MKTG 303: Principles of Marketing Master Syllabus
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Course Information
3 credits I in-person I individual and group work required
This course will be delivered in-person and important materials will be available online via Canvas.
Access to Canvas and George Mason University email are required to participate successfully in this course. Go to the IT Support Center website if you need assistance with your email or password.
Required Textbook: Marketing, 8/e, Grewal-Levy, McGraw Hill Publishers
There are several format options for the course textbook, to include paper, eBook, renting and sharing.
Course Objectives
This course has been designed to meet the following objectives:
- Introduce students to the terminology, functions, institutions, and philosophy of marketing and market- driven decision-making, with emphasis on the role of technology.
- Span the contexts of product marketing, service marketing and idea marketing both for profit and non- profit organizations, in a variety of settings, especially global competition.
- Build marketing application skills by examining the practices of real-world organizations.
- Develop marketing application abilities through the development of a team-created rudimentary marketing plan.
- Explore careers available to marketing majors.
Concentration and Program Learning Goals
Students majoring in the Marketing concentration will master the following by graduation:
- Research Competency: Research competency using library databases, secondary and primary sources of market and company information, and marketing data analysis skills.
- Marketing Strategies: Ability to formulate effective marketing strategies derived from an understanding of customer behaviors and application of marketing tools and concepts.
- Writing & Formatting: Communication and information literacy skills in the writing and format of the plan that are consistent with the marketing discipline.
By the end of the BS Business program, students will master:
- The social, global, ethical, and legal contexts of business and will be able to reflect on the role of the individual in business.
- The ability to apply knowledge of professional skills necessary for success in business including effective business writing.
- Technical and analytic skills appropriate for success in business.
- The ability to apply knowledge of core business disciplines including accounting, finance, information systems, management, marketing, and operations management.
- How research in the business disciplines contributes to knowledge and how such research is conducted.
Evaluation and Grades
Each student shall be judged based on the extent to which the student has command of the course materials and subject matter. Some of your contribution is performed within a team and is therefore dependent on team performance.
| Deliverable | % |
| Final Exam Practice Quizzes | 0% |
| Class Discussions | 10% |
| Group Project | 27.5% |
| Chapter Quizzes | 10% |
| SONA Research Credits | 2.5% |
| Exams | 50% |
| 100% |
Chapter Quizzes (10%)
Quizzes will help you check your comprehension of key concepts and help you prepare for the exams.
You have to take a quiz in Canvas for each chapter you read. Quizzes contain 10 questions worth 1 point each. You will have up to 15 minutes to complete each quiz. However, you will also have up to 2 attempts for each quiz. Only your highest grade will be recorded in the grade center.
Moreover, you will also be pleased to know that your quiz questions are randomly selected from the same pools of questions used for your exams. The more you practice the higher your exam scores will go.
Note that quizzes should be completed each week as readings are assigned. The last date to submit all quizzes for grading is December 9th at 11:59pm. Thereafter, no late quizzes will be accepted.
Class Discussions (10%)
This class cannot be taken online. Marketing is an interactive field. You are expected to be prepared for each class and to speak up! Participation is quite important to the class and your grade. Attendance is taken every class.
Your participation grade is NOT an attendance score. You can attend every single class and still receive a C if you do not participate or add value. Grading is dependent on the level of value you contribute to each and every class. A's go only to students who go above and beyond. After every class, I rate your participation. It is "0" if you do not show up or are more than 20 minutes absent. It is "1" for attending but passive learning. It is "2" for attending and contributing to the class (speaking up). It is "3" for contributing in a meaningful way to the day's discussion.
So that you know where you stand on this grade in the class, I do provide a grade around the middle of the term. You are also welcome to check in with me at any time.
There are no exceptions, make-up assignments, or alternate assignments for this component of your grade. If you are not in class, your grade will reflect that.
Computers will be closed and cellphones away/off during class. The presence of these devices is not only distracting, but also lowers cognitive functioning and limits processing of information.
Group Project: Marketing Plan (27.5%)
The purpose of this project is for you to apply the knowledge learned in class to a marketing problem. You will assume the role of the CMO launching a new product or service. You will work in groups for this project. Your grade is a group grade.
