New Online Education Program in Digital Marketing to Prepare Assumption Students for Success in Rapidly Expanding Field

As more consumers turn to their Apple iPhones and iPads, and other mobile devices for information, Assumption will introduce this fall an online certificate program in the dynamic, in-demand digital marketing field.

The 24-credit program is sponsored through Assumption’s Continuing and Career Education Department and consists of eight courses that are conducted online and cover the key areas students need to launch a successful entry-level career or enhance the digital marketing expertise of a mid-career professional: social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO) and marketing (SEM), online analytics, content development, and marketing. The program can be completed as a standalone certificate or as a concentration in the Assumption bachelor’s degree program in Business Studies.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (USBLS), the median pay for marketing managers is $119,480 per year; new hires average $62,650 per year. The federal agency’s job outlook for marketing managers is projected to grow 13 percent through 2022. The USBLS states that “with Internet-based advertising becoming more important, advertising managers who can navigate the digital world should have the best prospects.”

“Many research studies are confirming the need for qualified talent in the digital marketing field,” said Dennis Braun, director of Assumption’s Continuing and Career Education Department. “A Gartner study undertaken last year found that CEOs ranked digital marketing as the top priority for technology investment during the next five years. The challenge for employers is that the field is starving for qualified people to get the work done proficiently. Through this program, Assumption fulfills that need with qualified individuals who have successfully completed our rigorous program of study in digital marketing.”

As of last month, 69 percent of senior marketers are allocating their digital marketing funds to web content development and performance optimization, and 53 percent are spending part of their budget on social media community growth and engagement, according to the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) Council. In addition, as more consumers run local searches on mobile devices, advertisers are increasing spending on local mobile ad campaigns.

Graduates of Assumption’s program will differentiate themselves in a field that is continuing to accelerate. Forrester Research projects that spending on digital marketing in the U.S. will nearly double from $57.29 billion dollars to $103.37 billion dollars in a five year period through 2019, fueled by the growth in mobile. By 2018, Internet advertising will be poised to overtake television as the largest advertising segment.

Surveys of employers, including a recent study conducted by the Association of American Colleges & Universities, demonstrate that businesses seek college graduates with the ability to analyze and interpret data, strong oral and written communication skills, a talent for critical thinking, interpersonal and leadership skills, the ability to work in teams, and sound decision-making capabilities—the hallmarks of an Assumption liberal arts education.

“The new certificate program, integrated into Assumption’s liberal arts curriculum, will prepare students for today’s competitive job market,” said Braun.