Q: What does the Certificate of Specialization in Brand and Customer Management focus on?

A: The Certificate program focuses on creating, nurturing and managing profitable long-term customer relationships. The program provides an overview of all tools and techniques to deploy powerful customer-level strategies relevant to virtually any business in the B2B and B2C domains.

Q: What are the constituents of the Certificate of Specialization in Brand and Customer Management program?

A: The program is comprised of the following four courses:

1. Marketing Research (MK 8200)
2. Direct and Database Marketing (MK 8720)
3. Product and Brand Management (MK 8620)
4. Customer Relationship Management (MK 8710)

Apart from course-specific content, each course emphasizes the use of information and communication strategies in researching, selecting, entering, and competing in global markets.

Q: Are there any prerequisites for the courses?

A: Yes. All four courses require Marketing Management or a graduate level Marketing course as a prerequisite.

Q: Can I substitute any other courses for one of these courses?

A: Since these courses collectively provide a comprehensive body of knowledge in Brand and Customer Management, substitutions for other courses are limited. For now, Marketing Intelligence (MK 8210) can be substituted for Direct and Database Marketing (MK 8720). Further, this Certificate will be recognized industry-wide for its rigor and content.

Q: When are these courses offered?

A: The courses are offered in Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. However, all courses will not be offered in the same semester. To plan your course completion, please refer the Schedule of Classes & Course Listing from the Robinson College of Business website for more details.

Q: How does the program add to my knowledge?

A: The program imparts concepts and skills that cover strategic business models for relationship marketing; the acquisition and retention of profitable customers through direct and interactive techniques; applications of new product management, planning and policy techniques, essentials of branding and approaches to effective branding strategy; concepts and processes involved in new product development and on brand building; and the use of appropriate multichannel communications including growth-oriented innovation strategies for creating higher profits for the firm and higher degrees of customer loyalty and customer satisfaction among the profitable customers. The concepts taught through this program are cutting-edge strategies that have been tried and tested in various B2B and B2C companies and have delivered impressive results.

Q: How does the program add value to my career?

A: This program helps you to:

1. Learn successful, empirically-tested strategies that are driving many corporations to achieve profitability.
2. Build and enhance relevant marketing skills that can advance your career through promotions.
3. Understand and implement the power of interactive marketing and incorporate it in your business.
4. Grow and nurture lasting profitable growth relationships with current and future clients.
5. Gain a competitive leverage in the job market.

Q: Who will benefit from this program?

A: People who will benefit are:

• Marketing managers and working professionals of small, medium, and large B2B and B2C corporations who need to understand marketing to advance their careers
• Executives-on-the-rise and early- to mid-career professionals
• Entrepreneurs of start-up organizations looking to enhance their management skills
• Students interested in a Marketing concentration

Q: How do I enroll for this program?

A: There is no separate registration for this program. You can enroll in the four courses from GoSOLAR or the student course registration website. The prerequisite requirements are strictly enforced.

Q: Are there any deadlines for applying to this program?

A: No. However, the class size restriction applies for each course. We encourage you to apply as soon as the course registration opens. For course registration dates, please refer GoSOLAR.

Q: What are the completion requirements?

A: All courses must be taken for a letter grade. The Certificate program can be completed if you secure a minimum grade of B in each of the four courses. After completion of the courses, you can notify us by sending us the official transcripts as proof of having taken the courses. We will review your transcripts to verify if all requirements have been met, and will award you the Certificate.