Northwestern University – M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications (整合行銷傳播)

I.       Program description

The 15-month full-time program consists of a core curriculum and five specializations. The program has a strong international focus and includes the 10-week Immersion Quarter, which features a company-sponsored project.

http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/experience/imc/index.html

IMC Specializations for Full-Time Program:

lBrand Strategy

lContent Marketing

lDirect and Interactive Marketing

lMarketing Analytics

lMedia Management (in the Kellogg School of Management)

lStrategic Communications

Global Perspectives

The Global Perspectives class offers students the rare opportunity to gain a firsthand view of the best business practices of global agencies and marketers. Students spend more than two weeks traveling in Asia to meet with and learn from leading business, communications and media executives.

Immersion Quarter

The IMC program offers a core course that combines classroom learning with on-site immersion in top companies to work on real-world projects. Companies have a unique opportunity to work with talented graduate students and their professors to create fresh solutions and answers to real challenges and questions. This required component of the program is a great learning opportunity for students.

http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/experience/imc/full-time/index.html

Graduate education in IMC was invented at Medill, and the program continues to lead innovation in the field. Students work collaboratively with peers and top-tier global companies to gain strategic and quantitative skills, with an emphasis on analytics that inform consumer insights. Students develop skills across traditional and digital media in order to influence consumers and build business in today's complex global marketplace.

http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/admissions/apply/index.html

II.    Deadline

Expedited review

Medill reviews completed applications on an expedited basis. It is to your advantage to submit your application with all required materials before the program deadline. If you are applying to the full-time program, the sooner you complete your application, the sooner you will be informed of whether you will be invited for an interview. Admitted students may apply for financial aid immediately upon admission. Applicants who submit their applications on or before the deadline date will be notified according to the following schedule:

lFull-time program application deadline: Dec. 1; decision notification date: on or before Feb. 15

lPart-time program application deadline: July 1; decision notification date: on or before Aug. 15

lIMC Online program: Applicants who meet the application deadline for a particular quarter will be notified no later than two weeks prior to the beginning of that quarter.

Admitted students may apply for financial aid immediately upon admission. Late applications are reviewed on a space-available basis, so if you missed the deadline, please submit your application as soon as possible. Late applications will receive a decision three to four weeks from the date that the complete file is received.

http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/admissions/index.html

http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/admissions/apply/imc-application-deadlines-additional-important-information.html

Can I apply after the "priority deadline"?

Yes. Medill reviews late applications from outstanding applicants on a space-available basis.

Does Medill do "rolling" admissions?

No. Applications that were complete by the deadline receive decisions on or before the notification date for the quarter for which the student applied. Medill reviews late applications on a rolling schedule and space-available basis, after all decisions on timely applications have been made.

http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/admissions/faqs/index.html

III.Admission requirement

A broad undergraduate liberal arts education is good preparation for IMC. The program values strong communication and quantitative skills, as well as excellent critical and analytical thinking skills.  We look for:

lA record of strong academic performance

lExcellent writing, interpersonal communication and quantitative skills

lEvidence of the maturity and professionalism needed to succeed in the marketing communications profession. (Prior work experience is not required.)

lAdaptability and willingness to learn about and use various new technologies and applications

Additional Considerations for Prospective IMC Students

Integrated marketing communications requires versatility. Students who are strong strategic and analytical thinkers as well as creative thrive in this program.

IMC students gain insight about customers and consumers largely through data analysis. Strong quantitative test scores and/or prior academic performance that evince the applicant's quantitative skills are necessary.

We value writing, speaking and presentation skills as well as the ability to collaborate. Evidence that the applicant works well in teams is important.

International students must demonstrate very strong spoken and written English-language skills via the interview, application essay and TOEFL scores.

This is an intensive, professionally oriented program that requires enthusiasm and energy as well as maturity, reliability and commitment.

What about average GPAs and test scores?

We review each application file individually and holistically, considering test scores* and GPAs in context with the rest of the file, including essays, resume and recommendations. We look at your undergraduate transcripts not just for the overall GPA but also for the courses you took and how you performed in them. We look closely at your resume and strongly consider your interview to gain an understanding of what you might contribute to your classmates' understanding of complex contemporary marketing and branding issues.

*(Current degree-seeking Northwestern students, degree-holding Northwestern alumni and applicants who earned a graduate or professional degree within the past five years are not required to submit GRE or GMAT scores.)

http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/admissions/what-we-look-for/what-we-look-for-in-prospective-imc-students.html

Submit GRE or GMAT scores. Exempt from this requirement are:

ldegree-seeking Northwestern students

ldegree-holding Northwestern alumni

lapplicants who earned a graduate or professional degree within the past five years

lIMC applicants with 10 or more years of relevant full-time professional experience in marketing or a related field may request a waiver.

http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/admissions/index.html

Are there any prerequisites to apply?

A bachelor's degree earned (or expected prior to enrollment) from an accredited college or university, regardless of major, is the only prerequisite to apply. See "Application Requirements" for Journalism and IMC.

Is it preferable to have some full-time work experience before applying?

Work experience is not required. It is preferable to have some exposure to your chosen field. This can be accomplished through a combination of coursework, undergraduate activities, internships and/or full-time work experience.

Is there a minimum GPA or GRE/GMAT core requirement?

