Gwendolyn Catchings
(Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA)

 

Abstract: AACSB Standard 8-Curriculum Management and Assurance of Learning (AoL) has a major impact on business program development. It allows for the use of direct measures which include projects, presentations and portfolios as evidence of learning. The consensus is that direct measures that prepare students for real-world experiences will increase learning and aid in their ability to secure employment. The challenge is to “close-the-loop” between what students learn and what the marketing profession needs. Unfortunately, most marketing students see their marketing program as a series of independent marketing courses, and fail to see the interrelationship among the courses and cumulative effect of the knowledge to be gained, thus limiting their understanding of the comprehensiveness of the marketing profession. Like the “running case” found in some textbooks, “Making Marketing Connections” (MMC) seeks to overcome this challenge by using a case and related projects to connect major marketing courses, enhance learning, and increase the employability of the students. This integrated learning approach has application not only for undergraduate marketing programs but for every business program.

 

Key words: critical thinking; AACSB; case studies; project-based learning; portfolios

JEL code: M39