The M.S. in digital marketing program provides advanced study in marketing and digital marketing to prepare students for the challenges of working in the digital marketing field. The program’s online format and professional orientation provide an opportunity for a large population of potential graduate students who cannot commit to either a full-time or location-based program to obtain the advanced degree. The program is designed to meet both the needs of full-time students and working professionals who desire to earn the degree while continuing to work full time. Graduates of the program will possess a set of marketable skills along with the business acumen needed to identify, engage, and continue meaningful relationships with both business customers and consumers.
The program provides opportunities to develop knowledge related to marketing and digital marketing concepts. The program also focuses on the development of communication, research, and technology skills and an understanding of ethical issues and expectations of the business community for professional conduct.
This graduate program has an accelerated undergraduate-graduate option. Students may pursue this with approval from both the UG advisor and graduate program director. Please review the Graduate Catalog as needed. Or for more information on the accelerated master’s degree programs at NIU, please visit the Graduate School web site.
Master of Science in Digital Marketing Learning Competencies
Graduates from the NIU Department of Marketing’s Master of Science in digital marketing program will fulfill the following learning competencies:
Learning Competency 1: Demonstrate Appropriate Knowledge of the Impact of Digital Technologies on Marketing Strategies
Learning Competency 2: Demonstrate Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills
Learning Competency 3: Demonstrate Communication and Presentation Skills
Learning Competency 5: Demonstrate Global Business Environment Knowledge
Learning Competency 6: Demonstrate Ethical Business Practice Awareness
Admission
Requirements for admission
Admission to the Master of Science in Digital Marketing program is competitive. In addition to the standard requirements for graduate admission to the Graduate School at NIU, the Master of Science in Digital Marketing program has additional requirements for graduate admission.
The Master of Science in Digital Marketing program requires all degree-seeking applicants to submit the following materials:
A resume
A 500-word personal statement answering the following question:
In the context of digital marketing, how do you envision the future of the industry, and how do you see yourself contributing to the digital marketing landscape upon completion of your MSDM degree?
Two letters of recommendation from individuals speaking to your ability to be successful in the completion of a graduate-level program at a large, public institution. Your recommenders should be individuals who have a professional or academic relationship with you as the applicant.
Students with insufficient relevant experience in specific business disciplines may need to complete additional Phase One courses.
Degree Requirements (30-36)
The Master of Science in digital marketing consists of two phases. Phase One is designed to address deficiencies in undergraduate course work considered to be necessary for the Phase Two (30 semester hours) graduate course work. Students with sufficient undergraduate course work in business may be waived from some, or all, of the Phase One requirements. These will be completed concurrently with Phase Two course work and must be concluded by the end of the student’s first semester in the program.
Phase Two consists of 11 courses; six courses are required from Digital Marketing Core (15 semester hours) and five courses are required from Digital Marketing Electives (15 semester hours).
Accelerated B.S. in Marketing/M.S. in Digital Marketing
Admission
This program leads to both the B.S. in Marketing and M.S. in Digital Marketing degrees. Students who want to complete this program must identify themselves to the Department of Marketing as majors who will complete the accelerated program. The program is open to all undergraduates who major in Marketing and have completed at least 90 semester hours of undergraduate course work with a minimum grade point average of 3.00. Students who have met these standards in their B.S. in Marketing degree program must also apply for admission to the fully online M.S. in Digital Marketing program under the special provisions of this program. Students must meet the application deadlines given by the Graduate School. To qualify for this program, applicants must have a grade of B or higher in MKTG 295, OMIS 351, and UBUS 223 and participate in an oral interview with the director or designated representative of the M.S. in Digital Marketing program. Admission will be on a competitive basis, and the likelihood of admission will depend on the number and quality of applicants to the program, the number and quality of applicants to the M.S. in Digital Marketing program in general, as well as other factors normally considered in admissions decisions by the director of the M.S. in Digital Marketing program.
Curriculum
Students must complete all the business core requirements for the B.S. in Marketing degree program as well as all general education requirements, MKTG 325, MKTG 370, and OMIS 351 prior to their taking classes in the M.S. in Digital Marketing program. Once admitted into the B.S. in Marketing/M.S. in Digital Marketing program and having completed all course requirements for entry, students will start taking classes in the M.S. in Digital Marketing (up to 15 semester hours). These dual-listed courses will also count toward 15 semester hours in the undergraduate degree. Upon receiving their undergraduate degree, students will then follow the standard timetable for receiving a M.S. in Digital Marketing. To retain program eligibility after acceptance, students must maintain undergraduate requirements for 400-level courses in Marketing as well as graduate student requirements while enrolled as an accelerated M. S. in Digital Marketing student.
Return to: