Marketing, B.S.

Marketing focuses first and foremost on customers — understanding them, attracting them and maintaining their loyalty. In this way, marketing undertakes the management of demand. The Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University provides students with the practical skills and training to succeed in professional marketing positions worldwide. SLU graduates are creative in their approach to problem-solving, with an understanding of human behavior in its qualitative and quantitative dimensions.

Students in the program network with marketing professionals through live case studies and internships with leading corporations. These companies span a variety of industries, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, sports and entertainment, communications and research.

The marketing program at Saint Louis University is one that is fully dedicated to student success by connecting us with a comprehensive network of resources and teachers that understand the industry and encourage students to operate at their highest potential."—Benjamin Poblocki, Class of 2022

Students may choose to pursue a minor in marketing in addition to their chosen business or non-business major.

Curriculum Overview

Marketers develop and test product concepts, design merchandising and promotional campaigns, create and manage the relationship with the customer, collect and analyze information about the marketplace and create and carry out the sales plans that generate profit for the firm. Academic courses, therefore, undertake the analysis of buyer behavior, study integrated methods of marketing communications, and closely consider the management and implementation of a wide range of marketing strategies and tactics.

The Department of Marketing values and retains close ties with businesses and nonprofits. Many marketing classes introduce students to engaging guest speakers representing various businesses and nonprofit organizations. Annually, the marketing department hosts a Meet and Greet Event, which provides networking opportunities for students in the Marketing Club and members of the department's Advisory Board. The board includes experienced marketing executives as well as recent graduates who earned a marketing degree from the Chaifetz School of Business. The department also typically conducts a "live case study" in which a business professional presents an actual marketing problem they have faced (or are currently facing) and challenges the undergraduate marketing students to debate, discuss and help solve practical marketing problems. The department emphasizes data analytics in decision-making, focusing on marketing strategy and best practices in digital and social media contexts.

Students with multidisciplinary interests desiring to keep career options open may also find marketing a good fit. Students interested in health care management, sports business, international business and entrepreneurship often do focused studies in marketing.

Internships and Student Organizations

St. Louis’ metropolitan location provides many internship opportunities that allow students to gain practical, career-related work experience while applying classroom learning to practice. Most internships are paid, and students may complete one for academic credit. In recent years, marketing students have interned with Fortune 500 corporations, advertising agencies, sports teams, nonprofits, national political parties and many other organizations.

The Marketing Club allows students to learn about career paths in marketing and network with marketing professionals. The Marketing Club is certified by the American Marketing Association and regularly engages in activities designed to give students hands-on experiences with real world projects and networking opportunities.

Careers

Employers and graduate schools understand the value of a Chaifetz School of Business degree. Graduates join a global network of nearly 20,000 alumni from the Chaifetz School of Business. Our recent marketing graduates have earned employment at prestigious organizations such as Deloitte Consulting.

A wide range of opportunities exists for marketing graduates in advertising, market research, product management, public relations and sales with careers in fields such as:

• Personal selling or sales management
• International marketing specialist
• Sports marketer
• Social media or digital marketing manager
• Advertising account executive
• Public relations executive

Admission Requirements

Begin Your Application

Saint Louis University also accepts the Common Application.

Freshman

All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory coursework is a primary criterion in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.

To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, the applicant must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test. 

Transfer

Applicants must be graduates of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED or HiSET.

An official high school transcript and official test scores are required only of those students who have attempted fewer than 24 transferable semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit. Those having completed 24 credits or more of college credit need only submit a transcript from previously attended college(s).

Transfer students must have a cumulative 2.70 GPA to be admitted to the accounting program and a 2.50 GPA for all other majors. In reviewing a transfer applicant’s file, the Office of Admission holistically examines the student’s academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student’s ability to meet the academic rigors of Saint Louis University.

International Applicants

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students, along with the following:

• You must demonstrate English Language proficiency.
• All academic records must include an English translation. An official course-by-course transcript evaluation may be required and accepted.

Tuition

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

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Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:

• Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
• Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided through grants and loans, some of which require repayment.

Saint Louis University makes every effort to keep our education affordable. In fiscal year 2023, 99% of first-time freshmen and 92% of all students received financial aid and students received more than $459 million in aid University-wide.

For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by December 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 1.

For more information on scholarships and financial aid, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.

Accreditation

The Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the world’s largest business education alliance and accrediting body of business schools, ensuring continuous quality improvement in terms of curriculum, instructional resources, student selection, career placement and intellectual contributions and qualifications of the faculty. Approximately 5% of business schools worldwide have achieved AACSB accreditation. 

1. Graduates will be able to understand essential business concepts and how the various functional areas of business are related.
2. Graduates will be able to demonstrate knowledge of ethical concepts and corporate social responsibility and be able to evaluate business problems from multiple ethical perspectives.
3.  Graduates will be able to identify and structure business problems and propose actionable solutions to business problems and, when applicable, utilize appropriate technology.
4.  Graduates will be able to demonstrate effective written communication.
5.  Graduates will be able to understand how cultures, politics, laws, ethics and economies influence and impact business and use tools and concepts to analyze and formulate an international business strategy.
6. Graduates will know essential marketing concepts (e.g. consumer decision-making process, marketing mix).
7. Graduates will be able to apply knowledge of marketing strategy (e.g. target market, marketing mix, planning and budgeting).
8. Graduates will be able to use information/data to make marketing decisions.

