Undergraduate Marketing Concentration

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Concentration Overview

The marketing concentration focuses on the needs and wants of the organization’s key stakeholders. In particular, understanding how customer perceptions and preferences evolve – and how the firm can influence them – are fundamental determinants of an organization’s long-run success.

Students pursuing this concentration acquire a solid grounding in applying the basic disciplines (e.g., psychology, economics, statistics) essential for understanding consumer and organizational buying patterns and for developing successful marketing strategies. They also acquire practical experience in the application of these concepts and methods, via half-semester mini-courses (e.g., new product development, advertising, and retailing).

Many students with a concentration in marketing have gone on to work in brand management, advertising, sales, marketing research consulting, as well as pursuing their own entrepreneurial ventures.

Specific Requirements for the Concentration

Wharton students are required to take 4 course units (cu) in addition to MKTG 1010 (or MKTG 1018), which is a 1 cu course required as part of the Wharton business core. (MKTG 1018 is only open to Joseph Wharton Scholars). Specific requirements and options for the marketing major within these requirements are presented below.

Five course units must meet the following requirements:

1. MKTG 1010 (or MKTG 1018)  Introduction to Marketing 1 cu

2. MKTG 2110 Consumer Behavior 1 cu

3. One of the following 1 cu

  • MKTG 2120 Data and Analysis for Marketing Decisions 1 cu OR
  • MKTG 2710 Models for Marketing Strategy 1 cu OR
  • MKTG 4760 Applied Probability Models in Marketing 1 cu OR
  • MKTG 3090 Experiments for Business Decision Making (Center Special Topic) 1 cu (with Marketing Department faculty adviser approval) OR
  • MKTG 9400 (0.5 cu) and MKTG 9410 (0.5 cu) – Measurement and Data Analysis in Marketing (This is a PhD course. Students need instructor permission and a permit from the department to enroll) OR 
  • MKTG 9420 (0.5 cu) and MKTG 9430 (0.5 cu) Research Methods in Marketing (This is a PhD course. Students need instructor permission and a permit from the department to enroll)

4. Marketing Electives totaling 2 cu (in addition to MKTG 1010, 2110, and the course taken to satisfy requirement 3 above.)

MARKETING ELECTIVES

Please consult the notes at the end of this list that contain restrictions about how some of these electives may be applied to the concentration.

Half semester elective courses:
  • MKTG 2210 – New Product Management  ►(See note below about New Product Courses)
  • MKTG 2240 – Advertising Management   ►(See Note below about Advertising Courses)
  • MKTG 2250 – Principles of Retailing
  • MKTG 2270 – Marketing and Electronic Commerce ►(See note below about Electronic Commerce courses) 
  • MKTG 2330 – Social Impact of Marketing ► (No longer offered. See note below about Social Impact courses)
  • MKTG 2340 – Creativity: Idea Generation and the Systemic Approach for Creativity  ►(See note below about Creativity Courses)
  • MKTG 2370 – Introduction to Brain Science for Business  previously offered as special topics course MKTG 351 (See note below about course status)  
  • MKTG 2380 – Consumer Neuroscience previously offered as a special topics course
  • MKTG 2680 – Contagious: How Things Catch On
  • MKTG 3500 (See note below about course status)
  • MKTG 2410 – Entrepreneurial Marketing
  • MKTG 2470 – Marketing Strategy for Technology Platforms
  • MKTG 2520x – *Marketing Analytics
  • MKTG 2540 – Pricing Policy ► (See note below about Pricing Courses) 
Full semester elective courses:
  • MKTG 2390 – Visual Marketing
  • MKTG 2600 – Law of Marketing and Antitrust
  • MKTG 2650 – Principles of Advertising
  • MKTG 2660 – Marketing for Social Impact (See note below about Social Impact courses)
  • MKTG 2700 – Digital Marketing, Social Media and E-Commerce replaces MKTG 230x (See note below about Electronic Commerce courses.)
  • MKTG 2710 – Models for Marketing Strategy
  • MKTG 2770 – Marketing Strategy
  • MKTG 2780 – Strategic Brand Management
  • MKTG 2790x – AI in Our Lives: The Behavioral Science of Autonomous Technology (See note below about AI courses.)
  • MKTG 2880 – Pricing Strategies
  • MKTG 3990 – *Independent Study subject to approval of department undergraduate advisor and completion of the Wharton Undergraduate Independent Study Approval form. 1 cu (see note below)
  • MKTG 4760 – Applied Probability Models in Marketing
  • Plus newly approved courses
Special Topics Courses:

May be applied to the concentration requirements only with the approval of the department undergraduate advisor. These can vary from year to year. Some recently offered Special Topics courses include:

  • MKTG 3060 – *Special Topics: Retail Merchandising .5 cu
  • MKTG 3090 – * Experiments for Business Decision Making (Center Special Topic) 1 cu
  • MKTG 3500, 3510, 3520, and 3530 – *Special Topics: .5 cu – topics vary – see course syllabus

