Marketing
Marketing is everywhere—from your favorite influencer’s latest brand collab to the data-driven ad campaigns that shape what you buy. At its core, Marketing is about understanding people, creating value, and providing information to help them make informed decisions. A Marketing degree equips you with the skills to connect brands with the right audience in a competitive world.
Why Study Marketing at the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business?
In Duquesne’s Marketing major, you’ll start with a three-course core curriculum: Sales Fundamentals, Buyer Behavior, and Marketing Research. From there, you’ll customize your experience by choosing a concentration in one of three areas—Digital Marketing and Analytics, Professional Sales and Marketing, or Sports Marketing.
Discover Duquesne’s Distinctive Educational Experience
You will gain real-world experience through hands-on projects with corporate partners and connect with top employers at exclusive networking events. With a Marketing major, you’ll be prepared to bring big ideas to any industry—from startups to global brands. At Duquesne University, you are encouraged to join the School’s chapter of the American Marketing Association, compete on the Duquesne University Sales Team, or become a member of the Sports Marketing Association.
Customize your Marketing experience by specializing in one of three concentrations.
- Digital Marketing and Analytics: Learn how to use data-driven strategies to stand out and turn creativity into growth.
- Professional Selling and Marketing: Thrive in today’s technology-driven sales environment, blending theory with hands-on practice.
- Sports Marketing: Take your passion for sports into a Marketing major tailored to the sports industry.
Digital Marketing & Analytics
In a world where everything happens online, companies need innovative, data-driven strategies to stand out from the noise. Learn to turn data into action and creativity into growth. Become an expert in:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Help brands appear at the top of search results.
- Paid Search and Online Advertising: Create digital ad campaigns that drive clicks and conversions.
- CRM Software and Consumer Insights: Understand your audience, track engagement, and create meaningful connections.
- Content and Social Media Marketing: Tell stories that matter, build community, and create engaging campaigns.
In the Digital Marketing course, students will work with our partner, Level Agency, on an experiential learning project.
Professional Sales & Marketing
The Professional Selling and Marketing concentration equips you with the skills to thrive in today’s technology-driven sales environment. By utilizing Duquesne’s Center for Leadership in Professional Selling (CLPS), you will experience:
- Cutting-Edge Sales Training: Our simulation labs provide a private space where sales pitches are practiced and recorded with feedback received from industry professionals. Students participate in sales role-play scenarios with executives from partner firms.
- Closing the Deal: Students learn negotiation tactics in domestic and global settings and how sales generation is managed in teams.
- Duquesne University Sales Team (DUST): Participating students compete in high-profile sales competition, regionally and nationally, such as Duquesne’s Steel City Sales Challenge and The International Collegiate Sales Competition.
Sports Marketing
Turn your passion for sports into a career with a marketing focus tailored to the sports industry. At Duquesne, you’ll gain hands-on experience with our D1 athletic programs while learning from faculty with deep ties to Pittsburgh’s professional sports teams. Through the Sports Marking concentration, you will gain skills in:
- Sports Promotion and Sponsorship: Understand how brands collaborate with teams, leagues, and events.
- Management and Business of Sports: Gain insight into the operations and strategy behind the sports industry.
- Presentation and Sales Strategies: Develop the skills to pitch and market sports-related brands and services.
Program Information
You will begin the marketing major by taking a three-course core curriculum, which includes sales fundamentals, buyer behavior, and marketing research.
Program Type
Major, Minor
Degree
Bachelor's
Academic Department
Management and Marketing
Duration
4-year
Required Credit Hours
Students must complete a minimum of 120 credits.
From Our Alumni
"The Microsoft Excel course, during my freshman year, definitely set me apart from my coworkers who did not have the same experience. The on-the-job learning curve was not as steep for me because of the thoroughness of the course. As a result, I was easily able to navigate functions, formulas, and analyze large data sets."
Career Opportunities
Invest in Your Future
Our three specialized Marketing concentrations equip you with skills to succeed in high-demand industries.
- Digital Marketing and Analytics students often land jobs at digital agencies or fast-growing startups focused on data-driven growth. Career paths include digital marketing specialists, content strategists, SEO analysts, and CRM managers.
- Professional Selling and Marketing students secure positions with companies in tech, financial services, healthcare, and B2B services.
- Sports Marketing students work in both the sports and entertainment sectors, pursuing careers with professional teams, sporting goods companies, major events companies, and university athletic departments.
Marketing Majors Employment
Recent Duquesne Marketing majors have found positions in a variety of major corporations, including:
- ADP
- Buffalo Bills
- Clean Plate Innovations
- Cintas
- Dick's Sporting Goods
- EWASTE+
- First National Bank
- Inovalon
- Junior Achievement
- Level Agency
- Live Nation
- Madison Square Garden Sports
- Penguins
- Pennsylvania American Water
- Pirates
- PPG
- Steelers
- TQL
- Ulta
- UPMC
- Wesco
Marketing as a Second Major or Minor
Curriculum
Students are encouraged to meet with their Student Success Coach for more information.
Concentrations
Professional Selling and Marketing
Digital Marketing and Analytics
Sports Marketing