The project consists of three parts:
- Part 0: Sign up for a group in Canvas by 11:59pm on September 9th
- Part 1: Situation Analysis due by 11:59pm on September 30th
- Part 2: Target Market, Objectives, and Positioning Statement due by 11:59pm on October 28th
- Part 3: Communications Plan due by 11:59pm by 11:59pm on December 9th
All components are cumulative, such that the parts together form a logical, comprehensive document. Part 1 informs Part 2, which together inform Part 3. Each part may be divided up so that individual group members complete portions of the whole of each part, but group members must take sufficient steps to ensure that the pieces conceptually fit together in the end product. Points will be deducted for logical gaps or discrepancies in information across the paper.
Each part will also be graded depending on writing style and grammar. Any content that is written by generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) will be given a zero and reported to the Honor Code.
Peer evaluations will be provided; I will only use these if there are strong discrepancies in contribution of work. I will use my discretion to discount your score by the discount given through your peers.
Exams (50%)
There are three exams in total.
- Exam 1 covers chapters 1 - 8 (weighted 12.5%)
- Exam 2 covers chapters 9 - 16 (weighted 12.5%)
- The Final Exam covers chapters 1 - 20 (weighted 25%).
Format:
- Exams 1 & 2 have 50 multiple choice questions and the final exam has 100 questions.
- All exams must be taken in class on the date outlined in the syllabus.
- Exams are timed (up to 75 minutes for Exams 1 and 2 and two hours for the final exam).
SONA Research Credit (2.5%)
As scholars and educators in the School of Business, the faculty strives to add value to the knowledge of future managers. We do this by teaching principles and practices that are based in fact and supported by evidence - thereby stressing the importance of evidence-based practice in our teaching. This ensures that when new claims come along, managers will be better able to evaluate their validity and potential usefulness. To this end, students must be familiar with the relevance of research to management practice. We believe this is accomplished through direct experience with academic business research. Students should be able to understand where research is used to inform practice, how research should be done, what research tells us about business issues, and why such systematic inquiry is useful above and beyond direct experience.
As a result, all students in Marketing and Management 303 courses must participate in one half-hour (one credit) of "research activity" for each course (this will make up 2.5% of the class grade). The specific requirement is for students to take part in one half-hour activity (1 credit) for each 303 course. Credits must be earned for each 303 class (MGMT and MKTG) separately - they do not double count (so if you are in both Marketing and Management 303 courses you will need to participate in a total of two (2) half-hour activities in order to complete full course requirements for both classes). These activities include either participation in actual business research/experiments or attendance at alternative, research lectures.
For details on how to obtain your 2.5% research credit, please see the section in Canvas labelled "SONA Research Credit."
Other Grade Considerations
I do not change grades on request and I do not round up grades. For example, if you get an 89%, I will not round it to a 90% so that you can get an A.
All late submissions receive a -10% deduction per day, starting immediately after the due date. There are no exceptions.
| Grading System | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Grades | Grade Points | Numeric Grades | |
| A | Superior/Excellent | 4.0 | 93-99 |
| A- | 3.7 | 90-92 | |
| B+ | 3.3 | 86-89 | |
| B | Good/Better than Average | 3.0 | 83-85 |
| B- | 2.7 | 80-82 | |
| C+ | 2.3 | 76-79 | |
| C | Competent/Average | 2.0 | 73-75 |
| C- | 1.7 | 70-72 | |
| D+ | 1.3 | 66-69 | |
| D | 1.0 | 63-65 | |
| D- | Minimum Passing | 0.7 | 60-62 |
| F | 0.0 | 50-59 | |
Course Calendar
| Week | Date | Topic | Textbook Chapters | Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 08/26 |
Introduction Overview of Marketing |
Chapter 1 | |
| 2 | 09/02 | Labor Day - No Class | ||
| 3 | 09/09 |
Marketing Strategies & Marketing Plan Social and Mobile Marketing |
Chapter 2 Chapter 3 |
Sign up for a Group by September 9th at 11:59pm |
| 4 | 09/16 |
Conscious Marketing, CSR, and Ethics Analyzing the Marketing Environment |
Chapter 4 Chapter 5 |