No. However, this is not to say that GPA and test scores are not important. They are, but they are only two of several factors that we consider. We review applications holistically to see if all elements in the file, taken together, indicate potential to succeed in our program.  See the "What we look for in prospective students" pages for Journalism and IMC.

What criteria are considered in making admission decisions?

Applicants are evaluated on an individual, holistic basis, not according to any formula or rating system. We consider applicants' commitment to their chosen field, writing ability and communication skill, outstanding prior academic performance, recommendations and test scores. See the "What we look for in prospective students" pages for Journalism and IMC.

http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/admissions/faqs/index.html

IV.Process & Mailing Address

1. 1.      Click Here To Apply Onlin
2. 2.      A non-refundable application fee $50 application fee (except Northwestern undergraduates)
3. 3.      Official academic transcripts from each college, university or professional school attended after graduating from high school, whether or not you earned a degree at that institution. E-transcripts must be sent directly to Anne Penway, Director of Graduate Admissions, or Ward Belford, Program Assistant. E-transcripts sent to and then forwarded by the applicant are not considered official.

1. Hard-copy transcripts must be in envelopes sealed by the issuing institutions to be considered official. If you have transfer credit, you must submit a transcript from the original grade-granting institution, even if the credit appears on your degree transcript. You may upload a transcription or scan of your transcript into the online application, but uploaded transcripts are unofficial. At its discretion, Medill may offer admission to applicants who have submitted unofficial transcripts, on the condition that official transcripts must be received by a specified date, or the offer will expire.
   Medill allows you to upload scanned or self-reported transcripts into your online application, and we will review them along with the rest of your file. In that case, you may be offered conditional admission with a date by which official documents must be submitted. If the official documents are not submitted by the date specified, or if there is any discrepancy between self-reported or scanned transcripts and official transcripts, any conditional offer of admission will be revoked. 
   Applicants with foreign/international transcripts must provide an English translation with their application. Those offered admission (except Fulbright candidates) must provide original, sealed transcripts from their university and an independent credential evaluation (including a course-by-course credit evaluation) from World Education Services (www.wes.org) or other similar university approved agency (please visit http://www.naces.org/members.htm for a list) by the date stated in their letter of admission. If the credential evaluation, showing degree equivalency and date of degree (or expected date of degree), is not received by the specified date, the conditional offer of admission will expire. If your undergraduate degree is a three-year degree, Medill will determine if it is considered to be sufficient preparation for our program. 
2. 4.      Three letters of recommendation from a mix of current or former professors and/or employers (recommendations from family members are not acceptable)
   Recommendations should come from faculty and employers who can comment meaningfully on your academic and professional skills and abilities and your potential as a graduate student. Recommendations must be submitted via our online application system. Do not submit recommendations from family members or from friends who are not directly familiar with your academic or professional work.
   Enter your recommenders' contact information, including email addresses in the appropriate place in the online application. Once you do, the system will email your recommenders instructions on how to submit their recommendation. You are responsible for reminding your recommenders to submit online in advance of the deadline. Medill may contact recommenders to verify letters of recommendation at any time after they are received. 
3. 5.      Required Essays

Official GRE or GMAT scores
Our institution code for the GRE is 1699-4503 and our institution code for the GMAT is 6WZ-XH-66. IMC applicants who have 10 or more years of full-time professional work experience in marketing or a closely related field may request a waiver; Medill will review the application, which includes the applicant's resume, to determine whether a waiver will be granted.

1. 1.      Medill allows you to self-report your test scores on your application and will review them along with the rest of your file. In that case, you may be offered conditional admission with a date by which you must submit your official scores. If we don't receive your scores by the specified date, the conditional offer of admission will expire.  
2. 2.      Resume

International applicants must also:

1. 3.      Applicants from countries where English is not the primary language are required to submit a TOEFL score in addition to the other application materials. The TOEFL must be taken within one year of the application deadline, and scores must be sent to Medill using institution code 1699-18.
2. 4.      If admitted, submit a WES or similar NACES member's credential evaluation

Please submit any hard-copy supporting documents that cannot be uploaded into the online system in one package. Sending everything in one envelope allows you more control over the timing and completion of your application, and reduces the chance that supporting documents are misfiled or lost in the mail. Please do not submit materials that are bound, laminated or enclosed in additional folders.

I haven't taken the GRE or GMAT yet and I'm afraid my scores won't reach you by the priority deadline. What should I do?

You will probably receive your unofficial test scores (test-taker copy) before we receive your official scores. These usually reach us around three weeks after you take the test. If you have received your test scores, indicate them in the space provided for self-reported scores in the online application. If you don't have your scores by the time you apply, email or fax them to us as soon as you receive them. Scores sent this way are unofficial, but they will enable us to start reviewing your file. We cannot complete reviewing a file without test scores. Applicants exempt from the test-score requirement are: degree-holding Northwestern alumni, current degree-seeking Northwestern students and applicants who earned a graduate degree within the past five years. IMC applicants who have 10 or more years of full-time professional work experience in marketing or a closely related field may request a waiver.

If I applied before and was denied admission, may I reapply?

Yes. If you applied to a graduate program at Medill within the past two years, you may reapply by submitting an updated resume, an additional letter of recommendation from a person who did not previously write one for you and any additional transcripts of academic work you completed since you last applied. Journalism reapplicants must also submit a new essay on a question they did not answer previously. An interview is required of all reapplicants.