DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. DECA is organized into two unique student divisions each with programs designed to address the learning styles, interest and focus of its members. The High School Division includes 220,000 members in 3,700 schools. The Collegiate Division includes over 5,000 members in 215 colleges and universities.

As an integral part of the classroom curriculum, DECA’s industry-validated competitive events are aligned with the National Curriculum Standards in the career clusters of marketing, business management and administration, finance, and hospitality and tourism. DECA’s flagship evaluation process involves students in both a written component such as an exam or report and an interactive component with an industry professional serving as a judge. DECA’s competitive events directly contribute to every student being college and career ready when they graduate from high school.

Since its conception, DECA has developed a competitive events program for students to compete against peers for recognition of skills necessary for marketing careers. DECA Competitive Events parallel Marketing and Entrepreneurship Education curricula and industry-validated competencies. Participants compete in written papers, test, and role-playing events that simulate actual business situations. They are judged by business people in the specific occupational area. The events are held in the major career clusters of:

• Business Administration & Management
• Finance
• Hospitality & Tourism
• Marketing and Entrepreneurship, Sales & Service
• Entrepreneurship