The University of Michigan is one of the most historic and prestigious institutions in the United States of America. With a recorded 42 Nobel Prize winners and more recently 10 Archibald Prize winners (the predecessor to the Nobel Prize), the university truly is an intellectual haven. The university’s online marketing masters program, led by professors Jennifer Lightbody and Michael Littau, is no exception and has drawn many high-profile students in the past.
The program, which began in 2010 and runs for 12 months, provides students with both a theoretical and practical foundation in online marketing. This is an intensive program and requires weekly commitments from the students, including some mandatory classes. However, the benefits of the program undoubtedly make it worthwhile. Not only will you gain in-demand skills that can land you a job in the field, but you’ll also be able to network with some of the most respected marketers in the world.
Practical vs. Theoretical Education
Although there is an emphasis on practicality in most university courses, the online marketing masters program at The University of Michigan is markedly different. While other programs might burden students with hundreds of pages of case studies and leave them with only a few hours of class per week, the program demands that students commit to eight hours of classroom per day, five days a week, for the first three months and then gradually reduce that to four hours of classes per day. Additionally, the program requires between 10 and 12 hours of homework per week, with some classes carrying an additional requirement of an immaterial amount of work (i.e., writing a 1000-word essay or conducting a 20-minute presentation).
Given that many of the course’s content areas are subject to constant revision, many of the assignments require a good deal of work and generate a significant amount of material that is suitable for presentation to an academic audience (i.e., a dissertation prospectus). For online marketing and business students, this is arguably one of the most appealing aspects of the program.
However, even with these demanding requirements, plenty of universities’ online marketing courses can be a lot more relaxed. The University of Michigan’s program, for example, only requires that you have an open Wi-Fi connection in order to do most of the assignments (i.e., most of the classes and homework are online). You don’t have to attend the weekly seminars or give the presentations at the end of each three-month term either. In fact, many online marketing programs don’t require that you leave the comfort of your home. So, if you want a relaxing experience while you pursue your degree, many top-ranking universities offer online marketing courses and can find you a job in the field too.
High-Profile Students & Faculty
It’s well-deserved that the University of Michigan enjoys such a high reputation in the field of marketing and online marketing because of the caliber of the students attracted to the program. The majority of the program’s 12 full-time faculty members have academic backgrounds in marketing, political science, or sociology (i.e., more than half of the faculty hold a science degree) and most are published scholars with well-established reputations in their respective fields.
Additionally, the university’s online marketing program has attracted some of the most prominent students in the field. Indeed, the only other university-level program to which we are aware that even comes close to competing in terms of sheer numbers of internationally-recognized alumni is the highly-regarded Singularity University. One of the co-founders of Singularity, Ray Kurzweil, gained worldwide fame in part for his pioneering work in the field of artificial intelligence. In 2011, Kurzweil and the university collaborated on a course called the “Ethical & Digital Marketing Strategy” that brought together renowned experts in AI, marketing, and ethical issues. Since that time, Singularity University has expanded its focus to include more AI-related courses and in 2018 even established an institute called the “Global AI Summit” (GASS) that focuses on AI education and training.
With regard to the University of Michigan’s online marketing masters program, it’s well-deserved that it has gained such popularity considering the outstanding reputation of the school and the high caliber of the students attracted to the program. If you’re looking for a reputable and high-profile university that offers an online marketing program, then Michigan’s a great choice.
Why Study Online Marketing at the University of Michigan?
So, Why Study Online Marketing at the University of Michigan? The University of Michigan’s online marketing masters program is designed to give you both a theoretical and a practical foundation in the field. If you want to become an effective marketer, this is one of the best online marketing degrees that you can study. Additionally, the university has a proven reputation for both its teaching and for providing job opportunities in the field. The only question is: Why Study in America when you can study in the UK too?.