Making the decision to start your IMC or DMC graduate degree is the first step toward a successful marketing communications career. But the next major hurdle is to comprehend and plan for the financial commitment. Graduate school is a worth-while investment - here's how to plan for the subsequent costs and commitments, both financial and personal.

At WVU, you get a lot of bang for your buck. Tuition is the same regardless of where you live, and because of the flexible programming, you can...

As an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) student here at West Virginia University, your pursuit of knowledge is supported at every step of the way as you work towards being a successful marketing professional.

Aaliyah Wilkerson, a current IMC student with an undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University (FAMU), fully embraces the "encyclopedia of unlimited marketing and communications information" as she goes through her IMC coursework.

Some of our best students (like Aaliyah!) come...

On Jan. 3, all 435 Representatives and one-third of the U.S. Senate were sworn in as members of the 116^thCongress.

The transition will not likely be a smooth one. A partial federal government shutdown that started at midnight Dec. 22, 2018 — largely over funding levels for a protective wall at our southern border with Mexico – looms over the new Congress. The President would like $5 billion in new funding for the wall and Democrats set sights on a number far less.

"Another year, another reorganization.”

“Did you hear the news? Why are they making this change?”

Cue the eye rolls, deep sighs, grumbling at the water cooler and millions of face-palm emojis flinging back-and-forth across Slack and texts.

People tend to initially see change as something negative. Annoyance, anger and panic don’t have to go hand-in-hand with organizational change, but oftentimes, they do.

If I asked my 18-year-old self if she thought I would earn a master’s degree in Data Marketing Communications (DMC), she likely would have looked at me with a blank stare.

In 2010, the sales, marketing, and technology silos were just that, separate, and not always equal, departments of a business. But today, it is my belief that data-driven marketers are leading the charge in breaking-down these silos by bridging the gaps between departments and by creating a greater depth of opportunities.

My...

Recently, we had a chance to chat with Megan Bayles, a 2017 graduate of the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) program at West Virginia University. She is now the marketing coordinator at Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware. 

Keep reading for a chance to hear Megan's story and to find out why the IMC program at WVU continues to be one of the premier programs in the country.

What is Integrated Marketing Communications? 

Marketing professionals at West Virginia University define Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) as a strategic, collaborative, and promotional business function through which a targeted audience senses consistent, persuasive, and reinforcing brand messaging.

We know that there are many marketing professionals who are interested in learning more about integrated marketing and data-driven communications, and that's why we developed a resource...

People always ask me, “Which do you like best – agency or in-house?” Or, I find myself in talks with a recent graduate who will be on the fence and wants help weighing the pros and cons of each. No one wants to potentially miss anything happening on “the other side.”

Choosing an online graduate degree like the Integrated Marketing Communications or Data Marketing Communications programs provides students with great flexibility to schedule class on their time, wherever they are. However, adjusting to self-paced learning without classroom reminders and amenities can be as much a lesson as the actual coursework.

Marilyn Heywood Paige shares the real-world application of IMC in the agency setting.

Wondering how your IMC program compares to work in the real world? Read on to discover five ways that WVU’s IMC Master’s program will prepare you to succeed in a marketing agency.