Integrated Marketing Communication Certificate Program

IMC Program Specifics

• Class Schedule: Meets Monday nights, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the Fall semester and involves 15 three-hour sessions.
• Full IMC Certificate Tuition: $1,800.
• F1 Visa: The IMC Certificate Program does not satisfy F1 Visa requirements.  
• Pre-requisite Courses: No pre-requisite courses are required for enrollment.
• Academic Credit: The IMC Certificate is a non-credit program.    
• Transcript: The IMC Certificate IS POSTED on your U of U Official Transcript after completing the program.

Target Audience

The IMC Certificate is a program targeted to communicators who want to become knowledgeable integrated marketing communicators and managers.  All organizations -- business, government, nonprofit, charitable, education, religious, and volunteer -- need marketing communicators. Marketing and communication are symbiotic. A marketer is a personal and professional communicator where all elements of the marketing process interconnect.

The IMC Certificate Program assumes some basic knowledge of marketing theory and practice of applicants but does not require any specific work experience.

IMC Definition

Integrated Marketing Communication is customer-centric, data-driven, technically anchored, and branding effective.

"Integrated marketing communication is a strategic business process used to plan, develop, execute and evaluate coordinated, measurable, persuasive brand communications programs over time with consumers, customers, prospects, employees, associates and other targeted relevant external and internal audiences. The goal is to generate both short-term financial returns and build long-term brand and shareholder value."                   

        - Schultz

Four elements are involved:

• IMC is promoted from marketing tactic to business strategy
• IMC involves the whole organization and spans the entire spectrum of brand, customer, product, and service contacts the firm has with all stakeholders at all levels.
• IMC requires ongoing measurement, evaluation, and accountability for return on the integrated investment.
• IMC is an ongoing process that boosts performance in the long term and builds relationships with customers over time.                   

- Schultz                                 

Regardless of how it is accomplished organizationally, the key to truly integrated marketing communication is the integration of marketing communications at all levels.

• Integration at the tactical level
• Integration at the strategic level
• Integration at the organizational level
• Integration at the education and training level
• Integration at the interpersonal level
• Integration at the theoretical level
• Integration at the process level

- Mulhern and Hutton

Intended Learning Outcomes

The IMC Certificate Program helps students: 

• Recognize the importance of integration in the marketing communication process. 
• Understand the stature and importance of IMC as it is practiced against a backdrop of ever-changing social, economic and competitive developments in local, regional, national and global markets.
• Become knowledgeable marketing communicators equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to develop, practice and manage integrated marketing communication in their organizations. 

Class Delivery

The IMC Certificate Program is a concentrated one-semester course delivered through an integration of guest speakers, lectures, discussions, class activities, topic related assignments, and IMC projects. The discussions, assignments, activities and projects strengthen the marketing communicator's ability to employ higher-level critical thinking skills. As such, students do not merely learn new material but creatively apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate IMC related theories, concepts, and models using simulations, case studies, class discussions, and projects.

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