The Master of Science in Marketing program offers the following unique features and benefits:
- Cutting-edge marketing knowledge: Our program emphasizes cutting-edge marketing concepts, tools, and techniques in real-world business settings.
- Corporate Mentorship Program: Each student is assigned to a member of the program’s 16-person Advisory Board. This board member serves as the student’s “Corporate Mentor” throughout the program.
- Hands-on experience: Students acquire hands-on marketing experience in business settings through participation in real-world, company-sponsored projects.
- Regular interaction with business community: Our program challenges students to develop strategic thinking and business leadership skills by interacting with visiting executives and entrepreneurs in various forums.
Student Profile
Our program is designed to serve two groups of students:
- Students who choose to enroll in a specialized graduate program in marketing immediately after completing their undergraduate degree.
- Students who choose to enroll in a specialized graduate program in marketing after acquiring some work experience.
This program is also approved for delivery via asynchronous or synchronous distance education technology.
Steps to Fulfill a Masters Program
Program Requirements
Student’s Advisory Committee
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
The Master of Science in Marketing (MS-MKTG) student’s advisory committee consists of the associate/assistant department head who is a faculty member in the Department of Marketing at Mays Business School. They have the responsibility of approving the proposed degree plans for MS-MKTG students. When necessary, recommendations in cases of academic deficiency will be made to the Graduate and Professional School.
Degree Plan
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
The student’s advisory committee, in consultation with the student, will develop the proposed degree plan. The degree plan must be filed with the Graduate and Professional School and approved by the associate department head before the deadline imposed by the MS-MKTG program and no later than dates announced in the Graduate and Professional School calendar of deadlines for graduation. Additional coursework may be added to the approved degree plan by petition to the MS-MKTG director.
A student should submit the degree plan using the online Document Processing Submission System.
A student submitting a proposed degree plan for a Master of Science degree should designate on the official degree plan the appropriate program option.
Credit Requirement
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
A minimum of 36 semester credit hours of approved coursework is required for the Non-Thesis Option.
Transfer of Credit
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
Due to our cohort model, the MS-MKTG program does not accept transfer of credit or substitutions.
Limitations on the Use of Transfer, Extension and Certain Other Courses
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
Some departments may have more restrictive requirements for transfer work. If otherwise acceptable, certain courses may be used toward meeting credit-hour requirements for the master’s degree under the following limitations.
Courses previously used for another degree are not acceptable for degree plan credit.
For non-distance degree programs, no more than 50 percent of the non-research coursework required for the program may be completed through distance education courses.
To receive a graduate degree from Texas A&M University, students must earn one-third or more of the credits through the institution’s own direct instruction. This limitation also applies to joint degree programs.
Exceptions will be permitted only in unusual cases and when petitioned by the student’s advisory committee and approved by the Graduate and Professional School.
Thesis Option
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
Please note that the thesis option does not apply to the MS-MKTG program.
Non-Thesis Option
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
The Final Examination is not required for the Master of Science in Marketing.
A student pursuing the non-thesis option is not allowed to enroll in 691 (Research) for any reason and 691 may not be used for credit toward a non-thesis option Master of Science degree. A maximum of 4 credit hours of 684 (Professional Internship), 8 credit hours of 685 (Directed Studies), and up to 3 credit hours of 690 (Theory of Research) or 695 (Frontiers in Research) may be used toward the non-thesis option Master of Science degree. In addition, any combination of 684, 685, 690, and 695 may not exceed 25 percent of the total credit hour requirement shown on the individual degree plan. All requirements for the non-thesis option Master of Science degree other than those specified above are the same as for the thesis option degree.
The department head or the chair of an intercollegiate faculty (if appropriate) for the program may approve an exception for a PhD student who changes to a non-thesis option MS degree program after at least one year of PhD studies to use 691 credits toward a non-thesis option Master of Science degree. The department head or chair of an intercollegiate faculty (if appropriate) for the program may approve an exception for a master’s student who changes from a MS thesis option degree to a MS non-thesis option degree program to use 691 credits toward a non-thesis option Master of Science degree. In both cases, the student is allowed to use a maximum of 8 credit hours of 685 and 691 combined. Departments, colleges, and interdisciplinary degree programs may opt to establish higher standards. Further, any combination of 684, 685, 690, 691, and 695 may not exceed 25 percent of the total credit hour requirement shown on the individual degree plan. All requirements for the non-thesis option Master of Science degree other than those specified above are the same as for the thesis option degree.
Additional Requirements
Residence
On-Campus Degree Program
In partial fulfillment of the residence requirement for the degree of Master of Science, the student must complete 9 resident credit hours during one regular semester or one 10-week summer semester in resident study at Texas A&M University. A minimum of 1 credit hour must be in a non-distance education delivery mode. Semesters during which the student is enrolled in all distance education coursework will not count toward fulfillment of the residence requirement. Upon recommendation of the student’s advisory committee, department head or chair of the interdisciplinary program, if appropriate, and with approval of the Graduate and Professional School, a student may be granted exemption from this requirement. Such a petition, however, must be approved prior to the student’s registration for the final 9 credit hours of required coursework.
Students who are employed full-time while completing their degree may fulfill total residence requirements by completion of less-than-full time course loads each semester. In order to be considered for this, students are required to submit a Petition for Waivers and Exceptions along with verification of their employment to the Graduate and Professional School.
See Residence Requirements.
Distance Education Degree Program
The distance education modality does not have any residence requirement.
Continuous Registration
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
A student in the thesis option of the Master of Science program who has completed all coursework on his or her degree plan other than 691 (Research) is required to be in continuous registration until all requirements for the degree have been completed.
See Continuous Registration Requirements.
Time Limit
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
All degree requirements must be completed within a period of seven consecutive years for the degree to be granted. A course will be considered valid until seven years after the end of the semester in which it is taken. Graduate credit for coursework which is more than seven calendar years old at the time of the final examination (oral or written) may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.
Scholastic Requirements
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
Please see the student handbook for additional academic standards, requirements, and processes.
Foreign Languages
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
No specific language requirement exists for the Master of Science degree.
Application for Degree
On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs
For information on applying for your degree, please visit the Graduation section.
