Master of Science in Digital Marketing and Analytics

Thank you for your interest in the Master of Digital Marketing and Analytics program. If you are looking for a career in digital marketing or are a working professional who wants to advance your career, then this degree will be a good fit for you. 

What sets St. Edward’s graduates apart is our Holy Cross mission of educating not only the mind but also the heart. Graduates from our program are prepared to make a difference and take on their world. Plus, you would be earning a degree from an AACSB-accredited business school and a university consistently recognized by US News & World Report as a top-10 university in the West.

Unique to our program, not only will you learn the techniques of digital marketing, but you will also develop the skills to incorporate data analysis into managerial decision-making. The program is designed to meet your needs by having 7-week classes that allow you to earn your degree in 16 months. With small class sizes, you get individual attention from our highly skilled instructors.

St. Edward’s University is a Holy Cross university with a dedicated staff supporting you in the program. In addition, you will form a network with your classmates that will last a lifetime. Being located in Austin, an entrepreneurial and technology hotbed, our degree is in demand by companies in Austin and nationally. Our graduates have found positions at companies such as Dell and Nike.

I encourage you to take a close look at our program. I believe you will find it to be an exciting opportunity that will further your career, preparing you to be a changemaker. If you would like to discuss the program further, do not hesitate to contact me at wpollitt@bagmakerblog.com.  

– Wesley Pollitte, PhD

   Director, MS in Digital Marketing and Analytics

Through our MS in Digital Marketing and Analytics program, you’ll gain the knowledge needed for business intelligence and analytics, digital and social media analytics, statistical analysis, user interface design and digital innovations. 

Experiential education is an integral part of the program. Students run multiple real-life simulations and create and develop multiple marketing plans and strategies based on real companies. When you graduate, you’ll be prepared to: 

• Demonstrate competency in the major areas of digital marketing — search, social, email and mobile marketing — and plan, implement and measure the results of a digital marketing campaign.
• Utilize descriptive and predictive statistics to solve marketing problems and achieve strategic marketing and organizational goals.
• Select, interpret and analyze marketing data and key marketing metrics to improve the marketing process.
• Communicate effectively in both written and oral fashion to obtain support for plans and programs, and then implement marketing campaigns and programs.
• Create and manage, utilizing quality control processes and feedback, an effective digital marketing organization.

Career paths for graduates are varied and may include:

• Digital Marketing Analyst
• Digital Marketing and Analytics Manager
• Director of Digital Marketing and Analytics
• Metrics Analyst, Digital Marketing
• Web Analytics/Conversion Specialist
• Marketing Researcher
• UX Specialist
• SEO and PPC Specialists 

What our graduates say about the program:

Mary Anne Thornton, MSDMA ’22

“My experience with the Digital Marketing and Data Analytics program at St. Edward’s University was outstanding. I gained new skills, built up confidence in established talents, and was stretched and pushed further than I thought I could go by professors and my fellow cohorts. What drew me to St. Ed’s was the faculty’s reputation and the industry certifications as part of the curriculum. I'm glad that I chose St. Edward’s to further my career. I have made lifelong connections that I will treasure greatly.”

Zahra Stavis, MSDMA ’23

“I searched for years for the right graduate program, and this one hit every single note. It was the only program I found that met my full criteria. The coursework included simulations, certifications, statistics, operations, strategy, blogging, and even data mining — the depth of topics covered and the hands-on learning blew my mind.”

Cristina Ramos ’17, MSDMA ’23

After completing my bachelor’s degree at St. Edward’s University, I returned to the hilltop to earn a master’s degree in Digital Marketing and Analytics. This 16-month journey for my master’s was not easy as it was all online and I was also working a full-time job. However, I was able to persevere with the help of my family, friends, professors and especially my classmates. Through this program, I was able to obtain 17 digital marketing certificates, run multiple real-life simulations, and create and develop multiple marketing plans and strategies based on real companies.

Delivered 100% online with a flexible 7-week class schedule, this 30-credit hour program can be completed in as little as 16 months.

