MSc in Marketing
Cardiff University
Key Information
Campus location
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 year
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 9,950 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* for UK/EU students. £21,950 for international students
Introduction
The MSc Marketing programme offers an opportunity for students with a non-business management undergraduate degree to achieve a thorough understanding of marketing. Marketing is a central function for all organisations and involves an alignment between the activities of an organisation and its stakeholders such as customers, employees, suppliers, local communities, government and regulatory authorities.
The programme provides a systematic analysis of the marketing field and its application across multiple contexts. From goods-centred activities to service environments, you will first analyse the organisational context and identify ways in which an organization delivers value through marketing and research activities. You will then study two optional modules to suit your interests and career aspirations. The ‘Marketing in Context’ module then allows you the opportunity to explore the application of marketing within contemporary areas. The programme will conclude with a Marketing Project that integrates the application of core marketing course concepts in the context of a specific organisation.
The programme is designed to help you develop confidence in understanding and applying core marketing concepts and skills. You will learn in a supportive and creative environment that embraces the international experiences of your peers and the multi-national staff in a research-rich Business School.
Distinctive features
- Cardiff Bootcamp: an extended introduction specially designed to embed you into the programme and Cardiff learning community.
- The Career Enhancer Service: support from professional advisors to enhance your entry into the workplace and fulfil your career ambitions, including workshops on job search skills, CV writing, assessment centres, and interview techniques and access to careers fairs, job opportunities and business networks.
- Programme of high-profile business speakers and company visits.
- Access to our global alumni network.
- Understanding real-world marketing challenges in a range of contrasting contexts.
- Marketing in Context – an integrative capstone module in which the overarching theories delivered earlier in the programme are challenged against context-specific backdrops.
- A final live project that enables you to work in a team to complete a marketing project report for an organisation based on a defined brief.
- Opportunities to make a difference to society and the economy through study and extra-curricular activity in line with Public Value.
Admissions
Curriculum
Structure
The programme comprises six-module blocks, plus a marketing consultancy project. The first and last module blocks are scheduled on their own as introductory and capstone learning experiences. The four other modules are scheduled in pairs. The block approach provides an enriching opportunity for extended learning activities, class interaction and review of learning to enhance understanding. It also enables us to offer extra support for individual students to build their confidence.
The introductory module sets the scene for the rest of the programme by exploring the fundamentals of marketing. It immerses you into the study environment and learning group.
You will study two core modules in marketing research and service marketing before choosing two of the four optional modules offered within the programme. Within all modules, you will be exposed to the latest research and practice in marketing.
A capstone ‘Marketing in Context’ module explores contemporary issues in marketing, with overarching theory delivered earlier in the programme challenged against context-specific backdrops. This is designed to develop your insight and dexterity in the subject.
The programme concludes with a Marketing Consultancy Project, in which you will work as a group to develop a brief with an organisation and then undertake a marketing investigation in response.
Key academic and professional skills are integrated into all the modules, helping to build your confidence and the skills required to succeed both within the programme and in your future career.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2020/21 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2020.
Core modules
Module title | Module core | Credits |
Marketing Fundamentals | BST350 | 20 credits |
Services Marketing | BST351 | 20 credits |
Marketing Research | BST352 | 20 credits |
Marketing in Context | BST353 | 20 credits |
Marketing Project | BST360 | 60 credits |
Optional modules
Module title | Module code | Credits |
Brand Management | BST354 | 20 credits |
Marketing Analytics | BST355 | 20 credits |
Digital Marketing | BST356 | 20 credits |
International Marketing | BST357 | 20 credits |
Learning and assessment
How will I be taught?
An active learning approach is embedded in the MSc Marketing. We believe that effective learning is founded on two things – your involvement in diverse experiences, and the way you make sense of those experiences, both individually and with others.
Consequently, each block of learning includes a variety of activities such as case studies, videos, mini team challenges, role-play, company visits, and industry speakers, all designed to introduce new ideas and develop your understanding.
We will help you to enhance the higher-order reflective skills you were introduced to during your first degree, including observation, analysis, and synthesis to ensure that you are able to develop comprehensive insight and clear conclusions about these experiences.
