Introduction to Data Marketing Communications
DMC 660
Workload: (10-15 hours per week)
An introduction to the entire program with a focus on upcoming curriculum and industry trends as well as an overview of campaign management systems available in the market.
Introduction to Digital Marketing Communications
IMC 640
Introduction to Digital Marketing Communications introduces students to the fundamentals of the field. Students learn and apply how organizations can integrate digital communication strategies into traditional media to help meet marketing objectives. An audit of techniques, tools, and processes including practical methods for online research, development of digital strategy, and implementation of marketing communications online.
View Details: Introduction to Digital Marketing Communications
Audience Research and Segmentation
DMC 661
Workload:
(15-20 hours per week)
The course is project base, building a content marketing plan for a client, with a 4 out of 5 workload ranking, estimating 15-20 hours per course per week.
Audience Segmentation (DMC 661) is an analytical exploration of how data can be used to break down mass markets into specific, reachable target markets and how that can impact addressable advertising initiatives. Potential customers demand to be seen as more than simply a face in the crowd, but reaching specific target markets can be an increasingly difficult process. Whether an organization can achieve its’ goals can hinge on how effectively it can target receptive clients in an overcrowded market. Students will closely examine what demographic data and other key indicators are essential to developing successful campaigns. Students will focus on what data best serves as lines of demarcation in the development of unique market segments to support specific marketing communications goals.
Brand Data Collection and Visualization
DMC 663
Workload: (10-15 hours per week)
An exploration of the benefits of mining your own brand for insights that could influence marketing communications decisions with an emphasis on how that data can be presented visually to key stakeholders for maximum impact. Students will examine the relevant merits of internal versus external data collection and the proper times, sources and processes to engage in either.
Campaign Metrics and Assessment
DMC 673
Workload:
(10-15 hours per week)
Campaign Metrics and Assessment (DMC 673) explores how data can inform key performance indicators that define a campaign’s success. This course will have a specific focus on how metrics and assessment can rely on data for maximum benefit and will include a survey of available metrics and assessments platform
Campaign Planning and Programmatic Media Buying
DMC 672
Campaign Planning and Programmatic Media Buying (DMC 672) surveys the automated media buying landscape with a focus on the tools used, risks and rewards of automated media buys. Students will examine software platforms available for automated buying and understand the connection between how data input affects media buying output. Students will examine which data is best gathered to better inform mass media advertising decisions.
View Details: Campaign Planning and Programmatic Media Buying
Data Management Platforms
DMC 671
Data Management Platforms (DMC 671) offers an exploration of the myriad database platforms available and how data can be analyzed to develop specialized and highly targeted marketing communications. Students will examine the relative merits of various platforms based on their specific needs.
Message Customization
DMC 662
Workload: (10-15 hours per week)
Message Customization (DMC 662) offers an exploration of how data can allow marketing communicators to customize messages to target audiences as small as a single consumer. Communicating to a mass audience is a tricky proposition, as consumers demand a more personalized approach. Can you reach a mass audience while still insuring that each potential consumer feels like you’re communicating directly to them? Students will examine how different messaging strategies impact different advertising and marketing goals and which data can most influence potential messaging strategies.
Messaging for Customer Relationship Management
DMC 674
Workload: (10-15 hours per week)
An examination of how data is leveraged for communications intended to retain current customers and acquire new ones. This course will focus on how to accurately assess per customer lifetime value and the best data-informed communications strategies to maximize and retain that value
View Details: Messaging for Customer Relationship Management
Social Media Optimization
DMC 664
Workload: (15-20 hours per week)
Social Media Optimization (DMC 664) focuses on both gathering data from social media as well as customization of messages for maximum social media reach. Students will focus on how marketing communications initiatives succeed and fail in the social media sphere and which data sets can best inform their social media campaigns. Examines the spectrum of how the emergence of data from the social media sphere can be leveraged and applied to marketing communications strategy, planning and execution to reach audiences efficiently and effectively.
