Why Earn a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing

As technology continues to transform how businesses engage customers, marketing professionals with strong digital skills are in demand. A bachelor’s degree in marketing gives you the foundational knowledge you need to understand business principles, conduct market research, develop creative strategies, and use the latest tools to make data-driven decisions.

We sat down with Marty McDermott, DBA, faculty member in the School of Business and Information Technology at Purdue Global, to discuss marketing career options and how earning a bachelor’s in marketing can help you succeed.

What Do You Learn in a Bachelor’s in Marketing Program?

Students in Purdue Global's marketing degree program gain soft skills and technical, hands-on experience. Students develop critical thinking, creativity, leadership, and problem-solving skills while gaining practical experience with digital marketing platforms, analytics, and customer relationship management software.

Learning how to use AI technologies is a significant component of the curriculum as well.

You can have the best product or idea, but without marketing, customers won't know the product exists.” Marty McDermott / Purdue Global faculty member

Who Is a Good Fit for a Career in Marketing?

Marketing appeals to a wide variety of interests, but ultimately, this career is best suited for someone interested in making a significant contribution to an organization and to the lives of customers. Marketing careers can have varying focuses, including:

• Writing/communication
• Analytics
• Trends
• Strategy
• AI tools and experimentation
• SEO/content strategy
• Video/content creation

“Soft skills are absolutely vital in marketing because they shape how you work with others and how effectively you bring ideas to life,” says McDermott. “In fact, while technical skills might help you get the job, it’s often your soft skills that determine how successful you are over time.”

Some of the most important skills in marketing are communication, critical thinking, and teamwork.

“Marketing is all about connecting with people, so being able to clearly express ideas and really listen to others is essential,” McDermott says. “Critical thinking is just as important. Marketers are constantly analyzing situations, solving problems, and making decisions based on changing information.

“And since marketing is rarely done in isolation, teamwork and collaboration play a big role in bringing campaigns together,” McDermott says. “What makes soft skills especially powerful is that they apply everywhere.” Unlike technical tools that may change over time, soft skills can help you adapt, lead, and grow across a wide range of roles and professional environments.

AI, Marketing, and the Purdue Global Experience

AI is actively incorporated into Purdue Global’s marketing curriculum, both in discussion and in application. “Many of our marketing professors are fascinated by AI, and it's a popular topic in our weekly seminars with students where we explore how it's shaping the future of the field,” McDermott says.

“One course I’m especially excited about is called Artificial Intelligence Applications for the Marketing Professional. It introduces you to the practical use of AI in modern marketing environments. In this course, students will explore AI tools for analytics, customer segmentation, content creation, automation, and campaign optimization.”

The course also emphasizes ethical and legal considerations, data-driven decision-making, and the integration of AI into digital marketing strategies. And through hands-on projects, students work to apply AI technologies to develop innovative marketing solutions for real-world business challenges.

Purdue Global also offers courses such as Social Media Marketing and AI Optimization, which further demonstrate how AI can be used to bolster digital strategy and performance.

When used correctly and ethically, AI enables businesses of any size to compete in ways once possible only for larger organizations.

“AI can enhance creativity by helping generate ideas, content, and campaigns more quickly,” McDermott says. “It also improves problem-solving by analyzing large amounts of data and identifying patterns that a person might miss. From a practical standpoint, it saves time by automating repetitive tasks, which allows marketers to focus more on strategy and innovation.”

McDermott isn’t worried that AI will replace marketers — according to him, it will only amplify them.

“Artificial intelligence enables individuals and small teams to operate at a much higher level, making marketing more efficient, data-driven, and accessible than ever before.”

What Can You Do With a Bachelor’s in Marketing?

A bachelor's degree in marketing is one of the more flexible business degrees because companies of all sizes need people who understand audiences, messaging, growth, and customer behavior.

