Department of Marketing and Quantitative Methods	(251) 460-6412
Chair	Alvin J. Williams
Distinguished Professor of Marketing	Williams, Hair
Professor Emeritus	Lynn Robinson, Julie Sneath
Professors	Finney, Sharland
Associate Professor	Chow
Assistant Professors	Dadzie, Howard, Sabol
Instructor	Loes, Tashbin

Department of Marketing and Quantitative Methods website
https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/mcob/marketing/index.html

Office of Student Services
Mitchell College of Business
MCOB 110
Phone: (251) 460-7167
E-mail: mcobadviser@southalabama.edu

"Business has only two functions - marketing and innovation." - Milan Kundera

Marketing is a dynamic process that creates and delivers value in competitive environments through customer-focused and market-driven actions.  The Marketing major provides an integrative and substantive approach to marketing strategy development and implementation based on learning experiences that combine concepts and managerial practice.  A well-designed, market-based curriculum allows students to experience the core of marketing through interactive courses, internships, directed study programs, and special topics courses designed to focus on specific areas of marketing interest. These goals are achieved through the Marketing Management, International Business, and Professional Sales concentrations.

The Marketing Management concentration offers a holistic view of the marketing function, with special focus on consumer analysis, value creation and delivery, marketing segmentation, and marketing strategy development and execution, within the context of changing and competitive business environments.  The Marketing Management concentration prepares students for career in sales, advertising and marketing communication, retailing, supply chain management, market research and related areas.  It is good preparation for positions in health care marketing, sports marketing, tourism and hospitality, non-profit marketing, financial services marketing and a host of other growth industries. 

In globally-competitive organizations, sales professionals are increasingly responsible for market growth, value creation, customer relationship management, branding, and communication of product, service, and organizational benefits. The sales function is the engine that propels every aspect of the organization. The Professional Sales Concentration prepares students for rewarding careers in sales and related areas. Students completing this concentration have some proficiency in relationship selling, buyer behavior, value creation and delivery, prospecting, sales call planning, communications skills, negotiating win/win solutions, and customer relationship management. 

A degree in International Business prepares students for management positions in U.S. based companies that serve global markets and foreign based companies that provide products and services in the U.S. and other countries.  Students will learn how conducting business on a global scale differs from domestic operations and will develop sensitivity and understanding of cultural differences and business etiquette to allow them to effectively negotiate and conduct business in a variety of cultures.  The curriculum requires proficiency in a foreign language and includes courses in management, marketing, economics, finance, accounting, and business law to prepare students for a variety of jobs in multinational companies. 

Students majoring in International Business are strongly encouraged to participate in a study abroad experience.  Short-term study abroad immersion experiences are available, including the British Studies Program in London and the Asia-Pacific Business course in Australia, in addition to longer-term study abroad programs at one of our partner universities, accredited by the AACSB.

International exposure is a critical success factor for International Business majors.  However, approved alternatives, including research with a major international component, projects with substantial international content, or other options suggested by the International Business faculty advisor, will be considered.

Students must complete an internship with an international focus.  This is accomplished by completing an internship with a multinational company operating in the U.S. or by completing an internship with an U.S. or foreign based firm operating in another country.

Proficiency In A Second Language

Students majoring in International Business are required to demonstrate introductory-level proficiency in a second language by passing a foreign language proficiency examination as administered by the University of South Alabama Department of Foreign Languages and Literature or by successfully completing the second semester of any approved elementary sequence in a foreign language.

The Supply Chain and Logistics Management (SCLM) major is designed to equip students with the skill sets necessary for successful careers in supply chain-related fields.  As supply chain management becomes more seminal in competitive strategy, it is important for business leaders to have a strong appreciation for and understanding of the mechanics of supply chain and logistics management and the resulting impact on organizational performance.  Given the global nature of supply chains, talent is needed to ensure the proper planning, implementation, and assessment of market-centered, adaptive, and agile supply chains worldwide. 

Supply chain and logistics management employment opportunities are wide and varied.  The following represents a small sampling of the specific types of jobs available to program graduates:  procurement specialists; sourcing analysts; materials manager; sourcing commodity specialists; logistics customer service; transportation sourcing specialists; material coordinator; operations manager; inventory control; production scheduling; warehouse manager; logistics analysts; and quality manager. 

Upon completion of the BSBA degree program in SCLM, students will be prepared to enter a wide-range of sectors, including manufacturing, distribution, services, and government. Additionally, the program provides a solid foundation for general MBA programs, as well as specialized programs in supply chain management, logistics management, production and operations management, distribution management, transportation, marketing, and related areas.