Integrated Marketing Communications (Graduate Certificate)
- Credential:
- Ontario College Graduate Certificate
- College Code:
- CONS
- School:
- Media & Design
- Program Code:
- 1243
- Accelerated Delivery:
- No
- Campus:
- DO
- Academic Year:
- 2015 / 2016
About the Program
Graduates of the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) program will deal with the needs of business organizations to develop and execute integrated marketing communication plans that inform, motivate, and gain support from their publics and contribute to corporate marketing objectives.This integrated communication process relies on writing clear, targeted communication and IMC strategies and preparing professional print, graphic, and electronic communications. Integrated Marketing Communications graduates will also conduct research with an emphasis on analysis and the strategic marketing implications of advertising, personal selling, public relations, sales promotion, direct marketing and branding.
The importance of professional ethics and practices, professional development, and professional societies in corporate and marketing communication will be emphasized throughout the program. Students enrolled in this program will be expected to join a related professional organization.
Program Information
Length: One-year Ontario Graduate Certificate programDelivery Sequence: Doon (Kitchener) - September/2015 (Open) - Fall | Winter
Location: Doon (Kitchener)
Start: September
First-Year Capacity: 50
Admission Requirements
- Diploma or degree from an accredited college or university in a related field OR two to three (2 - 3) years of related full-time formal work experience
- Preference may be given to applicants with degrees in communications, English, political science, journalism, public relations, and general arts and science programs where course work included marketing and communications.
- Preference may be given to applicants with diplomas in marketing, advertising, public relations, event management, and journalism.
- Related formal work experience may include work as an administrative/junior assistant in a marketing, advertising or public relations firm; or communications responsibilities as part of a wider portfolio within a business or not-for-profit organization.
Note re: Admission Requirements
- Applicants possessing degrees/diplomas from institutions where the language of instruction was not English will be required to provide test scores as evidence of their English language proficiency. Test scores, if required, would be a minimum of TOEFL PBT 580 with a TWE of 4.5 or iBT 88; IELTS 6.5 with no bands less than 6.0; CAEL 70 with no sub-test band scores less than 60; CAAT D at 65%; or equivalent scores in other recognized standard tests of English.
- We offer a language program for students whose English language skills are below the standard required for admission but all other admission criteria have been met. An applicant will be eligible for admission to the graduate certificate program after completion of level 4 of the General Arts and Science - English Language Studies (ELS) program with an overall grade average of 80% and no grade less than 75%. Placement in the ELS program is determined by scores on an in-house English language test or TOEFL or IELTS.
Admission Procedures
- Submit proof of admission requirements.
- Applicants not meeting credential requirements with related full-time formal work experience will require a resume, a letter of reference from an employer and participation in an interview during which writing will be assessed.
- Applicants not meeting credential requirements who are registered at university in year two of a program may be considered for entry into the program.
- Final selection is made following an assessment of the admission requirements.
Tuition & Fees
Tuition fee details for the 2014-2015 year are listed below. Fees for the next academic year are unavailable at this time. Books and supplies are additional.
Domestic FeesEstimated fees based upon the previous academic year (2014 / 2015) for Integrated Marketing Communications (Graduate Certificate) - Program # 1243
| Description | Fall 2014 | Winter 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Student Priority Fee | $47.90 | $47.90 |
| Recreation/Athletics Fee | $66.60 | $66.60 |
| Graduation/Alumni Services Fee | $26.95 | $26.95 |
| Administration Fee | $25.05 | $25.05 |
| Technology Enhancement Fee | $123.46 | $123.46 |
| CSI Capital Development Fee | $55.60 | $55.60 |
| CSI Association Fee | $105.00 | $105.00 |
| CSI - CSA | $4.50 | $4.50 |
| Program Tuition Fee (ACR) | $2500.00 | $2500.00 |
| CSI Health Plan Fee | $255.00 | $0.00 |
| Session Total | $3210.06 | $2955.06 |
Year Total $6165.12
International fee details for the 2014-2015 year are listed below. Fees for the next academic year are unavailable at this time. Books and supplies are additional.
International FeesEstimated International fees based upon the previous academic year (2014 / 2015) for
Integrated Marketing Communications (Graduate Certificate) - Program # 1243
| Description | Fall 2014 | Winter 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| International Program Tuition | $5500.00 | $5500.00 |
| Student Priority Fee | $47.90 | $47.90 |
| Recreation/Athletics Fee | $66.60 | $66.60 |
| Graduation/Alumni Services Fee | $26.95 | $26.95 |
| Administration Fee | $25.05 | $25.05 |
| Technology Enhancement Fee | $123.46 | $123.46 |
| CSI Capital Development Fee | $55.60 | $55.60 |
| CSI Association Fee | $105.00 | $105.00 |
| CSI - CSA | $4.50 | $4.50 |
| ISR | $375.00 | $375.00 |
| International Health Fee | $550.00 | $0.00 |
| Session Total | $6880.06 | $6330.06 |
Year Total $13210.12
Graduate Opportunities
Graduates can expect to find employment in a variety of industries in areas such as marketing communications, brand management, public relations, event planning, corporate communications and direct marketing.92% of 2012-2013 graduates found employment within 6 months of graduation.