|
| 5 | 09/23 |
Consumer Behavior Group Work Time |
Chapter 6 | |
| 6 | 09/30 |
B2B Marketing Global Marketing |
Chapter 7 Chapter 8 |
Submit Marketing Plan Part 1 by September 30th at 11:59pm |
| 7 | 10/07 | ***Exam 1*** | ||
| 8 | Tuesday - 10/15 |
Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning Marketing Research |
Chapter 9 Chapter 10 |
|
| 9 | 10/21 |
Project, Branding, and Packaging Decisions Developing New Products |
Chapter 11 Chapter 12 |
|
| 10 | 10/28 |
Services: The Intangible Product Pricing Concepts for Capturing Value |
Chapter 13 Chapter 14 |
Submit Marketing Plan Part 2 by October 28th at 11:59pm |
| 11 | 11/04 |
Strategic Pricing Methods and Tactics Supply Chain and Channel Management |
Chapter 15 Chapter 16 |
|
| 12 | 11/11 | ***Exam 2*** | Take Exam 2 | |
| 13 | 11/18 |
Retailing and Omnichannel Marketing IMC |
Chapter 17 Chapter 18 |
|
| 14 | 12/02 |
Advertising, Public Relations, and Sales Promotions Personal Selling and Sales Management |
Chapter 19 Chapter 20 |
|
| 15 | 12/09 | Group Work + Final Exam Review |
Submit Marketing Plan Part 3 by December 9th at 11:59pm Last day to submit any remaining quizzes is December 9th at 11:59pm. |
|
| Exam | 12/16 | Final Exam | **Final Exam*** |
Due Dates for Deliverables
Chapter Quizzes (10%)
You should complete chapter quizzes each week that reading is assigned.
The last day to submit chapter quizzes is December 9th at 11:59pm. No quizzes submitted after this date will count toward your grade.
Marketing Plan (27.5%)
Part 0: Sign up for a group in Canvas by 11:59pm on September 9th
Part 1: Situation Analysis due by 11:59pm on September 30th
Part 2: Target Market, Objectives, and Positioning Statement due by 11:59pm on October 28th
Part 3: Communications Plan due by 11:59pm by 11:59pm on December 9th
In-Class Exams (50%)
October 7th in-class: Exam 1 (Chapters 1 - 8)
November 11th in-class: Exam 2 (Chapters 9 - 16)
December 12th in normal classroom at normal time: Final Exam (Chapters 1 - 20)
Student Responsibilities
Participation
You are responsible for reading all assigned materials, listening and taking notes of weekly lectures, submitting all assignments by the due date, logging into your course at least once a week, and actively participating in class-wide and group discussions. If there is a definition, concept, or principle you do not understand, it is your responsibility to ask for clarification. Please schedule an appointment.
Late Work, Extensions, and Missed Exams
I do not offer extensions or changes to the due dates except for medical reasons that have a doctor's written notice. If any exceptions are to be considered, they require evidence in the form of a doctor's note or other tangible proof.
- If you do not contact me via email before the missed deadline, I will not consider your request for an extension or a reschedule. To be clear, if an exam is at 10:30 am and you email me stating that you cannot come to the exam at 10:30:01 am, I will not consider your request to reschedule the exam because the deadline has passed. To avoid any problems, please contact me immediately at the time of learning of your inability to complete an assignment or test via email; the earlier, the better.
- Late work will receive a penalty of 10% per day. Any requests to waive this penalty made after the deadline of the assignment will be denied.
Teams
Several assignments will be conducted through team efforts. These assignments include eight in-class assignments and a marketing plan presentation. Teamwork is always a challenge. On one hand, there are free riders and alternatively, there are domineering people who refuse to listen to the thoughts of others. Each member has the responsibility to make the team work. As an incentive to assure team cooperation, each member will privately evaluate all members of the team at the end of the semester.
Late Work
Assignments delivered late will be penalized 10% for each class day missed. Any requests for extensions or rescheduling of exams must be received before the due date to receive consideration; requests made after the due date will be denied.
Use of E-Mail
George Mason Email must be used at all times for correspondence with the instructor. No exceptions. Students should clearly identify themselves and their course number and section in any Email correspondence.
Students must use their George Mason email account to receive important University information, including communications related to this class. I will not respond to messages sent from or send messages to a non- George Mason email address.
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