The Marketing B.S. requires eighteen major-specific credits in addition to coursework in the Business Common Body of Knowledge.

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Note: Program Requirements also satisfy University Undergraduate CORE requirements.

†

In addition to completing lower and upper-division coursework in all areas of business, each student typically selects a business major before or during the first semester of the junior year. 18 major-specific credit hours are required as determined by the appropriate department. To broaden their expertise, students may complete more than one major in business, or a major and a minor in business. Outside of the Business Common Body of Knowledge (CBK), however, a maximum of one business course (3 credit hours) may be used to fulfill requirements in two business majors/minors.

*

Students have an option to organize their required courses and electives into designated curricular tracks, as the following examples illustrate:

Brand Management: MKT 3400 Integrated Marketing Communications (3 cr), MKT 4550 International Marketing (3 cr), MKT 4600 Brand Management (3 cr)

Business Development:  MKT 4440 Personal Selling (3 cr), MKT 4450 Sales Management (3 cr), MKT 4650 Marketing Analytics (3 cr)

Marketing Analytics: MKT 3600 Marketing Research (3 cr), MKT 4400 Consumer Behavior (3 cr), MKT 4650 Marketing Analytics (3 cr)

Marketing Communications: MKT 3400 Integrated Marketing Communications (3 cr), MKT 4400 Consumer Behavior (3 cr), MKT 4600 Brand Management (3 cr)

‡

General electives may be selected from any area of study within the University, giving the student the opportunity to diversify their experiences.  Students should consider University Undergraduate CORE attribute requirements when selecting electives.

Continuation Standards

Marketing students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA in all courses used to fulfill the major-specific course requirements.  

​Students will be on program probation if their GPA in major-specific courses used to fulfill major requirements falls below a 2.00. Students will have one semester to increase their major-specific cumulative GPA to a 2.00; if not, students will not be allowed to register for 3000- or 4000-level major-specific courses.

Students will be automatically placed on University probation if any of the following occur:

• Their Saint Louis University cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00
• Their Saint Louis University semester grade point average is below a 1.00
• More than two "incomplete" or two "in-progress" grades on their academic transcript

During the probationary period, advisors help students achieve academic success by closely monitoring their academic performance.

In order to improve scholastically and demonstrate their ability to make progress toward a degree, students on probation may not register for more than 12 credits in the fall and spring semesters, three credits in the winter term, and no more than one course/four credits in any single summer session term.

The conditions under which a student is dismissed from the school include:

1. Inability to eliminate probationary status within the two semesters subsequent to the assignment of probation or
2. A grade point average deficit of more than 15 points.

For more information, see University Academic Policies and Procedures.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

¹

Must complete in first 36 credit hours at SLU.

²

Must complete in first 60 credit hours at SLU.

³

Must take second semester sophomore year unless studying abroad.

⁴

Must have completed all other Business Common Body of Knowledge courses.

Marketing concerns the challenge of winning and keeping customers. The Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business marketing program at Saint Louis University's Madrid campus provides students with the practical skills and training necessary to succeed in professional marketing positions worldwide. 

Marketing is present in countless facets of our everyday life. SLU-Madrid's major in marketing transforms students into active decision-makers in this complex area of business that seamlessly combines scientific, technical and artistic disciplines.

Curriculum Overview

Students will gain an understanding of the complete marketing process, from consumer behavior to market research, to promoting a finished good in the market. Several paths of study are available, which allow students to focus on a particular aspect of marketing, such as digital marketing, product management, data analysis, retail marketing or integrated marketing communications.

Marketing is so central to our society that its studies can be combined with a business core, a communications major, any science degree, or even a humanities-related bachelor's degree.

The marketing academic curriculum is completely integrated with the St. Louis campus, making switching between the two easy. In fact, you'll be encouraged to take advantage of the seamless relationship between the degree programs at each campus by completing a semester abroad.

Our international faculty and student body provide an outstanding and enriching opportunity to explore cultural differences in marketing and business practices across the world. Graduates are creative in their approaches to problem-solving, and they develop a deeper understanding of human behavior and abilities to work in multicultural teams. 

Faculty

The faculty at Saint Louis University-Madrid are experts in their respective fields. They are internationally recognized teachers, researchers and mentors.  Learn about our faculty members, including their education, credentials, experience and contact information.

Fieldwork, Internships and Careers

Our international faculty and student body provide an outstanding and enriching opportunity to explore cultural differences in marketing and business practices across the world. Graduates are creative in their approaches to problem-solving, and they develop a deeper understanding of human behavior and abilities to work in multicultural teams. 

The marketing program is interdisciplinary and prepares students for careers in areas such as sales management or personal selling, community management, digital marketing, advertising, public relations and retail. 

Qualified marketing students may choose to earn up to three credits toward their degree by doing an internship. These students learn to implement the skills they study while gaining valuable professional experience at multinational companies in Madrid.

Admission

Tuition and Fees

SLU-Madrid is committed to providing a quality Jesuit education at an affordable price. Tuition rates at the Madrid campus are approximately 40% lower than at comparable private universities in the U.S.

If you have questions or would like to speak with a financial aid officer, email us at financialaid-madrid@slu.edu. 

• Tuition and Fees
• Scholarships and Financial Aid

2+SLU programs provide a guided pathway for students transferring from a partner institution. 

• Marketing, B.S. (Jeffco 2+SLU)
• Marketing, B.S. (MAC 2+SLU)
• Marketing, B.S. (STLCC 2+SLU)