This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2026-2027 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
The major in marketing gives students a broad working knowledge of contemporary marketing philosophy and practice. The general marketing concentration provides students an understanding of the processes of creating and communicating value for customers, clients and society at large. Judicious selection of courses will also allow students to tailor their program of study to their individual backgrounds, interests and career aspirations. The courses in the major provide a mix of educational approaches, including lecture and discussion, case problems, and in-field experience. Graduates of this program will find career opportunities in marketing management, advertising, sales, marketing research, public relations, retailing and other areas of business.
This degree program can be completed either on campus or fully online. Students interested in the online format should contact a School of Business recruitment counselor at ugbrecruit@vcu.edu for more information.
Learning goals
The B.S. in Marketing program:
- Provides students with a broad knowledge of marketing concepts and practices needed in the increasingly diverse domestic and global marketplace
- Prepares students to apply analytical tools to creatively solve marketing problems
Student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will know how to do the following:
Understand and apply fundamental marketing concepts and strategies in the international marketplace
General marketing concentration-specific outcome
Know and apply consumer behavior concepts and the factors that affect consumer decision-making
Special requirements
The School of Business has special academic policies, including policies on transfer credits, that apply to all undergraduate degrees.
School of Business progression policy
Students enrolled in undergraduate programs of the School of Business engage in a demanding curriculum designed to set them up for success in the world of business. In order to successfully maintain progress towards graduation, students are required to meet the following criteria in order to remain in their majors:
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Students are required to pass major and ancillary requirements within two attempts. If a student withdraws from a course, it will count as an attempt.
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Upon the third attempt at a course, students will be placed on business probation and must pass the course successfully in that third attempt.
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Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 major GPA.
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If a student's major GPA drops below 2.0, they will be placed on business probation and allowed one semester to raise their major GPA to 2.0.
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Upon notification of being placed on business probation, students will receive a registration hold, and must meet with their business adviser prior to the add/drop deadline of the pursuant semester in order to create an action plan to either pass the repeated course successfully, or increase their major GPA.
Students who do not meet the performance expectations of business probation in that same semester will be required to change their major prior to the start of the next semester.
Students may appeal the change of major via the associate dean of the School of Business. Students must initiate the appeal with their assigned academic adviser. The associate dean may, at their discretion, extend the time period needed to meet the requirements, generally by only one semester. A student who wishes to appeal must submit his or her appeal at least one week prior to the start of the next semester in which they register for classes.
Degree requirements for Marketing, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in general marketing
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General education | ||
| Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| MKTG 302 | Marketing and Brand Strategy | 3 |
| MKTG 315 | Buyer Behavior | 3 |
| MKTG/INTL 320 | International Marketing | 3 |
| • Additional major requirements | ||
| MKTG 310 | Marketing Research | 3 |
| • Major electives | ||
| Marketing electives (select from list below) | 18 | |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| • Ancillary core requirements | ||
| ACCT 203 & ACCT 204 | Introduction to Financial Reporting and Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 6 |
| BUSN 301 | Career and Professional Development | 1 |
| BUSN 325 | Business Communications | 3 |
| BUSN 499 | Business Knowledge Exam | 0 |
| ECON 210 | Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| ECON 211 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| FIRE 311 | Financial Management | 3 |
| MGMT 303 | Creativity and Ideation | 3 |
| MGMT 310 | Managing People in Organizations | 3 |
| MGMT 434 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles | 3 |
| SCMA 301 | Business Statistics I | 3 |
| SCMA 320 | Production/Operations Management | 3 |
| • Additional ancillary requirements | ||
| BUSN 201 | Foundations of Business 1 | 3 |
| or BUSN 205 | Introduction to the World of Business | |
| BUSN 212 | Business Problem Solving and Analysis (either satisfies general education quantitative foundations) | 4 |
| or MATH 200 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | |
| BUSN 323 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| or FIRE 325 | Real Estate Law | |
| or FIRE 459 | Insurance Law | |
| INFO 360 | Business Information Systems | 3 |
| or ACCT 307 | Accounting Systems | |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course. 2 | 16 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
BUSN 205 satisfies general education AOI for global perspectives.
