Top Marketing Schools in California for Graduates
Marketing is one of the leading niches/categories pursued by business graduates. That’s because marketing is at the core of all digital technology, and offline enterprises, and it has become a necessity for businesses around the globe.
So, it’s no wonder a lot of students want to find the best business marketing schools in California. Today, we’re looking at some of them, and analyzing their courses, graduate degrees at offer, and their acceptance rates. Let’s dive right into it.
How to Choose a Graduate Marketing School in California
Several factors contribute to the final decision of accepting or rejecting a school. For a graduate, this is important because it will be a deciding factor for their career and future opportunities. One of the most important factors for choosing a graduate school is acceptance.
Acceptance rate refers to the percentage of student intake that a university is willing to accept. So, if a business school has an acceptance rate of 85% that means if a hundred students apply, 85 of them will have the chance of getting accepted.
Due to fierce competition, popularity, and capacity, some of the top marketing schools have low acceptance. So, why apply to them when there are others with equally good marketing programs in California?
1: California State University – MS Marketing Analytics
California State University is one of the top institutions in The Golden State and offers some of the best programs. It’s also quite easy to get into, as it offers a hefty 87% acceptance rate, and that applies to both bachelor and graduate programs.
Speaking of graduate programs, it offers various master’s degrees in different specializations, and one of them happens to be the marketing degree:
This is downright one of the best marketing schools in Los Angeles, and the program at offer is perhaps one of the top ones across the US. What makes it a solid choice is the thorough curriculum that it offers. Some of the courses in this degree include:
- Pricing Analytics and Strategy
- Seminar in Digital Marketing and Social Media
- Advanced Marketing Analytics
- Social Media Analytics
- Machine Learning in Marketing
Thus, it’s perhaps the best option available today in California.
2: Santa Clara University – Online Master in Marketing
Santa Clara University may not need an introduction, as this prestigious university has stood tall for over 170 years. Established in 1851, the university has offered some of the best degree programs that the state and the country have seen.
And even though admissions may not be the easiest with a solid 52% acceptance rate, it’s still worth going through the trouble to get into one of the top marketing schools in California. And it has earned that title based on programs like:
This online program is also available in a hybrid setting, i.e., you can choose to attend classes on campus or online. Other than that, it offers quite a strong curriculum that offers remarkable courses, such as:
- Marketing Trends and Technology
- Ethics for Managers
- Marketing Core Courses
- Marketing is Everything
- Analysis of Customers and Markets
- Marketing Analytics
- Foundations of MarTech
Thus, giving you yet another incredible marketing graduate degree in California.
3: University of San Francisco – MS in Marketing Intelligence
The University of San Francisco is perhaps the most important and well-renowned institution in the Golden Gate City. With a hefty 71% acceptance rate, this university has long been the top choice for many students, including bachelor’s and master’s hopefuls.
That’s why it’s another one of the best marketing schools in California, as it offers a unique and incredible program. The master’s degree here is called:
The Master of Science in Marketing Intelligence is an exclusive program, that has no rival across the United States, not just California. What makes this program truly unique is the incredible curriculum, which focuses on courses such as:
- Foundations of Marketing Intelligence
- Experimental Design & Analysis
- Applied Statistics in MI
- Survey Design & Data Collection
- Digital Marketing
- Qualitative Marketing Research
- Story Telling with Data
These courses make it an ideal choice to advance in a marketing career and lead marketing campaigns for organizations. This is particularly ideal for those aiming for executive marketing positions.
4: Golden Gate University – MS Business Analytics
Golden Gate University has been one of the top institutions in the state since its inception in 1901. In over 120 years, it has offered many great programs and has been the go-to choice for students as it offers an acceptance rate of 83%.
Besides that, it offers a variety of great programs in both the bachelor’s and master’s spectrum, which has made it a special attraction for students who wish to thrive in business settings. That’s why, the marketing master’s here is for you:
The Master of Science in Business Analytics is a specialization in analyzing various areas of business, including marketing. However, instead of traditional marketing methods, this degree is focused on digital marketing with a curriculum that offers such courses:
- AI for Data Security, Integrity, and Risk Mitigation
- Big Data Ecosystems
- Master Data Management
- Data and Social Media Analytics
- Machine Learning for Predictive Analytics
- Visualization and Communication
- Prescriptive Analytics and Optimization
And this provides you with another top consideration when looking for marketing schools near me.
5: California Intercontinental University – MBA in International Management and Marketing
California Intercontinental University is an online university in the state of Cali, and with a strong 90% acceptance rate, it provides yet another top choice for students. It’s ideal for students from across the state for its online degrees.
However, it’s particularly special for students who are looking for the best schools for marketing in California with top-notch programs. And that’s exactly the sort of online marketing MBA it offers, in the shape of:
The Master of Business Administration with a concentration in International Management and Marketing. This program is the reason it’s one of the best schools in California for marketing. But other than that, it also offers a unique curriculum:
- Strategic Management and Competitive Globalization
- Marketing
- Global Business Management
- Integrated Retail Management
- Purchasing and Supply Chain Management
- Global Marketing Policy
These courses make it an ideal choice for students who aim to manage marketing strategies and lead digital/international marketing campaigns.
