Welcome to the blog for the Master of Science in Digital Marketing and Analytics at St. Edward’s University!

After a long hiatus, we are relaunching the blog for the Digital Marketing and Analytics Master of Science degree.  In future months we will be highlighting what is happening in the classroom and how students are applying what they learn, student success stories,  and general program updates.  I’m the program director for the Master of Science in Digital Marketing and Analytics, Debra Zahay-Blatz, a full professor of marketing here at St. Edward’s University.  My specialty is digital marketing and analytics and I teach and write in this area.  I also teach other academics how to teach digital marketing.

In our program, students learn the basics of digital marketing, search, social, web/mobile design and email marketing and how they fit together.  They also learn analytical tools to evaluate program success. All of this knowledge is explored in the background of a sound business education.  Students learn frameworks, models and theories of marketing that help prepare them for leadership positions in digital marketing and analytics.  Many students have said that the course is not just a ‘how to’ or skills-based program but equips them to operate in a broader managerial context and to make decisions for their organizations.

The Digital Marketing and Analytics Degree at St. Edward’s University encompasses all elements of online marketing from search to social to data and web analytics.

Here are five facts of which you may have been unaware, which also provide a quick update on our program and provide more context.

Fact One: 122 Students have graduated.

We have enrolled over 150 students since our launch in 2018. 122 students have completed the program and graduated. Students take the following  The program takes about eighteen months and is fully online.  We have had students from across the United States, including Puerto Rico.  Several of our domestic students have completed the degree while overseas.  We accept students in the Spring and the Fall and for the most part they move through the courses together, in the same sequence. This flexible program includes the following ten courses to complete the degree:

• MKTG 6320: DM Fundamentals
• MKTG 6322: Marketing Data Analytics
• MKTG 6332: Buyer Behavior Analysis
• MKTG 6344: Model Building & Analysis
• MKTG 6336: Marketing Metrics & Analytics
• MKTG 6330: Social Media Marketing
• MKTG 6342: Social Media Analytics
• MKTG 6334: Marketing Tools & Technology
• MKTG 6338: Customer Experience Marketing
• MKTG 6350: Managing the Digital Marketing Organization

Fact Two:  Students earn eleven certificates in Digital Marketing.

Students graduate with relevant eleven relevant certificates in digital marketing. These  certificates in our program supported by outside vendors, most of whom have academic programs.  We know that employers look for certifications and that helps our students in the marketplace. That also means most of these certifications are free. Here is a short list of the current offerings.

• Google: Search Ads & Analytics
• Hootsuite: Social Media & Platform
• HubSpot: Inbound & Content Marketing
• IBM Big Data Badge
• SEMRUSH: SEO Fundamentals & Keyword Research
• Twitter Flight School Video Badge
• Stukent: Certified Digital Marketer

Fact Three:  We teach both digital marketing and analytics.

Students receive a sound background in not only marketing theory relating to digital marketing but use various analytical software tools and tools to support the digital marketing process the following is a short list of what is currently offered.

• SPSS and SPSS Modeler
• Facebook Blueprint training
• Major SM Platforms
• Marketo Training
• WordPress
• Excel
• Tableau
• NodeXL (social networks)
• MailChimp/HubSpot CRM

In addition, While they are learning online students have access to all the resources of a St. Edward’s University, which is based in Austin, TX, a technology center in the United States. Resources include an extensive online library.  Students also have access to LinkedIn Learning to obtain expertise other tools or concepts that might interest them and add to their value  in the marketplace.

Our online Master of Science degree is based in our beautiful campus in Austin, Texas.

Fact Four: Our faculty all have industry experience.

Our program was designed and is taught by Ph.D. qualified full-time faculty, all with industry experience that informs our teaching. In addition, we have a talented list of instructors from industry to help us out, all with current and relevant work experience.   Our Full-time faculty include me as Program Director, Debra Zahay-Blatz, Dr. Monica Hernandez, our MBA Director, Dr. Chandra Srivastava, our newest marketing faculty member, and our Department Chair, Dr. Wes Pollitte. Among our industry faculty, Dr. Julz James is a leading expert in marketing automation and Dr. Kyle Allison expertly runs an ecommerce operation.  Another outstanding contributor is Dr. Carol Portillo, who brings her extensive industry knowledge from Dell to our classrooms. Dr. Alan Christopher has over 30 years of industry experience which he has leveraged to become an award-winning instructor.

Fact Five:  Our graduates immediately apply what they learn in the program.

Students usually come to us to enhance their current careers or to pivot in the direction of digital marketing.  We recently have had two students able to make the switch to digital marketing and analytics just by being enrolled in the program.  Employers see the value of what we offer and students like being able to apply the classroom knowledge immediately in their work environment.   You can learn more in this video where some of our graduates outline their experiences.

Let me know if you have any questions about this program at dblatz@stedwards.edu.