Master of Science
This program is offered in the AU Online format.
Program Description
The Master of Science in Digital Marketing & Design (MSDMD) offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to give students a broad understanding of strategic brand communication. Students will emerge from the program highly skilled in data-driven consumer insight, digital production, and user experience design. This innovative curriculum breaks students out of traditional business roles and into creative, innovative marketing roles that will evolve with technology.
The student experience is highly experiential—students will extract insight from data to solve marketing challenges. They will become the managers of customer experience, creating value at each step of the customer journey. The program culminates in an option for an internship, portfolio project, and/or marketing innovation capstone experience.
Students from this program will be prepared to manage Marketing Communication teams from the vantage point of: brand, converged media, marketing data analytics, communication production, and design. Examples of job titles may include: content manager, creative director, email and omnichannel marketing manager, marketing analyst, data storyteller, marketing automation specialist, media planner, social media manager, user experience designer.
Admission Requirements
The general admission requirements can be found in the “Graduate Admission Requirements” section. Requirements for admission include:
- Completed Graduate Application for Admission (aurora.edu/auapply)
- Submit transcripts (official, sealed in envelope) for all prior college and/or university credit. Aurora University accepts official electronic transcripts at AUetranscripts@aurora.edu.
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a grade point average of 3.0 or greater (on a 4.0 scale). Students with a GPA of less than 3.0 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- A professional resume
- Applicants may be required to complete an interview the program director and provide letters of recommendation.
Digital Marketing & Design Program Detail
Aurora University’s MSDMD program accepts students from all academic backgrounds and an undergraduate degree in business is not required. There are no prerequisite courses required for admission to the MSDMD program. In the interest of ensuring student success, the Program Director may require limited foundational coursework or software training for students whose academic and experiential backgrounds suggest they would benefit from such preparation. Decisions about required foundational business courses are made collaboratively with students and are based on review of academic transcripts, professional experience and the results of a personal interview.
Program Requirements
The MSDMD degree requires 36 semester hours: 30 semesters of required courses and 6 semester hours of elective courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| MBA-6020 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| MKT-6119 | Consumer Insight for Marketing Decisions | 3 |
| MKT-6200 | Design for Communication | 3 |
| MKT-6330 | Marketing Analytics and Data Storytelling | 3 |
| MKT-6350 | Design for User Experience | 3 |
| MKT-6400 | Converged Media Strategy | 3 |
| MKT-6410 | Content Marketing Creation and Curation | 3 |
| MKT-6420 | Coding Lab for Marketers | 3 |
| MKT-6530 | Brand and Campaign Planning | 3 |
| MKT-6910 | Marketing Innovation Capstone | 3 |
| Selected Electives | ||
| Select 6 semesters of approved elective coursework of the following: 1 | 6 | |
| Selected Topics in Marketing | ||
| Digital Marketing and Design Internship | ||
| Portfolio Project | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
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MSDMD students may also select up to two non-MKT classes in MBA or MPA graduate programs to meet the Digital Marketing & Design elective requirements (maximum total of six non-MKT elective semester hours).
Graduate Degree Requirements
- When a student's academic performance does not meet minimum standards, the instructor should send an academic alert to the student.
- A student is placed on academic warning at the end of any semester when their cumulative or semester program/major GPA is less than 3.0.
- A student, placed on academic warning for a second time (not necessarily consecutive semesters) will be academically dismissed, for poor scholarship.
- A student, will be academically dismissed if their Term GPA is 0.00 in any given semester.
- A graduate student, who is dimissed from Aurora University for poor scholarship may apply for readmission after one full semester away (Spring, Summer, or Fall).
- To be considered for readmission, a new application for admission and a petition for readmission are both required to be filed no less than 30 days prior to the requested semester of return, with the Office of Admissions.
- The petition will be reviewed by an academic program committee, comprised of the academic program director/chair and two faculty designated by the Jurisdictional Academic Dean, to make a determination based on the academic standards of the program. The academic program committee may require an in person meeting with the student as deemed necessary.
- Should readmission be granted, the student will be readmitted on Academic Warning. Should the cumulative program GPA fall below 3.0 in a subsequent semester, the student will be dismissed from the university.
- A student who had already had their petition for readmission denied by the academic program may appeal the decision to the Jurisdictional Academic Dean over the program. The step must be completed in the form of a written request to the Academic Dean within one calendar week after the student has been informed of the program committee decision. The Academic Dean will appoint two faculty members to serve on an ad hoc committee working to review the student's appeal. The ad hoc appeal committee will review all relevant materials and meet with the student and others, as deemed necessary. The decision of this ad hoc appeal committee is final. The ad hoc appeal committee will then report back to the program and the University Registrar regarding the final decision and its reasoning.
Attendance Policy
Attendance is mandatory for all class sections. If a student is to be absent for any reason, the student must discuss the expected absence with the course instructor before it occurs.
Academic Standards and Evaluation
Grades will be assigned to each student at the conclusion of each course according to the procedures outlined in the section “Graduate Grading System.” At the graduate level, a “C” grade indicates less than complete mastery of the content of a course. Only two grades of “C” are accepted at the graduate level in the MSDMD program. If a “C” is received within the first three courses, the student may be removed from the program by action of the Program Director.
Residency Requirement
A minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit must be earned at Aurora University to receive the MSDMD degree. A maximum of six (6) semester hours of graduate credit may be transferred from an accredited college or university and applied to the requirements of this degree. Any coursework submitted for transfer must be approved by the Program Director. See the section “Transfer of Credit” for the conditions governing the transfer of credit.
Learning Outcomes
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Students will learn to manage an integrated marketing strategy.
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Students will learn to manage through data in decision-making.
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Students will develop an innovative mindset and creative disposition as a manager.
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Students will be able to engage and manage storytelling through user experience.