ObjectivesThe MSc aims to provide you with an understanding of the concepts and systems underlying marketing practice and to develop your skills of diagnosis and implementation in marketing management and research processes. On completion you will be able to: Nurture and consolidate a customer-focused management approach in a variety of different market settings, organisation types and policy situations. Design, plan and implement research-based marketing strategies. Plan, implement and evaluate specific marketing programmes and activities. Conduct research into contemporary marketing practice.
Entry requirementsEntrance Requirements A good Honours degree (or equivalent professional qualification) in business and management related subjects. Candidates with a very good Honours degree in other disciplinary areas, or mature non-graduate applicants with an appropriate level of relevant managerial experience, may also be considered for entry to the programme.
The programme consists of eight taught modules over two 15-week semesters plus a 15,000 word dissertation that is undertaken over the summer period. Core modules are:
Professional Skills in Marketing: Emphasises the importance of individual and team skills in bringing about market-led strategic change in organisations and includes a team-building weekend.
Contemporary Issues in Marketing or Principles of Marketing: Both modules focus on how marketing is approached in Stirling and consider hot topics in the marketing area. Students will be allocated a module based on previous experience. There are field visits and guest lectures.
Research Techniques and Applications: Focuses on doing client-based market research and covers the basic research methods and techniques. Marketing Management Applications: Entails doing research for a real client, external to the University. It demonstrates the practical application of marketing techniques.
Research Evaluation and Design: Concentrates on academic scholarly research. It involves critiquing published research and a poster session in which you present ideas for your dissertation.
The option modules, from which you select three, currently include:
Retail Marketing: Investigates the nature of the retail ‘product’, segmentation and positioning, consumer behaviour and retailing, marketing communication in a retail context, retail branding, store formats and customer service.
Sport Marketing: Investigates the application of marketing techniques to the sport industry and whether sport is any different from other sectors.
Small Business Marketing: Designed to put into practice marketing theory at the level of the smaller firm.
International Marketing: Considers the process of internationalisation for all sizes of firm, but the focus is on small to medium sized enterprises.
Retail Buying and Merchandising: Explains the context of buying operations, the issues facing retail buyers in different types of retail organisations and their interaction with other functional areas.
Social Marketing: Marketing techniques can be used to influence health and social behaviour. The module reviews theoretical foundations, planning, research and communication and looks at international and ethical issues.
Tourism Marketing: Identifies the nature and scope of tourism as an academic subject, an activity and an industry.
Logistics and Channel Management: Relates logistics to the economy and to business and develops an understanding of channel management.
Marketing Communications: Helps you to critique the diversity of theories that underpin marketing communications activities and to provide a semiotic analysis of marketing communications content.
Delivery and Assessment
The taught modules of the MSc programme are delivered using a variety of methods e.g. lectures, tutorials, case studies, role playing, computer simulations, fieldwork exercises, site visits, guest speakers and company projects. Much of the assessment is continuous and may include research reports, essays, briefings, management reports, case analyses and presentations. Assessed work is often conducted in groups, as developing teamwork and communication skills are seen as important.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the MSc Marketing programme can expect to develop a successful career in marketing and general management in a variety of organisations and policy environments. Opportunities exist not only in the manufacturing and commercial sectors, but increasingly in the public and non-profit sectors. Graduates of the programme have built careers in organisations of various sizes, operating internationally in product management, marketing research, media planning, account management, logistics, sales planning and control. Careers have been built in many different sectors including pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, automotive, retailing, engineering, advertising, food and drink, tourism and teaching.