On-Campus Course Schedule for Fall 2023

Brand Conflict Comms

Marketing professionals are tasked with creating customer-driven strategies; providing targeted client-centric value; developing strong brand equity; serving as company representatives with the press and other media, and always keeping brand protection front of mind. As such, they have to be skilled in communications as well as business, psychology, and ethics. But the area most often overlooked and not adequately trained for is conflict management and resolution. Since the birth of the web in 1991 and the start of social media less than a decade later, the opportunities for marketers to connect with target audiences and stakeholders rose dramatically. Now, with Web 3.0’s Semantic Web, opportunities to communicate and interact have skyrocketed. That, however, also means an increased risk of misunderstandings, reputational harms, and PR disasters that marketers must try to guard against and deal with when they occur. This course will teach marketing professionals the fundamentals of conflict management and resolution so they can successfully operate in today’s always-on and high-stakes communications environment. It will blend theoretical knowledge with case studies and in-classroom exercises. Students will learn how to identify conflict risk factors for their companies and brands. They will also learn best practices and how to choose a conflict management approach best suited to a given situation.

Capstone

During this final course, students will apply the comprehensive skills they have built throughout their study of the concept and practice of integrated marketing communications. After identifying and securing a company or organization of their choosing, students will respond to a marketing communications challenge by creating a well-researched, creative, integrated plan that exemplifies their development as IMC professionals. Students will be able to choose clients based on their personal interests or aimed at continuing the social impact mission of the program. Consumer research is the heart of the IMC planning process and students are required to develop their creative insights from original research. Throughout the semester, multiple forms of assessment—including quick-fire challenges, written projects, an ethical response paper, a final plan, and a strategy pitch—track and evaluate each student's level of competency in all IMC program learning goals.

Note: Students must have completed the core and foundation courses (MPMC 500 or 5020, 600 or 5021, 602 or 5022, and 603 or 5023) to register for this course. Students may only take this course in their final semester of the program. A minimum grade of "B" is required to pass.

Consumer Research & Insights

This course is a foundational component of the integrated marketing communications (IMC) program. The course builds student knowledge of research approaches and techniques, equipping them to keep consumer interests and needs at the center of integrated campaigns. Students will learn how to design, interpret, and apply primary and secondary research techniques used in campaign development, execution, and evaluation. Topics include how to locate and mine existing databases and resources; best practices for designing and executing surveys, in-depth interviews, focus groups, and observational studies; and how to incorporate digital tools and emerging technologies as part of an overall research plan. Focus will be placed on how to develop meaningful insights from research to guide audience segmentation and targeting, message strategies, creative development, and channel selection. The course combines textbook learning with real-world examples and applications so that students can experience research in practice.

Note: Foundation course requirement for the IMC program.

Consumer Research & Insights

This course is a foundational component of the integrated marketing communications (IMC) program. The course builds student knowledge of research approaches and techniques, equipping them to keep consumer interests and needs at the center of integrated campaigns. Students will learn how to design, interpret, and apply primary and secondary research techniques used in campaign development, execution, and evaluation. Topics include how to locate and mine existing databases and resources; best practices for designing and executing surveys, in-depth interviews, focus groups, and observational studies; and how to incorporate digital tools and emerging technologies as part of an overall research plan. Focus will be placed on how to develop meaningful insights from research to guide audience segmentation and targeting, message strategies, creative development, and channel selection. The course combines textbook learning with real-world examples and applications so that students can experience research in practice.

Note: Foundation course requirement for the IMC program.

Conversations About Ethics

The process of educating the whole person starts with the study of ethics. The concept of IMC requires practitioners to look across multiple communications disciplines and consider each one’s unique challenges. At the same time, the practitioner holds the consumer’s wants and needs as the guiding force for planning. Looking at ethics through a professional lens, students are asked to explore their own values and are challenged to codify and commit to their own code of ethics in relation to a broad range of professional codes of conduct and best practices. Students will gain a solid foundation in ethics and relate what they learn to their own professional situation through class discussions, case studies, and guest lectures conducted by industry experts. This course is required for all MPS students and must be completed within the student's first few semesters in the program. Foundational concepts in ethics are woven throughout the program’s other courses and revisited throughout a student’s tenure.

Note: Core course requirement for the IMC program. A minimum grade of "B" is required to pass.

Conversations About Ethics

The process of educating the whole person starts with the study of ethics. The concept of IMC requires practitioners to look across multiple communications disciplines and consider each one’s unique challenges. At the same time, the practitioner holds the consumer’s wants and needs as the guiding force for planning. Looking at ethics through a professional lens, students are asked to explore their own values and are challenged to codify and commit to their own code of ethics in relation to a broad range of professional codes of conduct and best practices. Students will gain a solid foundation in ethics and relate what they learn to their own professional situation through class discussions, case studies, and guest lectures conducted by industry experts. This course is required for all MPS students and must be completed within the student's first few semesters in the program. Foundational concepts in ethics are woven throughout the program’s other courses and revisited throughout a student’s tenure.

