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Marketing, Economics, and Sports Business Majors

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Department of Marketing, Economics, and Sports Business

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Sample 4-Year Plan: Economics B.S.

Sample 4-Year Plan: Marketing B.S.

Sample 4-Year Plan: Sports Business B.S.

Bachelor of Science with a major in Economics

The Bachelor of Science in Economics is excellent preparation for any career that requires knowledge of decision-making methods, the ability to analyze data relevant to making those decisions, and the ability to reason critically about the results. These careers include work as private and public sector economists, as well as employment in other jobs that involve the study and forecasting of economic conditions and trends. In the private sector, successful organizations require personnel with the skills to gather and analyze information about the economic environment that can be used to develop business strategy and policy. In the public sector, virtually every decision made by governmental bodies requires an analysis of its economic ramifications.

The economics degree program is designed to provide flexibility and ease of access to a wide variety of minors. Economics majors can choose a minor and additional elective courses in a field that fits their career goals – for example, those with an interest in environmental policy can elect a minor in environmental studies. Business administration is a popular minor for those with career interests in the private sector. All students are strongly encouraged to discuss their career goals with economics faculty for guidance in choosing an appropriate minor.

For students who plan to continue their education with a graduate degree, economics is a good choice for a wide variety of fields. A masters or Ph.D. in economics expands possibilities for many careers in the public and private sectors. Students interested in graduate-level economics study are advised to minor in mathematical sciences to strengthen their credentials for admission to the best programs. Because of its emphasis on research and analytical reasoning, economics traditionally ranks near the top of undergraduate degrees earned by successful applicants to schools of law.

The program is also sufficiently flexible to accommodate a double major – for example, economics and finance for students interested in careers in the financial services industry or working in public sector financial regulation.

Economics program course group: All students complete a common economics knowledge core of ten courses (30 credit hours) plus two additional ECO elective courses (6 credit hours). The program provides up to 33 credit hours at the 300 and 400 level that can be used for minors or a double major.

Students should consider using an internship (ECO 396) to fulfill an elective requirement in the economics degree program. The internship option allows students to gain practical work experience and real-world networking exposure at the local, regional, national, or international level while under the guidance and supervision of an expert professional. Internships can also be targeted to the area of the student’s minor.

Click here for a 4-year plan showing one way a student can complete the program below in 4 years if the student requires no remedial courses.

Degree Requirements: B.S. – Economics


Courses		Credits
ECO 200	Principles of Macroeconomics		3
ECO 201	Principles of Microeconomics		3
STA 205	Introduction to Statistical Methods
	OR		3
STA 212	Statistics for Business Applications I
ECO 300	Intermediate Macroeconomics		3
ECO 301	Intermediate Microeconomics		3
ECO 310	Introduction to Econometrics		3
ECO 305	International Context for Business		3
Two ECO elective courses at the 300 level or above			6
STA 314	Design and Analysis of Experiments		3
STA 316	Regression Analysis		3
ECO 494	Seminar in Economics		3
TOTAL CREDITS		36

Bachelor of Science with a major in Marketing and the required minor in Business Administration

In today’s hyper-competitive global business environment, it is becoming very clear that for any organization to prosper, it must adopt a market orientation as its guiding business philosophy. Being market oriented simply means that an organization considers the needs and wants of its customers as crucial input in every decision that it makes. To successfully accomplish this goal, the organization must develop and nurture close relationships with its customers. Marketers are literally the interface between the organization and its customers. A career in marketing, no matter which of the dozens of different career paths one chooses to follow, is at its heart a career in strategically creating and managing these relationships.

All marketing majors must choose a specialization track at the time of completing the selective admission certification course group for admission into the marketing major (usually no later than the fifth semester). For a 4-year graduation plan, the program of study for all specialization tracks is the same for the first 3 years (six semesters) of study, so specialization tracks can easily be changed prior to the beginning of the seventh semester. Specialization tracks are: comprehensive marketing, marketing research, marketing communications, and consumer and product marketing. The comprehensive marketing specialization offers the most flexibility in course choice, while the other three specialization tracks have course requirements focused on the broad career path targeted by each. All students are strongly encouraged to discuss their career goals with marketing faculty for guidance in choosing the appropriate specialization.

