Professional Selling
Minor
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
Bring the right products to the right customers. Help businesses stand out against competitors.
Sales is constantly at work around us. Sales agents across industries sell advertising space, properties, financial services, technology, entertainment activities, and many more products or services.
While retail sales workers sell items or experiences directly to consumers, sales professionals take a top-down approach. Sales professionals sell these same things to wholesalers, manufacturers, and businesses who then distribute the products or services to retailers and other organizations.
Sales professionals help wholesalers, manufacturers, and businesses solve consumer problems with specific items or experiences. These professionals demonstrate how their products or services are better than competitors’. They coordinate promotional and advertising campaigns. They may also influence the design of products, packaging, and marketing.
Become a sales professional with the Professional Selling minor through WSU’s Department of Marketing.
This program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Winona State is also a member of the University Sales Center Alliance (USCA).
ranking among sales programs in the U.S. with the best job placement rates, according to the Sales Education Foundation (SEF).
available annually to Professional Selling students of all levels through the WSU Foundation.
of business schools worldwide are accredited by AACSB—and WSU is one of them. This is a significant honor.
As a Professional Selling minor, you’ll enhance your communication and decision-making skills.
You’ll also:
- expand your professional network by meeting industry leaders
- get experience solving real-world marketing and sales problems
- know the best practices for persuading others to invest in what you offer
- learn how to select the right vendors, manage inventory, and negotiate prices
Your coursework will prepare you for careers in a variety of fields and for graduate school if you want to continue your studies.
Aside from major- or minor-specific requirements, you’ll need to complete additional requirements through the General Education Program (GEP) to earn your degree from Winona State University.
Learn More about the GEP
Inside the Classroom
The College of Business Engagement Center is your hub for experiential learning.
This space includes the WNB Financial – Financial Markets Lab, Federated Insurance Role Play Room, and an event area dedicated to collaborating with guest business partners.
There’s also the Strauss Center for Sales Excellence, which has 2 role play rooms equipped for complex role play scenarios.
These areas are identical to spaces that are standard in marketing agencies. This means you’ll gain experience in the environments you could work in after graduation.
Complement your studies and meet other students who are passionate about marketing and sales through campus clubs and organizations.
Like the American Advertising Federation (AdFed), the American Marketing Association (AMA), and the WSU Sales Team. Or the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society, Delta Sigma Pi, and Pi Sigma Epsilon.
You’ll receive personalized student advising services and other support.
The College of Business advisor is ready to help you map out your degree plan as you enroll in the Professional Selling minor to when you graduate.
Beyond Campus
This minor’s curriculum is directly influenced by the physical environment.
Winona and the surrounding area comprise a rich variety of successful businesses and organizations. Because of this, numerous professional and community partners are eager to connect with you and hire you for internships and jobs.
The curriculum is also influenced by the Strauss Center for Sales Excellence Board of Directors, comprising corporate partners and WSU alumni working in sales.
Join the WSU Sales Team to compete in regional, national, and international sales competitions.
Our Sales Team has a solid track record because we prioritize extensive real-world sales preparation through the Strauss Center for Sales Excellence and various corporate partners.
You could find yourself helping WSU win big at some of the largest collegiate championships—like Florida State University, University of Denver, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, and University of South Florida.
Professional Selling students can complete a 120-hour internship in the sales field before graduating.
Interning for a firm or organization is a great way to gain hands-on experience, further enhance your job portfolio, and open doors for future career opportunities.
Students in this program have previously interned at Ashley HomeStore, Exact Sciences, LinkedIn, RepTrak, and Uline.
Apply what you learn in the classroom by traveling the world. At WSU, you can earn credit that applies to your degree while exploring the globe.
Learn about the business of health care in Paris, Poland’s economics, and the sustainability of international business in Scotland.
Or stay within the U.S. and dive into the influential financial institutions along Wall Street and Main Street in New York City.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, travel agent professions are expected to grow 20% by 2031.
And within the next decade, securities, commodities, and financial services sales agent positions are predicted to grow 10% and sales engineer occupations anticipate a 6% growth.
Bachelor's, Transfer Pathway
Bachelor's
Bachelor's, Transfer Pathway