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Starting in Fall 2014, students enrolled in Saint Leo University's online MBA program can pursue a new concentration in marketing research and social media analytics that will prepare them for today's rapidly evolving, data-driven business world.

The entirely online concentration is designed to provide students with the depth of knowledge and skills needed to gain employment in the growing field of market analytics, including social media.

"This new concentration will offer marketing students an opportunity to improve their knowledge in a rapidly emerging field where marketing managers are depending on better understanding of social media impacts on consumer behavior," says Dr. Michael Nastanski, dean of Saint Leo's Donald R. Tapia School of Business.

"The program will provide students the opportunity to understand conceptual social media impact on consumers and how to apply these concepts and technology to improve business to consumer marketing, service and operations."

Skilled marketing managers in demand

Saint Leo's new social media marketing concentration will educate and encourage students to take on marketing intelligence leadership positions with corporations and nonprofit organizations.

According to Dr. Diane Monahan, chair of the Department of Communication and Marketing, job creation in the marketing research and web analytics field is robust with the demand for marketing research analysts and marketing specialists expected to grow more than 40 percent nationally in the coming decade. This demand is due, in part, from businesses of all sizes needing highly skilled marketing managers who can analyze "Big Data" from social media and then design successful marketing strategies based on the web analytics and insights.

"Graduates of Saint Leo's MBA program with a concentration in marketing research and social media analytics will be able to conduct traditional marketing research, as well as web and social media analytics, using the latest data mining techniques," says Monahan. "In addition, they will learn how to integrate all these findings into comprehensive marketing strategies using both traditional and new online tools."

Rigorous and unique curriculum

The program's curriculum provides students with critical knowledge and skills for gaining marketing insights and the ability to influence business decisions. Through experiential learning, students will gain confidence in using advanced marketing data analytical tools and frameworks.

In addition to taking core MBA courses, students will take 18 credits in marketing, marketing research, data mining, gamification concepts, web analytics, and social media marketing.

"We are offering what I believe is a unique combination of industry-driven courses," said Monahan. "For example, few universities in the country offer gamification, and it's possible that Saint Leo is now the only university to offer it at the graduate level."

Saint Leo MBA concentrations

MBA concentrations are optional and provide students with the opportunity to explore a particular field in depth and develop specialized knowledge and skills by taking a core set of courses. Students can pursue marketing research and social media analytics as an MBA concentration or as a graduate certificate.

Saint Leo also offers students in its online MBA degree program the following concentrations:

Accreditation

Saint Leo University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Degree-granting institutions also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Saint Leo University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

To find more information on the marketing research and social media analytics concentration of the online MBA program, contact the graduate admissions at (800) 707-8846 or grad.admissions@saintleo.edu.

Are you considering an online MBA?

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