Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025

Department of Marketing

Dr. Lukas Forbes, Department Chair
Email: Lukas.Forbes@wku.edu

Grise Hall, Office 402
Phone: (270) 745-2993
Email: MKT@wku.edu
Website: http://www.wku.edu/marketing

Marketing Vision Statement

Western Kentucky University’s Marketing Department will be regionally acclaimed and nationally recognized for excellence in marketing and sales education.

Marketing Mission Statement

“To offer high quality undergraduate and graduate education for our varied constituencies.” Our goal is to graduate students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success and leadership in the business community. To accomplish this mission, we will use progressive teaching techniques as well as seek and apply knowledge through research. We also provide service to the university and the community using our expertise. Ultimately, we ensure that students are prepared to excel in an ever changing, increasingly competitive, global environment by engaging them in the classroom and the business community.

Core Values (for students and faculty)

  • Honesty
  • Integrity
  • Trustworthiness
  • Ethics
  • Initiative
  • Curiosity
  • Tolerance of Other People and Ideas
  • Loyalty
  • Accountability / Personal Responsibility
  • Entrepreneurial Spirit
  • Strong Work Ethic
  • Empathy
  • Cultural Awareness and Respect

Faculty

Professor

Lukas Forbes PhD (Business Administration), University of Kentucky, 2004

Craig A. Martin PhD (Business Administration, Marketing), University of Memphis, 1999

Kathryn J. Melancon PhD (Business Administration, Marketing), University of Mississippi, 2007

Patricia R. Todd DBA (Business Administration), Cleveland State University, 2006

Associate Professor

Mary J. Gardner DBA (Marketing), Kennesaw State University, 2017

Assistant Professor

Kathryn A. Nicewicz Scott PhD (Business Administration), Kennesaw State University, 2022

Ruomeng Wu PhD (Business Administration), University of Cincinnati Main Campus, 2019

Instructor I

Megan M. Ormon MS (Recreation and Sport Admin), Western Kentucky University, 2012

Jeffrey W. Peake MBA (Business Administration), Murray State University, 2010

Gregory A. Siegelman MBA (Business Administration), Cornell University, 1981

Marketing (MKT)

MKT 220    Basic Marketing Concepts    3 Hours

Introduction to the functional activities of marketing including product, distribution, promotion, and pricing decisions; the importance of a consumer orientation; and strategic marketing planning including implementation and control marketing activities.

Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior, Freshman or Undergraduate-Non Degree may not enroll.

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2022; spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; winter 2023; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023; winter 2024; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024

MKT 321    Consumer Behavior    3 Hours

A study of the basic concepts underlying consumer behavior; sociological and psychological phenomena which influence consumer behavior, and research approaches which allow marketers to predict and influence behavior.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2022; spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; winter 2023; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023; winter 2024; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024

MKT 322    Integrated Marketing Communications    3 Hours

This course examines the various components of the promotional mix both individually and collectively as an integrated whole. It addresses the need to target appropriate marketing communications to the publics of interest to both profit and nonprofit organizations.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023; winter 2024; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024

MKT 323    Services Marketing    3 Hours

A study of marketing as it applies to intangible products such as professional, health care, financial, and hospitality services. The course pays special attention to the interaction between marketing management and the simultaneous creation, delivery and consumption of services.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2022; spring 2022; summer 2022; winter 2023; spring 2023; summer 2023; winter 2024; spring 2024; summer 2024

MKT 324    International Marketing    3 Hours

Theory, concepts and practices of firms engaged in various levels of international marketing. Emphasis placed on developing marketing strategies consistent with environmental opportunities.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2022; spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; winter 2023; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024

MKT 325    Personal Selling    3 Hours

A study of the fundamentals of personal selling with emphasis on self-confidence, control in the sales interaction, and appropriate sales techniques. Extensive opportunity is provided in the classroom for experience with various personal selling situations.

Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2022; spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; winter 2023; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023; winter 2024; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024

MKT 326    Sports Marketing    3 Hours

This course explores one of the most important links between the sports industry and business. Emphasis is placed on the marketing of sports, such as the marketing performed by teams, leagues and sporting goods manufacturers, and marketing through sports, which entails using sports images and personalities to market nonsports products and services.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2022; summer 2023; summer 2024

MKT 327    Retailing Management and Strategy    3 Hours

A study of the principles that underlie the successful operation of a company distributing goods and services directly to the ultimate consumer. This will include, but is not limited to, strategic decisions such as site selection, franchising, and target markets, as well as management decisions such as pricing, personnel selection, merchandising, and atmospheric design.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; winter 2023; summer 2023; winter 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024

