DePaul University's new master's degree program in marketing analysis won't be launched until the fall of 2000, but it already has attracted an enthusiastic response from the Chicago-area marketing community.

     DePaul Marketing Professor Linda Alwitt, the program's founder, has lined up more than a dozen top marketing and marketing research executives from companies including McDonald's Corp., W.W. Grainger, Kraft Foods, Inc., Walgreen Co., Acxiom and Econometrics, Inc., who are eager to join an advisory board that will guide the program. In addition, at least one recruiter has called looking to hire graduates of the program even before it has begun.

     DePaul's Kellstadt Graduate School of Business will begin offering the marketing analysis master's degree in September. The program merges the study of marketing, statistics and information technology, a combination offered by few master's degree programs. DePaul's School of Computer Science, Telecommunications and Information Systems (CTI) also will offer courses that are part of this program.

     Graduates of the new program will be able to analyze the vast amounts of customer data produced by today's technologically sophisticated firms and translate this data into effective marketing and business strategies.

     "Marketing is increasingly reliant on databases, requires timely monitoring of consumers, competition and the business environment, and demands a rapid analysis of results in order to develop strategies and tactics," Alwitt said. "As a result, demand is growing for marketing managers who can analyze and interpret this data appropriately and interface with the marketing and information technology functions within a firm. The goal of the new program is to produce graduates who are prepared to take positions in the burgeoning field of marketing analysis."

     Students in the part-time program will be required to take 15 evening courses that will provide a solid foundation of knowledge in marketing strategy and tactics, basic programming, computer hardware and software, statistics and data analysis. Most students should be able to complete the program in two years. Fall enrollment is expected to be 30 students.

     Alwitt said she expects the program to attract marketing professionals who want to learn more about the technical aspect of their field as well as technical professionals who want to expand their marketing and business knowledge. Graduates will be prepared for marketing management positions at large corporations or firms that specialize in marketing, direct marketing, database analysis and research, and electronic commerce.

     The 14-member advisory board will meet quarterly to review the program's curriculum to make sure its content stays current in a field that changes rapidly, Alwitt said.

     The program is one of several new cutting-edge degrees that DePaul's business and computer schools are launching in response to the technology revolution in business. The Kellstadt Graduate School of Business offers an MBA concentration in E-Business and will launch an MBA concentration in enterprise resource planning in the fall. Meanwhile, DePaul's CTI began offering a master's degree in e-commerce technology last fall.

     For more information about admission requirements for DePaul's Marketing Analysis master's degree program, call 312/362-6200 or e-mail lhill@wppost.depaul.edu .