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See what DECA is all about and catch a glimpse of how DECA can bring your classroom to life.
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Bring your classroom to life.
Explore DECA
What is DECA?
Ever wonder what DECA is? Click here for our mission and guiding principles.
DECA’s Mission
DECA’s mission is to prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.
Guide Principles
DECA’s eight guiding principles are organized around the organization’s emblem, the DECA Diamond. The inner four points of the DECA Diamond represent the guiding principles which address the purpose of DECA’s comprehensive learning program:
- Integrates into Classroom Instruction
- Applies Learning
- Connects to Business
- Promotes Competition
The outer four points of the DECA Diamond address the results of DECA’s comprehensive learning program. DECA prepares the next generation to be:
- Academically Prepared
- Community Oriented
- Professionally Responsible
- Experienced Leaders
DECA Fast Facts
An overview of key DECA facts. Find out how DECA is preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.
DECA’s Competitive Events Program
DECA’s Competitive Events
Take a deep-dive into DECA’s competitive events program including: career clusters & instructional areas, performance indicators, and much more.
List of DECA Events
Explore all of the events available to you when you become a DECA member today.
Integrating DECA into the Classroom
Through DECA, find out how to connect courses to curriculum from the ultimate experiences.
Serving as a DECA Advisor
Enhance your classroom experience by joining the thousands of educators across the country who serve as DECA Advisors.
College & Career Ready
Are you students prepared for college? Does the idea of looking for a career make them nervous? In DECA you will learn how to help your students become college & career ready!
DECA Conferences
DECA members can build upon their current strengths and attributes through their desire to engage in DECA events and conferences that prepare them for college and professional careers. DECA’s conferences bring our members into the larger DECA community while providing unique opportunities to extend classroom learning.
Advisor Conference
Fall Leadership Development Conference
Western Region Leadership Conference
District Career Development Conferences
State Career Development Conference
International Career Development Conference
DECA Distinctives
Community Engagement
DECA prepares the next generation to be community oriented by recognizing the benefit of service and responsibility to the community. DECA teaches its members to reach out to organizations they are passionate about and become involved in the community around them. DECA provides many community engagement opportunities for members through state and nationwide community service efforts and competition.
Leadership Development
DECA prepares its members to be experienced leaders and empowers members through experience to provide effective leadership.
DECA develops experienced leaders by practicing key leadership skills such as goal setting, consensus building and project management. Members have numerous opportunities for leadership development from workshops and leadership academies at exciting conferences to serving as an elected officer at the local, state, or national level. Members are able to practice and apply their leadership training as community members, students, and peers.
What’s Next?
Start a Chapter
Find out how you can bring DECA to your school and start your own chapter today!
Join DECA
Take your education to the next level by becoming a DECA member today and exploring the exciting new opportunities that DECA offers.
College Connection
Want to take DECA to the next level? There’s DECA in college for that.
Expanding Career Readiness Through Career & Technical Student Organizations
Ensuring students are “college- and career-ready” has become a critical issue as concerns rise about the success of the U.S. education system and, ultimately, the country’s economic competitiveness. Find out how DECA can help your students become college-and career-ready today!
DECA’s Competitive Events
To explore sample events, detailed event guidelines, or additional resources for the events below, visit the National DECA website.
Competitive Events Overview
DECA offers a wide variety of competitive events for participants. Participants may choose from topics in marketing, finance, hospitality, tourism, sports and entertainment, sales, business law and ethics, retail operations, management, or community involvement. At the state-level, students generally compete in two events, but may compete in as many as four. At the international-level, students who advance from the state-level may only compete in one event.
Participants compete in events in various ways. Some require participants to compete only at the Career Development Conference, while others require projects that are done during the year leading up to the Career Development Conference. Some events are a mix of both, and require work before the conference, but are presented at the Career Development Conference.