MKT 328    Digital Marketing    3 Hours

An entrepreneurial-oriented, applied course designed to thoroughly familiarize the student with the primary aspects of marketing on the World Wide Web.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024

MKT 329    Business-To-Business Marketing    3 Hours

Provide information specifically targeted at the field of business-to-business marketing. Explore the challenges, the environmental influences and managerial issues related to the marketing mix decision variables, product, place, promotion, and price, in a business-to-business setting.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024

MKT 331    Social Media Marketing    3 Hours

Examines the use of online social channels (social networking sites, websites, search engines, forums/message boards, video-sharing sites) to achieve marketing goals, including targeting markets on the social web, increasing effectiveness of communication in social web channels, and measuring the success of social media marketing campaigns

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220 with a minimum grade of C

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023; winter 2024; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024

MKT 399    Career Readiness in Marketing    1 Hour

Introduction to preparation for a career in Marketing. Course topics to be discussed could include, but not limited to: exposure to careers in marketing; discussion of certifications found within the profession; development of professional writing skills; development of presentation skills; instruction within the area of professional resumes and cover letters; instruction within the area of interviewing skills and professional network; time management skills. This course is limited to juniors and seniors in the Marketing program and should be taken after the completion of MKT220.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220 with a minimum grade of C

Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.

Enrollment is limited to students in Marketing (720)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024

MKT 420    Senior Seminar-Marketing    3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

A special topics course covering subjects of current interest in marketing.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2022; fall 2024

MKT 421    Marketing Research    3 Hours

Analysis of the interaction between marketing information needs and decision-making; planning, executing and reporting results of research using modern research methods and applied statistics are stressed.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220 and ECON 306

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2022; spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024

MKT 422    Marketing Management    3 Hours

An in-depth study of marketing activities from a managerial perspective. Areas of study include strategic planning; segmentation and target marketing; consumer behavior; marketing research; product, promotion, pricing, and distribution decisions; services marketing; and international marketing.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 421 with a minimum grade of C

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Marketing (720)

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024

MKT 423    Supply Chain Management    3 Hours

A primarily non-quantitative study of the Place function of the marketing mix. An examination of the process of moving a product, idea or service from the producer to the ultimate purchaser. Topics of interest may include channel structures, transportation modes, channel power, conflict, negotiation strategies, and the various tools used by channel members.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024

MKT 424    Sales Force Management    3 Hours (repeatable max of 3 hrs)

Principles and concepts of sales planning and control, organizing sales departments, developing territories, recruiting, selecting, training, motivating and compensating salespeople, and controlling sales operations.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220 and MKT 325

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024

MKT 425    Advanced Personal Selling Strategies    3 Hours

An advanced, experiential course designed to thoroughly familiarize the student with all of the primary aspects of personal selling, from a hands-on, applied approach.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220 with a minimum grade of C and MKT 325 with a minimum grade of C

Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior, Freshman, Junior or Sophomore may not enroll.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024

MKT 426    Esports Marketing and Branding    3 Hours

Focuses on learning the fundamentals of effective esports marketing and branding. The course explores the financial, legal, ethical, and operational issues surrounding the esports industry.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024

MKT 427    Entrepreneurial Marketing    3 Hours

A study of key marketing strategies relevant to new ventures that prepares students to work in an entrepreneurial firm to run their own business.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024

MKT 431    Advanced Social Media Marketing    3 Hours

Provides a more advanced perspective on knowledge gained in MKT 331, Social Media Marketing. Students will apply concepts through development of strategies and content for a variety of social media platforms, as well as gauge the effectiveness of content creation through analytics.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 331

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

MKT 490    Practicum in Marketing    1-3 Hours (repeatable max of 3 hrs)

Internships, independent studies, and special projects of interest to students and faculty in the marketing area. These may include individual research projects approved by the department head and supervised by a member of the marketing faculty, meaningful internships with area businesses with duties relating to marketing, or other special projects which may be approved by the department head and the marketing faculty. Note: Requires a 2.75 cumulative GPA, 6 additional hours of marketing, and permission of instructor.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; summer 2024; fall 2024

MKT 491    Marketing Study Abroad    1-6 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

Experiential learning taking place in a foreign culture in a foreign country. Provides students with the opportunity to experience and learn about marketing in a foreign nation. This may be part of a formalized program (i.e., KIIS or CCSA) or it could be a customized program developed within the department for an individual or small group of students.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 220

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

MKT 499    Senior Assessment in Marketing    1 Hour

Preparation for and administration of the senior assessment exam. Discussion of educational and career opportunities beyond the baccalaureate degree. Discussion of the transition from college to workplace, including final preparation of career-related materials. Note: Required of all Marketing majors in the last semester.

Prerequisite(s): MKT 399 with a minimum grade of C

Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Senior.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024