MARKETING STRATEGY & PLANNING (MBA)
Cultivate a career in cultivating brands
The MBA concentration in Marketing Strategy and Planning trains future upper-level managers to master the art of business development and marketing. This concentration puts you on a career track toward positions like chief marketing officer, creative director, senior brand manager and senior product manager.
You’ll gain the knowledge and ability to
- Manage customers, product lines and new product development
- Understand the design and sustainability of innovative business models
- Develop plans and strategies to achieve firm marketing objectives
- Analyze consumer behavior and translate your findings into sound business decisions
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A city where brands are shaped
Study in the center of a city with approximately 35 Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of national and local companies, startups, and non-profits. Classes are held on the Loop Campus in downtown Chicago, within walking or commuting distance from the offices of many international and boutique agencies like Leo Burnett, Harp, Upshot, and J Walter Thompson, plus hundreds of corporate headquarters and brands.
Application Deadlines
| Enrollment Quarter | Domestic Student Deadline | International Student Deadline |
| Fall | August 15 | August 15 |
| Winter | December 1 | October 1 |
| Spring | March 1 | February 1 |
| Summer | June 1 | April 1 |
Admission Requirements
Submit an online application, essay, letters of recommendation and résumé.
Required Courses
You’ll take 11 MBA core courses and five electives.
97%
of MBA graduates were employed, continuing their education or pursuing other goals within six months of graduation.
$85k
The median reported salary for MBA graduates was $85,000.
Learn from faculty with data-driven mindsets
Assistant Professor Melissa Markley focuses her research on self-efficacy and consumer control of retail and service situations, decision processes and risk taking in consumption, goal orientation and attainment strategies, compulsive and impulsive behaviors, and social responsibility of firms and customers. You’ll have the opportunity to learn from Professor Markley and many other professors of her merit.
“As somewhat of a career switcher (BA in Political Science and Economics), it was important for me to learn real skills that would help in the workplace ... and that was something that Kellstadt emphasized.”
Kyle (MBA ’15)
Consultant, Wiglaf Pricing
Alumni Network
Join a strong community of Marketing Strategy MBA graduates who hold leadership roles at major firms in the U.S. and abroad, including DDB Needham, Deloitte, Grainger and Wrigley.
Flexible formats to work with any lifestyle
Full-time Day MBA for early-career professionals or career changers. Classes offered during the day.
Evening MBA for established professionals in need of flexibility. Classes are in the evenings.
Scholarships
Graduate school is an investment in your future. Kellstadt awarded more than $3 million to incoming students last year. Learn more about scholarship opportunities available to you.
Marketing Strategy & Planning MBA Admission Requirements
- ??Application & fee
- Essay
- Letter of recommendation ??
- Resume
- Test optional – GMAT/GRE Scores (submission is optional)
- Interview (Full-time MBA only)
- International student admission requirements: Click here.
Submit your online application and the $60 application fee
An essay explaining your interest in the program and your professional goals is required.
The Kellstadt Graduate School of Business requires official transcripts from all degree-granting institutions. The admission committee reserves the right to request official transcripts from universities where an applicant attended but did not complete a degree. Please note that not submitting all transcripts where courses have been completed could impact course waivers.
Full-time MBA applicants must submit one letter of recommendation from a current or previous employer. Submit the letter through the online application or kgsb@depaul.edu. Be sure to include the name of the recommender and applicant's name on the letter.? ??
All MBA applicants must also submit a professional resume that summarizes their work experience and educational background.?
Interviews are required only for applicants to the Full-time MBA program. The admission committee may require applicants to other programs to schedule an interview if necessary.
Deadlines
To ensure that you will be able to enroll in the quarter of your choice, we recommend that you apply by these dates:
| Enrollment Quarter | Domestic Student Deadline | International Student Deadline |
| Fall | August 15 | June 15 |
| Winter | December 1 | October 15 |
| Spring | March 1 | January 15 |
| Summer | June 1 | April 15 |
Learn more about Graduate Admission.
Concentration Requirements
The Marketing Strategy and Planning MBA concentration puts you on track for upper-level management positions as it prepares you to master the art and science of business development and marketing. The program prepares you to find and evaluate new market opportunities, build strong customer relationships and design sustainable market strategies, as well as to understand organizational structure, competitive pricing and advantage, and external factors that affect marketing.
In this concentration, you will gain knowledge and abilities to:
- Manage customers, product lines and new product development.
- Understand the design and sustainability of innovative business models.
- Develop plans and systematic strategies to achieve firm objectives.
- Analyze consumer behavior and translate your findings into sound business decisions.
Course Requirements
The concentration in Marketing Strategy and Planning requires the following four courses:
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MKT 535 | MARKETING STRATEGIES AND PLANNING | 4 |
| MKT 536 | PRICING STRATEGY | 4 |
| MKT 540 | STRATEGIC PLANNING: DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS | 4 |
| Select a minimum of one additional graduate-level Marketing course 1 | 4 | |
1 Not including MKT 555 MARKETING MANAGEMENT
Students are encouraged to consult with department faculty for related elective courses.?
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