Total credits with emphasis area
45
Core requirements
9 courses
Emphasis requirements
2 general electives + 3 marketing emphasis courses
Format
Core courses available online or on campus, emphasis area courses on campus (Thousand Oaks)
Next start date
October 26, 2026
As audiences grow more fragmented, marketers must turn to a wider range of tools and tech to reach their customers. Smart marketing strategy draws on analytics, consumer psychology, digital strategy and more. But marketing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Budgets need defending, strategies need buy-in and campaigns need to support business outcomes.
An MBA with a Marketing emphasis area builds the range to do all of it. At California Lutheran University, you’ll get the marketing expertise and the business foundation that turns good marketers into effective leaders.
Marketing Emphasis Course Options
- CRM in the Digital Age
- Sales Management
- Strategic Public Relations
- Strategic Brand Management
- Consumer Behavior
- Advertising Management
- Entrepreneurial Marketing and Selling
- International Marketing
- Advanced Analytics
- Special Topics in Marketing
Visit our curriculum page for a full list of MBA courses or download our brochure.
Request Information
To learn more about the Graduate Degree Programs offered by the Cal Lutheran School of Management and download a brochure, please fill out the form. You can also get in touch with an enrollment specialist directly by calling us at 805-521-9856.
Your Marketing MBA Roadmap
Students who take the MBA with a Marketing emphasis complete 45 credits total. You’ll take your emphasis courses after you complete your core courses.
While the MBA core and capstone courses can be completed online or on campus, marketing emphasis electives are completed on campus in Thousand Oaks.
Who Is the Marketing Emphasis For?
This emphasis area suits marketing professionals who want to move into senior roles, business professionals who work closely with marketing teams and career changers with strong creative or analytical instincts who want to formalize their expertise.
It also works well for entrepreneurs who want to better reach and retain customers.
Where Can an MBA in Marketing Take You?
Earning an MBA with a marketing emphasis suits professionals who want to move up, take on more strategic responsibility or bring sharper marketing thinking to the work they’re already doing.
The emphasis area is a benefit for your own career as much as any product: knowing how to tell a compelling story, reach the right audience and make a case that lands are all skills you’ll use whether you’re marketing a brand or yourself.
A few examples of where an MBA degree with a marketing emphasis can lead:
Frequently Asked Questions: Marketing Emphasis Area
The MBA with a marketing emphasis is the full MBA, with marketing specialization added through four targeted electives. You’ll complete the same core business coursework as your other MBA peers, then use your emphasis courses to focus on marketing.
A master’s in marketing is a fully marketing-focused program. The specifics vary by school, but these programs typically go deeper into the discipline, covering areas like consumer behavior, brand strategy, and research methods, and include little to no general business coursework.
If you’re weighing both options, an enrollment specialist can help you think it through. Call 805-521-9856.
If your goals involve leading a team, owning a budget or influencing business strategy in addition to executing campaigns, the MBA with a Marketing emphasis gives you both the credential and the range.
Marketing expertise matters, but it can make a greater impact when it’s backed by a full understanding of how a business works.
The core and capstone courses can be completed online or you can attend on campus in Thousand Oaks or through a hybrid approach.
Marketing emphasis electives are completed on campus in Thousand Oaks.
Contact an enrollment specialist at 805-521-9856 for more information about the mix of formats.
Yes. The MBA with an emphasis area is available as a part-time or full-time program. If you’re balancing a full-time job or other responsibilities, we recommend taking no more than two courses per term.
Yes. Cal Lutheran offers funding options from internal and external sources, including scholarships, grants, credit reductions, veterans benefits and employer discounts. Visit our financial aid page for details, or call an enrollment specialist at 805-521-9856.
If this is the direction you’ve been looking for, start your application. or talk to an enrollment specialist at 805-521-9856.
