Program Overview

Marketing

Information on the marketing major at the Penn State Smeal College of Business.

Marketing is a broad field with the primary purpose of generating demand for an enterprise's products or services. It involves an understanding of consumer behavior and research to determine consumer preferences and to guide firms in dealing with those preferences.

Marketing Major Tracks

Because customer insights are at the center of the marketing process, all Smeal marketing majors take courses in consumer behavior, marketing research, and marketing strategy. Majors then have the option to pick their own diverse combination of courses or select a specialty track of prescribed and recommended courses.

The marketing major specialty tracks include:

• Business Development & Sales
• Strategic Insights & Analytics

Careers in Marketing

Careers in marketing include positions in customer- or client-facing roles (Business Development & Sales) and in strategic decision-making (Strategic Insight & Analytics). Some sample careers are listed below.

• Business Development & Sales (Customer- and Client-Facing Roles)
  • Professional Selling
  • Retail Buying & Merchandise Management
  • Services Marketing
  • New Business Development
• Strategic Insights & Analytics (Strategic Decision Making Roles)
  • Brand & Product Management
  • Marketing Analyst
  • Integrated Marketing Communications
  • Sports Marketing

Marketing Degree Requirements and Sample Schedules

Alumni Stats

Smeal Alumni Marketing Spotlights: View the profiles of Smeal College of Business Marketing Alumni.

Student of the Month

The Marketing Department recognizes selected students throughout the academic year as the students of the month. These students do amazing things in and out of the classroom, such as completing internships, fulfilling leadership roles in clubs, completing impressive research projects, and community outreach among other things. Meet Alina Hatfield our November 2025 Student of the Month

Fall 2025

• October Student of the Month: Jordan Pierce

Spring 2025

• January Student of the Month: Lexi Prince
• February Student of the Month: Jason Agnoli
• March Student of the Month: Kylie Schulz
• April Student of the Month: Grace Brinton

Fall 2024

• September Student of the Month: Vincent Capria
• October Student of the Month: Angela Lam Li
• November Student of the Month: Will Tazza

Student Organizations

Penn State American Marketing Association: One of the largest student-run organizations at Penn State, PSAMA provides members networking opportunities and an outlet for professional growth. Penn State Prime: Gives you the opportunity to gain hands-on skills needed for strategic insights, brand management, and marketing communications.