For more details on related occupations, job market information and career opportunities, see the Government of Canada website: http://www.workingincanada.gc.ca
Pathways & Credit Transfer
Conestoga pathways enable students to build on their academic achievements in order to earn a degree or additional credential. Pathways are formed through agreements between Conestoga programs or partner institutions. View the transfer agreement opportunities for this program.Often applicants have earned credits from another college or university that may allow a student to be granted advanced standing or exemption. Learn more about credit transfer opportunities at Conestoga.
Program Courses
| Course Code | Course Title and Description |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | |
| ADVT8100 | Advertising for Integrated Marketing Communications
Description: This course explores the principles of advertising and promotion for products and services in business to consumer and business to business markets as a part of integrated marketing communications. An emphasis on both offline and online approaches to planning, implementing and evaluating advertising and promotional activities will prepare students to create balanced and effective plans. Students will be introduced to promotions, point of purchase, direct response, and media planning techniques. Students will have an opportunity to develop an advertising plan for the product or service they develop in marketing class. |
| ADVT8120 | Digital Tools and Analytics
Description: This course will expose students to a variety of industry standard and emerging digital tools and networks used in marketing communications. Students will have the opportunity to explore what various online tools offer and how they complement integrated marketing communications planning and implementation. The business use of social media networks will be assessed as will tools that manage online activity, tracking and analysis. Students will explore topics such as navigation structure, keywords, and technical correctness that enhance website search engine optimization. They will have a chance to try out a variety of tools that support online marketing communications activity such as content management, public relations/customer relation management, sales tracking, email marketing, behavioural advertising, and inbound marketing. An emphasis will be placed on the appropriate choice of online tools to integrate with offline marketing communications planning, to align with organizational goals, and to reach specified target audiences. The ethics of online marketing communications strategy will also be emphasized. This course will be supported by lessons in strategy in the marketing, advertising, public relations, and branding courses. |
| COMM8070 | Corporate Communication
Description: Students will learn the art and science of communicating messages both offline and online in a corporate environment as part of an integrated marketing communications plan. Students will explore the process of developing creative, targeted communications materials including message development, working with designers and photographers, and directing print requirements. An emphasis will be placed on writing concise, grammatically correct copy for a variety of print and online corporate communications. Students will develop and write the messages for the promotions for the product or service they create in the marketing course. |
| MKT8010 | Integrated Marketing Communications Branding Strategy
Description: Students develop a clear, comprehensive branding strategy for a new product or service to demonstrate their understanding that a brand is much more than a name or logo differentiating a corporate identity. A brand is the totality of how consumers see, experience, feel about and respond to a product or service in the marketplace. This course considers how effective branding is the strategic glue that holds an IMC plan together; it ensures the desired consumer messaging ? and most relevant means of engagement ? are integral to every point of public contact. |
| MKT8060 | Marketing for Integrated Marketing Communications
Description: This course explores marketing principles with an overview of the marketing process from product or service development up to promotion with a focus on the analytical techniques useful to marketing management. Students will explore the factors a marketer will consider when introducing a new or extended product or service, learn how to analyse the public response to products and services, and assess how new and emerging technologies are used in the marketing planning and evaluation processes. The social, economic, geographic, legal and competitive issues that impact product development, packaging, and distribution channels are examined. Students will have an opportunity to develop a marketing plan for a new product or service they create which will be linked to the branding and promotions plans in the branding, advertising and public relations courses. |
| PRLN8050 | Public Relations for Integrated Marketing Communications
Description: This course explores the principles of public relations as an effective management strategy for internal and external publics. The importance of reputation management and its relationship with corporate branding will be explored, and the role of new media as a communications tool will be emphasized. Introductions to media relations, government relations, crisis communications and internal communications will be discussed. Students will have the opportunity to develop a public relations plan for the product or service they develop in the marketing course. |
| RSCH8000 | Consumer Research
Description: Students explore the purpose, practice and ethical aspects of consumer research in an IMC approach to corporate communications. This course examines mainstream and emerging research processes and methodologies with an emphasis on data interpretation and analysis. Students are challenged to migrate key findings into strategic elements/components of an IMC plan addressing psychographics, information needs and media preferences of target audiences. Students will learn to conduct the necessary research for IMC planning, including the product or service they create in the marketing course. |