Core Courses:

First Semester:

• Digital Marketing Fundamentals – MKTG 6320
• Marketing Data Analytics – MKTG 6322

Second Semester:

• Social Media Marketing – MKTG 6330
• Customer Experience Marketing – MKTG 6338
• Marketing Tools and Technologies – MKTG 6334
• Buyer Behavior Analysis – MKTG 6332

Third Semester:

• Marketing Metrics and Analytics – MKTG 6336
• Model Building and Analysis – MKTG 6344

Fourth Semester:

• Social Media Analytics – MKTG 6342
• Managing the Digital Marketing Organization – MKTG 6350

View and download the Graduate Bulletin PDF.

Detailed Core Course Descriptions:

Digital Marketing Fundamentals – MKTG 6320

The course provides a strategic marketing foundation for understanding the principles of digital marketing and analytics, including the process of aligning digital marketing techniques to marketing strategy and overall organizational strategy, and assessing the ROI of marketing initiatives on the overall strategy and financial outlook of an organization. The course includes managing the processes for search, social media, email and content marketing. Throughout, metrics and analytics for driving marketing success will be emphasized. Students will practice digital marketing skills through assignments such as a simulation and a class project. 

Marketing Data Analytics – MKTG 6322

Students will learn the principles of managing a marketing database and the benefits of “big data” versus “small data” or “broad data.” Using case studies and materials from pioneers in the field of data analytics, students will learn how to evaluate, distill, manage, and present information from customer data sets from the perspective of corporate management and strategic decision-making focusing on descriptive statistics and linear regression. 

Prerequisite: MKTG 6320 

Social Media Marketing – MKTG 6330

This course focuses on brand management with social media. In this course, students will learn how to manage a brand on social media and how to create a social media strategy and campaign with a focus on analytics. The theoretical framework proposed for social media will guide students through tactical implications. Students will learn to utilize social media frameworks to leverage tactics and content for social media marketing in a specific industry. Topics discussed include: the importance of influencers, the benefits of listening, customer personas, privacy, determining which analytics are important, how to track them, and defining and measuring success. 

Prerequisite: MKTG 6320 

Buyer Behavior Analysis – MKTG 6332

This course is designed to develop the student’s knowledge and understanding of buyer behavior in consumer and business markets. Course material will focus on the current application of buyer behavior and marketing strategy within the marketing discipline. Students will be expected to completely understand how to use current digital marketing analysis tools to develop insights into consumer behavior. 

Prerequisite: MKTG 6320, MKTG 6322 

Marketing Tools and Technologies – MKTG 6334

The course is an introduction to business functions using digital marketing technology such as Tableau and HTML and information systems such as CRM and Demand Generation Systems. Topics include the different functions and applications of digital technologies and how these technologies have changed business and consumer practice and impacted the process of business management. Emphasis is on the use of digital technology, the impact of artificial intelligence in a company’s existing market mix, and current and potential uses of these technologies for marketing tactics and strategies. 

Prerequisite: MKTG 6320 

Marketing Metrics and Analytics – MKTG 6336

Marketing analytics is a broad and multidimensional field that employs many techniques to find meaningful patterns within data and facilitate its transformation into actionable information. This course will explore the concepts and tools to manage and utilize a market information system in the context of the online analysis of the information available from various digital marketing analysis tools. Certification in web analytics tools will be covered as applicable. 

Prerequisite: MKTG 6320 

Customer Experience Marketing – MKTG 6338

This course focuses on managing all aspects of the customer experience in both the consumer and business marketing contexts using portfolio and life cycle analysis as its organizing frameworks. Topics covered include: B2B demand generation, content marketing, CRM, and multi-channel marketing. Software related to the management of the customer life cycle will be utilized. Appropriate tools will be integrated into the course material. 

Prerequisite: MKTG 6320

Social Media Analytics – MKTG 6342

Social media analytics focuses on the application of social networking tools and methods in the marketing of digital media enterprises and the related analytical tools available to measure the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of web-based programs. The main emphasis will be on the use of social networks and the use of web analytics tools. The goal of this course is to provide the student with an in-depth understanding of the application of social networks and web-based analytics as business tools for the digital enterprise. 

Prerequisites: MKTG 6320, MKTG 6330 

Model Building and Analysis – MKTG 6344

Advanced model building covering such topics as segmentation and clustering, social sentiment analysis and logistic regression for response modeling. The focus will be on using current technology to build and compare models. Topics such as lifts, gains and other marketing outcomes will be emphasized. The impact of artificial intelligence and other relevant technologies on model development will be explored. Prerequisite: MKTG 6320, MKTG 6322 

Managing the Digital Marketing Organization – MKTG 6350

The course is a culminating experience that focuses on the organizational and managerial challenges in implementing an analytics-based organization. Emphasis is on how to organize for big data and data analysis, and how to use customer lifecycle analysis for resource allocation and KPI analysis in the marketing context. As a test case, students will learn how to plan, implement and measure the results of an integrated digital marketing campaign using commercially available software. 

