Paying For College
NHCC's tuition is among the most affordable in Minnesota.
Financial Aid
- Scholarships are money you don't have to repay
- Grants are money you don't have to repay
Free College Tuition
The North Star Promise scholarship program provides free college tuition to eligible students. Find out if you might be eligible.
Program Roadmaps
Program roadmaps provide students with a guide to understand the recommended course sequence to complete their degree.
Marketing Specialist Curriculum
| Course Code | Title | Course Outlines | Goal Areas | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ART 2901 | Graphic Design Tools I and | View-ART 2901 | n/a | 3 |
| BUS 2600 | Principles of Marketing and | View-BUS 2600 | n/a | 3 |
| BUS 2610 | Consumer Behavior and | View-BUS 2610 | n/a | 3 |
| BUS 2620 | Fundamentals of Promotion and | View-BUS 2620 | n/a | 3 |
| BUS 2630 | Fundamentals of Sales and Service and | View-BUS 2630 | n/a | 3 |
| BUS 2640 | Fundamentals of Digital Marketing | View-BUS 2640 | n/a | 3 |
Course Title: Principles of Marketing Goal Areas: n/a Credits: 3
Course Description: This course provides a market-oriented perspective to business decision-making. Students will learn how marketers provide value in satisfying customer needs and wants, determine which target markets the organization can best serve, and decide upon appropriate products, services, and programs to serve these markets. Topics include branding and product development, pricing strategies, marketing research, promotion, supply chain management, and service marketing. Current trends and developments in marketing practices are analyzed and strategic marketing ideas are implemented within an ethical framework. Courses Recommended: BUS 1100 Introduction to Business and CIS 1101 Business Computer Systems I
Course Title: Consumer Behavior Goal Areas: n/a Credits: 3
Course Description: This course is an introduction to the world of consumer behavior. Consumer behavior borrows from several social sciences to explain behavior in the marketplace. In this course, students will explore how perceptions, learning, memory, personality, and attitudes influence consumption behavior, how consumption shifts during ones life cycle, and how strong cultural and subcultural influences are on consumers.
Course Title: Fundamentals of Promotion Goal Areas: n/a Credits: 3
Course Description: This course is a study of the principles and practices of promotion for a business organization. Students will study the components and the interrelationships of the promotional mix: advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, direct marketing, and public relations. Topics include: an integrated marketing communications strategy, creative techniques of advertising, media strategies, and the evaluation of promotional plans. Students will complete the course with a comprehensive knowledge of and experience with how to develop an integrated promotional strategy.
Course Title: Fundamentals of Sales and Service Goal Areas: n/a Credits: 3
Course Description: This course introduces the principles and practices of professional selling. Topics will include the steps of the sale, identifying buying motives and customer needs, customer service principles, sales strategies, ethics in selling, and cultivating repeat business through service. Problem solving techniques, monitoring of sales performance, and sales simulations are examined.
Course Title: Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Goal Areas: n/a Credits: 3
Course Description: This course will focus on the introduction and insights to a breadth of core and emerging digital channels and disciplines, including search engine optimization, website analytics, search and display ads, email marketing, social media, and social listening/monitoring.Designed to get students to think like a digital marketing professional, Fundamentals of Digital Marketing will help students establish habits for keeping up to date on emerging digital technologies relevant to business and to marketing, tie the use of digital marketing activities to business objectives, and identify and design data sources that allow students to track performance for digital marketing activities.Students will complete the course with a comprehensive knowledge of and experience with how to develop an integrated digital marketing strategy.
Course Title: Graphic Design Tools I Goal Areas: n/a Credits: 3
Course Description: This course introduces students to the use and function of industry-standard graphic design software applications Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign. Students will learn to effectively use the essential techniques, tools, and principles of each application by emulating a professional approach to design projects. Students will apply problem solving techniques to design projects that simulate real-world design challenges faced in todays graphic design industry.
| Total Credits Required | 18 |
2025-2026
Marketing Specialist Certificate students experience hands-on class projects such as new product launches, sales presentations, and advertising media plans. Specialized courses in consumer behavior, promotion, sales, and digital marketing are taught by outstanding marketing and design faculty, bringing real-world expertise using state-of-the-art business software. Courses can be applied to the Marketing Specialist A.A.S. Degrees in Business.
Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World, focused by:
- Define the role of consumer behavior, promotion, sales, and digital marketing in the marketing process and how they are integrated within an organization's overall strategy.
Intellectual and Practical Skills, focused by:
- Role-play sales situations individually or in teams to dramatize specific sales concepts and tactics.
- Proficiently use computers and graphic design software for graphic design projects.
Personal and Social Responsibility and Engagement, focused by:
- Identify and understand ethical dilemmas within the marketing, promotion, sales, and digital marketing environments.
Integrative and Applied Learning, including:
- Illustrate the marketing concept through the completion of a comprehensive marketing plan.
- Analyze consumer behavior situations and apply consumer behavior concepts to develop solutions.
- Analyze marketing communication situations and develop promotional strategic solutions.
- Apply various sales concepts in the construction of a comprehensive sales plan or the solutions to various comprehensive sales cases.
- Learn to develop, evaluate, and execute a comprehensive digital marketing strategy and plan.
Program roadmaps provide students with a guide to understand the recommended course sequence to complete their degree.
Information on careers, including career descriptions, salary data, and employment outlook is available on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website and O*Net Online website.
If you are planning on transferring to another institution, follow the guidelines available on our transfer resources web page to help you plan the process: Transfer Information
Certificates may be earned for successful completion of courses in a specialized program of study with a minimum grade point average of 2.00 (C). A certificate shall include 9 to 30 semester credits. At least one third of the total credits required for each certificate must be completed at North Hennepin Community College. Developmental Courses Some students may need preparatory course(s) in Math and/or English. Courses numbered below 1000 will not apply toward a degree. Equal Opportunity Employer and Disability Access Information North Hennepin Community College is a member of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and an equal opportunity employer and educator. This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities by calling 7634930555 or through the Minnesota Relay Service at 18006273529. |
North Hennepin Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
30 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602-2504
1-800-621-7440
Get Started
If you're ready to get started, apply to NHCC. If you'd like to learn more, you can visit campus or request information.
