Marketing

 Customize Your Studies 

One Major, Two Options, Endless Opportunities

A degree in Marketing from Roger Williams University offers you two distinct paths of study that will make you stand out to employers and prepare you for a successful career in the field of marketing. Either path you choose will lead you to a great career. And because the Gabelli School is accredited by AACSB International, you are assured of the highest quality business education. Only 5% of business schools worldwide hold this elite accreditation.

Communication Track

If you are interested in a career in consumer-facing marketing such as advertising and brand management, this track will help you build a strong set of communication skills and develop professional expertise. You’ll explore how brands are built and what makes brands resonate with consumers. You will learn how to craft a strong brand identity that drives effective advertising and powerful marketing content.

Analysis Track

If you select this track, you will learn how to plan and conduct market research as well as how to analyze and report the results. You will develop both quantitative and qualitative research skills, using the tools and techniques employed by professionals. You’ll learn how to ask good questions and how to probe for deeper insights into consumers’ minds. Projects with companies, non-profits and community organizations prepare you to pursue a variety of career paths.

Meet with a faculty advisor to discuss which path is right for you. Or take electives from both the communication and analysis tracks to explore the right fit before you decide.

The Marketing major is designed to prepare students for careers in a variety of areas, including:

• Advertising and Public Relations 
• Digital/Social Media Marketing
• Marketing Research
• Brand/Product Management
• Retail and Fashion Merchandising
• Sales and Sales Management
• Non-Profit Marketing
• Sports Marketing

Combine Your Passions

Over 80% of RWU students graduate with more than a single major. Business students take advantage of our breadth of programs, choosing from 50 majors and 70 minors, including Modern Languages, Dance, Public Health, Graphic Design, Psychology, and more.  

Challenge Yourself at National Competitions

Our students put their business strategies to the test and build real-world skills at prestigious regional and national advertising and analytics competitions. In the past few years, our teams have consistently placed among the top teams throughout the region and the nation.

Students competing in the National Student Advertising Competition research a business issue from a real company, create original marketing strategies and pitch a fully integrated advertising campaign to a panel of industry professionals.

At the Association for Information Systems’ national collegiate analytics challenge, students crunch actual data sets and present their ideas for solving a business problem.

Learn from Faculty Experts

Geraldo Matos, Ph.D. 
Associate Professor of Marketing 

Professor Matos teaches courses in Marketing, Sports Marketing, and Advertising. His research interests involve a wide range of brand-related issues, including self-brand connection, brand attachment, cool brands, and the politicization of brands. 

He is the faculty advisor for the RWU American Advertising Federation (AAF) chapter, and his students have successfully participated in the AAF sponsored National Student Advertising Competition, having placed in the top three every year in which they participated, including a first-ever first place finish for RWU in 2020. 

Prior to joining academia, Professor Matos had extensive experience in the private sector, including the position of Senior Vice President of Marketing for New Era Cap, best known as the official on-field cap for Major League Baseball and the sideline cap for the National Football League.  

Alumni Share Their Experiences

The skills and experience acquired by our business majors offer many opportunities in the workforce. Graduates have gone on to work as CEOs of major corporations, chief marketing officers, account managers, market researchers, creative strategists, brand strategists, media planners, social media marketers, and to open their own successful businesses.

"I tried to take advantage of all the extra things that Roger offered. I’m the public relations chair for the College Democrats and the public relations chair for the RWU American Advertising Federation chapter. I wanted to use that experience to develop my marketing portfolio outside of class work."

Julia McGettigan ’22
MBA 4+1 Program at RWU, Bristol, R.I.
More: Initially Undecided, Double Major Says MBA is Next

“Professor (Geraldo) Matos was a guiding light during my time at Roger. I did independent research with him on Eurocentric beauty standards and how they are marketed to women of color. He helped me thrive in business school.” 

Lindsey Lopez '18
Senior Human Resources Assistant at Amazon in San Diego, Calif. 

“Marketing is such an umbrella term, and I was able to find what I truly loved through all the different types of marketing classes that they have at RWU. The marketing department really helped me find my niche.”

Brianna Smith '16
Director of Communications & Civic Engagement for Town of Manchester, Conn.
More: Finding Her Marketing Niche