Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2026-2027

Marketing

School of Business

Concentration(s):
General Marketing, Marketing Communications and Analytics, Product and Brand Management
Program description

The Bachelor of Science in Marketing gives students a broad working knowledge of contemporary marketing philosophy and practice. Major coursework provides a mix of educational approaches, including lecture and discussion, case problems, and in-field experience. Alumni positions in fields such as marketing management, advertising, sales, marketing research, public relations, and retailing.


The general marketing concentration provides students an understanding of the processes of creating and communicating value for customers, clients and society at large. Judicious selection of courses will also allow students to tailor their program of study to their individual backgrounds, interests and career aspirations.


The concentration in marketing communication and analytics gives students a focus on the importance of traditional media and social media marketing strategies in the marketplace.


The concentration in product and brand management gives students a focus on product and service development, as well as branding strategy.

Career opportunities

A marketing degree prepares you for careers in market research, product and brand management, advertising and marketing communication, experiential and digital marketing, and sales. Marketing researchers gather and analyze data on consumers, competitors, trends, and the success of marketing efforts. Brand managers develop a brand's lasting impact by strategically aligning all advertising, promotion, pricing, product, packaging and distribution decisions. Product managers develop a strategic vision for delivering value to customers. Product designers create product or service Innovations. Advertising and marketing communications develop the primary creative force for messages and strategically where and when to communicate them. Experiential marketing engages consumers with a brand through active participation in events and customer experiences. Digital marketers create content or brand experiences, interact with customers or communicate messages via Websites, mobile platforms or social media. Sales develops relationships with clients and creates solutions for them that will grow their business.

Change of major requirements

Students interested in changing their major to the School of Business should first review the available programs offered. Click here for a list of available programs. Then, a student must attend a School of Business-Change of Major Session. You can view the available change of major sessions by clicking here. Please note, in order for a student to be eligible to attend a change of major session, a student must (a) earned a “C” or higher in one of the following courses: MATH 129 or MATH 139 or MATH 141 or MATH 151 or MATH 200 or BUSN 212 or (b) have an active math placement score.


Bachelor-level job titles
  • Account Manager
  • Brand Analyst
  • Business Development Specialist
  • Content Strategist
  • Digital Marketing Manager
  • Digital Media Specialist
  • Marketing Coordinator
  • Marketing Research Analyst
  • Search Engine Optimization Analyst
  • Social Media Specialist
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Business Development Manager
  • Chief Marketing Officer
  • Market Research Director
  • Senior Consultant
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 200 or BUSN 212
  • SCMA 301
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0+ cumulative GPA to graduate, 2.0+ major GPA to graduate.
Department name:
Department of Marketing
Building/room location:
Snead Hall, Room B3185
Phone:
(804) 828-1618
Email:
usib@vcu.edu
Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):
Monroe Park

Major map compass icon
Major map

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
  • Attend one career event sponsored by Career Services.
  • Complete and activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
  • Learn more about potential careers by using Forage in the Navigate 360 app.
  • Review your Career Works 4 year career planning tool and start working on your milestones.
  • Seek research opportunities by checking out the Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry webpage.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
  • Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
  • Connect with the Student Alumni Council to connect to VCU alumni.
  • Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor.
  • Join VCU Link to meet VCU business alumni and other professionals and consider doing an informational interview to learn more about your major and career options.
  • Practice independent living skills like money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
  • Schedule an appointment with your major advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
  • Be prepared for a challenging year of accounting, economics, and math classes by attending free tutoring sessions at the Campus Learning Center to get ahead.
  • Take BUSN 301: Career and Professional Development and BUSN 325: Business Communications to help prepare you for career readiness and build your communication skills with confidence and professionalism.
  • While completing MKTG 301, begin to explore your interest in the different available marketing concentrations.
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
  • Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty and apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
  • Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
  • Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
  • Activate your American Marketing Association membership at the special student rate to stay current with the industry.
  • Join the Sales Team at VCU in the Center for Professional Selling to develop your professional sales skills and network with employers.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Build a professional resume and upload it to Handshake.
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Talk to Business Career Services about applying to externship opportunities specifically for second-year students.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Meet with a coach at the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • Meet with your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
  • Begin work on your core marketing requirements and consult with your academic advisor to optimize the order of course selection.
  • Consider adding the sales minor to complement your marketing major.
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Update your ePortfolio.
  • internship by taking MKTG 485 Internship in Selling over the summer. Consider seeking out leadership positions in your business student organization to gain experience and build transferable skills for your resume.
  • Talk to your academic advisor about how to augment your marketing internship by taking MKTG 485 Internship in Selling over the summer.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services or the Writing Center.
  • Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. 
  • Develop your proficiency in the Google Marketing platform.
  • Update your resume using a School of Business template and meet with a career coach in Business Career Services to review.

Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Apply to graduate for your undergraduate degree.
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Apply all that you've learned in your major by acing BUSN 499 in your final semester.
  • Be familiar with the prerequisites for MGMT 434, which is taken in the final semester, so that you graduate on time.
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships.
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
  • Read scholarly articles about internationalization in your field.
  • Serve in a leadership role on campus in a local community organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, or AmeriCorps.
  • Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
  • Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
  • Talk to your academic advisor about how to augment your marketing internship by taking MKTG 493 Internship in Marketing in your fourth year.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • Fill out VCU’s First Destination Survey.
  • Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
  • Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Attend the School of Business career fairs in fall and spring.
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2026-2027

Marketing

School of Business

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
  • Attend one career event sponsored by Career Services.
  • Complete and activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
  • Learn more about potential careers by using Forage in the Navigate 360 app.
  • Review your Career Works 4 year career planning tool and start working on your milestones.
  • Seek research opportunities by checking out the Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry webpage.
  • Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
  • Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
  • Connect with the Student Alumni Council to connect to VCU alumni.
  • Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor.
  • Join VCU Link to meet VCU business alumni and other professionals and consider doing an informational interview to learn more about your major and career options.
  • Practice independent living skills like money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.
Experience Year 2
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
  • Schedule an appointment with your major advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
  • Be prepared for a challenging year of accounting, economics, and math classes by attending free tutoring sessions at the Campus Learning Center to get ahead.
  • Take BUSN 301: Career and Professional Development and BUSN 325: Business Communications to help prepare you for career readiness and build your communication skills with confidence and professionalism.
  • While completing MKTG 301, begin to explore your interest in the different available marketing concentrations.
  • Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
  • Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty and apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
  • Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
  • Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
  • Activate your American Marketing Association membership at the special student rate to stay current with the industry.
  • Join the Sales Team at VCU in the Center for Professional Selling to develop your professional sales skills and network with employers.
  • Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Build a professional resume and upload it to Handshake.
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Talk to Business Career Services about applying to externship opportunities specifically for second-year students.
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Meet with a coach at the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
Year 3
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • Meet with your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
  • Begin work on your core marketing requirements and consult with your academic advisor to optimize the order of course selection.
  • Consider adding the sales minor to complement your marketing major.
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Update your ePortfolio.
  • internship by taking MKTG 485 Internship in Selling over the summer. Consider seeking out leadership positions in your business student organization to gain experience and build transferable skills for your resume.
  • Talk to your academic advisor about how to augment your marketing internship by taking MKTG 485 Internship in Selling over the summer.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services or the Writing Center.
  • Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. 
  • Develop your proficiency in the Google Marketing platform.
  • Update your resume using a School of Business template and meet with a career coach in Business Career Services to review.
Excel Year 4
  • Apply to graduate for your undergraduate degree.
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Apply all that you've learned in your major by acing BUSN 499 in your final semester.
  • Be familiar with the prerequisites for MGMT 434, which is taken in the final semester, so that you graduate on time.
  • Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships.
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
  • Read scholarly articles about internationalization in your field.
  • Serve in a leadership role on campus in a local community organization.
  • Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, or AmeriCorps.
  • Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
  • Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
  • Talk to your academic advisor about how to augment your marketing internship by taking MKTG 493 Internship in Marketing in your fourth year.
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • Fill out VCU’s First Destination Survey.
  • Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
  • Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Attend the School of Business career fairs in fall and spring.