Marketing courses that mean business

This article was updated on August 8, 2025.

Kathryn Uhles

Reviewed by Kathryn Uhles, MIS, MSP, Dean, College of Business and IT

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Whether you’re launching a startup, managing an existing business or seeking employment opportunities, marketing skills taught in individual courses can help you hit the ground running. 

The value of business or marketing courses

You don’t always need a degree to qualify for the best jobs or to work on marketing campaigns. The value of business or marketing courses lies in their ability to provide usable knowledge that can be immediately applied in the real world. The courses offer a comprehensive understanding of fundamental principles, strategies and tactics that are crucial for success in today’s competitive business environment. 

For example:

  • A small business or startup could improve its online presence through marketing analytics and SEO.
  • Social media, online communities or marketing in the metaverse can enable the collection of detailed consumer preferences and characteristics.
  • Building work cultures that focus on skill development can improve employee productivity, satisfaction and resilience as well as employee retention.

Business or marketing courses for startups and small businesses

If you own or work for a small business, you may be asked to wear many hats. Workplaces are poised to evolve dramatically away from what they looked like a few decades ago. According to a May 2023 report opens in new window from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average new establishment today employs half as many people as new establishments did 30 years ago.

Another data point underscoring this change is that establishments born in the 2010s employ fewer people at the one-, three- and five-year milestones opens in new window than their 1990s counterparts.

That means many startups and smaller businesses rely on employees to do double- and triple-duty in their roles, with knowledge about business and marketing.

All this leaves plenty of professionals wondering, in the new era of job creation, how they can stay relevant and prepared for new career opportunities. Upskilling may well be the name of the game, and individual courses can be a pathway to doing so. Relatively speaking, they are quick (you can complete a course faster than a degree, for example) and affordable, and they offer skills and knowledge you can apply immediately. Plus, if you pursue a degree later, those courses can often be applied toward it.

Six business and marketing courses to consider

If single courses are the way to go for your immediate goals, here are six business or marketing options at UOPX where you can quickly develop or reinforce skills. 

1.   Product and brand management

Product and brand management refers to overseeing and guiding the development, marketing and positioning of a company’s products or services. It involves strategic planning, market analysis and marketing tactics to promote and manage products or brands effectively. Industries that offer some competitive salaries for marketing managers include technical consulting services, software publishers, and advertising and public relations firms. 

2.   Social media marketing

Social media marketing includes promoting a business through social networks, social media and online advertising.

3.   Search engine optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing webpages to improve their visibility and ranking on search engine result pages. In today’s highly competitive digital landscape, effective SEO strategies can make a significant difference in attracting and retaining valuable website visitors.

4.   Marketing analytics

Marketing analytics allows businesses to make data-driven decisions, optimize marketing campaigns and maximize their return on investment.

5.   Organizational behavior for managers

Understanding organizational behavior is crucial as you grow in your career and step into managerial positions. It provides valuable insights into how individuals, groups and teams behave within an organization. Knowing what motivates employees and understanding their needs allows managers to create a supportive and engaging work environment. 

6.   Inclusive leadership: Diversity in the workplace

A basic understanding of accounting can be beneficial to small business owners. Some courses may include financial auditing, business acumen or how to use financial data for decision-making.

Individual business and marketing courses at University of Phoenix

Of course, not all business and marketing courses are created equal. At UOPX, individual courses opens in new window are designed to offer applicable value and skills. But that’s not all. With more than 650 individual courses available in disciplines like business, IT, nursing, liberal arts, education and healthcare, UOPX provides a pathway to knowledge for virtually anyone committed to lifelong learning.

In accordance with the business and marketing topics previously mentioned, UOPX offers the following:

  • The Product and Brand Management course opens in new window introduces students to this niche and delves into the life cycle of goods and services. (Think conception, production and purchase.) Upon completing this course, students can be ready to design and implement product and brand development strategies that deliver value to consumers. Skills learned: Customer relationship management, marketing strategies, product marketing.
  • The Social Media Marketing course opens in new window offers an introduction to social networks, social media and online advertising techniques. What does that mean exactly? Students learn to identify interactive marketing strategies, study how social media marketing and customer loyalty are connected, and examine the role of content creation and curation for social media. This course also teaches how to analyze opportunities for customization, micropayments, influencer marketing and consumer engagement. Skills learned: Key performance indicators, brand management, social media marketing.
  • The Search Engine Optimization course opens in new window reinforces key concepts relating to SEO and its methodologies. It gives an overview of tools and concepts, including website architecture design, search engine visibility, web analytics tools, keyword search performance and mobile optimization. Skills learned: Strategic planning, web analytics, SEO.
  • The Marketing Analytics course opens in new window reinforces data analysis concepts. It can help students examine methods used to improve market penetration, brand recognition, customer loyalty and overall marketing performance while determining areas for improvement. Skills learned: Marketing analytics, data analysis, marketing materials.
  • The Organizational Behavior for Managers course opens in new window examines organizational behavior theories and elements. Students learn about the relationship between organizational behavior and effective decision-making practices. Skills learned: Organizational culture, organizational behavior, training and development.
  • The Principles of Accounting course opens in new window hones critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which could be applied to multiple jobs and industries. The course reinforces forecasting skills by explaining how financial data informs business decisions. Skills learned: Budgeting, accounting, forecasting.

Here are some other UOPX advantages to consider:

  • UOPX is an accredited university opens in new window where credits earned from an individual course can be applied toward a degree (or transferred to another university, depending on that institution’s policies).
  • Classes are offered online throughout the year for ultimate flexibility. Bachelor’s-level courses last approximately 5 weeks each.
  • Classes are taught by instructors with real-world experience, not just academic knowledge, which means students learn skills that are applicable to their current and future employment.

UOPX works with more than 1,500 organizations opens in new window to help their employees earn degrees at a reduced cost.

Kaleigh Moore

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kaleigh Moore is a full-time freelance writer and consultant specializing in business and software. Her work has appeared in Forbes, Vogue Business, Fast Company, Inc., Entrepreneur and elsewhere. She is also a frequent speaker at conferences and universities and co-hosts a podcast on running a freelance writing business.

Headshot of Kathryn Uhles

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Currently Dean of the College of Business and Information Technology, Kathryn Uhles has served University of Phoenix in a variety of roles since 2006. Prior to joining University of Phoenix, Kathryn taught fifth grade to underprivileged youth in Phoenix.

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