Strategy students are students of creativity, budding anthropologists, culture mavens, future forecasters, problem solvers and insightful generators of ideas that inspire and move business forward.

The overall work environment at the Brandcenter is similar to that of agencies and their clients. Teams of students from all concentrations work together to develop ideas and campaigns that solve business problems strategically and creatively. Students also learn how to present those ideas in engaging and persuasive ways.

 

Student learning outcomes

  1. Presentation skills: Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively present/sell their ideas in a clear, concise and compelling manner.
  2. Collaboration: Students will demonstrate their ability to work together in cross-functional teams/groups (i.e., as art directors, copywriters, creative brand managers, experience designers and strategists) to develop viable business/marketing solutions.
  3. Creative and critical problem-solving: Students will demonstrate the ability to research consumer culture (via secondary research, syndicated research and qualitative/quantitative research methods) and evaluate consumer media/technology usage habits to develop media-neutral business solutions. 
  4. Culture: Students will demonstrate an appreciation, interest in and openness for different cultures (both national and international) yielding more relevant, culturally savvy business solutions.
  5. Craft: Students will demonstrate the ability to execute specific skills related to their individual subconcentration.

Branding/strategy concentration-specific outcomes (for regular option)

  1. Students will demonstrate the ability to use their power of curiosity about people, culture and brands to drive strategy for advertising and brand communications.

  2. Representing the voice of the consumer, students will demonstrate an understanding of how to use research to understand people: what matters to them, what motivates their decisions and what drives the cultures around them. 

Branding/strategy concentration-specific outcomes (for executive option)

  1. Students will demonstrate a mastery of the rigors of strategic brand marketing through an intensive study of creative problem solving, the business of building brands and the impact that brands have on culture.

  2. Students will demonstrate an ability to redefine the role that brand leadership can play in driving business success.

VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs

The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.

It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.

Degree candidacy requirements

A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation, must qualify for continuing master’s or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program. Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following degree candidacy policy as published in the VCU Graduate Bulletin for complete information and instructions.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on degree candidacy requirements.

Graduation requirements

As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.

Other information

Additional program information such as the Brandcenter’s academic and professional standards and student expectations and code of conduct may also be found on the unit’s website.

Apply online today, and also complete the VCU Brandcenter application at brandcenter.vcu.edu/admissions.

Admission requirements

Degree: Semester(s) of entry: Deadline dates: Test requirements:
M.S. Fall Jan 20 (early deadline)
Mar 17 (regular deadline)

In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, applicants to the concentration must must meet prerequisites as listed on the Brandcenter website.

Degree requirements 

The M.S. in Business with a concentration in branding requires 42 graduate credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. Students devote two years of full-time study to complete the degree requirements. In addition to the VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, all students in the Brandcenter must complete a core curriculum as well as courses required for a specific subconcentration and must present a final major project, in portfolio form, before a committee review panel.

Curriculum requirements

Course Title Hours
Branding core requirements
BRND 631Craft3
BRND 648Innovation3
BRND 651Creative Thinking3
BRND 659Brand Experiences3
BRND 664Persuasion3
BRND 677The Business of Branding3
BRND 696Advanced Portfolio3
Subconcentration courses
BRND 621Strategy and Design3
BRND 625Comms Planning and UX3
BRND 627Visual Storytelling and Design for Strategists3
BRND 629Strategic Thinking3
BRND 635Creating Gravitational Pull3
BRND 639Cultural Impact: Advanced Account Planning3
BRND 670Creative Fusion3
Total Hours42

The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 42.

Degree requirements for executive option

The M.S. in Business with a concentration in branding requires 42 graduate credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. Students enrolled in the executive option are working professionals and devote 24 consecutive months of online learning to complete the degree requirements. In addition to the VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, all students in the executive master’s option must complete a curriculum specifically curated for the strategy subconcentration focused on brand leadership.

Curriculum requirements for executive option

Course Title Hours
Branding/strategy requirements for executive option
BRND 617Brand Influence and Reputation3
BRND 631Craft3
BRND 648Innovation3
BRND 651Creative Thinking3
BRND 659Brand Experiences3
BRND 677The Business of Branding3
MKTG 679Brand Strategy3
Subconcentration courses for executive option
BRND 619Critical Business Skills3
BRND 621Strategy and Design3
BRND 626HR as Brand3
BRND 629Strategic Thinking3
BRND 639Cultural Impact: Advanced Account Planning3
BRND 670Creative Fusion3
MKTG 672Influencing Consumer Behavior3
Total Hours42

The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 42.

Contact
Brandcenter at VCU
brandcenter@vcu.edu
(804) 828-8384

Program website: brandcenter.vcu.edu