WPWP Programs to be phased out by 2013. Download a PDF with more information.
Overview
Wharton’s Marketing Certificate Program offers participants an introduction to the fundamentals of marketing and marketing strategy, and equips participants with the skills they need to make more effective marketing decisions in their working lives.
The four-course program starts with a well-grounded understanding of marketing basics, including the forces that shape a company's marketing structure and different methods of marketing goods and services. Students will also examine consumer behavior (how and why people behave as buyers), marketing research techniques and analysis, and marketing strategy.
Like other certificates offered by Wharton Programs for Working Professionals, the Marketing Certificate Program emphasizes the application of classroom concepts to practical decision making in the workplace.
Designed for students with no previous formal training in marketing, this program is appropriate for managers who want to advance their career by moving into roles that require a background in marketing. It is also especially appropriate for general managers, small business owners, and entrepreneurs who need a practical understanding of marketing principles and strategy in order to present their products, services, and ideas effectively to customers, clients, investors, or decision-makers within their own organization.
Curriculum Structure
The Marketing Certificate Program consists of four courses that progress from marketing basics to high-level marketing strategy and problem analysis.
- MKTG 411: Introduction to Marketing
- MKTG 421: Consumer Behavior
- MKTG 423: Marketing Research
- MKTG 477: Marketing Strategy
WPWP recommends that courses be taken in the order outlined here; other sequences can be planned with a WPWP program representative. Introduction to Marketing must be taken in the first semester of study and Marketing Strategy in the last.
This certificate can be completed in as little as two regular semesters or in one regular semester and two summer sessions. For information on upcoming sessions, see the WPWP course schedule. All courses earn post-baccalaureate credits from the University of Pennsylvania.
Classes are taught by Wharton lecturers and industry executives appointed by the Wharton Marketing Department. WPWP faculty members are chosen for their subject area expertise and teaching skills, as well as their ability to maximize the learning and networking opportunities that can arise from across a select, highly motivated group of professionals.
Who Should Attend
- Professionals with non-business degrees who need to understand marketing to advance their careers
- People who want to make a change early in their careers to professions that require a foundation in marketing
- Early- to mid-career professionals who need to sell projects, ideas, or investment propositions inside or outside their companies
- Entrepreneurs and small business owners who need a better understanding of marketing to support their business ventures
Benefits
- Faculty members emphasize the application of classroom concepts to practical decision making and management
- Classmates become a strong collaborative network, offering insights and perspectives across a range of industries
- Small class sizes promote in-class discussion and interaction
- You can begin to apply new strategies and concepts at work immediately, analyzing and refining your approach with feedback from faculty and fellow classmates
- Wharton’s Jon M. Huntsman Hall offers state-of-the-art classrooms, a networked campus environment, and high-tech group study facilities to maximize your learning experience
- Earning your certificate from one of the world’s leading business schools brings increased professional credibility and confidence, both now and into the future
Requirements, Deadlines, and Fees
For applicant requirements, application deadlines, and program fees, please view the Admissions and Tuition Information page.
