Behind most iconic brands is an excellent strategic marketer. From Fortune 500 companies to small startups and nonprofits, all businesses rely heavily on marketers to turn their target audiences into loyal customers.
Program Overview
Master the art of turning a company into a legendary brand.
Marketers are managers, researchers, artists and communicators who seek to understand what people need and how to satisfy those needs in a profitable and valuable way. At Western Colorado University, we’ll prepare you for a wide range of careers including advertising, retail, government, and tech. You’ll learn how to analyze trends and changes in the marketplace, build a strong understanding of business best practices and gain real-world experience through internships. Through comprehensive coursework, you’ll become well-versed in brand strategy, consumer insights, analytics and how to work with different mediums like print, digital, social media and TV. The curriculum will also help you develop leadership and analytical skills to prepare you for a successful career working in the creative and collaborative field of marketing.
The Professional Selling Program provides students with skills and experience to launch a successful career in sales, while developing the sales leaders of tomorrow. The professional selling courses provide students with the necessary interpersonal communication, sales management and leadership skills to be successful in a sales career. All students receive personal mentoring from top industry sales experts and will represent Western in nationally recognized sales competitions.
Become a marketing leader
Graduates from Western’s Marketing program are fully equipped for marketing jobs in the 21st century—planning, deploying, managing and measuring effective business strategies.
Program Requirements
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
Program Requirements
A minimum of 63 credits is required, including the 21-credit Base Curriculum, the 15- credit Business Administration Nucleus:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Base Curriculum | ||
| ACC 201 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ACC 202 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ECON 201 | Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Microeconomics | 3 |
| Select one of the following mathematics courses: | 3-4 | |
MATH 140 | College Algebra (GT-MA1) | |
MATH 141 | Precalculus (GT-MA1) | |
MATH 151 | Calculus I (GT-MA1) | |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
BUAD 220 | Spreadsheets and Analysis | |
CS 120 | Professional Computer Skills | |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) | |
ECON 216 | Statistics for Business and Economics | |
| Total Credits | 21-22 | |
The 15-credit Business Administration Nucleus forms the core for each of the emphasis areas and also comprises the bulk of the Standard Program. It is important that the student achieve a high level of understanding of the basic fundamental concepts represented by these courses to be successful in the completion of the required upper- level course work and in their business career. If BUAD 350 Human Resource Management Human Resource Management is used to satisfy the requirements of the Business Administration Nucleus, then it cannot be used to satisfy the elective requirement within the major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration Nucleus | ||
| BUAD 185 | Business Communication | 3 |
| BUAD 210 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| BUAD 270 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| BUAD 360 | Managerial Finance | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
BUAD 333 | Organizational Behavior | |
BUAD 350 | Human Resource Management | |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
And the following courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BUAD 327 | Social Media Marketing | 3 |
| BUAD 335 | Marketing Communications | 3 |
| BUAD 343 | Sales I | 3 |
| BUAD 345 | Consumer Behavior | 3 |
| BUAD 425 | Marketing Research | 3 |
| BUAD 491 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| Select nine credits of the following electives: | 9 | |
BUAD 101 | Business of Life 1 | |
BUAD 150 | Introduction to Sustainable Tourism & Hospitality 1 | |
BUAD 300 | Business Ethics | |
BUAD 311 | Business Analytics | |
BUAD 315 | Advanced Business Law | |
BUAD 325 | Management Information Systems | |
BUAD 350 | Human Resource Management | |
BUAD 384 | Sales II | |
BUAD 428 | Sales III | |
BUAD 499 | Internship in Business Administration 1 | |
CS 160 | Introduction to Web Design | |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
- 1
No more than three credits from BUAD 101 Business of Life, BUAD 150 Introduction to Sustainable Tourism & Hospitality, or BUAD 499 Internship in Business Administration may be used to satisfy the elective requirement.
Capstone Course Requirement
The following courses in the Business Administration Major fulfill the capstone course requirement: BUAD 491 Strategic Management.
Graduation Requirements
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BUAD 101 | Business of Life | 3 |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Natural Sciences w/lab | 4 |
| HWTR 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| MATH 140 | College Algebra (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| ACC 201 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ECON 201 | Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Natural Sciences w/lab | 4 |
| Gen Ed | Area III | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ACC 202 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ECON 216 | Statistics for Business and Economics | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Area I | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Area III | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BUAD 220 | Spreadsheets and Analysis | 3 |
| BUAD 270 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Microeconomics | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Area I | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Area III | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| BUAD 185 | Business Communication | 3 |
| BUAD 210 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| BUAD 343 | Sales I | 3 |
| BUAD 345 | Consumer Behavior | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BUAD 327 | Social Media Marketing | 3 |
| BUAD 333 or BUAD 350 |
Organizational Behavior or Human Resource Management |
3 |
| BUAD 335 | Marketing Communications | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Emphasis Elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
| BUAD 499 | Internship in Business Administration (optional, but recommended) | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| BUAD 360 | Managerial Finance | 3 |
| BUAD 425 | Marketing Research | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 9 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BUAD 491 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 9 |
| Elective | Emphasis Elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 123 | |
Spotlight
Skyeler Smith
Student
“The professors here are really encouraging when it comes to making your time at Western unique. It has been so easy for me to take opportunities and it’s easy for anyone to start their own club.”
Careers
Take the first steps toward your academic and personal growth.
Fostering your intellectual development is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling and enriched life after graduation. Wondering how you can apply your program of choice to your intellectual and personal journey? Check out our “What Can I Do With This Major?” tool to explore the diverse opportunities and pathways within any degree program.
Scholarships
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your ScholarshipsWestern’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your ScholarshipsAlumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 30 for 2024. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Note: Students enrolled in a Western-CU Boulder Partnership Program (i.e. major) do not qualify for Western Merit Scholarship programs. See the Rady Merit Scholarship section above for scholarship opportunities.
Get Involved
Expand your community and your network.
There are so many ways that you can maximize your educational experience at Western. Take advantage of these opportunities to advance your career.
- Career Fairs: Connect with future employers during the various career fairs in the School of Business and around Colorado.
- ICELab: The Innovation + Creativity + Entrepreneurship (ICE) Lab on upper campus is a space that provides startups and expanding businesses with the materials and support needed to succeed.
- Office of Career Success: Business students have a department-specific career services professional.
- Study Abroad: Experience Harlaxton College in the English Midlands.
Data-driven marketing
Marketing students develop skills in defining research problems, designing surveys, experiments, and observational studies, managing data collection, performing data analysis, and communicating results.
News & Research
Department Information
School of Business
Associate Dean
Paula Mann, CPAAssociate Dean of the School of Business, Assistant Professor of Accounting
Contact Information
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Borick Business Building 223
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231