Prerequisites: MKTG 6330, MKTG 6320

Throughout the Digital Marketing and Analytics program, you’ll have the option to expand your knowledge, skills and credentials by pursuing certificates and mastering technologies that make you stand out in the marketplace.

Certifications:

• Hootsuite: Social Media
• Hootsuite: Platform
• Google: Search Ads
• Google: Analytics
• HubSpot: Inbound Marketing
• HubSpot: Content Marketing
• IBM Big Data Badge
• SEMRUSH: SEO Fundamentals
• SEMRUSH: Keyword Research
• Stukent: Certified Digital Marketer

Technologies:

• SPSS 
• WordPress
• Excel
• Tableau
• Node XL
• Mail Chimp/HubSpot CEM

Kyle Allison, PhD

Adjunct Professor 

Kyle Allison earned his Doctorate of Business Administration from California Intercontinental University. He also has an MBA from Amberton University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Texas. Allison is a senior executive in the e-commerce, digital marketing and retail industry. With over 15 years of digital marketing experience, he has worked for major retail corporations, including Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods and The Exchange. Allison leads digital marketing teams over analytics, creative, strategy, web development, copywriting and more. He drives digital marketing strategies focused on consumer-centric marketing and Omnichannel execution.

Allison enjoys teaching in the Digital Marketing and Analytics program because he understands the value it provides in educating and training future professionals in this field. Being an executive practitioner, he sees first-hand gaps in the market for qualified digital marketers and digital marketing analysts. He is thrilled and humbled to be a professor in this program, and he is dedicated to guiding and mentoring students to drive value in their industries in digital marketing and analytics. 

Alan Christopher, PhD

Adjunct Professor

Alan Christopher received his PhD from Northcentral University. In addition, he earned an MBA from Baylor University and an MS in Marketing with a graduate certificate in Social Media from Southern New Hampshire University. He received his undergraduate degrees in Geology and Psychology from Rice University. Christopher says he likes St. Edward’s because of the great students and the very welcoming DEIJ policy that is part of the fabric of the university. 

Juli James, PhD

Adjunct Professor

Juli James received her PhD from the University of South Wales, UK.  Her research focuses looking at how marketing technologies can enhance strategies that help high-tech companies go to market successfully. She is a passionate Management of Portfolios (MOP) practitioner and thought leader. Her passion for research, data, and understanding customer journeys led her to pursue a PhD. Her experience ranges from marketing automation to digital marketing to training and process documentation. 

James brings a unique perspective and skillset to dynamic companies and teams that require experienced, data-driven guidance. She loves to teach at St. Edwards as it means that she can have students learn practical, hands-on skills that are relevant to today’s marketing practitioners, and the Digital Marketing and Analytics program is one of the few graduate programs that teaches these skills (CRM, marketing automation, vendor management).

James currently works as a senior marketing operations manager at 6sense, an AI Revenue Tech organization. 6sense Revenue AI helps B2B organizations achieve predictable revenue growth by putting the power of AI, big data and machine learning behind every member of the revenue team. 

Adesegun Oyedele, PhD

Associate Professor

Adesegun Oyedele is an associate professor of Marketing at St. Edward's. He has an MBA from the University of Wales (Cardiff Business School) and an MS in business information systems from Central Michigan University. He received his PhD in Marketing from The University of Texas–Rio Grande Valley, alongside a certificate from the MIT Digital Marketing Analytics Executive Program. His current research interests are focused on marketing-technology integration, with specific reference to digital marketing, global marketing and entrepreneurship. Oyedele's research, published in journals such as the Journal of Services Marketing and the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, contributes significantly to the understanding of digital marketing platforms and e-commerce.

Oyedele's journey into academia began at St. Cloud State University teaching digital marketing, integrated marketing communication and international marketing. This background laid the foundation for his expertise in digital marketing and analytics, enhanced through graduate coursework, industry practice, teaching, self-training, collaborative research and knowledge sharing. With years of experience in designing and teaching both undergraduate and graduate digital marketing courses, he specializes in startup business models, integrated marketing communication and digital branding, and international entrepreneurship. His passion for real-world project integration into coursework has made his classroom a model for experiential learning.

