Master's in Marketing FAQs

Master's in Marketing FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Admissions Criteria and Procedures

You must have a US equivalent Bachelors degree and an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.

No, you can apply during your last year for Fall admittance. Proof of degree and official final transcripts will be required prior to start of the master's program for a student receiving a Bachelors degree from a school other than The University of Arizona.

No, we welcome people with various backgrounds of study. A Master's Program in Marketing compliments a variety of undergraduate majors.

Work experience is not required for our program, and many students start the program directly after completing their Bachelors degree. Other students have work experience and wish to refine their technical and analytical skills before entering the job market. Students benefit from a diversity of age, gender, culture, work experience and background in the program.

There is no minimum GMAT score required for admission to the program, though the desired score is 600 or above. If your score is below 600, you will not be automatically excluded from the applicant pool. The department admissions group considers all parts of your application, including your statement and letters of recommendation, in addition to your GPA and test scores.

The GRE can be accepted in lieu of the GMAT, but average scores are not available.

The University of Arizona Graduate College minimum GPA requirement is at least a 3.0 on your last 60 units of credit from your undergraduate degree or a 3.0 for 12 credit units of graduate courses. This GPA requirement is strictly enforced, with the rare exception of a student with other strong credentials and a GPA over a 2.95.

You can find a listing of the application package requirements on the Admissions Package Requirements page of Marketing Departments website. Information for prospective students is available at The University of Arizona Graduate College website. You will need to complete the UA Graduate College online application, pay the required application fee and submit your application material online before your application will be considered.

Do not send hard copy documents or money for the application fee to the Marketing Department. The Marketing Department should receive one copy of your official transcripts (in sealed, stamped envelopes). All other application requirements will be completed online.

You should have original GMAT and TOEFL results sent to School Code #4832

Specific Application Requirements

The GMAT is the preferred standardized exam for admittance to the Marketing program. The GMAT score must be less than five years old at the time you take your first class in the Master's Program in Marketing. The GRE results are accepted in lieu of the GMAT.

TOEFL is the standardized exam required for international students. Unofficial scores may be submitted with your application package, but current official scores are necessary for your official admission to UA.

Your letters of recommendation can be written by a person in academia or in industry (for example, a professor in a relevant course or employer). Because the Master's Program in Marketing is quite analytical and requires full-time dedicated study, you may ask that the letters address these qualities.

You will be asked to input the name and email of your recommenders in the UA Graduate College online application system.  It is strongly suggested that you ask your recommenders if they will write a letter for you, before you submit their contact information with your application.

You are required to submit an original transcript from all of the institutions, other than The University of Arizona, that you attended previous to applying to our program. International students must submit official transcripts and diploma in the original language as well as an English translation. The official transcript should be stamped by the university issuing the transcript and be submitted in a sealed envelop. Transcripts are not required for courses or degrees from The University of Arizona.

International Applicants

Yes, you must apply as an international student; a student must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident to apply as a domestic student.

In addition, students whose native language is not English must meet the minimum required TOEFL score of 85. This requirement is waived only if you have completed a four-year Bachelor's degree from a U.S. college or university and have not returned to your home country for an extended period of time.

The TOEFL score must be less than 2 years old at the time you take your first class in the Marketing program, unless you have been living and studying in the United States since taking the TOEFL. The Eller College of Management requires international students to have a minimum score of 79 iBT (or 60 on the revised PBT with no section score lower than 15). For applicants taking the IELTS, please check the requirements at The UA Graduate College website.

Yes, students on non-immigrant visas must certify that they possess adequate financial resources to support themselves (and their families if they accompany the student to the U.S.) while in residence at The University of Arizona. The financial guarantee is not needed by the application deadline. If you are admitted, you will then have to submit a guarantee for the appropriate amount to the UA Graduate College. Send all bank statements and/or letters of support with the financial guarantee to the UA Graduate College Admissions Office as soon as requested. Delays could hold up the processing of your admission and I-20 form.

Application Cycle

The deadlines for Fall admission is the first Friday in May, prior to the start of the program in August.

No, however applications are not considered complete until all paperwork is received. If you are scheduled to take the GMAT or TOEFL exams after the submission deadline, please include a note and the scheduled exam date with your application. Similarly, for recommendations and official transcripts, include a note indicating the school or reference and that these have been requested to be sent directly to our office.

