San Francisco
You have the opportunity to spend a quarter at Northwestern's San Francisco campus to study marketing innovation both inside and outside the classroom. This opportunity allows you to study user experience design, product marketing and integrated marketing communications in the Bay Area.
Medill's priority is always the health and safety of our students so we may make adjustments to planned travel based on guidance from Northwestern's Office of Global Safety and Security.
Courses in San Francisco
During the San Francisco quarter, which takes place during your fifth and final quarter in the IMC program, you take courses that focus on innovation, digital media and machine learning.
By studying in San Francisco, you prepare to succeed in marketing communications roles in a fast-paced and dynamic technology and digital media environment. You learn firsthand how qualitative and quantitative insights about consumers can be used to develop relevant, meaningful and innovative products and services, and how to use this data to create engaging, consumer-focused marketing communication strategies.
Learning in San Francisco was an extraordinary experience—being immersed in the energy of Silicon Valley allowed us to not just witness innovation and agility but truly absorb its spirit. Through research safaris, we uncovered real gaps in the SF transport system by stepping into the shoes of commuters and engaging with strangers, learning to empathize, and identifying meaningful insights. Developing a go-to-market strategy for a Silicon Valley startup, guided by conversations with its CEO, taught us the power of connecting strategy with real-world challenges. Field visits to tech companies such as Asana and Stanford's d.school, offered us a front-row seat to innovation in action, sparking new ways of thinking and problem-solving. By the end, we did not just leave with knowledge; we left with a mindset—one that embraces curiosity, creativity, and the courage to tackle complex challenges.
Benaz Patel (IMC24)