MSc/Postgraduate Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate Marketing Communications

Content

The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.

You will study the following core modules:

• Contemporary Marketing Practice – This module introduces you to the theory and practice of marketing. It begins by looking at the traditional target marketing approach before looking at more recent developments in marketing thought. This module will also introduce the idea of thinking skills, encouraging you to take a systematic approach to the way you tackle business problems, using theory to structure your approach.
• Strategic Marketing Planning – In this module, you will learn how to analyse an organisation’s environment, making decisions on how it can deploy its resources for maximum advantage. The module will review a number of different tools and techniques which aid strategic analysis, strategy development and implementation.
• Principles of Marketing Communications – This module takes an in-depth look at the tools and techniques of promotion. As well as looking at the strengths of weaknesses of different communications media, you will learn the more fundamental principles of message development, framing and delivery, ensuring that communications media are used as effectively as possible.
• Marketing Analytics – Marketing depends on good information about the organisation, its customers and its competitors. In Marketing Analytics, you will learn how to design and implement systems for monitoring marketing activities, integrating financial and non-financial information to support organisational learning.
• Research Methods for Marketing – This module builds on the learning from the Marketing Analytics module.  As well as learning how to define and plan research projects, you will develop skills in gathering data, whether from focus groups, surveys or observation. The focus on this module is primarily on marketing research, but we will also look at the similarities to and differences from academic research.
• Digital Marketing – Digital marketing is integral to marketing in any context, so most modules will contain a substantial element of digital marketing. This module focuses on the planning and execution of digital marketing campaigns, focusing on the practical skills that need to be developed to maximise the benefit derived from digital marketing channels.
• Corporate Communications – This module will help you to understand the practices and processes by which an organisation communicates with its internal and external stakeholders. Building on the Principles of Marketing Communications Module, you will take a more specialist look at topics such as media relations, crisis management and building an internet presence, as well as the principles and practices of internal communications to staff.
• Marketing Dissertation and Research Methods
• Work-based Project and Research Methods.

You will choose one additional subject from the optional modules* below:

• Customer Relationship Management
• Social Marketing Principles and Policy
• Promotion and Society
• Retail and Fashion Marketing: Design and Delivery.

* The availability of optional modules is subject to demand.

Dissertation

In addition to these modules, your dissertation gives you the chance to research an area of marketing communications that is of particular interest to you and of relevance to your career or company. You will have the choice of working on an academic-type dissertation or a work-based one, where you will work on a live communications project.

You will attend a number of dissertation workshops to provide you with the research training sufficient to produce a quality dissertation.

Previous dissertation topics include:

• A cross-cultural research: Investigating the role of Cultural Masculinity on Consumers’ Buyer Behaviour of Luxury Goods
• Love at the core: the influence of brand-love on consumer outcomes
• A research of how celebrity endorsement influences on environmental behavioural intention of young people in Vietnam
• The influence of cosmetic advertising on the body image of West African students at UWE.

The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we will inform you.

Study time

You will attend the Business School for one year, study two to three days per week, and submit your dissertation in September. You can, however, choose to submit your dissertation in December, therefore taking 15 months to complete the course.

Careers

Careers / Further study

Getting the right message across to the right people is fundamental to business success and those with expertise in marketing communications are always going to be in demand in roles such as advertising copywriter, PR manager, direct marketing executive, senior brand manager, account manager and marketing communications manager.

If you are already working in the sector, the course will help you take that vital step up the ladder or move into a more specialist role. Graduates of this course have gone on to work with employers such as Creative England, SCISYS and Telefónica UK. Many of our graduates also go on to further academic study by embarking on a PhD.

You will have access to careers support while you are studying with us (and for three years after you graduate). Our award-winning careers service helps you develop your employment potential through career coaching, a vacancy service for internships, placements, jobs, global opportunities, volunteering and community activity plus support for entrepreneurial activity, and access to employer events.

Entry

Entry requirements

You will need:

• an honours degree of 2:2 or above) in any subject; or
• an equivalent academic qualification; or
• an academic or professional qualification such as the Advanced Certificate in Marketing, a BTEC or HND plus significant marketing or management experience.

• English Language Requirement

  If English is not your first language, you will be required to meet the UK Border Agency and Universities minimum English Language requirements such as the International English Language Test (IELTS) overall score of 6.5 with 5.5 in each component.