Opinions about local graduate programs

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

I'm considering a masters' program for marketing or business. In particular, the Emerson Integrated Marketing Communications looks promising. Anyone have an opinion? In particular, HR professionals or hiring managers for senior and director-level marketing and communications types of people? 

Comments

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

Do you already have experience in marketing? If so how much? What are your goals? Although I have an MBA with track in marketing I really would discourage your from spending 40k on a program like this, frankly because nobody cares. Online/integrated marketing changes so fast that you lose ground by not reading blogs everyday, not to mention by becoming an academic. If you really need to have the piece of paper, find the cheapest option available, probably in-state tution at UMass, but even that's not necessary.

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

The job listings I've seen for senior or manager-level positions have all required master's degrees in marketing or business or communications, so I think "nobody cares" is hardly accurate. That's corroborated by the fact that in the past 5 years I've had two different managers, both of them younger than I am but with master's degrees.

I've been in marketing/communications/tech writing for 12 years now; I've worked in Linux software, social media, B2C customer research, and education finance. My goal is to get a communications job with the word "senior" or "manager" in the title and similarly grander paycheck.

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

My suggestion is to do an MBA with a focus in Marketing or IMC. While you feel you need to IMC masters degree to get ahead now, as you move up past your next goal you will likely find that they will be looking for the MBA credential. Also what if in the future your interests and career goals change?

The courses related to IMC are found in some Com schools and some business schools, my suggestion would be a school like BU that has a highly ranked COM and MBA program, if you do the MBA there you would be able to take courses at the school of Com and count it towards your degree, basically specializing an mba degree. Lots of other schools in the area have good business programs, some might even offer concentrations in IMC. I have an BA and MA in Com and I can tell you that BU's Com school is the best in the area(I did not go there but it has the best reputation and ranking), that being said I have no idea if they are strong and up to date with IMC, SEO, and Social Media...my guess would be that the scene is moving faster than schools can keep up in that field, so it comes down to you just wanting a credential to move up, so why not spend a bit more time and money and get what amounts to a terminal degree, the MBA. You could also look into accelerated programs such as Babson's fast track, or Exec MBAs which are usually 17 months and on weekends/ and/or fridays.