Non-business students are making their way to the College of Business at Florida International University (FIU) to take advantage of two new minors being offered by the Department of Marketing. Minors in “Social Media and E-Marketing Analytics” and “Professional Sales” are now available to FIU students in all non-business colleges and majors.
Giving students skills for real-world communication is the goal of the Social Media and E-Marketing Analytics minor.
“E-marketing and social media have changed the way companies do business and this minor gives students an added plus when they explore career opportunities,” said faculty member Maria Garcia. “It’s not just about using Facebook or Twitter. This new landscape requires a new set of skills and competencies in order to use social media to engage customers, and to apply analytical tools for better decision-making in the marketing mix.”
Courses in this new minor are Marketing Management; E-Marketing; Social Media and E-Marketing Design; and Database Marketing.
Professional Sales is answering robust career needs.
“Research shows that more than 50 percent of college graduates enter a career in sales,” said Nancy Rauseo, senior lecturer in the Department of Marketing. “The opportunities for sales careers far outnumber those in any other area and this new Professional Sales minor gives non-business students real-world specialized training.”
Melissa Ramirez, an advertising major who is one of dozens of students starting the sales minor program this fall, agrees.
“Regardless of where advertising takes me, I need to know how to sell,” she said. “Already I am learning so much about relationship marketing, business-to-business selling and other relevant areas.”
A certificate in Sales and Customer Relationship Management has been available for six years, but this fall is the first time a minor in Professional Sales is available to non-business students. Courses for the Professional Sales minor include Marketing Management, Personal Selling, Sales Management and Business-to-Business Selling.
As a result of the new minor, the FIU Sales Club, which offers outstanding opportunities to all FIU students through corporate visits and competitions, is attracting new members.
