Concentration in Category Management

The Category Management concentration equips students in the marketing major with skills in data analysis, consumer insights, and strategic planning. Focus areas include product assortment, pricing, promotions, and inventory management. In this program students will work with real-world organizations and business professionals to hone their skills. Graduates are prepared for roles in category management, retail management, merchandising, and supply chain optimization.

Learning Outcomes

Students with a Concentration in Category Management will be able to:

1. Analyze real-world data, using advanced data reporting and analysis techniques, to generate meaningful consumer insights.
2. Build and present action plans for a retail category
3. Demonstrate competence with industry-leading software
4. Achieve independent category management certification from ACR/Category Management Association

Course Requirements

• MKTG 315: Principles of Category Management– Category Management maximizes the partnership between a retailer and manufacturer for the benefit of consumers. Using leading marketing research databases, models, and working with a major retailer and CPG clients, you'll collaborate to develop a category growth strategy. Coursework is approved and certified by the Category Management Association.
  • Prerequisite course: MKTG 300. Offered every semester.
• MKTG 330: Retail Marketing– Retailing is the largest industry and the dominant employer in the U.S. economy. The industry is explored, with particular emphasis on understanding the activities of retailers, both large and small. Topics include shopper behavior, store location, store layout, product presentation, and customer service. The criteria for success in retailing, the impact of technology on retailing, and the retail process examined within the larger domain of marketing.
  • Prerequisite course: MKTG 300 min. grade of C. Offered every semester.
• MKTG 396: Retail Analytics Practicum– The purpose of this course is to bring together the skills and knowledge gained in Retail Marketing (MKTG 330) and Category Management (MKTG 315) and apply them to a real world business problem in the Consumer Package Goods (CPG) space.
  • Prerequisite Courses: MKTG 300, MKTG 315, MKTG 330, BAIS 220. Offered in the fall semester only. 

Students must meet a minimum 3.0 GPA across all 3 courses.

Ready to Get Started?

Contact Prof. Scott Beck at becks@xavier.edu or Dr. Bryan Buechner at buechnerb@xavier.edu for more information about the Concentration in Category Management.