Customer-First IMC Strategy

In this course, students will learn to turn the corner from being tactical and creative professionals that develop successful IMC campaigns to becoming strategic managers that can drive successful IMC programs. To accomplish that goal, they will develop the skills to develop and manage IMC programs in alignment with an organization’s short- and long-term financial objectives, enabling them to participate successfully at a mid-to-senior level at a sophisticated corporation. A key concept that students will explore in detail is the concept of “customer centricity,” which lies at the heart of the IMC process — how we assess the value of customers and build IMC goals, objectives, strategies, tactics, and budgets with the aim of maximizing that value. In order to be able to utilize this concept effectively, students will also learn: · How to apply Cost-Volume-Profit (CVP) analysis and read basic corporate financial statements. · How to apply the Goals-Objectives-Strategies-Tactics process to create actionable customer-centric IMC plans that align with organizational objectives. · How to develop supportable budgets that align with organizational objectives and can drive customer-centric IMC plans. · How to make effective IMC-related business decisions. In order to help students develop the critical thinking and problem solving skills necessary to achieve these goals, this course will employ readings from many sources, a number of case studies, a robust customer centricity simulation, and a final team project with a “live” client. Bonus: You’ll learn how to play backgammon. And, yes, there will be math. But not to worry, we’ll leave conjoint analysis and differentials out of the equations. The course was formerly called "The Management of IMC."

Dig. Analytics & Measurement

This course will provide students with a solid foundation and working knowledge of digital analytics strategies and tactics. Students will learn how to use leading digital analytics tools, how to gather data, how to turn data into insights, and how to present and communicate data-driven information to clients and executives. We will review digital analytics for websites, apps, social media, paid marketing, and other digital marketing channels. Students will also learn about Excel, competitive analysis frameworks and tools, A/B testing, attribution models and data visualization. Finally, this course will enhance the quantitative skills of students, by using and computing e.g. ROI, profit margins and paid campaign costs. Data analysis, in many cases, is a bit like a police investigation: you are a detective and need to find the clues to explain the story that is hiding in the data. Luckily, we are not chasing criminals in this course, but we need to gather evidence, “interview” the data, put it in context by linking it to our knowledge of the world (e.g. industry baselines or historical data), check if there are any errors or biases in it and come up with the most plausible explanations. From this, we develop data-driven insights and actionable recommendations. This course requires surprisingly little math and statistics knowledge (a middle school level is enough: basic operations, computing percentages and reading basic graphs). However, critical thinking is key here: is the data right? What do we see? What do these numbers mean? How does it fit in the greater context and compared with our benchmarks?

Note: Students must have completed foundation courses MPMC 600 or 5021 & MPMC 602 or 5022 to register for this elective course. This course is cross listed with MPPR-7100-01 and MPJO-7100-01.

Digital Marketing

In this fast-paced course, we will examine the fundamentals of digital marketing. The course will provide a solid foundation for students to develop a cohesive digital marketing plan, including the strategies, tools and tactics that digital marketers employ. You will learn how to create a digital marketing strategy and translate that strategy into tactical objectives, goals, tasks, and measurements to build brand awareness, drive leads and awareness, and increase sales. Topics include online/display advertising, search engine marketing (organic and paid), social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, mobile marketing and website development.

Foundations of IMC: Campaigns

In today's ever-fragmented media world, it's never been harder, or more important, to develop a strong, integrated brand strategy to connect with people. From soft drinks to computers to the presidential election campaigns, managing a brand relationship with your audience is critical. In this class, students will learn how strategies are developed and explore how different communications disciplines can and should work together. You will learn the principles and practice of developing an integrated marketing communications plan using the Georgetown model – a building block for success in MPS IMC and in your career. There will be an emphasis on thinking creatively and strategically about business problems, as well as the importance of humanity and intuition in a data-driven world.

Note: Foundation course requirement for the IMC program. A minimum grade of "B" is required to pass.

Foundations of IMC: Campaigns

In today's ever-fragmented media world, it's never been harder, or more important, to develop a strong, integrated brand strategy to connect with people. From soft drinks to computers to the presidential election campaigns, managing a brand relationship with your audience is critical. In this class, students will learn how strategies are developed and explore how different communications disciplines can and should work together. You will learn the principles and practice of developing an integrated marketing communications plan using the Georgetown model – a building block for success in MPS IMC and in your career. There will be an emphasis on thinking creatively and strategically about business problems, as well as the importance of humanity and intuition in a data-driven world.

Note: Foundation course requirement for the IMC program. A minimum grade of "B" is required to pass.

