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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.��

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.

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����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����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.

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.��

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.��

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

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.

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.��

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.

Of course, not all business and marketing courses are created equal. At UOPX,��individual courses��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 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 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 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 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 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 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��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��to help their��employees��earn degrees at a reduced cost.