Food Marketing M.S.

Overview

The Food Marketing Program is rooted in a 50-year tradition of academic excellence in Food Marketing and is designed for leaders and professionals with strong backgrounds in the food and beverage industries and associated fields. Our unique program provides advanced academic and developmental experiences in strategic marketing and related business disciplines. Students together with a network of industry peers earn an M.B.A. or M.S. degree by attending either Friday/Saturday sessions on the SJU campus or weekly online sessions. Courses are led by world-class faculty and are often co-taught with industry experts. Course work encompasses both strategic and "hands-on" experiences. Students may take as few or as many classes as fit their schedule, and matriculate at their own pace - in as little as two years or as long as six years, the maximum time limit.

Learning Goals and Objectives

Leadership:  Students will gain an understanding of concepts, theories, and practices of effective leadership.

Stakeholder Value/Functional:  Students will demonstrate understanding of the concept of value creation, measurement, and the role of the different business functional areas as they apply to company stakeholders.

Problem Solving/Critical Thinking:  To develop critical thinking skills, that is, the process of conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information as the basis for solving problems and making decisions.

Interpersonal/Communication skills:  Students will demonstrate the ability to correspond effectively and persuasively in a business format and present to both individuals and groups clearly and persuasively.

Ignatian Values:  Students will develop an appreciation for and ability to apply Ignatian values  - an insistence upon ethical decision making and a desire for social justice – to business decisions.

Global/Diversity:  Students will understand the challenges businesses face in a global economy, and the cultural issues firms must address to succeed in this environment. A fuller understanding of and respect for diversity in the population and in organizations related to differences across cultures, ethnic groups, socio-economic groups, gender and sexual orientation.

Program Specific Objective:  Students will acquire knowledge of food and beverage marketing strategy including: developing strategic and tactical plans; marketing research and data analysis; segmentation and positioning; and the marketing mix: product decisions, pricing decisions, distribution decisions, and communications decisions.

Graduate —  Food Marketing – MS Program Learning Goals and Objectives

Leadership:  Students will gain an understanding of concepts, theories, and practices of effective leadership.

Problem Solving/Critical Thinking:  To develop critical thinking skills, that is, the process of conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information as the basis for solving problems and making decisions.

Interpersonal/Communication skills:  Students will demonstrate the ability to correspond effectively and persuasively in a business format and present to both individuals and groups clearly and persuasively.

Ignatian Values:  Students will develop an appreciation for and ability to apply Ignatian values - an insistence upon ethical decision making and a desire for social justice – to business decisions.

Global/Diversity: Students will understand the challenges businesses face in a global economy, and the cultural issues firms must address to succeed in this environment. A fuller understanding of and respect for diversity in the population and in organizations related to differences across cultures, ethnic groups, socio-economic groups, gender and sexual orientation.

Program Specific Objective 1:  Students will acquire knowledge of the food and beverage industry: the macro environment in which the industry operates; industry structure; industry functions; and operations.  Students will acquire knowledge of the supply chain for both retail as well as the food service sectors of the food and beverage industry.

Program Specific Objective 2:  Students will acquire knowledge of food and beverage marketing strategy including: developing strategic and tactical plans; marketing research and data analysis; segmentation and positioning; and the marketing mix: product decisions, pricing decisions, distribution decisions, and communications decisions.

The Master of Science degree in Food Marketing requires successful completion within six (6) years of 10 food industry-focused courses (30 credits).  Students can choose any 10 of the Food Marketing Specialization courses listed in the Food Marketing MBA curriculum.  Minimum GPA of 3.0 required for degree.