We will also support you to work with other students to reflect on your existing knowledge and skills. Sharing your understanding with others is also important and collaborative learning will enable you to build new insights into the nature of marketing in a variety of contexts. You will be encouraged to work collaboratively in diverse teams to consider a range of alternative understandings and practices.
Trying out new learning is important too. You will integrate and apply new understandings, together with new marketing skills, in practical tasks embedded in each learning block, and in formal coursework activities.
Alongside assessed modules, a series of programme-level activities support skills development and further interpretation of the contemporary realities of marketing take place.
How will I be supported?
The University offers a wealth of support for postgraduate students. These include:
Careers & Placement Support
Our dedicated Placements Manager offers advice on available work placements, internships, work experience and opportunities to enhance your CV and broaden your horizons. Support for job applications and interview techniques is also available from the Business School’s in-house Careers Consultant.
Learning Central
Learning Central is the University’s virtual learning environment. All programme and module materials are posted here for students to access before, during and after lectures.
Libraries
A variety of hard and electronic copies of books, journals and databases are available for participants on the programme. The Aberconway library is located in the main Business school site, and additional resources are available at other libraries throughout the campus. Many journals and books are also available electronically.
Personal Tutor System
Each student is allocated a Personal Tutor. This member of the academic staff will maintain an overview of your learning and educational experiences. If you are experiencing difficulties, your Personal Tutor will be there to listen and where possible provide professional guidance or else direct you to the appropriate source of support.
The Student Advisory Service
A free, impartial, non-judgemental and confidential service is offered to students on a wide range of personal, financial and academic matters.
Disability & Dyslexia Service
Confidential advice and support are provided for students who are disabled or who have a specific learning difficulty (e.g., dyslexia) or long term medical condition.
Counselling Service
The Cardiff University Counselling Service provides members of the university community with an opportunity to examine issues that prevent them from maximising their full potential and to explore options for change. The Counselling Service is confidential and free of charge. It has had international recognition as a Centre for Excellence for individual and group counselling.
How will I be assessed?
The block programme structure provides plenty of opportunities for you to reflect on your learning and development informally. Short knowledge/skill review activities are built into each module to help you check your progress and improve your approach to learning. This will build your confidence and enhance your approach to formal assessment tasks.
A variety of formal assessment tasks provide the opportunity to explore concepts and models in creative and practical ways. These include presentations, case studies, reports, and exams. You will work individually and as part of a team, just as you would in the workplace.
All formal assessments are completed within each module. This enables more in-depth consolidation and application required for successful performance in assessment tasks based on the complex functional level work undertaken by professionals. It also reflects realistic workplace timescales for the completion of tasks.
Program Outcome
What skills will I practise and develop?
The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will be able to do as a result of your study at Cardiff University. They will help you to understand what is expected of you.
The Learning Outcomes for this Programme can be found below:
Knowledge & Understanding:
On successful completion of the programme you will be able to:
- Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of key marketing concepts.
- Evaluate the principles, theory and applications of marketing.
- Analyse contemporary issues in marketing and their societal impact.
- Evaluate important aspects of marketing contexts.
Intellectual Skills:
On successful completion of the programme you will be able to:
- Apply the principles of marketing to practice.
- Analyse marketing scenarios and formulate evidence-based recommendations.
- Apply knowledge in an original way.
Professional Practical Skills:
On successful completion of the programme you will be able to:
- Evaluate the applications of theory to practice, generating workable solutions.
- Solve problems in applied marketing scenarios.
- Deal with complex issues in a systematic and creative way.
- Analyse complex problems based on rigorous data, and clearly communicate to specialist or non-specialist audiences.
Transferable/Key Skills:
On successful completion of the programme you will be able to demonstrate:
- Communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively by oral, written and practical means.
- Work effectively in a team and as an individual.
- Use digital technology in an applied learning environment.
- Work to a range of timescales to fit the requirements of programme tasks and outputs.
Gallery
Career Opportunities
The programme will enable new opportunities for a career in Marketing, supplementing the skills and knowledge you acquired in your first degree. The MSc in Marketing offers an advancement in the student’s own discipline through complementary expertise and differentiation from other candidates in the field.