Oyedele values teaching and research at St. Edward’s due to its commitment to shared values, sustainability and AI literacy, which is enhanced by being part of an AACSB-accredited business school and the dynamic Austin community. The AACSB accreditation signifies a standard of excellence in business education, supporting the university’s advanced and dynamic digital marketing and analytics curriculum that emphasizes experiential learning and prepares students for immediate industry engagement upon graduation.  

Wesley Pollitte, PhD

Associate Professor 

Wes Pollitte earned a PhD in Marketing from Michigan State University. He also holds master’s degrees in International Business from Wayne State University and Automotive Engineering from Kettering University. He received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Michigan. Pollitte is currently the director of the Digital Marketing and Analytics program and serves as chair of the Marketing, Operations and Analytics Department. Prior to entering academia, Pollitte worked for 20 years in the aerospace and automotive industries. He enjoys teaching at St. Edward’s because of the small class sizes and the ability to get to know the students. The university’s focus on teaching allows him to have an impact on students. 

Carol Portillo, PhD

Adjunct Professor

Carol Portillo earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from New Mexico State University. In 2017, she completed her Doctorate in Business Technology Management (PhD) from Northcentral University. Her dissertation topic was “The Online Consumer: An Examination of Gender, Age, Income, and Education as Determinants of Online Repurchasing.” She continues to research consumer behavior and online and offline retailing. Portillo has over 20 years of experience in the high-tech industry at Dell Technologies as a marketing program manager and is currently at AMD where she focuses on global brand marketing.

Portillo began her teaching career at St. Edward’s in 2006 and left in 2009 after being relocated. She returned to the hilltop in 2021 after completing her doctorate. She says she fell in love with St. Edward’s from the first time she set foot on campus. She loves the tradition, the architecture, but most of all the students, faculty and staff. Her excitement and passion for marketing continue to grow. As the Internet impacts our abilities to collect, analyze and use data to make fast and intelligent decisions, digital marketing and analytics have become paramount to the success of companies. 

Chandra Srivastava, PhD

Adjunct Professor 

Chandra Srivastava is the chief marketing officer at Calque, Inc., an innovative mortgage company. She received BA degrees in Economics and History from The University of Texas at Austin and earned her PhD in Marketing at the university’s McCombs School of Business. As a researcher, Srivastava likes to focus on leadership dynamics and what factors influence top management teams’ (TMT) approach to marketing strategy. Her articles have been published in leading journals such as the Journal of Marketing and the International Journal of Research in Marketing.  

When asked why she likes teaching at St. Edward's, Chandra says, "We have an incredibly diverse body of students that come from all walks of life and bring rich perspectives and insights into the classroom discussions." During part of her free time, Srivastava enjoys serving as a marketing advisor to start-ups.

Debra Zahay-Blatz, PhD

Professor 

Debra received her PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also holds a Juris Doctor from Loyola University and an MBA from Northwestern University. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Zahay-Blatz is an accomplished author, having co-authored the fourth edition of Internet Marketing: Integrating Online and Offline Strategies in a Digital Environment, and authored Digital Marketing Management: A Handbook for the Current (or Future) CEO, including a number of articles in academic journals. She owns a consulting firm and is active in the industry. She has been teaching at St. Edward’s University since 2015 in the undergraduate program and MS in Digital Marketing and Analytics program.

At $36,000, a Master of Science in Digital Marketing and Analytics degree is a smart investment. The skills acquired in this program will position you for a career in digital marketing. Tuition* includes all course fees but does not include books, comprehensive fees or other course materials. Once accepted to the program, you are required to submit a $500 non-refundable tuition deposit. Deposits are applied toward tuition and secure your place in the upcoming class.

*Tuition is subject to change at the discretion of the St. Edward’s University Board of Trustees.

Financial Aid

The St. Edward’s University Financial Aid Office provides information about financial aid opportunities available to graduate students. Please visit our Financial Aid page or call us at (512) 387-3110 if you are interested in additional details.

To apply for the program, students are required to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and complete the application process. For application dates and to submit an application, please go to the Graduate Application Page. 

Need more information? Please contact an Enrollment Counselor at (512) 326-7501.