NOTES:

  1. Courses numbers followed by “x” are experimental and still in the approval process.
  2. * Courses marked ” * ” need approval from the undergraduate adviser in order to be applied to the concentration requirements.
  3.  Students cannot take both MKTG 2370 and MKTG 351 for credit.
  4. MKTG 1010 (or MKTG 1018) is a prerequisite for all other marketing courses and must, therefore, be taken first. It cannot be taken simultaneously with any other marketing course. MKTG 1018 is only open to Joseph Wharton Scholars.
  5. MKTG Mini Courses (.5 cu) may be taken in any sequence and at any time after MKTG 1010: you need two mini-courses to make up 1 cu but both need not be taken in the same year. However, it is a good idea to decide early in your program which mini-courses you are most interested in and to take them at the first opportunity. Mini-courses are generally offered only once a year, so there can be no guarantee that a particular mini-course will be available for you to schedule in any given semester or half-semester. Several mini courses are also offered as more in depth full semester courses. Students should not wait until mid-semester to attempt to enroll in mini courses offered in the second half of the term. These second half minis should be selected during the advanced registration period or during the Course Selection period prior to the drop deadline for the best chance of obtaining a seat.
  6. ► Advertising Courses: MKTG 2650 (Principles of Advertising) is a one semester, 1 cu course that can be taken as an elective or as a substitute for the .5 cu MKTG 2240 mini-course (Advertising Management). Students may not receive credit for both MKTG 2240 and MKTG 2650.
  7. ► New Products Courses: MKTG 2620 (New Product Development) is a one semester, 1 cu course that can be taken as an elective or as a substitute for the .5 cu MKTG 2210 mini-course (New Product Management). Students may not receive credit for both MKTG 2210 and MKTG 2620. 
  8. ► Pricing Courses: MKTG 2880 Pricing Strategies is a one semester, 1 cu course that can be taken as an elective or as a substitute for the .5 cu MKTG 2540 mini course (Pricing Policy). Students may not receive credit for both MKTG 2540 and MKTG 2880.
  9. ► Social Impact Course: MKTG 233 is no longer being offered, but it still can be applied toward the concentration. Students cannot receive credit for taking both MKTG 233 (0.5 cu) and MKTG 2660 (1.0 cu course). Only one course can be taken.
  10. ► Electronic Commerce Course: Students cannot receive credit for taking both MKTG 2700 (1.0 permanent) or MKTG 230x (1.0 cu experimental) and MKTG 2270 (0.5 cu course). Only one course (either MKTG 230x, 2700 or 2270) may be taken.
  11. ► Consumer Neuroscience Course: Students cannot receive credit for taking both MKTG 2380 (0.5 cu permanent) and MKTG 3500 Special Topics: Consumer Neuroscience .
  12. Brain Science for Business Course: Students cannot receive credit for taking both MKTG 2370 (0.5 cu permanent) and MKTG 3510 Special Topics: Introduction to Brain Science for Business
  13. AI in our Lives Course: Students cannot receive credit for taking both MKTG 2790  and MKTG 3550 Special Topics: AI in Our Lives: The Behavioral Science of Autonomous Technology
  14. Special Topics Courses: MKTG 3500-3530 are the course numbers dedicated to future Special Topics Courses
  15. Independent Study:  The department’s undergraduate independent study course (MKTG 3990) is offered on a limited basis to advanced students who have a 3.4 overall GPA and wish to conduct academic research under the supervision of a Marketing Department faculty member. In order to register for MKTG 3990:
  • Find a faculty supervisor. It is the student’s responsibility to find a faculty member who is willing to supervise and evaluate their research; the department does not assign any particular faculty member to “teach” this course. It is recommended that students approach a faculty member who shares their research interest. Faculty research interests are listed on each faculty member’s profile.
  • Prepare a proposal. Interested students should prepare a 1 to 2 page proposal describing the research topic, procedure, time-frame, and the potential contribution of the research to the marketing field.
  • Obtain Marketing Department Approval. Get the online approvals from the faculty overseeing the ISP and the academic department (Course Coordinator) on the Independent Study form. The form is available on-line at https://undergrad-inside.wharton.upenn.edu/academic-forms/   
  • Get Appropriate Approvals from the Undergraduate Office. Once  your proposal is approved at the department level, it must be submitted to the Undergraduate Petitions Committee for final approval
  • Deadlines: MKTG 3990 approval must be obtained no later than the start of the semester in which the research will be conducted.

CONCENTRATION ADVISOR

The Marketing Department’s Undergraduate Faculty Advisor oversees Program Advising for the marketing concentration.

Jonah Berger,  Associate Professor of Marketing
Marketing Department Undergraduate Advisor
3730 Walnut Street, Jon M. Huntsman Hall Room 768
jberger@wharton.upenn.edu
215.898.8249