08/08/16 sry/lds
HAYS, Kan. -- Until now, students earning their Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from Fort Hays State University could focus only on marketing. Now, students earning their BBA in marketing have the option to concentrate in business development and sales or digital marketing.

In October 2015, marketing faculty submitted a request to change the program. Included in the request was a certificate in social media marketing for non-majors. The new concentrations and certificate are now available.

"These concentrations will help serve undergraduate marketing majors, Master of Business Administration students and other undergraduate students better by preparing them for high-demand careers," said Dr. Mary Martin, associate professor of management. "Sales is a common career path with many opportunities in almost any industry."

Stated in the request are multiple statistics supporting why sales and digital marketing are a "common career path" and "critical element" of marketing.

"According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, SalesForce estimates that nearly 12.3 percent of all the jobs in the U.S. are full-time sales positions, and over $1 trillion is spent annually on sales forces. Between the years of 2012 and 2022, it is projected that 29,800 new sales manager positions will be created, a growth of 8 percent."

Students who would like to stick with pursuing a general marketing concentration or degree will still have the option to do so.

"FHSU students will have a wide variety of courses to choose from as they study one of the most versatile and dynamic fields of today's business world," said Martin.