Updated On - Aug 16, 2017
MBA in Marketing is a postgraduate degree programme that offers the knowledge of marketing management to students. The duration of this course is two years, though some institutions go by the semester system. Thus, it may be divided into four semesters, with each semester lasting for six months. The course duration may vary, depending on the mode of study and nature of the programme. With the increasing demand for marketing professionals, the course has also expanded in terms of its demand among graduate students. While the Master of Business Administration or MBA course has several specialisations, the most popular among them is marketing management.
The MBA in Marketing course trains students to deal with the everyday challenges of marketing the products and services of companies in newer markets. Students learn about the how’s and why’s of the world of marketing, as well as the behaviour of markets and consumers. They get a deeper understanding of trade and marketing strategies and campaign planning and implementation for all types of organisations, ranging from small industries to large corporate firms. Marketing a product in the right market and to the right consumers is an art and students are honed in this art through the MBA Marketing course.
While an MBA in Marketing programme is open for any graduate, it is essential for students to check their interest in the domain before pursuing it. If they have a passion for business and marketing management, then they can excel in the programme. However, it is also necessary to assess the presence of the following skill set that is required to succeed in an MBA Marketing course:
Creativity and Innovative Mindset
Effective Written and Oral Communication
Aptitude to Understand Human Behaviour
Good Mathematical and Statistical Knowledge
Presentation Skills and Good Knowledge of Computers
Analytical, Reasoning, and Problem-Solving Skills
Leadership and Teamwork Ability
Confidence and Interpersonal Skills
Many private and public management institutions offer the MBA in Marketing course. While there are special marketing courses for working executives, graduates go for regular degree programmes. Around 4,000 institutions offer the course across India. However, some B-schools lead the scene due to their top-quality education in the field of management. Here are a few of these B-schools listed for you:
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), several locations
Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi/ Mumbai
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), Pune
Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon
Loyola Institute of Business Administration, Chennai
Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), University of Delhi, New Delhi
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai
Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad
Sikkim Manipal University – Distance Education (SMU-DE), Bengaluru
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi
It is important to note that most of the above-listed institutions offer the MBA in Marketing course on a full-time basis. A few also provide part-time, online, virtual classroom, and correspondence/distance learning programmes. It is necessary for students to choose the appropriate programme and mode of study according to their learning and career goals. Additionally, it is helpful to choose an affordable institution. As the course fee may vary from less than INR 1 lakh to more than INR 20 lakhs, students may need to decide how they would fund their MBA education in an institute of their choice.
On completion of the MBA in Marketing course, students can become talented marketing executives or marketing managers in corporate firms or consultancies. If they already have some work experience in the marketing domain, they can even go for senior positions in the marketing departments of various types of companies. Students can search for job roles like market research analyst, product manager, brand manager, sales manager, PR executive, advertising manager, and marketing communications manager.
It is very important that students remain enthusiastic, as most of the job roles come with extensive travel requirements. While it is a lucrative field for those who want to progress faster in the dynamic organisations, it is also a demanding profession in terms of time and efforts. While after completing the MBA in Marketing course, students can join any type of company, the more profitable ventures can occur in advertising agencies, tourism sector, banking institutions, IT firms, and FMCG and retail companies. There are also good opportunities in the educational sector as MBA instructors or as entrepreneurs and marketing consultants.
To pursue the MBA in Marketing course, candidates need to ensure that they meet the following basic eligibility criteria at B-schools:
The candidate must have a graduation degree (10+2+3 pattern) or an equivalent degree from a recognised university. The degree can be in any discipline.
The candidate should have secured a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent CGPA in their graduation exam. However, the minimum marks criterion may differ for different institutions and for reserved category students.
Most institutions admit candidates in their MBA in Marketing courses based on an entrance exam, as well as interview/ GD. Some commonly conducted entrance exams for admission to certain groups of institutions are GMAT, CAT, XAT, and MAT. The candidate should know about the exam conducted by the institution to which they apply so they may be ready to appear in that exam.
Several institutions may have additional eligibility criteria to admit Indian and foreign candidates in their MBA Marketing programmes. Therefore, the candidates must be aware of every single criterion before they go for this course in a specific B-school.
The MBA in Marketing programme is all about identifying the right markets and building a wide consumer base for a brand. Students who pursue this course turn into proficient marketing experts who can build a brand from scratch and help a business cater to the right customers while running into profits through apt marketing campaigns. As the MBA course in Marketing is a specialised programme in itself, there are no further specialisations available under it. However, students may choose some elective subjects as part of the programme that may go from international marketing to entrepreneurship.
The MBA in Marketing course offers an in-depth understanding of market research, sales and product pricing, advertising, product design and packaging, presentation, and business communication. Students pursuing this course also learn about a variety of marketing services, online and offline marketing strategies, demand analysis, brand reputation management, and running marketing campaigns. With the theoretical and practical knowledge gained through this course, they can become honed marketing professionals who have various career avenues open for them.