You should also know: A grade of C or better in all program courses in the marketing major is required to earn the Bachelor of Science in Marketing.

Students are required to complete one of the four specializations: (1) comprehensive marketing, (2) marketing research, (3) marketing communications, or (4) consumer and product marketing.

If a particular course has a prerequisite that is not listed as part of the major requirements, then the prerequisite is given in italics below the course for which it is a prerequisite, and it is marked with an asterisk (*). These prerequisites must be completed IN ADDITION TO other program requirements.

Click here for a 4-year plan showing one way a student can complete the program below in 4 years if the student requires no remedial courses.

Degree Requirements: B.S. – Marketing and the required minor in Business Administration


Selective Admission Courses		Credits
CMST 101	Public Speaking		3
ENG 101	College Writing		3
MAT 114	Finite Mathematics* *Prerequisite: C- or better in MAT 109 Algebra for College Students or ACT ≥23		3
ACC 200	Principles of Accounting I-Financial*		3
	*Prerequisite: INF 101 Computer Literacy and Informatics
ACC 201	Principles of Accounting II-Managerial		3
BUS 230	Legal Environment		3
ECO 200	Principles of Macroeconomics		3
ECO 201	Principles of Microeconomics		3
ENG 291	Advanced College Writing		3
STA 212	Statistics for Business Applications I		3
Credits for Selective Admission		30
College of Business Core Courses
BIS 300	Management Information Systems		3
BUS 330	Ethics: Managerial Decision-Making		3
ECO 305	International Context for Business		3
FIN 305	Principles of Finance		3
MGT 300	Behavior in Organizations: Understanding Organizational Life		3
MGT 305	Operations Management in Business		3
MGT 490	Business Policy		3
MKT 305	Principles of Marketing		3
Core Credits in Business		24
Core Courses for Marketing Program
PSY 100	Introduction to Psychology		3
SOC 100	Introduction to Sociology		3
STA 213	Statistics for Business Applications II		3
ENG 340	Business Writing		3
MKT 320	Consumer Behavior		3
MKT 392	Consumer Insights		3
MKT 333	Global and Cultural Issues in Marketing		3
MKT 480	Strategic Decision Making in Marketing		3
Core Credits in Marketing		24
Additional Prerequisite Credits		3-6
TOTAL CORE CREDITS		81-84


Comprehensive Marketing Specialization Track			Credits
Five MKT elective courses at the 300 level or above				15
Quantitative/Electronic elective – select one course from the following:
BIS 330	IT Project Management
BIS 380	Quantitative Analysis with Excel
ECO 310	Introduction to Econometrics
INF 282	Introduction to Databases			3
MGT 306	Project Management
STA 360	Statistical Computing
	or other as approved by department
General elective –select one course from the following:
CMST 303	Organizational Communication
CMST 340	Strategies of Persuasion
CMST 355	Cross-Cultural Communication
EMB 313	Media Sales, Advertising, and Promotion			3
ENTP 300	Principles of Entrepreneurship
PSY 340	Social Psychology
	or other as approved by department
TOTAL SPECIALIZATION CREDITS		21
Total Core Credits		81-84
TOTAL CREDITS		102-105


Marketing Research Specialization Track			Credits
BIS 330	IT Project Management				3
MKT 492	Advanced Marketing Research				3
Two MKT elective courses at the 300 level or above					6
Quantitative/Electronic electives – select two courses from the following:
INF 282	Introduction to Databases
BIS 380	Quantitative Analysis with Excel
STA 360	Statistical Computing				6
ECO 310	Introduction to Econometrics
	or other as approved by department
General elective – select one course from the following:
CMST 303		Organizational Communication
SOC 320		Social Research			3
PSY 340		Social Psychology
		or other as approved by department
TOTAL SPECIALIZATION CREDITS				21
Total Core Credits				81-84
TOTAL CREDITS				102-105