Principles of Business Administration Events
This event is for first–year DECA participants only, and is done by one participant individually. Participants may choose from Business Management and Administration, Finance, Hospitality and Tourism, or Marketing. Participants will be given a 100-question, multiple-choice exam covering business administration. They are then given a written case study, and have 10 minutes to read it and prepare for a 10 minute presentation of the case study. The case study will ask participants to tackle a business challenge in a creative, thoughtful, and knowledgeable way.
| DECA Competitive Event | Nat’l Career Cluster | CDE Career Sector | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principles of Business Management and Administration | Business Management & Administration | Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
| Principles of Finance | Finance | Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
| Principles of Hospitality and Tourism | Hospitality & Tourism | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Pathway |
| Principles of Marketing | Marketing | Marketing, Sales, and Service Industry Sector |
Professional Sales and Marketing Pathway |
Team Decision Events
DECA’s Team Decision Making Events provide an opportunity for participants to analyze one or a combination of elements essential to the effective operation of a business in the specific career area. The business situation to be analyzed will be presented as a case study.
| DECA Competitive Event | Nat’l Career Cluster | CDE Career Sector | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Law and Ethics Team Decision Making | Business Management & Administration | Public Services Industry Sector |
Legal and Government Services Pathway |
| Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making | Marketing | Fashion & Interior Design Industry Sector |
Fashion Design, Manufacture and Merchandising Pathway |
| Entrepreneurship | Entrepreneurship | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Entrepreneurship Pathway |
| Financial Services Team Decision Making | Finance | Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
| Hospitality Services Team Decision Making | Hospitality & Tourism | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Pathway |
| Marketing Management Team Decision Making | Marketing | Marketing, Sales, and Service Industry Sector |
Professional Sales and Marketing Pathway |
| Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making | Marketing | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Pathway |
| Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making | Hospitality & Tourism | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Pathway |
Individual Series Competition
DECA’s Individual Series Events effectively measure students’ proficiency in the knowledge and skills identified by occupational practitioners as essential to success in a given career. Participants receive recognition for achievement in each role-play scenario and in the series as a whole.
| DECA Competitive Event | Nat’l Career Cluster | CDE Career Sector | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Applications Series | Finance | Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Accounting Services Pathway |
| Apparel and Accessories Marketing Series | Marketing | Fashion & Interior Design Industry Sector |
Fashion Design, Manufacture and Merchandising Pathway |
| Automotive Services Marketing Series | Marketing | Marketing, Sales, and Service Industry Sector |
Professional Sales and Marketing Pathway |
| Business Finance Series | Finance | Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
| Business Services Marketing Series | Marketing | Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
| Entrepreneurship | Entrepreneurship | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Entrepreneurship Pathway |
| Food Marking Series | Marketing | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Food Service and Hospitality Pathway |
| Hotel and Lodging Management Series | Hospitality & Tourism | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Pathway |
| Human Resources Management Series | Business Management & Administration |
Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
| Human Resources Management Series | Marketing | Marketing, Sales, and Service Industry Sector |
Professional Sales and Marketing Pathway |
| Marketing Communication Series | Marketing | Marketing, Sales, and Service Industry Sector |
Professional Sales and Marketing Pathway |
| Quick Serve Restaurant Management Series | Hospitality & Tourism | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Food Service and Hospitality Pathway |
| Restaurant and Food Service Management Series | Hospitality & Tourism | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Food Service and Hospitality Pathway |
| Retail Merchandising Series | Marketing | Fashion & Interior Design Industry Sector |
Fashion Design, Manufacture and Merchandising Pathway |
| Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series | Marketing | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Pathway |
Personal Financial Literacy Event
DECA’s Personal Financial Literacy Event measures the personal finance knowledge and skills that K–12 students should possess. The Personal Financial Literacy Event is designed to measure the student’s ability to apply reliable information and systematic decision making to personal financial decisions. The Personal Financial Literacy Event is designed for DECA members who are enrolled in personal finance and financial literacy courses.
| DECA Competitive Event | Nat’l Career Cluster | CDE Career Sector | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Financial Literacy | Finance | Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
Business Operations Research Events
DECA’s Business Operations Research Events provide opportunities for participants to demonstrate knowledge and skills needed by management personnel. Students conduct actual research studies in their communities.
| DECA Competitive Event | Nat’l Career Cluster | CDE Career Sector | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Services Operations Research | Business Management & Administration | Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
| Buying and Merchandising Operations Research | Marketing | Fashion & Interior Design Industry Sector |
Fashion Design, Manufacture and Merchandising Pathway |
| Finance Operations Research | Finance | Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
| Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research | Hospitality & Tourism | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Pathway |
| Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research | Marketing | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Pathway |
Project Management Events
DECA’s Project Management Events require participants to use project management skills to initiate, plan, execute, monitor and control, and close a project. Chapters plan, implement, and evaluate activities to make a positive impact in their schools and communities.