“You can have the best product or idea, but without marketing, customers won't know the product exists,” McDermott says. “Moreover, marketing goes beyond creating awareness. For example, there are distribution factors, such as getting the product to the customer. In addition, data analysis has reduced the guesswork for marketers.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) makes job growth projections for hundreds of industries and roles — and marketing jobs are, on the whole, growing faster than the average for all occupations. Below are some potential career outcomes for graduates with a bachelor's degree in marketing:

Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Manager

The BLS projects that employment of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers will grow 6% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

What they do:

• Advertising managers help generate interest among potential customers of a product or service. They work with sales staff and other marketing professionals to come up with advertising campaigns, oversee the people who are working on the campaign’s creative assets, and make sure everything stays within budget.
• Promotions managers oversee programs that combine advertising with special purchasing incentives and then target them to customers in media or at events. These incentives may include discounts, rebates, contests, and other programs to encourage brand loyalty.
• Marketing managers identify potential markets for a brand’s products and/or services and develop strategies to acquire and retain customers. They work with product development, public relations, and sales staff to increase profitability while maintaining customer satisfaction.

Sales Manager

The BLS projects that employment of sales managers will grow 5% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

What they do:

• Sales managers typically focus on either business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions.
• They oversee the sale of goods and services by assigning sales territories, setting targets, and creating training programs for the organization’s sales representatives.
• Sales managers analyze sales data and track customers' preferences to optimize profits.

Fundraising Manager

The BLS projects that employment of fundraising managers will grow 5% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

What they do:

• Fundraising managers create and manage campaigns designed to secure donations for their organizations. These efforts often include annual giving campaigns, capital campaigns, planned giving initiatives, and outreach for major gifts.
• They plan various events to get donations, apply for grants, and network to retain donors and find new ones.
• Fundraising managers may supervise the activities of support staff.

Market Research Analyst

The BLS projects that employment of market research analysts will grow 7% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

What they do:

• Market research analysts study consumer buying behavior along with their demographics, needs, and preferences. They gather data using focus groups, interviews, literature reviews, market analysis surveys, public opinion polls, and questionnaires.
• They help identify a company’s place in the market by analyzing competitors and examining their marketing strategies, pricing, and sales performance.
• Market research analysts use data to understand client needs and predict future trends.

Marketing Specialist

The BLS doesn’t make a job growth projection for marketing specialists, but it does describe their main responsibilities.

What they do:

• Marketing specialists study local, regional, national, or online markets to estimate sales potential and develop effective marketing campaigns.
• They gather information about competitors, including their pricing, sales, marketing strategies, and distribution methods.
• They review website data and use search marketing tools to improve visibility among target audiences.

Marketing Yourself in the Job Market

Marketing students have a unique advantage in the job market because they learn how branding works, including personal branding.

“While still in school, students should be thinking about how they present themselves, both online and offline, because they are essentially marketing themselves to future employers,” McDermott says.

“I also strongly recommend getting involved in organizations such as the American Marketing Association. It's a great way to connect with like-minded individuals, build relationships, and start developing a professional network.”

Purdue Global offers dozens of professional learning communities (PLCs), and the American Marketing Association PLC is open to all undergraduate and graduate students interested in marketing.

“One piece of advice I consistently give my students is always to network, especially when you don't need to,” McDermott says. “Too often, people wait until they're actively looking for a job, but the best opportunities tend to come from relationships that were built over time.”

McDermott also encourages active use of LinkedIn to build your professional online presence. “That means not just having a profile, but engaging with content, sharing ideas, and connecting with professionals in their field,” says McDermott.

“Ultimately, students who take initiative, build their network, and apply what they’re learning in real-world settings will put themselves in a much stronger position when they enter the job market.”

>>Read more: Personal brands grow based on networking, opportunities, and input

Learn More About Earning a Marketing Degree at Purdue Global

Marketing is increasingly becoming a hybrid of psychology, data, AI tools, creativity, and business strategy. It’s an exciting time to enter this field.

“Keep an open mind,” McDermott says. “Marketing offers a wide range of career paths, from creative roles to analytics to strategy, and many students discover interests they didn’t even know they had when they started. The more open you are to exploring different areas, the more likely you are to find where your strengths and passions align.”

Purdue Global offers an online Bachelor of Science in Marketing developed specifically for people who plan to work while attending school. Ready to take the next step? Request more information today.