Best Degrees in Digital Marketing

Digital marketing degree programs are hard to implement well.  The field is constantly evolving and digital marketing really requires practical knowledge and experience, rather than just understanding theory.  Since digital marketing is the fastest growing marketing field and can have a huge impact on business, I decided to put together a list of the best options of the available degrees in digital marketing.

•  U of M - Dearborn
• Pros
• 4 year, BBA degree
• Hands-on, experienced based approach
• Many required digital marketing courses, including Digital Consumer Search & Marketing (MKT 363) and Digital Analytics and Content (MKT 463)
• Small class sizes lead to good opportunity for internships and relationships with professors
• Student projects include real world examples of ranking pages on Google
• Teaches integrated marketing for full effect of digital marketing efforts
• Cons
• Brand new as of this semester
• More expensive than some of the other options
• Overview
• Even though U of M - Dearborn's digital marketing degree program is brand new, it is a good option for students looking into digital marketing.  This program is well designed and teaches, in detail, about the various aspects of digital marketing.  Students will gain a deep understanding of digital marketing and where the field is going.  You can follow this marketing program on their Facebook page.
• NYU SCPS
• Pros
• Self-paced and can be finished in one semester, if desired
• Incorporates integrated marketing strageties
• A total of six courses including Digital Strategy, Web Analytics, Search Engine Marketing, and three digital marketing based electives
• Available on campus and online
• Cons
• Certificate, not a degree
• Requires prior marketing experience or degree
• Overview
• This digital marketing program is the best option for students who already have prior marketing experience and are looking to enter the digital realm.  This certificate doesn't have the same internship opportunities as U of M - Dearborn's program, but students will get the same education.
•  IE Business School
• Pros
• 13 month long course
• MBA program
• World renowned faculty members
• Broken down into two periods, each of which have face-to-face time and online time
• Study abroad in their Madrid campus
• Students will partake in real life case studys
• Visits to digital marketing agencies and companies help students gain a 360 degree view of digital marketing
• Students will work on a project to launch a new digital marketing idea for a company
• Cons
• The traveling required for this course is expensive
• The program is a Master's program, so a prior degree is required
• Fairly selective on who is accepted into the program
• Overview
• This digital marketing degree program is one of the best available.  If you can afford to take 13 months off for intensive learning and traveling, this may be the best option for you.  Students will gain the same deep level of understanding as the other two programs with the fun experience of traveling and working with real digital marketing companies.  You can get a good look at the student experiences with their student blog.

So which one is best?  Well that depends on what you are looking for in the degree.  If you are looking to get a 4 year, BBA degree in digital marketing, U of M - Dearborn is the best option for you.  If you have experience in the marketing field, but a looking to gain quick access into digital, then the certificate at NYU is best.  If you are looking for a Master's program or studying abroad, then the IE Business School's digital marketing degree program is best for you.  Please note that U of M - Dearborn does have study abroad options, they just are not directly tied to digital marketing.

Social Commerce

Digital marketing degree programs will cover the recent topic of social commerce.  Social commerce is a subset of electronic commerce that involves using social media to assist in the buying and selling of products.  Since so many people use social media, it helps to reach a large audience.  Some examples of social commerce are user-generated content (such as reviews), social shopping tools, social apps, forums and advertising on social media platforms.

Digital marketing degree programs also will cover the closely related topic of Facebook commerce, which is commerce through Facebook itself or through the Facebook Open Graph.