Sample Course Syllabi
In Order:
 MKT 729
 MKT 762
 MKT 779
 MKT 790
New Social Media
Integrated Marketing Communications
Advanced Marketing Strategy
Directed Readings in Marketing
MKT 729
NEW SOCIAL MEDIA
Course Description
A major shift in the media landscape has occurred in the past decade. This shift has
resulted in a reallocation of media dollars as well as a paradigm shift that has changed the
entire communications culture and organizational environment. This course examines the
changing media environment and its implications to marketing communication.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course a student should be able to:
 Identify and discuss the factors (environmental, cultural, and technological) that
have led to the growth of social media.
 Discuss the variety of new social media options and the characteristics of each.
 Debate the advantages and disadvantages of social media for achieving
communications objectives.
 Describe and apply the metrics used to evaluate social media and measure their
effectiveness.
Course Evaluative Components
Project – Integrated Marketing Communications plan using traditional and new
media with emphasis on new (social) media.
 Written Plan
 Online PowerPoint presentation of Plan
Class Participation
Reading Materials
Carter, Sandy, The New Lnaguage of Business; SOA and WEB 2.0; IBM Press,
2007.
Vossen, Gottfried and Stephen Hagemann, Unleashing WEB 2.0: From Concepts
to Creativity; Morgan Kaufmann Publications, 2007.
MKT 729 Readings Packet
Course Schedule
Week #1
Reading:
The State of the Art of Transitional Media in the IMC Mix
Background and factors that have led to the growth in social
media.
Online Session #1: WEB 2.0 – case study and discussion (2 hours)
Online Session #2: Blogs & Podcasts – exercise and discussion (2 hours)
Week #2
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Trying to Remain Relevant in a Changed World
WEB 2.0, Wireless, Blogs
Podcasting, YouTube, RSS
Thursday:
Friday:
Social Networking – My Space and FaceBook
Internet Films, Video on Demand, Advergaming, Interactive
Week #3
Project Development
Project Presentations (All students present their projects formally online in one of
two, two hour online sessions.)
MKT 762
INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
Course Description
This course is designed to introduce you the field of integrated marketing
communications (IMC). The emphasis will be on the role of advertising and other
promotional mix elements in the integrated marketing communications program of an
organization. The development of an integrated marketing communications programs
requires an understanding of the overall marketing process, how companies organize for
advertising and other promotional functions, customer behavior, communications theory,
and how to set goals, objectives and budgets. Attention will be given to the various IMC
tools used in contemporary marketing including advertising, direct marketing, Internet
and interactive marketing, sales promotion, publicity and public relations. We will
examine the process by which integrated marketing communications programs are
planned, developed and executed as wells as the various factors and considerations that
influence this process. We will also consider the environment in which IMC programs
including the impact of regulatory, social, and economic issues.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course a student should be able to:
1. Understand the role of advertising and other promotional tools in the integrated
marketing communications program of an organization.
2. Describe how companies organize for advertising and promotion and how they set
goals and objectives for their integrated marketing communications programs and assess
effectiveness and return on investment
3. Discuss the process by which integrated marketing communications programs are
planned, developed and executed as wells as the various factors and considerations that
influence this process
4. Understand the various IMC tools used in contemporary marketing including
advertising, direct marketing, Internet and interactive marketing, sales promotion,
publicity and public relations.
5. Describe the the impact of regulatory, social, and economic issues on advertising
and promotion.
Course Evaluative Components
Written Case Analysis – A detailed analysis of a case study. Students will work
in groups on this analysis. (20% of final grade)
Thought Paper – A short paper providing an analysis and response to a specific
IMC problem or issue. (10% of final grade)
Campaign Analysis Paper -- A paper analyzing and evaluating the IMC program
used by a company or organization. Alternatively, you can do a research paper on
a significant issue related to IMC. (25% of final grade)
Class Participation (10% of final grade)
Final Exam – The exam will be comprehensive and consist of questions covering
course material and its application. The emphasis will be on
conceptual strategic planning concepts and techniques and their
application to strategic marketing situations and problems. The
exam will be completed online. (35% of final grade)
Reading Materials
Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications
Perspective by George E. Belch and Michael A. Belch, 7th Edition (Irwin/McGraw Hill)
Course Schedule
Week #1
Reading:
Online Session #1:
Online Session #2:
Week #2
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Belch & Belch, Chapters 1-22, excluding Chap. 18
U.S. Army – case study and discussion (2 hours)
Maria Sharapova: Marketing a Champion (A) – case study
and discussion (2 hours)
Discussion of Chapters 1-4; Case: Charles Schwab & Co.
Discussion of Chapters 5-9; Case: Mt. Dew: Selecting Creative
Discussion of Chapters 10-14; Case: IBM
Discussion of Chapters 15 – 19; Case: Mobile Mktg at Adidas
Discussion of Chapters 16 & 17, 20-22; Case: BMW Films
Week #3
Project Development
Online Session #1: NASCAR – case study and discussion (2 hours)
Online Session #2: Final Exam
MKT 779
ADVANCED MARKETING STRATEGY
Course Description
This course focuses on the development, implementation and evaluation of marketing
strategy. The emphasis will be on developing skills and gaining experience in making
strategic decisions regarding the direction of the firm's marketing efforts. The course
material encompasses conceptual and analytical strategic market planning tools and
requires a basic understanding of marketing management
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course a student should be able to:
 Describe and discuss the range of problems and decisions in strategic market
planning.
