When you think of Washington D.C., the first thought is most likely politics, but that’s not all there is to the city. D.C. is also one of the best places in the U.S. to find a job in marketing. According to a report in Forbes, Washington D.C. is among the top cities for jobs as a marketing manager, marketing coordinator and online marketing manager.
One of the reasons for D.C.’s marketing focus includes the many marketing firms and enterprises that call the city home. These companies require creative professionals to fill their many open positions, and Marketing MBAs can quickly and easily snag any of these openings.
And the good news for these MBAs is that they have many schools to choose from to earn an MBA in marketing. Five out of the six graduate schools in the D.C. area offer a concentration in marketing, and at a few of the schools, electives aren’t all that are available. At McDonough, MBAs can also participate in a consumer research institute, and at the Smith School, they can participate in a Behavioral Lab.
So, what does it look like to earn an MBA in Marketing in Washington D.C.? We’ve outlined the top five programs.
George Mason University School of Business
MBAs at the George Mason University School of Business can pursue one of ten areas of emphasis including Marketing. By choosing Marketing as an area of focus, MBAs agree to take fifteen credits of electives focused on a single area of expertise. The Marketing emphasis includes four unique courses worth three credits each:
- International Marketing
- Marketing Research
- Consumer Behavior
- Marketing Communications
For the final three credits, MBAs can choose to take a course in Marketing Analytics, or a course on leadership, project management, international business, and more.
George Washington University School of Business
An MBA in Marketing Communications and Digital Marketing at George Washington University is a no-brainer. Around 13 percent of their 2015 MBA graduating class accepted a job in marketing/sales—the third highest career choice after consulting and finance/accounting. And the median pay for an MBA marketer was $97,500, second only to a career in general management.
As for the MBA concentration in marketing, it’s a technology-driven concentration that provides MBA students with the techniques and learning necessary for a successful career as a marketer. Students who choose this path must attend their classes on-campus and complete twelve credits. For the marketing concentration, MBAs must complete three required courses—Advertising/Sales Promotion, Integrated Marketing Communications and Digital Marketing—and then choose an additional six credits from a list of sixteen courses.
Howard University School of Business
Howard University also offers an MBA with a concentration in Marketing. In addition to taking the core curriculum, students who choose this path must also complete 15 hours of marketing courses. Students must complete three required courses—Marketing Research, Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy—and then must choose another course from a list of eight.
McDonough School of Business – Georgetown University
As for MBAs at the McDonough School of Business, a concentration in marketing makes sense. MBAs have ten marketing elective courses to choose from including courses on Advertising Strategy, Social Media, Global Marketing and Innovation Design and Development. In addition to these electives, MBAs at McDonough can also participate in elective courses called Intensive Learning Experiences (ILEs). These courses provide three hours of academic credit for just one to two weeks of class work. They are client-centered and include off-site visits. A few of the courses would fit well within the marketing genre including Advertising Campaign, Customer Experience Engineering, and Mobile Strategies, Products and Business.
Outside of the classroom, MBAs at McDonough can participate in the Georgetown Institute for Consumer Research. This institute is ideal for introducing MBAs to the challenges and opportunities of marketing to consumers. It combines academic expertise and a thorough understanding of the marketplace to improve consumer decision-making and its impact on business practice.
Robert H. Smith School of Business – University of Maryland
At the Smith School of Business, an MBA in Marketing may be an obvious choice. This particular career track provides MBAs with unique insight into creativity, business and data analytics, all necessary to succeed in marketing. Popular electives within the Marketing field include Advanced Marketing Analytics Models, Brand Management and Marketing Strategy.
And outside of the classroom, students can participate in the Behavioral Lab, which is actually made up of three labs—Behavioral, Eye Tracking and Team Processes. These three laboratories provide Smith MBAs with the resources necessary to conduct research on human behavior.