This Master's degree offer a strategic perspective on marketing management, a discipline that is increasingly being seen as critical to success in achieving business goals, and as a core function in many organisations. Depending on your choice of modules, your final award could be either Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MSc).
Students on this course are eligible for an Affiliate Professional Membership of Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and access to a range of professional events.
Course content:
You will develop a strategic perspective and broaden your existing understanding of marketing and its integration into an overall corporate strategy and structure. You will hone your capacity for analysing complex marketing and business situations and reaching decisions on appropriate courses of action. You will also improve your career prospects in marketing and general business areas.
A highlight for many students is the residential weekend organised as part of this course – a weekend away combining presentations and workshops with great opportunities to network and get to know your fellow students.
Students on this course benefit from free access to part of the material on the course reading list.
Modules:
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course. For more details on course structure and modules, and how you will be taught and assessed, see the full course document.
Core modules – MA
Distribution and Price Management
This module covers the management of two essential elements of the marketing mix. You will consider the design of distribution channels with particular emphasis on identification of alternatives available to marketers. The strategic aspects of price to the end consumer are also examined in the context of pricing through the distribution chain.
Recognising that global distribution channels are a major contributor to environmental degradation the module examines the sustainability and ethical issues involved in distribution and the impact of these issues on product pricing.
Integrated Marketing Communications in a Digital and Global World
Modern marketing communications are characterised by increased use of digital technology, increased globalisation, increased media fragmentation and proliferation, all leading to an increased need for integration. These themes will permeate the module. Teaching will be interactive and will consist of one lecture and one seminar each week, and you will be expected to contribute to class discussion.
Marketing Creativity and Innovation
This module will focus on creativity and innovation in marketing and its impact on increasing the competitive edge of organisations (across all sectors). You will also explore the complexity of the creative process and innovation at the individual, group and organisational levels as well as assess the competencies of a 'creative' / 'innovative' manager.
Marketing Dissertation
The dissertation displays your mastery of a complex and specialised area of knowledge and skills, employing advanced knowledge drawn from the taught modules and independent research, in developing your ability to analyse and investigate marketing issues and problems.
Marketing Research Insights
Companies today use sophisticated approaches to understand the markets in which they operate, and to understand their customers and their consumers. This knowledge forms the basis of marketing strategies.
This module develops competency in the main qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection, measurement, sampling, analysis and presentation of results.
Product and Brand Management
This module deals with the management of an organisation's core product offering, and examines the key concepts and tools for managing brands as strategic assets in achieving business and marketing goals.
Strategic Marketing in an International Context
The contemporary, boundary-free marketplace is characterised by uncertainty and unpredictability, due to both technological advancements and rapid changes in the competition structure.
This module aims to provide students with a deep understanding of the discipline of strategic marketing management in the international context, while an appreciation of the varied strategic tools will guide you on how to integrate these elements to form a coherent marketing strategy.
Using Consumer Psychology to Understand Buyer Behaviour
The buyer behaviour module aims to give the student a critical understanding of factors influencing consumer behaviour, which can be used in the development of more effective marketing strategies.
Core modules – MS c:
Distribution and Price Management
This module covers the management of two essential elements of the marketing mix. You will consider the design of distribution channels with particular emphasis on identification of alternatives available to marketers. The strategic aspects of price to the end consumer are also examined in the context of pricing through the distribution chain. Recognising that global distribution channels are a major contributor to environmental degradation, the module examines the sustainability and ethical issues involved in distribution and the impact of these issues on product pricing.
Integrated Marketing Communications in a Digital and Global World
Modern marketing communications are characterised by increased use of digital technology, increased globalisation, increased media fragmentation and proliferation, all leading to an increased need for integration. These themes will permeate the module. Teaching will be interactive and will consist of one lecture and one seminar each week, and you will be expected to contribute to class discussion.
Marketing Dissertation
The Dissertation displays mastery of a complex and specialised area of knowledge and skills, employing advanced knowledge drawn from the taught modules and independent research, in developing your ability to analyse and investigate marketing issues and problems.
Marketing Research Insights
Companies today use sophisticated approaches to understand the markets in which they operate, and to understand their customers and their consumers. This knowledge forms the basis of marketing strategies. This module develops your competency in the main qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection, measurement, sampling, analysis and presentation of results.
Product and Brand Management
This module deals with the management of an organisation's core product offering, and examines the key concepts and tools for managing brands as strategic assets in achieving business and marketing goals.
Quantitative Analysis for Marketing Management
A significant and growing field in the marketing profession is the use of analytics to inform managerial decision making. Although 'analytics' seems to be a catchphrase that encompasses anything having to do with numbers, marketing analytics comprises the processes that enable marketers to evaluate the success of their marketing initiatives by measuring their performance. Therefore, marketing analytics can offer profound insights into customer preferences and trends.
Strategic Marketing in an International Context
The contemporary, boundary-free marketplace is characterised by uncertainty and unpredictability, due to both technological advancements and rapid changes in the competition structure.
This module aims to provide you with a deep understanding of the discipline of strategic marketing management in the international context, while an appreciation of the varied strategic tools will guide you on how to integrate these elements to form a coherent marketing strategy.
Using Consumer Psychology to Understand Buyer Behaviour
The buyer behaviour module aims to give the student a critical understanding of factors influencing consumer behaviour, which can be used in the development of more effective marketing strategies.
Fast-track marketing management MA/MSc
A fast-track route to the Marketing Management MA qualification is available for holders of the CIM Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing (or equivalent). Holders of this qualification will be exempt from all but two modules:
For MA: Marketing Creativity and Innovation Marketing Dissertation
For MSc: Quantitative Analysis for Marketing and Management Marketing Dissertation
The fees will be proportional to the number of credits studied. Dissertation (40 credits) Quantitative Analysis for Marketing Management (20 credits)