 Identify and address major strategy issues and ways of achieving a sustainable
competitive advantage in the marketplace.
 Demonstrate skill in using contemporary techniques and tools for making
strategic market planning decisions.
 Implement marketing strategy.
 Identify and evaluate strategic marketing problems and make appropriate
decisions.
Course Evaluative Components
Written Case Analysis – Each student will submit a detailed analysis of a case
study. (24% of final grade)
Project – Students will work in groups to develop an analysis and evaluation of
one of the major competitors in a single industry. (30% of final
grade)
Class Participation (24% of final grade)
Final Exam – The exam will be comprehensive and consist of questions covering
course material and its application. The emphasis will be on
conceptual strategic planning concepts and techniques and their
application to strategic marketing situations and problems. The
exam will be completed online. (22% of final grade)
Reading Materials
Aaker, David A., Strategic Market Management, 8th Edition, John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. Publishers, 2007.
MKT 779 Readings and Case Analyses Packet
Course Schedule
Week #1
Reading:
Online Session #1:
Online Session #2:
Aaker, Chapters 1-10
TiVo – case study and discussion (2 hours)
Starbucks – case study and discussion (2 hours)
Week #2
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Corporate Strategy & Strategic Marketing (Chap. 11)
Opportunity and Competitive Analysis (Chapter 12)
Market Targeting & Strategic Positioning (Chapter 13)
Growth Strategies (Chapter 14)
Implementation and Control (Chapter 15)
Week #3
Project Development
Online Session #1: Edizione – case study and discussion (2 hours)
Online Session #2: Final Exam
MKT 790
DIRECTED READINGS IN MARKETING
Course Description
This course is the first portion (“Part A”) of the culminating experience for your degree
program. In this course you will develop a detailed proposal for a project involving
original research in the field of Integrated Marketing Communications. The proposal will
provide a strong theoretical framework for the proposed research as well as a carefully
developed methodology by which the research is to be carried out. This course is
successfully completed when the program faculty have accepted the research proposal
and given the “go ahead” to proceed to the process of carrying out the research.
Completion of the research project will occur in “Part B” of the culminating experience
and is a requirement of the M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communications at the
University of Malta.
Goals & Student Learning Outcomes
Because this course represents the culmination of the program, its goals and student
learning outcomes mirror those set for the program as a whole. Specifically, upon
completion of this course a student should be able to:
Goal 1: Demonstrate effective analytical and critical thinking skills to evaluate
marketing problems and develop solutions to them.
Learning Outcomes:
 Construct an analysis of marketing problems and issues facing companies
and organizations.
Goal 2: Understand the role and practice of marketing within an organization including
theoretical and applied aspects of the marketing discipline.
Learning Outcomes:
 Recognize, describe, and analyze key concepts such as market
segmentation, targeting, positioning, and branding; and the role of
product/service planning, pricing, distribution, and promotion in the
marketing process.
 Explain and provide applications of how marketing decisions are
influenced by various forces in the external business environment as well
as significant trends and developments affecting current and future
marketing practices.
Goal 3: Understand how to develop and evaluate strategic and tactical marketing plans
and programs and assess marketing performance.
Learning Outcomes:
 Develop and analyze marketing strategies and plans that include various
elements of the marketing mix.
 Analyze markets and customers utilizing primary and secondary sources
of information.
Goal 4: Understand the role of and practice of integrated marketing communications
including theoretical and applied aspects.
Learning Outcomes:

Explain how IMC decisions are influenced by internal and external
environmental factors.
 Describe the role of IMC in the overall marketing communications
program.
Goal 5: Understand how to develop and evaluate strategic and tactical IMC plans and
programs and assess communications effectiveness.
Learning Outcomes:
 Develop and analyze IMC strategies and plans that include various
elements of the promotional mix including advertising, public relations,
sales promotion, direct marketing, and the Internet and interactive media.
 Produce an integrated marketing communications plan.
Course Evaluative Components
Theoretical Development – Each student will submit a detailed explanation of
the theoretical foundation of the proposed research. This section of the proposal
will include an introduction to the research project and a literature review. It will
conclude with the hypothesis(es) to be tested. (40% of final grade)
Methodology – Each student will submit a well developed and implementable set
of methods by which the proposed research will be carried out. (40% of final
grade)
Oral Presentation – Each student will defend his or her proposal in an oral
presentation to a panel of faculty members from the dual degree program. (20%
of final grade)
Reading Materials
Successful Dissertations and Theses by David Madsen, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
MKT 790 Information Packet
Course Schedule
June 22-26
July 12
July 25
August 1
Meeting with Faculty Advisers, project ok’d
Theoretical Development portion of proposal due
Methodology portion of proposal due
Individually scheduled oral presentations
Once the proposal has been successfully defended in the oral presentation the student has
the “go ahead” to carry out the research. Completed research projects carry an ultimate
completion deadline of September 30.