Marketing is contextual. Thus, the challenge of marketing is as much in understanding the concepts as it is in applying the concepts to real-world problems. Our Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) program offers numerous marketing projects in which students can gain hands-on experience in marketing. The ELI course involves teams of 4-5 students working on semester-long consulting projects. Many of these projects deal with core marketing issues such as product management, branding strategy, e-commerce, customer relationship management, and emerging markets. Clients range from Fortune 500 companies to medium and small-size firms and include startups.
The Marketing Group has a close working relationship with Purdue's Burton Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship. Most of the startup company projects are sponsored by the Burton Morgan Center. Marketing students working on these projects gain valuable experience collecting primary and secondary market research data and assisting the startups with market sizing, technology assessment, and identifying competitive landscape.
The Marketing Group also organizes and subsidizes a variety of global study trips that provide students with a direct exposure to the unique challenges and opportunities of doing business in today’s global economy. The study abroad trips, to countries such as India, Southeast Asia, China, and France, complement Krannert’s marketing curriculum. The coursework provides students an understanding of the global forces and global connections critical to tomorrow’s leaders.
Finally, Krannert offers several opportunities for students to network with business professionals, and also to integrate and apply their classroom learning in actual market settings. The Krannert Graduate Marketing Association (KGMA) is a student-run marketing club that hosts marketing executives, organizes events such as case competitions, and visits leading companies in Chicago and Indianapolis. KGMA provides students with leadership opportunities and gives them a chance to compete at the national level by participating in various competitions such as the Google Online Marketing Challenge.
TESTIMONIAL
"Krannert has equipped me with the necessary quantitative and qualitative tools to make sound, well-reasoned business decisions. As the Krannert Graduate Marketing Association (KGMA) President, I worked with 58 club members to develop club goals and put together a portfolio of activities that enhanced our learning experience. We hosted activities such as company visits, guest speaker series, case competitions, Google online Marketing Challenge, and many others. By majoring in marketing, I was able to take advantage of many Purdue University resources. Through the Burton Morgan Center of Entrepreneurship, for example, I helped six startup companies develop their marketing initiatives. Last but not least, the Parrish Library subscribes to $4 million worth of databases annually. We can access all the databases for free. This exposed me to various market research reports like Frost & Sullivan, IBIS World, and many more which are a must for every good marketer. Being a Krannert Marketer has been a very rewarding experience. I would strongly recommend the marketing concentration at Krannert to one and all."
- Ketan Pandit, Commercial Marketing Manager, Crane Pumps & Systems, KGMA President, Class of 2014