Integrated Marketing Communications [Graduate Certificate]

Location(s): Online

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The graduate program in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) at Eastern Michigan University engages an interactive approach to serving individuals seeking advanced knowledge, training, and experience in integrating and coordinating all marketing communications messages and vehicles to build brand image and maximize brand value for commercial and not-for-profit organizations.

IMC students study a blend of strategic, creative, and digital marketing competencies surrounding IMC campaigns, including audience analysis and insights, marketing communications research and analytics, digital and social media marketing, media tactics, creative briefs, public relations and crisis management, search engine marketing, IMC policy and privacy management and campaign evaluation tools essential to building contemporary brands.

Graduating students will understand and have the ability to apply communication strategies and best practices, catapulting themselves into successful corporate, non-profit, or entrepreneurial careers as chief marketing officer, public relations director, marketing director, media/brand manager, art director, consumer affairs director and other marketing communications positions.

The program is delivered conveniently online to provide “anytime, anywhere” access to courses and materials in a unique 7.5-week class scheduling format. All courses are project-based and heavily applied in nature.

Offered through the College of Business, EMU offers the only fully online IMC degree in the world which is accredited by the AASCB - the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business - a global marker of quality. Students completing the program earn a Graduate Certificate.

Online Education Eligibility

The U.S. Federal Government limits the number of online courses international students may enroll in while living in the United States. For this reason, we cannot admit students on F1 or J1 VISAs to fully online programs. Please check with International Admissions to confirm eligibility before applying.
All applicants, please review Online Education for Out-of-State Students to confirm your eligibility to enroll in an online program based in Michigan.

Program Admission

Admit Term and Deadline

The priority application deadline is May 15. Admitted students will begin coursework in the subsequent Fall semester.

The IMC Certificate program is offered exclusively in an online format, and admission is selective. Therefore, acceptance is contingent on the number of available openings.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

For full admission, applicants must have 1) Earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution, 2) a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale, or 3.0 in the last half of the undergraduate program. Conditional admission may be available to applicants not meeting minimum admission requirements.

Program Requirements

Applicants must also meet the following program requirements. Requirements may be more stringent than the minimum graduate school requirements.

Academic Record - 2.75 cumulative GPA
Relevant education and/or professional experience - Prior Marketing or IMC-related coursework (such as advertising, promotional strategy, or similar courses) at the graduate or undergraduate level from an accredited institution of higher learning is required. In addition, full or part-time IMC-related work experience or internship is preferred.
Submit a résumé of relevant work experience.
Writing ability - A 300-500 word essay explaining the role of integrated marketing communications at a current or previous employer and how the knowledge gained from the IMC Certificate program could help the organization.

GRE or GMAT scores are not required for admission into the IMC Certificate program. However, if you feel these scores enhance your overall application, you can choose to include them.

Application

Your application will be submitted using BusinessCAS, a Centralized Application Service (CAS) hosted by Liaison. After reviewing the admission requirements, please review the application instructions and select the appropriate application below.

- Go to 2023-2024 BusinessCAS to apply to a program beginning in Summer 2024, Fall 2024, or Winter 2025.

- Go to 2024-2025 BusinessCAS to apply to a program beginning in Summer 2025, Fall 2025, or Winter 2026.

Domestic Applicants Domestic applicants are required to submit only the transcript from the institution granting their bachelor’s degree if either of the following criteria is met: 1) Lists 30 or more credit hours with an overall GPA of 3.0 or over OR 2) Lists 60 or more credit hours with an overall GPA between 2.7 and 2.99. Within the application, follow the instructions to submit an official transcript. The University may ask applicants to submit additional transcripts after applying.

International Applicants Before applying, applicants must review the international application/process deadlines at emich.edu/international as they may differ from general program requirements.

For additional information regarding the application process, please see Graduate Admissions or International Admissions.

Department Information

Marketing 204 Hill Hall, 734.487.3323

Sufian Qrunfleh, PhD, Department Head

Advisor Information

Sufian Qrunfleh, PhD, 203 Hill, 734.487.2454

Degree Requirements: 18 hours

Students must complete a total of 18 credit hours of courses within an IMC prefix to earn a Graduate Certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications.

Required Courses: 12 hours

Restricted Electives: 6 hours

Choose a minimum of six credit hours from the following. Course prerequisites must be satisfied prior to enrollment in elective courses.

IMC 605 Creative Message Strategy 3 hrs
IMC 606 Media Strategy 3 hrs
IMC 608 Digital and Direct Marketing 3 hrs
IMC 609 Public Relations and Crisis Management 3 hrs
IMC 612 IMC Sales Promotion 3 hrs
IMC 614 IMC Privacy Policy Management 3 hrs
IMC 615 IMC Ethics, Regulations and Society 3 hrs
IMC 616 Search Engine Marketing 3 hrs
IMC 617 Social Media Marketing Strategy 3 hrs
IMC 618 IMC Customer Relationship Marketing 3 hrs
IMC 620 Business-to-Business Marketing 3 hrs

Critical Graduation Information

Each graduate student is responsible for fulfilling the requirements or their equivalents of the Eastern Michigan University catalog in force at the time of their initial registration or a subsequent catalog, including the one in effect at the time of their graduation.

Graduate Certificate requirements must be completed within three (3) years of first enrollment in a course applicable to the certificate. Dually enrolled students (certificate and master’s program) must complete both degrees within six years of first enrollment in the master’s degree.

In the event a student does not complete the graduate certificate degree requirements within three years of the date of their original registration, the student may be required to have their credits re-evaluated by the academic department(s) of their degree in keeping with catalog requirements in force during the year of their graduation.

The following are the minimum requirements for all graduate certificate degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University. Some programs require more than the minimum in one or more areas below.

A graduate certificate must require a minimum of 12 credit hours.
No more than six credits of independent study courses and 12 credit hours of special topics and independent study courses combined may be applied to a graduate degree.
Residency Requirement - For students admitted to a graduate certificate program, at least nine graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the program must be earned at EMU. Students completing multiple certificate programs must have a minimum of 9 unique credit hours per certificate.
Application of completed certificates toward prior degree credit - Only credits from one completed graduate certificate may be applied to a master’s or specialist degree in a relevant field of study, as determined by the Graduate School and with the approval of the degree-granting academic department, and be included in the residency hours of the master’s program.
The Graduate School does not permit the use of undergraduate courses (499 and below) to meet degree requirements on graduate programs of study.
Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all graduate-level courses taken at EMU and in their program of study to remain in good academic standing and be eligible for graduation. Students do not need to be registered for classes during the semester of graduation.