Your Questions, Answered

Unlike MBA programs, which provide a broader, more comprehensive foundation in business and leadership, our Master of Management, Marketing Analytics program is designed to allow students to dive into their graduate studies with a more defined focus. The curriculum is heavily geared towards coursework in marketing and analytics, helping students develop a strong and unique skill set that is in high demand among employers. Earning a degree through our Master of Management, Marketing Analytics program is comparable to earning a degree through other types of specialized master’s degree programs, such as an MS in Marketing Analytics program.

Read more: What Exactly Is a Master of Management Degree? (And How Is It Different Than an MBA?) 

We expect working professional students to be able to complete the program within two to three years. The actual time to completion depends on how many credit hours a student takes each semester as well as whether they take courses in the summer.  Students who take six credit hours every term will be able to finish in two years.  

Sometimes life happens to working professional students; there can be new family members or new job challenges. Our program offers a lot of flexibility. Students can vary their credit hours from semester to semester; they also can take a leave of absence.  The Graduate School at NC State does require all masters students to complete their degree within six years.  

All of the courses needed for the degree will be available online.  

Students in the program will have access to evening classes. Typically these classes meet once a week at our RTP campus from 6 to 8:45 p.m.  

This degree is currently offered as a part-time program and we do not offer a full-time option.

Students will have access to an academic advisor and to a career coach.

The GMAT or GRE are not required.

There is no work experience requirement. Admissions decisions will be based on academic potential and the fit between the student’s background and what the program has to offer. The admissions committee will view applicants with experience in analytics or marketing favorably. However, the committee will also be open to candidates who have a strong academic achievement record that demonstrates the potential to excel.

Yes, earned credits can be used toward the MBA. The Working Professional MBA is a 40 hour degree program; 12 credit hours may be counted toward the MBA, subject to approval by an academic advisor. Applicants must understand that completion of the Master of Management program does not guarantee admission to the MBA.

Admission takes place in both the fall and the spring.

Application fees are waived for all US military members.

Application fee waivers may also be available for U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents with financial need. Please send your request to Dr. David Shafer, Assistant Dean at the Graduate School, at dmshafer@ncsu.edu and include an explanation of your economic circumstances.

Applicants who are denied admission are allowed to reapply.  Denied applicants should seek feedback from the admissions committee regarding how to put together a stronger case for their admission.

NC State accepts up to 12 transfer credits.  The credits need to correspond very closely with NC State courses and the grades need to be B or higher.

Students should expect to pay for course materials such as texts and cases.  They also must have a computer that is capable of storing and manipulating large data sets.

Classes are open only to students who have been admitted to graduate degree or certificate programs in the Jenkins Graduate School of Management.

There will be an online orientation to prepare new students about the tools they will be using in their classes and to prepare them for the classwork ahead.

To be eligible for admission to graduate study at NC State, all non-US citizen applicants (i.e., non-resident aliens and permanent residents) must demonstrate proficiency in English at a level necessary to be successful in a graduate program at NC State. This requirement can be met for most applicants in one of the following ways; however, some programs may require additional evidence of English proficiency:

1. Provide Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a total score of at least 80 on the Internet-based Test (iBT), and with minimum test scores for each section of:
   1. Listening – 18 points
   2. Reading – 18 points
   3. Writing – 18 points
   4. Speaking-
      1. 18 points for admission
      2. 23 points for TA appointment where TA has direct verbal interactions with students,
      3. 26 points for TA appointment where TA presents lectures in the class or laboratory
      4. NOTE: The current computer- and paper-based versions of the TOEFL test will be given until the iBT version is implemented in a particular location. Computer-based TOEFL scores must be 213 or higher (with at least 17 on three sections and no section score below 13). The paper-based test requires a score of 550 or higher (with scores of 50 on at least two of the three sections and no section score below 45).
2. Provide International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores with an overall band score of at least 6.5. Minimum test scores for each section are listed below:
   1. Listening – 6.5
   2. Reading – 6.5
   3. Writing- 6.5
   4. Speaking – 6.5 for admission; 7.0 for TA appointment
3. Provide Duolingo with a total score of 110 or better.
4. Be a citizen of a country where English is the official language and the language of instruction in higher education
5. Have successfully completed at least one year of full-time study in a degree program at a regionally accredited four-year US College or university.

TOEFL or IELTS test scores must be no older than two years (24 months) prior to the beginning of the requested entry term.