Marketing Communications Specialization Track		Credits
MKT 308	Integrated Marketing Communication		3
MKT 310	Principles of Professional Selling		3
Three MKT elective courses at the 300 level or above			9
Quantitative/Electronic elective – select one course from the following:
BIS 330	IT Project Management
BIS 380	Quantitative Analysis with Excel
ECO 310	Introduction to Econometrics
INF 282	Introduction to Databases		3
MGT 306	Project Management
STA 360	Statistical Computing
	or other as approved by department
General elective – select one course from the following:
CMST 303	Organizational Communication
CMST 340	Strategies of Persuasion
CMST 355	Cross-Cultural Communication
CMST 430	Communication Theories		3
CMST 440	Communication Training and Development
MB 313	Media Sales, Advertising, and Promotion
PSY 340	Social Psychology
	or other as approved by department
TOTAL SPECIALIZATION CREDITS		21
Total Core Credits		81-84
TOTAL CREDITS		102-105


Consumer and Product Marketing Specialization Track			Credits
MKT 350	Creating Value Through Product and Price			3
MKT 307	Delivering and Communicating Value			3
Three MKT elective courses at the 300 level or above				9
Quantitative/Electronic elective – select one course from the following:
BIS 330	IT Project Management
BIS 380	Quantitative Analysis with Excel
ECO 310	Introduction to Econometrics
INF 282	Introduction to Databases			3
MGT 306	Project Management
STA 360	Statistical Computing
	Other as approved by department
General elective – select one course from the following:
CMST 303	Organizational Communication
CMST 340	Strategies of Persuasion
CMST 355	Cross-Cultural Communication
EMB 313	Media Sales, Advertising, and Promotion			3
ENTP 300	Principles of Entrepreneurship
PSY 340	Social Psychology
WGS 383	Women and World Cultures
	or other as approved by department
TOTAL SPECIALIZATION CREDITS		21
Total Core Credits		81-84
TOTAL CREDITS		102-105

Bachelor of Science with a major in Sports Business and the required minor in Business Administration

Who sets the price of a Cincinnati Bengals 50-yard-line ticket? Who creates game-night promotions for the Florence Freedom? Who created the marketing strategy for the new U.S. Women’s Professional Soccer league? Who decided that M&M’s would be Kyle Busch’s NASCAR sponsor? What is the answer to all these questions? People in the business of sport, of course. Whether amateur or professional, global or local, the sports and recreation industry continues to grow rapidly and provide a rich variety of career paths for business students.

The sports business program offers students a unique opportunity to earn a business degree with a difference – a focus on the business of sport. The program prepares students for a variety of career and leadership opportunities in sports business and recreational management. A small sampling of career paths in the sports industry includes event suppliers, event management and marketing, sports media, sports sponsorship, athlete services, sports commissions, sports lawyers, sports equipment manufacturing and distribution, sports and recreational facilities and facility suppliers, and team, league, and college athletics management and marketing. All students are strongly encouraged to discuss their career goals with sports business faculty for guidance in searching for the perfect job.

All sports business students complete a common sports business knowledge core of ten courses (30 credit hours). Students then choose an additional 6 credits from either an elective course and internship option or a two semester Signature Sports Event management sequence. The elective/internship option allows students to select an additional sports business course in an area of interest and use an internship to gain practical work experience and real-world networking exposure to the sports business environment at the local, regional, national, or international level while under the guidance and supervision of a successful sports businessperson.

The Signature Sports Event experience is a two-semester, experiential course sequence (SPB 496 in fall; SPB 497 in spring) that gives selected students the opportunity to plan and lead the execution of a significant sports event with a regional market, guided by expert faculty and professional mentors. This signature event of the NKU sports business program provides an opportunity for students to integrate all facets of their sports business knowledge into a unique, hands-on learning and networking experience.

You should also know: A grade of C or better in all program courses in the sports business major is required to earn the Bachelor of Science in Sports Business.

Northern Kentucky University

Marketing, Economics, and Sports Business Majors