Marketing has long been a popular MBA concentration. Its attractiveness stems in part from its versatility. While a concentration such as finance generally limits graduates to the banking or financial services sectors, a marketing concentration can be applied to virtually any industry. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the MBA marketing concentration.

What will I study?

MBA students with a marketing concentration usually take core courses the first year. These are courses in economics, leadership, and other foundational areas of business.

In their second year, MBA marketing students train to develop products and attract customers. These online MBA programs focus primarily on consumer behavior and marketing strategies. Some courses focus on the creative aspects of advertising, and others focus on the number-crunching aspects of consumer research, product development, and ad campaigns.

Some other topics of study include developing customer relationships, database marketing, marketing with high technology, and marketing a particular type of good or service, such as pharmaceuticals or financial services.

Where can I work?

People generally imagine working at an advertising firm with this degree, but marketing MBAs can find employment in just about any occupational sector. Many work with market research firms, non-profit organizations, large corporations, and small internet companies.