Light in the jungle of courses for marketing people

It is not easy to find the right training in the jungle of courses. BY NICOLE WUNNERLICH-SEILER*Whoever aspires to a degree in marketing today must first fight their way through a jungle of diverse options. From a three-day marketing course to a master's degree, anything is possible. Since the implementation of the Bologna reform, the market for education and training has been shaken up considerably.What are the differences between the various courses at the tertiary level? What qualifications and competencies do successful graduates acquire? What admission criteria are required? What kind of time commitment should be expected?Federal diploma - professional examinationMarketing specialists develop marketing concepts and activities for products as well as services and implement them with specialists from other fields.The requirements for a federal certificate in marketing have changed little. A completed apprenticeship or degree and a few years of professional experience allow entry into the preliminary course "MarKom", which lasts several months. The MarKom certificate examination, which is compulsory for all students, prepares them for the marketing specialist course. This part-time course lasts 12 to 18 months. In 2010, according to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, 604 federal certificates of competency for marketing specialists were issued.Federal diplomas - higher professional examinationsMarketing managers can independently develop marketing concepts and ensure the realization of marketing measures in a managerial capacity. Several years of marketing experience as well as experience in a managerial function are prerequisites for this higher professional examination. However, a federal certificate is not a prerequisite. This course, which is also part-time, lasts two years. According to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, 64 federal diplomas for marketing managers were awarded in 2010.The Swiss Marketing Club (SMC) regulates and supervises these federal examinations for the professional certificates as well as the diplomas.There are separate courses for communications professionals. Swiss Advertising SW organizes the professional examination for communication planners and the higher professional examination for communication managers.Degrees of the higher technical colleges (HF)The three-year Marketing Manager HF course has been offered by the colleges since 2008. After a rather slow start, the course is becoming increasingly popular. Compared to university graduates, whose education is scientifically oriented, graduate marketing managers HF take care of the implementation with their education and professional experience. They are generalists in marketing with broad, networked and action-oriented professional and management skills. The admission requirements are comparable to those for the Swiss Federal Diploma of Marketing, but without the prior course requirement.In addition, a large number of postgraduate studies HF (NDS HF) are now offered. These usually last 12 to 18 months. They enable students to deepen their specialist and management skills and to specialize, for example in online marketing. The NDS HF are aimed at specialists and managers who want to deal with planning, leadership and communication as well as current marketing-oriented trends. The courses at the Höhere Fachschulen are part-time, so that a workload of 80 to 100 percent can be maintained.Marketing specialists with a federal certificate of proficiency are given direct access to the postgraduate studies HF. Marketing managers HF have the possibility to enter a higher semester of the bachelor studies at the universities of applied sciences. Depending on professional experience, a Master of Advanced Studies can also be pursued directly. This is of course also possible with a higher technical examination.Bachelor and Master of the Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS)A wide range of bachelor's and master's degree programs in marketing are offered at Swiss universities of applied sciences. Studying for a bachelor's degree creates the conditions for graduates to succeed in the job market as qualified professionals with the potential for management positions. Prospective students of a bachelor's degree program need a vocational baccalaureate or a high school diploma. All study achievements at universities of applied sciences as well as at universities are nationally and internationally comparable by means of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). For a bachelor's degree, students need at least 180 ECTS points, which they usually achieve in a three-year full-time or a four-year part-time program. After the bachelor's degree, knowledge can be deepened and broadened in a master's program. These consecutive master's programs (training master's) combine practice-relevant content with solid scientific research.The range of Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) has increased steadily in recent years. This part-time two-year continuing education program is aimed at experienced professionals who have completed a university degree and wish to acquire in-depth knowledge in a specialized field. Upon completion, students receive a federally recognized title from the respective university as well as 60 ECTS points. The MAS are divided into three Certificates of Advanced Studies (CAS). A Master's thesis must also be written for graduation. It is also possible to complete only individual CAS.Development of education and training for marketersThe schools that offer the professional examination for marketing specialists are seeing a trend toward declining student enrollments. In contrast, the number of prospective marketing managers HF is increasing. The number of students for the postgraduate courses of the higher technical colleges has also increased. This is also due to the fact that new HF postgraduate courses are coming onto the market. At the universities of applied sciences, the numbers are also clear. From 2002 to 2012, in the field of business and services, the stock of students has increased by 100%. This is shown by the scenarios for the education system within the framework of a study by the Federal Statistical Office.Future students are well advised to be aware of their own goals in order to choose the courses that are suitable for them. Further information:Professional examinations and highertechnical examinations in marketing:                                                     www.swissmarketing.chHigher technical schools:                                                                www.hfw.ch/schulen.htmlUniversities of Applied Sciences:                                                                     www.fachhochschulen.net------------------------*Nicole Wunnerlich-Seiler is a student at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Master of Advanced Studies in Marketing and Management of Services).