IMC Consulting

In this course, students will learn how to use their marketing and communications skills as consultants to help organizations improve their performance. The course emphasizes the role of marketing and focuses on how marketers can use their specific skills and knowledge to help clients succeed.

Note: Students must have completed foundation courses MPMC 600 or 5021 & MPMC 602 or 5022 to register for this elective course.

In Search of the Big Idea

Note: .

Innovations in IMC

Innovations in the field of marketing continually present new opportunities and challenges for IMC managers. Consumer behavior is changing, along with the technology that consumers use. Additionally, new channels for engagement are continually evolving. Students in this course will learn how to approach IMC through a strategic lens focused on the future. They will learn to foster an environment of innovation within a team setting and present new ideas.

Note: Students must have completed foundation courses MPMC 600 or 5021 & MPMC 602 or 5022 to register for this elective course.

Marketing for Entrepreneurs

Increasingly, entrepreneurship is a growth engine for the global economy – marketing is a crucial element that defines the success or failure of a fledgling business. This highly interactive class will explore business structures including how to define, identify and quantify opportunities and target markets. It will also cover key branding and marketing strategies necessary to launch, grow and maintain a small business. Bring your business ideas and be ready to learn how to market those visions into reality.

Note: Students must have completed foundation courses MPMC 600 or 5021 & MPMC 602 or 5022 to register for this elective course.

MPS IMC Internship I

This one-credit course is designed to give credit for students doing an internship with an organization that requires them to receive credit. The internships should be substantive and have the goal of providing relevant industry experience, portfolio items or other professional work for students to use when looking for jobs. This course is also meant as a way to help support students who are doing internships. Students are expected to check in every week with the instructor about their experience so that the instructor can give guidance for the internship and for working within a professional organization.

Note: Students must have completed foundation courses MPMC 600 or 5021 & MPMC 602 or 5022 to register for this elective course. Extensive, documented academic activity and experiential learning outside of the classroom (min. 6-8 hours per week) is required. Program Approval is required. This course is cross-listed with MPJO-7951-01 and MPPR-7951-01.

MPS IMC Internship II

Note: Students must have completed foundation courses MPMC 600 or 5021 & MPMC 602 or 5022 as well as MPMC 773 or 7951 Internship I to register for this elective course. Extensive, documented academic activity and experiential learning outside of the classroom (min. 6-8 hours per week) is required. Program Approval is required. This course is cross-listed with MPJO-7952-01 and MPPR-7952-01.

Personal Branding

Thought leadership and personal branding are two essential, yet often ambiguous ingredients in a career strategy. This course will arm students with the resources to evaluate, improve, and employ personal branding strategies for themselves and for key members of their organizational team. The course will discuss personal branding strategies in both digital and event contexts – including social media platforms, presentations, and networking opportunities.

Note: Students must have completed foundation courses MPMC 600 or 5021 & MPMC 602 or 5022 to register for this elective course. This course is cross listed with MPPR-7052-01.

Purpose Brands

This course introduces students to business fundamentals of brands with “purpose” and the critical role they play in the future of business and society. Students will develop a conceptual understanding of purpose-driven branding and its role in corporate social responsibility, nonprofit brand strategy, and social and environmental impact communications. They will learn how to develop a purpose brand, manage it within the communications, public relations, employee engagement, advertising and marketing realm, and integrate it across an organization. In addition, they will learn how to establish processes to communicate and report on the social and environmental impact of a brand from a client and management perspective.

Note: Students must have completed foundation courses MPMC 600 or 5021 & MPMC 602 or 5022 to register for this elective course.

The Brand Concept

What is a brand? What is the definition of a great brand? Why do some brands survive generation after generation while others fail after a short shelf life? This course will explore the core principles of branding. You will learn how brands compete in an environment full of choices for consumers, and the tactics they employ to be best in class. Using a consumer-centric approach, you will learn how to think critically and creatively about measuring, sustaining, building, and defending brands in today’s competitive environment.

Note: Foundation course requirement for the IMC program.

The Brand Concept

What is a brand? What is the definition of a great brand? Why do some brands survive generation after generation while others fail after a short shelf life? This course will explore the core principles of branding. You will learn how brands compete in an environment full of choices for consumers, and the tactics they employ to be best in class. Using a consumer-centric approach, you will learn how to think critically and creatively about measuring, sustaining, building, and defending brands in today’s competitive environment.

The Creative Brief

The creative brief is the road map to a powerful IMC campaign. What does it take to marry business concerns with creative considerations? In this course, students will learn how to navigate this delicate balance and bring both sides of their brains to this important task. There are a number of different formats for creative briefs that make the job easier. Students will learn about the core components of a creative brief and gain exposure to different approaches, particularly those adopted by creative agencies. At the end of the course, students will appreciate that a strong creative brief is only as good as the consumer insights that drive it.