Introduction to IMC
IMC 610
Workload:
(10-15 hours per week)
Students learn and apply the IMC planning process and examine the role of integration to ensure consistency of creative strategy and complementary use of traditional and digital media. This course also provides a comprehensive orientation to the WVU IMC graduate program. Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) is a strategic, collaborative, and promotional business function through which a targeted audience senses consistent, persuasive, and reinforcing brand messaging.
Marketing Research and Analysis
IMC 611
Examines the role of marketing research within an IMC campaign. Students learn to identify research problems and select appropriate quantitative and qualitative designs to address them. They will examine sampling, questionnaire design, data processing and how to communicate research needs and results.
Audience Insight
IMC 612
Workload: (10-15 hours per week)
Take an in-depth look at consumer behavior and its role in IMC. Examines consumer behavior in terms of internal influences, external influences, the consumer decision-making process and consumers and culture. Students also learn how ethnographic research can be used in the marketing strategy process.
Brand Equity Management
IMC 613
Workload:
(10-15 hours per week)
Explore strategies and tactics that are used to build, measure and manage brands and brand equity, including the introduction of new products. Students also learn how to make creative decisions in branding. The course is project based where students do research and build a brand audit for a chosen client.
Creative Strategy and Execution
IMC 615
Workload:
(10-15 hours per week)
Take a comprehensive look at creative strategy and its role in IMC. Students master the fundamentals of conceiving and executing an eye-catching, effective and integrated campaign that uses traditional and digital media.
Direct and Digital Marketing
IMC 616
Workload: (15-20 hours per week)
Acquire the tools to give prospects quick and easy ways join a profitable conversation with you, the marketer. You’ll explore direct and digital marketing from an IMC perspective including database marketing, direct and digital message strategies across multiple media, direct and digital marketing metrics, and the role of direct and digital marketing in IMC campaigns. You’ll learn how to turn suspects into prospects…prospects into customers…and customers into advocates.
Emerging Media and The Market
IMC 619
Workload:
(10-15 hours per week)
Examine how modern industry uses emerging media, such as blogs and virtual worlds, to enhance the IMC process. This course also addresses the creative and ethical issues unique to digital media.
PR Concepts and Strategy
IMC 618
Examine the various functions of public relations in IMC, its impact on key publics and its role in society. This course also covers the field’s evolution, the responsibilities of PR practitioners, law and ethics and emerging trends/strategies.
Advanced Creative Concepts
IMC 625
Workload: (10-15 hours per week)
This course emphasizes the creative aspects of executing an IMC strategy including visual branding, verbal branding, creative direction and art direction. Learn how to conceive, develop, express and execute a coherent visual identity using a comprehensive IMC strategy.
Applied Public Relations
IMC 628
Get practical knowledge and hands-on experience in public relations from both the client and agency perspective. Students develop and produce PR tools and tactics including press releases, public service announcements, crisis communication plans, speeches, newsletters and special events for a chosen client.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in IMC
IMC 646
Examine how brands are using transformational Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR and VR) platforms such as Google Cardboard, Samsung GearVR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Microsoft HoloLens to expand customer interaction and build brand affinity. This course focuses on how brands have effectively combined technologies as part of an integrated marketing communication approach. Students will complete the class by creating an AR or VR proposal for brand of their choice.
B2B Direct Marketing
IMC 626
Build upon the basics of Direct Marketing developed in IMC 616. Students will learn to apply those concepts and techniques in the world of Business-to-Business (B2B) IMC Direct Marketing. Some assignments allow the students to apply the strategies and tactics to their present employment.
Brand Evolution Strategy
IMC 649
Explore strategies and tactics that are used to help brands manage an endless barrage of disruption and disruptive technologies, changing consumer demands, internal and external pressures from startups, talent erosion and changing market dynamics. Also provides a new platform for brands and brand building in this “brave new world.”
Cause Marketing
IMC 624
Examine the marketing techniques used by businesses to make a difference in the world, focusing on partnerships between businesses and non-profit organizations. Through case studies, the history and uses of cause marketing are examined as well as predictions for the future of the marketing practice.
