Department of Marketing & Professional Sales

Welcome to the Department of Marketing & Professional Sales!

Sales and marketing professions bridge the gap between an organization and its audience. Professionals in these fields must be creative, analytical, and understand the value of meaningful relationships. We strengthen the abilities of our students through solid foundational programming, study abroad opportunities, peer collaboration through student organizations, and experiential learning. Students engage with the business community and address real-world problems, emerging ready to become difference makers in any organization.

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE TWO YEAR TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE

Research - Driven Practice

One of our most powerful resources is our wonderful faculty. In addition to their dedication in the classroom, they engage in critical research and translate academic discoveries into action for businesses of all kinds. Whether studying innovation, generational behavior, or the reduction of salesperson burnout, our faculty help organizations and individuals reach their goals.

The term “marketing” in a broad sense includes any activity that encourages and facilitates exchanges of value, including many non-promotional activities such as research, physical distribution, and pricing, in both profit and nonprofit contexts. Marketing professionals may analyze data, create advertising, develop leads or develop strategies; for many companies, marketing is the key to their innovative edge.

Preparing Needed Sales and Marketing Professionals

As stated by the famed management theorist, Peter Drucker, “Marketing and innovation produce results; all of the rest are costs.” Consequently, marketers play critical roles in the success of organizations.

The marketing degree, for instance, at the Coles College of Business offers an extensive array of courses allowing students to focus on particular paths, including digital marketing, retailing, and marketing intelligence. Special events, such as a social media competition, provide additional professional development opportunities.

The Center for Professional Selling (CPS) in the Coles College of Business at KSU enhances the practice and professionalism of selling and sales management by:

Educating future sales professionals
Forging university/business community partnerships to strengthen the skills of salespeople and sales executives
Researching selling and sales management topics