EMCC First in Mississippi to Offer E-Commerce Technology Program

MAYHEW, Miss. (PRESS RELEASE) – East Mississippi Community College is the first college in Mississippi to offer an E-Commerce Technology program tailored to meet a growing need for employees in the online business sector.

“One of our goals at EMCC is to ensure that our course offerings reflect marketplace demands,” EMCC Associate Dean of Instruction Dr. Melanie Sanders said. “Given that the impact of E-Commerce is being felt across the global economy, we felt that the time was right to offer a program that would help our students capitalize on this growing industry.”

The Mississippi Community College Board approved EMCC’s application for the new program at the Golden Triangle campus and classes will be available in the fall term that begins in August. Registration is under way now.

“We will offer a prestigious one-year certificate for business graduates that can be completed in two semesters online,” EMCC Marketing instructor Dr. Joshua Carroll said. “This is perfect for graduates with a master’s degree who are looking for certification in E-Commerce.

“Since the classes are available online, one of the benefits of the certificate is that it can be offered internationally. Students who live in Zimbabwe, China or India will be able to complete the course and learn how to market their internet-based businesses in the U.S.”

In addition to the one-year certificate, which consists of 30 credit hours of coursework, a technical certificate is also available and requires 45 credit hours. An Associate of Applied Science degree in E-Commerce is also available and requires 60 credit hours of coursework.

Students who take the course will study online finance, marketing, and sales and technology. Classes include Principles of Marketing, E-Commerce / Internet Marketing, E-Commerce/Social Media Tools, and Software Essentials for E-Business, to name a few. According to www.payscale.com, the median salary for a skilled E-Commerce Business Manager / Web is $61,541 and the median salary of a Director of E-Commerce is $98,296.

Earlier this year, the National Retail Federation predicted online retail sales would grow by 8 percent to 12 percent in 2017, which is up to three times the estimated rate of growth in brick-and-mortar sales during the same time frame.

“The demand for these jobs is already here,” Carroll said. “A manager at Walmart can benefit by adding the skills needed to improve sales in their online retail department.”

To be accepted into the program, students must earn a 13 composite score on the ACT test or the equivalent on the Accuplacer test.

Prospective students can apply online at www.eastms.edu. For more information about the program, call Carroll (662) 243-1943 or email him at jcarroll@eastms.edu.