Consumer Sales Promotion
IMC 617
Understand the role that sales promotion plays in IMC. Examine the functions of sales promotion in the marketing process as well as the legal regulations on sales promotion. The course focuses only on consumer promotion.
Content Marketing
IMC 639
Workload:
(10-15 hours per week)
Explore how the role of content is evolving in the modern marketing landscape and how to apply different types of content generation to new and traditional marketing channels. Additional topics cover the pros and cons of content marketing vs. traditional marketing as well as processes and tactics to create and implement content marketing strategies.
Crisis Communication
IMC 631
Apply theory and case study analysis to gain the expertise and confidence required to maneuver through myriad potential crisis situations that today’s organizations and individuals encounter.
Current Topics in IMC
IMC 621
Workload:
(10-15 hours per week)
This on-site and online course explores topics and trends in IMC including: the changing face of today’s consumer, trust-based marketing, contextual understanding, social/mobile implications and opportunities, lessons from giant-killers and category disruptors, and finding and leveraging a brand’s purpose.
Offered only during the Summer term, enrolled students will gain insight and learn from both past and present Integrate conference presentations from leading industry experts. Note: Students will be required to attend Integrate (full registration will be covered in the cost of the course) and benefit from exclusive opportunities with presenters, students and faculty.
Customer Engagement Ethics and Strategies
DMC 665
Customer Engagement Ethics and Strategies (DMC 665) examines contemporary content strategies for engaging customers through channels and the ethical considerations and responsibilities of professional communications. With omnichannel marketing at the center, students will learn to recognize and facilitate customer journeys that provide seamless user experience and paths to action.
Digital Storytelling
IMC 634
Digital Storytelling (IMC 634) students will design a brand for a product or service and express that brand as a video for the Web. This course will provide guidelines for how to create a movie that reaches the desired audience and can be shared via social media.
Digital Video Production
IMC 643
Get an introduction to the technical and conceptual skills needed to create and add videos into integrated marketing campaigns. This course covers the basics of selecting the best hardware and software for video projects. Students gain hands-on experience in shooting and producing engaging videos.
Diversity and Inclusion in IMC
IMC 645
Focus on the practical application of diversity and inclusion and their impact on marketing and communications brand strategy to diverse consumers and audiences. The concept of culture will be dissected as it relates to cohort comprehension and acceptance or rejection of companies or brands. The role of ethics and corporate social responsibility in diversity/multicultural marketing and communications will also be explored.
Entrepreneurship in IMC
IMC 633
Investigate the entrepreneurial process from a range of perspectives. The primary focus is the activities that occur from conception to the launch of a new venture. The course will acquaint students with the entrepreneurial phenomena descriptively and allows them to understand the issues faced by a new venture.
Executive Comm and Leadership
IMC 648
Workload: (10-15 hours per week)
Examine the changing strategic position of communications within modern businesses and organizations, the importance of communications as a component of executive leadership, and the new imperative that communications deliver measurable results tied to business and organizational goals and objectives.
Global Brand Communication
IMC 623
Examine key issues needed to develop strong global brands by considering past successes and failures in strategy, addressing the importance of knowing local culture in communication and positioning, and discussing emerging issues in brand globalization.
Healthcare Marketing
IMC 627
Explore various levels of the healthcare campaign and marketing process. Students learn the basic types of health campaigns, theories of health behavior change, issues in designing/evaluating healthcare marketing and the effects on health outcomes.
Higher Education Marketing
IMC 647
Examine the role of marketing in American higher education in an ever-increasing competitive landscape, including the role of market analysis, audience segmentation, value messaging, marketing mix and budget and ROI assessment.
Influencer Marketing
IMC 693
Explore the role of influencer marketing and how best to leverage individual tastemakers to fulfill marketing objectives. Students learn how to identify, qualify, and amplify the efforts of various influencer types available to marketers, as well as how to set accurate key performance indicators. At the end of this course, students will be capable of developing an impactful influencer engagement strategy.