| Level 2 | |
| ADVT8110 | Creative Strategies: Media Toolkit
Description: Creative strategy provides the base from which compelling design collateral is created as part of the implementation of integrated marketing communications tactics. This course will prepare students to incorporate effective creative strategy in integrated marketing communications planning with an emphasis on the creation of print and online collateral using industry standard software. Students will learn how to integrate an organization's brand across multiple elements for a professional and coherent presence in the target's mind. They will have the opportunity to produce both print and audio-visual collateral. |
| BUS8310 | Business Practices for Corporate Communicators
Description: Corporate communicators engage in a broad range of interpersonal activities, time-sensitive challenges and complicated issues that demand vigilance and proficiency in a number of key business practices including: staff training and development; preparing budgets and financial reports; writing and producing proposals, presentations and communication materials; dealing with legal and ethical issues; and personal career management. This course introduces students to these and other practices supporting a successful career in corporate communications. |
| CDEV8060 | Field Practicum
Description: Students apply their acquired skills and insights to develop a professional IMC proposal worthy of submission to a real-world corporate entity. Using the internet and other information resources ? including, ideally, in-person contacts with local corporate spokespersons ? they research and analyze the current communications platform of a major brand to identify: its primary communication objectives; brand positioning; target publics; and key strategic communications initiatives including success metrics, if any. Students then propose and justify actions to enhance (or eliminate) these communication initiatives and to introduce new strategic components across a range of ?audience-centric' IMC channels including new and emerging social media technologies. |
| PRLN8020 | Media Relations Strategy
Description: This course advocates abandonment of a traditional corporate communications mindset that aims to manage the media and control dissemination of a desired message to target publics. It promotes instead a media relations strategy from an IMC perspective which sees newspersons as colleagues whose support in the advancement of communication objectives is earned through professional reciprocity and stronger, more genuine relationships. Students also explore new and emerging social media and associated technologies, and are challenged to prepare clear, compelling written communications for multiple media channels within a well-rounded IMC plan. |
| PRLN8040 | Portfolio/Capstone
Description: This course challenges students to prepare a high-quality portfolio showcasing the IMC insights and abilities they have acquired through their courses of study in the program. This portfolio will be targeted to prospective clients or employers and will include compelling, well-presented examples of student competence in: consumer research, branding strategy, IMC strategic planning, media relations, event and project management, creative development, new media technologies, and conception and production of a full range of marketing communications materials. |
| PRLN8060 | Event and Project Mangement
Description: A well-executed event is a powerful tactical component of an integrated marketing communications strategy. In this course, students learn how to plan, organized, manage and evaluate projects and events in the implementation of integrated marketing communications plans. Students will be challenged to apply project management principles in the development and execution of a corporate event they envision and plan. |
Program Outcomes
- Develop, write and present, clear, targeted communication materials including proposals.
- Develop and execute corporate communication plans by incorporating knowledge of corporate communication, public relations and organizational theories, corporate communication practices, strategies, history and emerging practices.
- Complete all work in accordance with codes of professional ethics, standards, and practices; and relevant law.
- Analyze research to develop communication strategies to meet information needs of internal and external publics.
- Develop, execute, and evaluate clear and measurable communication objectives.
- Adapt to, work within, and influence organizational policies and procedures.
- Develop a project or tactical budget.
- Produce, and/or co-ordinate the production of, visually effective print, graphic, and electronic communications using industry-standard technologies.
- Enhance personal and professional development and promote the development of the corporate communications and public relations profession through the development and implementation of ongoing strategies and plans.
- Develop and execute a project plan using project management techniques and software.
- Integrate traditional and interactive communication elements into effective communication strategies.
Program Related Resources
Program Advisory Committees
The College appoints Program Advisory Committee members for diploma, degree, certificate and apprenticeship programs. Committees are composed of employers, practitioners and recent program graduates. College representatives (students, faculty, and administrators) are resource persons. Each committee advises the Board on the development of new programs, the monitoring of existing programs and community acceptance of programs.For a list of the current members, please visit our Program Advisory Committees.
Apply Now
Domestic students should apply online at www.ontariocolleges.ca or by phone at 1-888-892-2228.ONTARIOCOLLEGES.CA
60 Corporate Court
Guelph, Ontario
Canada N1G 5J3
Detailed steps on the application process may help you to apply.
International students should apply online using a Conestoga College International Application Form. Please note: not all programs are open to international students. Interested students should check the listing of open programs on our international students web page before applying.