A Comparative Analysis of Undergraduate Integrated Marketing Communications Degrees in the United States

No longer are traditional marketing communications methods effectively reaching consumers. The approach of integrated marketing communications intentionally combines all aspects of the marketing communications mix into one consistent message. Research reveals that integrated marketing communications is becoming a more and more popular field of study for students and academics. Because of this, universities are forced to evaluate how their integrated marketing communications programs are taught in order to stay relevant. The purpose of this study is to conduct an analysis of undergraduate integrated marketing communications degrees in the United States. This thesis work defines integrated marketing communications, and also describes the history, in order to fully understand the role of undergraduate integrated marketing communications programs. The population is defined as undergraduate programs at universities with the exact title “integrated marketing communications.” It further analyzes a sample of this chosen population. The sample is composed of programs at the following 11 colleges and universities: University of Mississippi, University of West Alabama, Pepperdine University, Ithaca College, Duquesne University, University of Akron, Roosevelt University, Bryan College, Keiser University, Winthrop University, and National University. Personal interviews and in-depth secondary research was conducted to discover what the design of each program is. This study identified elements that compose each undergraduate integrated marketing communications program. The school or college that houses the program, the number of required degree hours, and the required courses in the core curricula were described, and then cross-analyzed. Insights were gained on the similarities and the differences among the 11 programs researched. From these insights, not only were recommendations for the University of Mississippi program made, but also for other institutions of higher learning that may want to develop an integrated marketing communications program