Internal Brand Communication
IMC 637
Internal Brand Communication (IMC 637) addresses the important roles that internal communications and branding play in a company’s successful operation by examining internal communications strategies and implementation, the use of consistent messaging and company-to-employee crisis communication.
Media Analysis
IMC 614
Explore the role of media analysis and planning in IMC. Covers basic media terminology and media math, the distinctions among media objectives, strategies and tactics and the different ways of allocating resources in media.
Mobile Marketing
IMC 629
Workload: (10-15 hours per week)
The course teaches real life situations that you can use in your professional career immediately. In every lesson, your goal is to convince your boss to grant you the budget you need to construct a mobile marketing plan for your chosen business. Expect a 3 out of 5 workload rating, estimating 10-15 hours per week.
Mobile Marketing (IMC 629) examines exciting new business developments in mobility, explores fundamental forces that shape the wireless industry, discusses keys to establishing a competitive advantage and examines emerging trends that may indicate where the industry is heading.
Multicultural Marketing
IMC 622
Multicultural Marketing teaches cultural sensitivity and prepares students to promote products and services to a diverse marketplace within the U.S. The course focuses on racial/ethnic groups in the U.S., and it also covers mature and gay/lesbian markets.
Political Marketing
IMC 632
Explore political marketing from its roots to its current state and provides the necessary knowledge for strategizing and applying a political marketing plan within the context of today’s elections and political climate.
Public Affairs
IMC 638
Explore ways to leverage public policy relationships and strategic partners to enhance an organization’s brand and marketing strategy. Incorporates theory and real-world experience through examination of case studies.
Research Methods
IMC 620
Research Methods focuses on data analysis in marketing research. Emphasizes core statistical techniques, the application of statistical software and the interpretation of statistical outputs. Ethical issues in marketing research are also discussed. SPSS software is required.
Social Media and Marketing
IMC 641
Examine the latest strategies for monitoring and engaging consumers in social media from a marketing perspective. Explores popular platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, that are used to connect with and analyze target audiences.
Sports Marketing
IMC 630
Examines the special aspects of sport marketing as a discipline and the manner in which sport is marketed vis-à-vis other products and services. Explores the conceptualization of the marketing planning processes and the field’s major components (5 P’s), the value of market and consumer research, consumers (fans and participants), endorsements, sponsorships, branding, product services, benefits, consumption and usage patterns.
Visual Information Design
IMC 635
Workload: (10-15 hours per week)
Visual Information Design (IMC 635) is designed for a general audience – you don’t have to be a designer or an artist in order to benefit from the course content. You will be required to do some analysis of visual communications, however, as well as produce some visuals for assignments. Nothing beyond general computer skills are necessary to complete these assignments.
Web Metrics & SEO
IMC 642
Web Metrics and SEO (IMC 642) examines how marketers strategically gather online information to measure traffic, engagement and potential impact on ROI. Explores search engine optimization (SEO) and social media optimization (SMO) strategies used to build an online presence for clients.
Data Marketing Communications Campaigns
DMC 680
Workload:
(10-15 hours per week)
Data Marketing Communications Campaigns is a rigorous and comprehensive capstone course that requires Data students to develop a thoughtful and professional data-driven marketing communications campaign for a real-world client. Students will demonstrate mastery of the data-driven marketing communications planning process and knowledge and skills learned throughout the graduate program.
Digital Marketing Communications Campaigns
IMC 644
Digital Marketing Communications Campaigns applies the knowledge and skills acquired in previous Digital Marketing Communications courses to develop a creative, innovative and complete digital campaign for a selected organization in this capstone course.
IMC Campaigns
IMC 636
Campaigns (IMC 636) is a rigorous and comprehensive capstone course that requires students to develop a thoughtful and professional quality IMC campaign for a real-world client. The best final campaign submissions may be featured in the program’s online IMC Student Portfolio.