A brand manager is responsible for searching for ways to build a brand's profitability both in the short-term and long-term. Brand management concepts are applicable to any product or services. The brand manager focuses on enhancing the position of the brand in the market so that it stands out from its competitors and earn more sales.
In the U.S., there are many highly-regarded colleges and universities that offer brand management courses such as University of California -- Los Angeles, Boston College, DePaul University and the University of North Carolina. Each school has its own requirements for admission and offer various courses and specializations.
The current trend is for academic institutions to offer brand management as a Master's degree so most schools will require the student to have an undergraduate degree in economics, marketing or a related field. Passing the standard Test for English as First Language qualifying exam is an additional requirement for non-English native speakers. Some schools offer separate short-term courses on condensed brand management topics; these do not normally require any prerequisite courses or degrees.
Brand management courses or programs last anywhere from a week to four weeks for short-term courses and up to two years for courses leading to a degree. Essential courses cover a wide range of topics including brand targeting and positioning, consumer behavior, marketing research and product and brand management. Other courses cover advertising and media relations, sales promotion and direct marketing concepts. The focus is to gain insight into various complementary fields that are necessary to grow a brand identity. Upon successful completion of the course, a student is expected to be aware of strategies available to the brand manager to help boost the product's presence and image.