Marketing

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Understand consumer behavior, analyze market trends, and develop creative strategies to address real-world challenges as a marketing major at Luther College.

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Why Study Marketing?

Marketing combines creative and analytical skill sets needed by businesses, non-profit organizations, programs, and causes. Marketers communicate the value of brands, products and services to targeted audiences, motivating action. They serve all kinds of organizations, large and small; work at marketing agencies; and start their own businesses. They analyze data, interpreting it to inform business strategy and helping their organizations make good choices.

Why Study Marketing at Luther?

At Luther, you will be part of a small program with plenty of support from faculty, staff, alumni, and community members to design your academic plan and discover professional opportunities.

We emphasize human-centered creativity, fostered through an incubator atmosphere. Our focus is on how to fulfill the unique needs of the community and how to work in community with each other. Communication and teamwork are essential skills in marketing. We also teach that success is measured not only by productivity and profit, but also by innovation, creativity, ethical leadership, and sustainability.

Our approach to marketing is interdisciplinary. As a Luther marketing major, you not only learn the core business disciplines, but you also develop your own creative interests and have the option to take courses in many different fields of study, such as English, psychology, visual communication, and art.

Marketing Concentration

Are you interested in pairing marketing with another major? With a three-course sequence, you can earn a marketing credential to complement your major with a focus on promotional marketing, digital marketing, or sports marketing.

Internships

The Luther Career Center, faculty, supportive Luther alumni and Decorah business community professionals will help you get hands-on experience through internships and other activities. These connections also happen in frequent conversations with professionals inside and outside of class.

Student Organization

Through the Luther Business Club, you can connect with like-minded students and have networking and learning opportunities with the Decorah and Luther alumni communities.

What You’ll Learn

Marketing Major
Through the marketing major at Luther, students will:

Analyze market research and consumer data to inform ethical marketing decisions.
Apply marketing theories to evaluate business challenges and uncover strategic opportunities.
Collaborate effectively on integrated marketing campaigns and projects.
Write clear, impactful marketing content for diverse audiences.
Present marketing insights and strategies confidently and persuasively.
Use data analytics to interpret market trends and guide decision-making.

Marketing Minor and Marketing Concentration

The marketing minor (5 courses) and marketing concentration (3 courses) enable students to complement their chosen major with useful marketing knowledge and real-world application to broaden their vocational prospects after Luther.

We offer three areas of concentration:

Promotional marketing
Digital marketing
Sports marketing

I credit my current position in global brand, marketing, and communications to the invaluable relationships I forged at Luther and the people who supported me. I am excited to connect with current students and explore their passions and interests as they navigate their paths beyond college.

Jim Kowitz ’03

Global Brand, Marketing and Communications, at EY

One of the most impactful experiences I had at Luther was an internship with Rendered Unique, a local business. That hands-on experience gave me early exposure to real-world marketing. Luther’s liberal arts environment also shaped me into a well-rounded thinker and communicator.

Linnea (Carlson) Rahlf ’20

Senior Account Executive, Hughes Agency, Greenville, South Carolina

Careers and Outcomes

The marketing major will prepare you for successful entry into a variety of marketing careers for both profit-bearing and non-profit organizations. Many Luther alumni have found success in marketing, including in the career fields and organizations listed here.