Course of Study

The Master's Program in Marketing takes 12 months to complete. Students will begin the program in late August and graduate the following August.  

12-month or 30 credit hours of coursework plus a summer project: During the fall semester you will take five classes, four marketing courses and one accounting course. During the spring semester you will take four classes, comprised of all required courses. During both six week summer semesters, you take three credit hours (a total of six credit hours) for your Master's project, which may be completed in pairs.

Master's Program in Marketing vs. BS in Business Administration with a major in Marketing

By pursuing the Master's Program in Marketing, you distinguish yourself from other graduates by your willingness to immerse yourself in the year long study of marketing, demonstrating that you are truly interested in the study and application of marketing skills. Company recruiters understand the dedication and commitment you required to complete a Masters degree in marketing.

Because of the advanced analytical and technical marketing skills you will develop in the year long program, the master's degree places you in greater demand by company recruiters, such as market research firms that need analysts with more technical training than you received in your undergraduate program. The master's degree allows you to provide needed detailed analysis to decisions making managers, without the longer work experience and curriculum requirements of other graduate degrees.

The master's program is a very intensive, technical and analytical program and requires full-time focus on your part. Students who succeed in the program live and breathe the coursework, marketing topics and current business, economic and market events. Compared to your undergraduate program, you will find the coursework more difficult, more demanding and much more time consuming. The reward is that you will be technically proficient in market analysis in a broad-range of industries and positioned for advancement after you graduate.

Career

The degree is aimed at producing trained marketing professionals to work in market research, brand management, sales and promotion, purchasing/procurement, and management. Unlike more specialized Masters degree programs, the UA marketing program is not geared to a specific industry but rather is a broad general marketing program that trains people to work in all areas of marketing. Graduating with bachelor's degree allows you to be eligible for entry level marketing/data entry position whereas graduating with a master's degree makes you eligible for management and data analyst roles.

Program Miscellaneous

The Master's Program in Marketing is designed for people who wish to gain in-depth technical knowledge in the field of marketing. The MBA is a broader degree, with a focus on general business knowledge and management. MBAs can choose Master level marketing courses as electives. However, MBAs do not get the same level of exposure to technical marketing analysis as those students pursuing the Master's Program in Marketing.

The difference in focus between the Marketing and MBA degrees is also seen in the admissions requirements. Marketing applicants have often very recently completed a Bachelors degree. The focus in the Marketing program is on strengthening and adding to the technical and analytical skills gained in undergraduate school and/or technical marketing work experience. MBA applicants generally have at least three years of managerial work experience. Training in the MBA program builds on this work experience to develop the students' broad perspective of business, enhancing the students' managerial skills.

You may contact the University of Arizona Office of Financial Aid for information on available financial aid and scholarships. You can also check the International Student Office website for additional information.

The rules and regulations for establishing Arizona residency are approved by the Arizona Board of Regents. Please visit the UA Graduate College website for residency guidelines.

The International Student Orientation : This orientation is mandatory for international students and takes place on campus two days during the second week of August.  Once you are admitted, you can visit the International Student Programs and Services website for registration information at: https://global.arizona.edu/international-students.  

Optional UA Graduate Orientation : For students new to campus, you may also wish to attend the Graduate College Orientation on one day in the middle of August, the week prior to the start of Fall semester. This orientation is hosted by the Graduate College and the Graduate and Professional Student Council.  Registration will be available at https://gpsc.arizona.edu. 

Mandatory Marketing Orientation : This orientation is generally held in late August, the Friday after the start of classes for the Fall semester. The sessions will give you a chance to get to know your fellow students, meet the faculty, and to help with your career development and job search process. 

Housing and Transportation

The UA offers housing on campus to graduate students at La Aldea, a graduate student dorm approximately 1/2 mile from McClelland Hall, where all Master's in Finance courses are held.

The most current information about off-campus housing is available through The UA Student Union. It provides an up-to-date list of housing options and availability.

The University of Arizona campus and surrounding area is a dynamic part of Tucson's urban fabric. You'll find lots of information at UA Future Students - Graduate and Professional Students.

Tucson is a multicultural and evolving city in the Sonoran desert. Learn more about living in Tucson.

A number of options are available to students and described on the Parking and Transportation website.