The Online IMC Program at West Virginia University

The Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) program offered by West Virginia University is the first IMC master's degree program in the world available exclusively online. The program provides students worldwide the opportunity to earn a graduate degree in IMC. Designed to meet the needs of busy working professionals, the IMC program blends the flexibility of completing a master's degree online regardless of geographic location and professional/personal commitments, education in an innovative and cutting-edge discipline sought by employers and taught by successful practitioners in the industry, and the reputation of a respected major university.

Quick Facts About WVU's IMC Program

• The program is fully online. No on-campus attendance or residency period is required.
• Faculty members hold advanced degrees and are leading professionals in their respective fields.
• Students can earn a master's degree in less than two years.
• Over 250 students and 40 faculty members are actively associated with the IMC program, representing nearly 40 states and numerous countries.
• The IMC program is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is offered by the ACEJMC-accredited P.I. Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University.

So, What Is IMC?

IMC Defined
Due to societal changes over the past 50+ years, today's marketers are being forced to adjust their strategies. Not surprisingly, many have turned to integrated marketing communications (IMC). Why? Old assumptions about the role of advertising, promotion and media have fallen by the wayside. Thoughts about how agencies should be organized have been turned upside-down. And advertisers, agencies and the media are scrambling to accommodate their new roles.

Clow and Baack (2004) define IMC as: "The coordination and integration of all marketing communication tools, avenues and sources within a company into a seamless program that maximizes the impact on consumers and other end users at a minimal cost."

Coordination. Integration. Seamless. Maximizes Impact. Minimal Costs. These are the most important concepts found in Clow and Baack's definition, and they are at the heart of IMC.

IMC Rising
Some observers think that so long as a company is involved in a variety of promotional activities (e.g., advertising, sponsorships, PR), it is practicing IMC. But this is not the case. Using IMC means looking at the whole, where there were once only parts. It calls for re-aligning communications and seeing things the way the consumer sees them -- as a constant flow of information from indistinguishable sources.

IMC rose in popularity when marketers began to understand the need for strategically integrated messages as opposed to disjointed communications. By carefully coordinating their efforts, companies realized they could avoid duplicate messages, capitalize on the synergy among promotional tools and create more effective marketing programs. In fact, proponents of IMC claim it's one of the simplest ways for a company to maximize return on investment (ROI) for their marketing dollars.

IMC in Action
Who practices IMC? Federal Express. Hewlett-Packard. CIGNA. Dow Chemical. Fidelity Investments. The list is long and getting longer.

IMC Degree
Obtain the most desired degree in the industry today, from the first institution to offer it exclusively online. The IMC program at WVU has been educating industry professionals online since 2003, before any other college or university.

Our Students

Most IMC students work full-time while earning their degrees. They represent virtually every industry and are located in most major markets. Students and graduates of this program are well-equipped to lead consumer and business-to-business firms, financial service companies, publishers, government, non-profits, the arts and the media.

IMC Program Curriculum

The IMC master's degree is earned through successful completion of 13 courses (each course is 3 credit hours, totaling 39 credit hours required for graduation). Students take the pre-requisite course, IMC-610, seven core courses, four electives, and then the capstone course, IMC 636.

Most IMC students earn their degree within two and a half years. For motivated students, it is possible to earn a degree in as little as 16 months.

The IMC graduate program is committed to remaining flexible to student scheduling needs. A student may request a leave of absence from the program to attend to pressing matters in his/her business or personal life, if necessary.

Information

If you are interested in this school and would like to find out more, please Request Information from West Virginia University - Online.