IMC Certificate
Build upon your major with a specialized certificate covering marketing, digital strategy, analytics and more
Almost every job today in some way touches people and customers. By earning the IMC Certificate, you can learn how to better engage people in your cause—no matter what type of job you choose to pursue. IMC skills are transferable in a career that requires effective marketing and communication using multiple formats in a strategic and creative way.
The IMC Certificate program is available for undergraduate students at Northwestern. Prerequisite courses are required for admission to the program.
As an added benefit, students who complete the IMC Certificate can earn the IMC Full-Time master's degree in four quarters instead of five. You also do not need to take the GRE/GMAT to apply to the master's program.
What is IMC?
Integrated Marketing Communications is a strategic approach centered around the customer and driven by quantitative and qualitative data.
What will I learn?
You will take five courses, three core and two elective, in Integrated Marketing Communications at Medill. In these courses, you will gain a foundation in the principles of IMC and explore topics of interest to you in elective courses. This program is for you if you want to build upon your major with a specialized certificate covering marketing, communications, advertising, digital strategy, social media, analytics and more.
Learn the IMC way of thinking
Core courses
Elective courses
Learn From Experienced Faculty
Vijay Viswanathan
Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor of Integrated Marketing Communications and Associate Dean of IMC
Viswanathan's research focuses on consumer decision making, especially in the realm of branding, pricing, cross-media consumption and social influence. His research has important implications for the economic impact of managerial decisions related to marketing communications.
Ernest Duplessis (IMC96)
Associate Professor
Duplessis was formerly SVP of corporate communications and government affairs at Mondelēz International. His career includes more than 25 years of public relations, internal and external communications, investor relations and government affairs experience spanning corporate America and the U.S. military.
Judy Franks
Assistant Professor
Franks had a 23-year career at Chicago’s leading ad agencies, where she rose to the executive ranks across both the media and creative strategy disciplines. She is author of “Media: From Chaos to Clarity,” a book that highlights Five Macro Forces that are reshaping the media ecosystem.
Prepare for career success
Career services
Career paths
Earn IMC Certificate plus master's
Completing the IMC Certificate jumpstarts your master's degree by allowing you to earn the IMC Full-Time master's degree in four quarters instead of five. You also do not need to take the GRE/GMAT. Earning the IMC master's degree can help you advance your career in marketing communications.
Learn more about the IMC Certificate plus master's