Students may choose electives to reach the minimum total of 120 credits.
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Marketing electives
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MKTG 325 | Business-to-business Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 330 | Integrated Marketing Communications | 3 |
| MKTG 335 | Professional Selling I: The Art of Persuasion | 3 |
| MKTG 336 | Content Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 340 | Retail Management | 3 |
| MKTG 345 | Personal Branding and Influencer Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 350 | Customer and Marketing Analytics | 3 |
| MKTG 360 | Social Media Research | 3 |
| MKTG 430 | Experiential Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 435 | Professional Selling II: Advanced Sales Techniques | 3 |
| MKTG 436 | Sales Enablement and Analytics | 3 |
| MKTG 440 | Contemporary Pricing | 3 |
| MKTG 442 | Services Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 445 | Nonprofit Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 448 | Digital Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 450 | Product Development and Management | 3 |
| MKTG 470 | Field Project in Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 475 | Honors Seminar in Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 485 | Professional Sales Internship | 3 |
| MKTG 491 | Topics in Marketing (variable; no more than six credits) | 1-3 |
| MKTG 492 | Independent Study in Marketing | 1-3 |
| MKTG 493 | Internship in Marketing | 3 |
| Students may select up to six credits from the following (each course should be worth three credits): 1 | 6 | |
| Intermediate Accounting I | ||
| Introduction to Intercultural Communication | ||
| Principles of Consulting | ||
| International Consulting Practicum | ||
| Microeconomic Theory | ||
| Managerial Economics | ||
| Money and Banking | ||
| E-commerce and Markets for Information Goods | ||
| Merchandise Planning and Control | ||
| Retail Buying Simulation | ||
| Fashion Forecasting | ||
| Fashion Branding | ||
| Principles of Real Estate | ||
| Risk Management and Insurance | ||
| Real Property Management | ||
| Systems Analysis and Design | ||
| Database Systems | ||
| Product Innovation: da Vinci Project | ||
| Leadership | ||
| Survey of Entrepreneurship | ||
| Negotiation, Influence and Conflict Management | ||
| International Management | ||
| Doing Business in Europe | ||
| Topics in Management | ||
| Business Statistics II | ||
| Business Analytics | ||
| Introduction to Project Management | ||
| Global Supply Chain Management | ||
| Sport and Fitness Marketing | ||
Students must complete prerequisites for these courses as specified in the course description.
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| BUSN 201 or BUSN 205 | Foundations of Business 1 or Introduction to the World of Business 1 | 3 |
UNIV 111  Play course video for Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication | Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| UNIV 191 | Student Success Special Topics or Introduction to the University or Education and Career Planning | 1 |
| General education courses | 6 | |
| Open elective (prerequisite to BUSN 212 suggested) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| ACCT 203 | Introduction to Financial Reporting | 3 |
| BUSN 212 or MATH 200 | Business Problem Solving and Analysis (either satisfies general education quantitative foundations) or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | 4 |
| ECON 210 | Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| ACCT 204 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| BUSN 301 | Career and Professional Development | 1 |
| ECON 211 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles | 3 |
| SCMA 301 | Business Statistics I | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| FIRE 311 | Financial Management | 3 |
| MGMT 303 | Creativity and Ideation | 3 |
| MGMT 310 | Managing People in Organizations | 3 |
| MKTG 302 | Marketing and Brand Strategy | 3 |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| BUSN 325 | Business Communications | 3 |
| MKTG 310 | Marketing Research | 3 |
| MKTG 315 | Buyer Behavior | 3 |
| SCMA 320 | Production/Operations Management | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| INFO 360 | Business Information Systems | 3 |
| MKTG 320 | International Marketing | 3 |
| Approved marketing electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| BUSN 323 | Legal Environment of Business or Real Estate Law or Insurance Law | 3 |
| Approved marketing electives | 9 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| BUSN 499 | Business Knowledge Exam | 0 |
| MGMT 434 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| Approved marketing elective | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Total Hours: | 120 | |
BUSN 205 satisfies general education AOI for global perspectives.
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.