwood Idea is thriving.
NORTHWOOD FACTS
|
18+ |
athletic teams |
|
31% |
of Northwood graduates own some or all of their business |
|
$13m |
in scholarships available |
|
40+ |
clubs, fraternities and sororities |
|
82% |
of graduates employed full-time or accepted to graduate programs (as per our most recent graduate survey) |
18+
athletic teams
31%
of Northwood graduates own some or all of their business
$13m
in scholarships available
40+
clubs, fraternities and sororities
82%
of graduates employed full-time or accepted to graduate programs (as of our most recent graduate survey)
ACCREDITATIONS, APPROVALS, AND MEMBERSHIPS
Northwood University believes it has a responsibility to its students and the industries and communities it serves to provide the highest standard of educational excellence possible. One measure of how well an educational institution meets this responsibility is in its accreditations and approvals by outside education associations and governmental interests. Because each Northwood location is served, at least partially, by different governmental agencies and academic accrediting bodies, and because all have been in existence for varying lengths of time, the accreditations and approvals may vary from one location to another.
ALL NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES/LOCATIONS HAVE THE FOLLOWING ACCREDITATIONS AND APPROVALS:
- Northwood University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org). For more information, please click here.
- Northwood University business degree programs have business specialty accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), (www.acbsp.org).
- The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) certified school for nonimmigrant foreign students (Fvisa); Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)/ Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) as a higher education institution for international students.
- Respective state offices for Veterans Administration programs as a higher education institution for degree-seeking qualified veterans and dependents.
- The U.S. Bureau of Internal Revenue as a tax-exempt institution as provided for in Section 501 (c) (3) and other applicable parts of the Internal Revenue Code for higher education organizations.
NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY MEMBERSHIPS ARE REPRESENTED IN SUCH EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AS:
- American Accounting Association
- American Advertising Federation
- American Association of Collegiate and Admissions Officers Registrars
- American Certified Fraud Examiners
- American College Health Association
- American College Personnel Association
- American Hotel and Lodging Association
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- American Library Association
- American Management Association
- American Marketing Association
- American Marketing League Association
- American Payroll Association
- American Taxation Association
- Association for Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education
- Association for Higher Education and Disability
- Association for Leadership Educators
- Association for the Tutoring Profession
- Association of College and Research Libraries
- Association of College and University Housing Officers International
- Association of College and University Telecommunications Administrators
- Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement
- Association of University Programs in Health Administration
- Association of Veterans Educators Certifying Officials
- Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association
- College and University Personnel Association for Human Resources
- Council for the Advancement of Experiential Learning
- Council for Higher Education Accreditation
- Council for Hotel and Restaurant and Institutional Education
- Data Processing Management Association
- Educause
- Family Enterprise Research Scholars
- Family Firm Institute
- Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers
- Intercollegiate Press Association
- International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
- International Council on Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Education
- International Leadership Association
- Mathematical Association of America
- Motor and Equipment Manufacturing Association
- National Academic Advising Association
- National Advertising Federation
- National Association for Campus Activities
- National Association for College Admission Counseling
- National Association for Developmental Education
- National Association of College Admissions Counselors
- National Association of College Auxiliary Services
- National Association of College Stores (through its bookstore provider)
- National Association of College and University Business Officers
- National Association of Colleges and Employers
- National Association of Educational Buyers
- National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
- National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
- National Association of International Educators
- National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals
- National Association of College and University Mail Services
- National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
- National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
- National Association of Veterans Programs Administrators
- National Automobile Dealers Association
- National Collegiate Athletic Association
- National Collegiate Honors Council
- National College Learning Center Association
- National Cooperative Education Association
- National Council of Teachers of English
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
- National Council of Women of the United States
- National Association of Educational Buyers
- National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
- National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
- National Association of International Educators
- National Home Fashions League
- National Restaurant Association
- Newspaper Association of America
- Organization of American Historians
- Photographers’ Association of America
- Society for College and University Planning
- Society for Human Resources
- Specialty Equipment Market Association
- The Fashion Group
- University Risk Management and Insurance Association
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