Marketing MSc

About the Course

Jobs in marketing, marketing research and communications are much sought-after in national and international organisations across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

Employers want marketing professionals to have a critical understanding of the competitive and customer-oriented demands of their business, its product and service operations, marketing processes and resources. They want creative, procedural and critical marketing expertise to generate, implement and evaluate programmes that satisfy customer requirements.

The MSc in Marketing offers the opportunity to study in depth the principles of marketing strategy, communications and research as well as the changing contexts in which these principles are applied.

This postgraduate degree has been approved and accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) to meet the qualification criterion for the Chartered Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing.

Aims

This course is designed for anyone wishing to become a marketing professional and/or undertake research in an academic, consultancy or commercial setting. Those already working in marketing and seeking a postgraduate qualification focused on Marketing (rather than a more generalist Master’s, such as an MBA) will find great value in the course.

This programme of study offers excellent preparation for a career in marketing or an associated field or helps those who are already employed in such an area to develop their careers further.

Enquiries

Course Director
Professor T.C. Melewar
E-mail T.C.Melewar@brunel.ac.uk
Tel +44 (0) 1895 265859

International Students (all enquiries): Brunel International Centre
For ALL questions related to this degree or to follow up on your application.
Email international@brunel.ac.uk
Tel +44 (0)1895 265519

Admissions Centre: for Home/EU applications already submitted
Email admissions@brunel.ac.uk
Tel +44 (0)1895 265265

Business School Enquiries Desk:  for enquiries prior to application
Email masterbbs@brunel.ac.uk
Tel +44 (0)1895 267124 or 265910

Special Features

Brunel Business School was ranked amongst the top 21 UK Business Schools in the Financial Times’s 2010 ranking of European Business Schools.

Accreditation

This postgraduate degree has been approved and accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) to meet the qualification criterion for the Chartered Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing.

Course Content

On completion of the MSc you should have an advanced and applied understanding of:

• contextual forces such as the social, technological, economic, ethical, legal and natural environment;
• marketing policies and strategies relating to markets and customers; development and operations of markets for goods and services with due regard for stakeholder expectations, quality of service and delivery orientation;
• concepts, processes and institutions significant for the marketing of goods and services;
• research methods/techniques, qualitative and quantitive and evaluation of options;
• the management and use of information technology and its contribution to communication and decision-making in marketing;
• contemporary and pervasive issues such as marketing ethics and social responsibility.

Core Modules

Marketing Communications
Main topics of study include: the process, theory, social impact and ethics of an advertising campaign; the role of advertising in the marketing mix; the key terms and concepts associated with marketing communications and a grounding in its critical and theoretic aspects; knowledge of key characteristics of the target audience, customer dynamics in a given context, marketing information and the influence of product positioning in order to critically discuss how integrated marketing communications campaigns and activities are planned and managed; advertising’s visual phenomenon.

Strategic Marketing Management
Main topics of study include: marketing environment, buyer behaviour, segmenting, targeting and positioning, marketing research, branding, service/retailing, price, place, promotion; marketing strategy process, marketing audit (internal), portfolio analysis, strategic options, PLC and value chain, IMC, innovation, relationship marketing, implementation and control.

Business Planning
This module aims to promote an integrative understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in business planning through practice. You will develop critical thinking through the development of a business plan and reflect on the whole process, the team dynamics and their personal development. In addition, this module examines different business models their underlying strategies and decision making process through a variety of case studies. 

International Marketing
Main topics of study include: international marketing; the potential market assessment; the global strategic position; building and sustaining the global position; the international marketing plan; country selection/target market, branding, e-commerce.

Understanding Business and Management Research
Main topics of study include: the notion of research and the issue of knowledge claims; the role of theory in management and business domain; epistemology and ontology assumptions in positivism and social relativism/constructivism; empiricism; research methods and techniques; research designs (ie experimental, longitudinal, case studies, comparative); application of qualitative and quantitative methods to management problems; using extant information and data sets to model complex management problems; the potential and limitations of case study research and survey research methods; planning a research project (writing a research proposal; the role of literature review and secondary research); practical considerations for a research epistemology, method, techniques and execution; criticality and ethical issues, trusting the knowledge claims of others.

Dissertation
There are few prior constraints on the definition of the subject(s) to be researched, provided that it is: amenable to enquiry, with a realistic expectation of reaching a meaningful conclusion; sufficiently focused to allow its completion within the specified timescale; of appropriate intellectual depth; relevant to the Masters programme followed. The project may take a number of different forms, but will need to include appropriate literature survey and an investigation in a specified area or topic. A professional-focused study which aims to draw upon empirical data to assess critically a specified area or topic. The empirical data may be primary, eg derived from an investigation undertaken by the student; secondary, eg derived from analysis of existing data sets; or derived from a combination of primary and secondary research.

Elective (one from)

Global Diversity Management
This module provides an insight into Global Diversity Management by examining how organizations plan, coordinate and implement a set of management strategies, policies, initiatives such as training and development activities that seek to accommodate diverse sets of social and individual backgrounds, interests, beliefs, values and ways of work in organizations with international, multinational, global and transnational workforces and operations.

International Business Ethics and Corporate Governance
This module focuses on business ethics and corporate governance in the international context. Both areas will be addressed from the perspective of the dual ‘business’ models of the shareholder and the stakeholder approaches. Further the broader societal impacts of business activities will be considered in-depth. The full range of businesses will be considered – from large corporations through to SMEs. Empirical studies will be used to apply the theoretical resources of moral philosophy, CSR and corporate governance.

Knowledge Management, Social Networks and Innovation
This module explores the intersection between knowledge, social network technologies and innovation. It examines how organisations create, utilise and communicate knowledge in the global knowledge-based economy and the wider social and economic factors affecting knowledge transfer. The module identifies the exploitation of WEB.2.0 which enables social engagement and processes for business development. 

Assessment

Taught modules are assessed either wholly by coursework or by course work and formal examination.

Examinations normally feature in second term modules only. Dissertation research typically involves original research into a business and marketing policy problem or issue of the student's choice.

Fees for 2012/13 entry

Home/EU students: £7,130 full-time

International students: £12,650 full-time

Read about funding opportunities available to postgraduate students

Fees quoted are per annum and are subject to an annual increase.

Entry Requirements for 2012 Entry

A good honours degree (2.1 or above) typically in a business-related subject. Applications from social science graduates or mature candidates with non-standard qualifications but with considerable occupational experience are also welcome.

English Language Requirements

• IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
• TOEFL Paper test: 580 (TWE 4.5)
• TOEFL Internet test: 92 (R20, L20, S20, W20)
• Pearson: 59 (51 in all subscores)
• BrunELT 65% (min 60% in all areas)

Brunel also offers our own BrunELT English Test and accept a range of other language courses. We also have a range of Pre-sessional English language courses, for students who do not meet these requirements, or who wish to improve their English.