| DECA Competitive Event | Nat’l Career Cluster | CDE Career Sector | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Giving Project | Marketing | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Professional Sales and Marketing Pathway |
| Career Development Project | Marketing | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Professional Sales and Marketing Pathway |
|
Business Solutions Project |
Entrepreneurship | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Entrepreneurship and Marketing Pathway |
| Financial Literacy Project | Finance | Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Banking & Related Services |
| Sales Project | Marketing | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Professional Sales and Marketing Pathway |
|
|
Marketing | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Professional Sales and Marketing Pathway |
Entrepreneurship Events
DECA’s Entrepreneurship Events provide opportunities to explore entrepreneurial concepts from idea generation, business planning, to growing an existing business.
| DECA Competitive Event | Nat’l Career Cluster | CDE Career Sector | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovation Plan | Entrepreneurship | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Entrepreneurship Pathway |
| Start-Up Business Plan | Entrepreneurship | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
International Trade Pathway |
| Independent Business Plan | Entrepreneurship | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Entrepreneurship Pathway |
| International Business Plan | Entrepreneurship | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Entrepreneurship Pathway |
| Business Growth Plan | Entrepreneurship | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Entrepreneurship Pathway |
| Franchise Business Plan | Entrepreneurship | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Entrepreneurship Pathway |
Integrated Marketing Events
DECA’s Integrated Marketing Events provide opportunities for students to create promotional campaigns for a variety of industries.
| DECA Competitive Event | Nat’l Career Cluster | CDE Career Sector | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integrated Marketing Campaign – Event | Marketing | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Professional Sales and Marketing Pathway |
| Integrated Marketing Campaign – Product | Marketing | Fashion & Interior Design Industry Sector |
Fashion Design, Manufacture and Merchandising Pathway |
| Integrated Marketing Campaign – Service | Marketing | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Pathway |
Professional Selling and Consulting Events
DECA’s Professional Selling and Consulting Events provide an opportunity for participants to demonstrate skills needed for a career in sales and/or consulting. Participants will organize and deliver a sales presentation or consultation for one or more products/services/customers.
| DECA Competitive Event | Nat’l Career Cluster | CDE Career Sector | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Consulting | Finance | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Pathway |
| Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling | Hospitality & Toursim | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Professional Sales and Marketing Pathway |
| Professional Selling | Marketing | Finance & Business Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
Online Events
DECA’s Online Events provide opportunities for students to participate in online simulations to learn how to invest in the stock market, manage personal finances, or operate a business venture.
| DECA Competitive Event | Nat’l Career Cluster | CDE Career Sector | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Market Game | Finance | Finance and Business Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
| Virtual Business Challenge Accounting | Finance | Finance & Business Industry Sector | Business Financial Management Pathway |
| Virtual Business Challenge Fashion | Marketing | Fashion & Interior Design Industry Sector | Fashion Design Manufacture and Marketing Pathway |
| Virtual Business Challenge Hotel Management | Hospitality & Tourism | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation Pathway |
| Virtual Business Challenge Personal Finance | Finance | Marketing, Sales & Service Industry Sector |
Business Financial Management Pathway |
| Virtual Business Challenge Restaurant | Hospitality & Tourism | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation |
Food Service & Hospitality Pathway |
| Virtual Business Challenge Retail | Marketing | Marketing, Sales, and Service Industry Sector | Professional Sales & Marketing Pathway |
| Virtual Business Challenge Sports | Marketing | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation | Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation Pathway |
DECA is endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education as a co-curricular student leadership and career technical education program.
California DECA is chartered by the California Department of Education and endorsed as an essential component of business education.
California DECA, Inc. is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that manages the DECA Charter in California and receives funding from students, alumni, industry supporters, schools, and the California Department of Education via state funding allocations. California DECA does not discriminate on the basis and/or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics of age, ancestry, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, political affiliation, pregnancy and related conditions, race, religion, retaliation, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, Vietnam Era Veterans’ status, or any other basis prohibited by California state and federal nondiscrimination laws respectively.
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