6: University of San Diego– MBA in Marketing
The University of San Diego has become one of the top universities in the Golden State since its beginning in 1949. In 75 years, the university has become widely considered as the top institution for business degrees.
And with a tight 53% acceptance rate, the university’s reputation precedes itself. Another reason it’s on the top of the university list in the city of San Diego is the incredible programs that it offers, including the MBA concentration called:
The Master of Business Administration in Marketing focus offers one of the best curriculums that you will find in such degrees across the state. Some of the leading programs in this marketing specialization include:
- Special Topics In Marketing
- Fundamentals Of Marketing
- Services Marketing
- Sports Marketing
- Global Marketing
- Fashion Marketing
- Professional Selling
So, this degree might be ideal for those who are looking for fashion marketing schools in California or are looking to pursue a niche job, such as sports marketer for a sports organization.
7: Azusa Pacific University– MBA Marketing Concentration
Azusa Pacific University is another top university that offers quite a few incredible programs in the state today. It has a healthy 87% acceptance rate, which practically confirms admission whenever a student applies, though they must be qualified.
This is particularly important in the case of those applying for the master programs, as it does have quite a few of those. However, you’re here for the marketing concentration in the business administration graduate degree:
The Master of Business Administration with a Marketing Concentration is one of the reasons it’s one of the top schools with marketing majors in California. Another reason would be the incredible curriculum that it offers:
- Operations Management
- Integrated Decision Making
- Applied Research and Analysis
- International Marketing
- Integrated Marketing Communications
- Strategic Digital Marketing
The courses on offer not only make it a great choice but also provide students with an option that provides specialization in digital and international marketing. This approach with niche courses renders it a very useful master’s degree to possess.
8: USC Marshall – Master of Science in Marketing
USC Marshall School of Business is the business school for the University of Southern California and is known for being one of the top business institutions in the state. With a very strict 25% acceptance rate, not every student is able to get into the university.
However, those that do, are always the ones on the top with incredible degree options. And out of the many business-concentrated programs available here, the master’s programs are quite the solid choice for graduates.
The graduate program called Master of Science in Marketing at USC Marshall could be hailed as one of the top ones in the United States, not just California. However, this SoCal university has nailed it and done everything right.
This degree is exactly what a marketing-focused master’s should be and it’s quite apparent throughout the curriculum on offer. And while it offers many great courses, some courses like Data Driven Decision Making make it an incredible choice. Other such courses in the curriculum include:
- Marketing Management
- Communication for Management
- Business Analytics
- Internet Marketing
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Customer Insights and Analysis or Marketing Analytics
As you can see, each of the courses in this curriculum is focused on a very exclusive specialization in the marketing/business landscape. This could help them get a better understanding of corporate and executive challenges, which should help them advance in their organizations.
That’s why it’s an ideal choice for graduate students who are already working in marketing and wish to elevate their careers.
9: California State Polytechnic University – Master of Science in Digital Marketing
California State Polytechnic University, usually given the hypocorism of Cal Poly Pomona is one of the leading Polytechnique universities in the state. However, it offers quite a few traditional degrees, though it adds a bit of digital and modern touch to them.
The university offers a 55% acceptance rate which makes it an ideal choice for students who are keen on getting a business degree of this scale. Besides that, it’s also known for being quite affordable compared to other universities of such magnitude.
However, the master’s program for marketing you’re looking for here is called:
The MS in Digital Marketing is an ideal choice for those who are looking to pursue a more modern marketing position. Or, this could be ideal for those who are already in digital marketing firms, but looking to stand out or advance their careers.
The incredible curriculum offered here stands out because of the variety of courses that emphasize key areas of digital marketing, such as:
- Digital Marketing Skills
- Search Engine Marketing
- Database Marketing
- Text Analysis for Digital Marketing
- Marketing Analytics
- Foundations of Customer Analytics
- Market Forecasting
Thus, it’s not only an ideal choice for those working in digital marketing but also for those bachelors with traditional marketing degrees in California, who wish to switch to a more modern setting.
10: California State University East Bay – MS In Marketing Analytics
California State University East Bay in East Bay has been one of the top universities to go to for residents of the west coast. The university is also known for being quite accepting with a promising and healthy 96% acceptance rate.
Besides that, it has quite a few unique programs, which has put it on the radar of students who want affordable, and easy-to-get-into degree programs. One of those programs here is called:
The Master of Science in Marketing Analytics is an interesting choice, and perhaps the best option for students who are looking to pursue leadership positions. It’s a good option for bachelors who have business backgrounds, as the curriculum offers courses like:
- Marketing Management
- Marketing Research
- Marketing Analytics
- Digital Marketing
- Social and Digital Media Analytics
- New Venture Marketing
- Marketing Data Visualization
These courses make it not only a leading choice for those with business backgrounds but particularly for those who are looking to pursue marketing positions in organizations. And, the university’s reputation among workplaces in the US can also assist with that.
Conclusion
These are some of the top degree options available in The Golden State today. California is home to many great schools, and these ten universities with marketing graduate degrees happen to be the top ones. While we didn’t include options like Berkley or Stanford, that’s because their fee and acceptance rate just aren’t for everybody. Besides, these accredited options with unique degrees are just as, if not equally good.
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