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Kickstart your postgraduate journey at Brunel in January 2025

Corporate Brand Management MSc

Key Information

Start date

January

September

Subject area

Business School

Mode of study

1 year full-time

16 months full-time with placement

2 years full-time with placement

Fees

2025/26

UK £14,435

International £28,350

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Entry requirements

2:2

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Overview

In today’s business landscape, brand is everything. But what exactly is brand and how do we manage it for the best possible outcome? Brunel’s Corporate Brand Management MSc examines the importance of branding, corporate identity, image and reputation.

You will study a wide-range of brands (e.g. product, service, personal, company) from a variety of cultures and sectors (private, public and not-for-profit) including start-ups, SMEs, and multinationals. You will also study how corporate branding is key to an organisation’s overall marketing strategy.

Brunel Business School was the first school to introduce a specialised MSc in corporate brand management back in 2007. The Corporate Brand Management MSc is taught by an enthusiastic team including Professor John M.T. Balmer, who is highly regarded in the corporate brand domain, as well as renowned brand specialists Dr Sharifah Alwi and Dr Yousra Asaad, amongst others.

You have the option of taking either a year-long or six to twelve week work placement, depending on your needs, to help you enhance your skills and boost your career prospects while you study. We were one of the first business schools to offer postgraduate degrees with placement and the feedback has been that this is incredibly useful as you can put your learning into practice immediately. It’s also a great way to make business contacts with the possibility of a job offer from your placement employer once you’ve graduated. Find out more on our work placements page.

Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), this course offers the option to study the CIM Certificate in Professional Marketing alongside your degree. Find out more on our accreditations and exemptions page.

Topics covered on the degree include corporate and product brand identity, corporate and product brand image and reputation, corporate marketing, and corporate communications. You will also study marketing communications and strategy from a corporate branding perspective.

Watch our video below to learn how the course will be taught, meet our academics and hear about the facilities available on our campus.

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Course content

This exciting course will give you a sound basis in the fundamentals of corporate brand management. Optional modules allow you to explore areas such as business ethics, entrepreneurship, consumer behaviour, diversity in the workplace, and international management. 

Researching and writing a 12,000 word dissertation is an integral part of the course. Your dissertation should focus upon empirical research into a management problem or issue of your choice to be agreed with your tutor, who will support you in your research. The dissertation must be submitted by the end of the academic year.

Compulsory

  • Marketing Communications

    Embark on a transformative journey in our Master's programme in Marketing Communications, delving into the intricate processes, cutting-edge theories, and ethical dimensions that shape the dynamic field. Uncover the pivotal role each element plays in crafting compelling narratives. Gain fluency in key terms and concepts while cultivating a profound understanding of the critical and theoretical facets that drive innovation in marketing communications. Elevate your expertise for a future-ready career.

  • Understanding Business and Management Research
    Quantitative and qualitative methods in management research. Understanding research reports and utilising this information to improve quality of work and decision-making in complex management problems.
  • Corporate Branding Theory and Issues

    This module focuses on corporate branding and the critical issues around its theoretical understanding. It examines how the theoretical aspects of corporate branding differs from product/service branding and we might view corporate identity, orientation and alignment. This module prepares the student for both their brand consulting project and dissertation.

  • Applied Corporate Branding

    The central theme in MG5584 is to develop (1) a critical understanding of application of corporate brand management theories to business practices of firms (2) ability to evaluate the nature and complexity of corporate brand management practices, (3) critical appraisal of contemporary corporate brand management in comparison to traditional marketing practices and (4) demonstrate presentation and written communication skills in the form of presentation and power point slides.

  • Strategic Corporate Marketing
    This module focuses on corporate marketing. It examines the philosophy and management of corporate marketing at strategic level and considers its historiography. The dimensions of the corporate marketing mix are examined in the strategic context of key, corporate-level constructs/theories relating to corporate branding, corporate identity; organisational identity, corporate communications; corporate image and reputation, stakeholder theory along with corporate social responsibility.
  • Strategic Corporate Brand Management and Consulting
    This module focuses on strategic corporate brand management and consulting and deals with the applied aspects of the territory (the management of change in corporate branding contexts). It examines key normative models such as corporate brand alignment and the six conventions of corporate brand management among others and will examine the strategic nature of corporate brand management in the context of mergers, acquisitions, takeovers and franchise arrangements.
  • Corporate Brand Heritage

    The module aims to provide a critical understanding of current research and state of the art knowledge apropos corporate heritage branding including academic theories, frameworks, and models within a business context. Students will be given opportunities to discuss current important issues in the corporate heritage field with a view to developing critical skills of evaluation and appraisal.

  • Dissertation (Corporate Brand Management MSc)

    Researching and writing a 12,000 word dissertation is an integral part of the course. Your dissertation should focus upon empirical research into a corporate brand management problem or issue of your choice to be agreed with your tutor, who will support you in your research. The dissertation must be submitted by the end of the academic year.

Optional

  • International Management

    This module examines the legal, cultural, economic, political, technological and ethical challenges in managing complex international operations across borders. It also explores managerial behaviours and organisational processes that are key when operating in a competitive global environment. 

  • Global Diversity Management

    Training and development activities for diverse workforces with different socio-economic backgrounds, interests, beliefs, value systems.

  • Entrepreneurship
    Studying the nature of entrepreneurship and its importance in society. Analysis and understanding of the psychological and behavioural characteristics of the entrepreneur. Overview of the major theories in the field (psychological theory and cognitive theory) as well as the main approaches to entrepreneurship.
  • International Business Ethics and Corporate Governance

    This module focuses on business ethics, sustainability and corporate governance in internationally operating organisations. These areas are addressed from the perspective of the dual ‘business’ models of the shareholder and the stakeholder approaches. The broader societal impacts of business activities are discussed by using concepts from moral philosophy, CSR, sustainability and corporate governance. 

  • Consumer Behaviour

    Develop a critical understanding of how external and internal factors (psychological, social, cultural and economic factors) inform and influence marketing decisions and consumer behaviour in personal buying situations.

  • Strategic Digital Marketing

    Providing a critical understanding of achieving marketing objectives through the application of digital media, data and technology. Understanding and developing an insight into the various components of digital marketing channels and platforms that is designed to enable digital marketers to plan, manage and optimise all aspects of the key digital marketing strategies and tactics relevant to today’s marketing environment.


This course can be studied undefined undefined, starting in undefined.

This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.


Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Careers and your future

Putting your learning into practice through our six to twelve or year-long work placement options, as well as the opportunity to study for your CIM Certificate in Professional Marketing alongside your degree will give you a career boost when entering the graduate world.

Graduates of this degree can look forward to a wide range of career opportunities within a variety of sectors. In particular this degree will help prepare you for roles in: Brand Management; Brand Marketing; Corporate Communications; Advertising and PR

Some of the well-known names who value Brunel Corporate Brand Management graduates include British Airways, London Borough of Harrow (Local Council), Amer Sports, Street Market Ltd, Radley Yeldar, L'Oreal, Brand Union, McCann Ericson, OWL, Grey Group, The Daily Mail Group.

 

UK entry requirements

  • A 2.2 (or above) UK Honours degree or an equivalent internationally recognised qualification in or a related or non-related subject. Work experience is not required.

EU and International entry requirements

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
  • Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
  • BrunELT: 63% (min 58% in all areas)
  • TOEFL: 90 (min 20 in all) 

You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

Fees and funding

2025/26 entry

UK

£14,435 full-time

£1,385 placement year

International

£28,350 full-time

£1,385 placement year

More information on any additional course-related costs.

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

See our fees and funding page for full details of postgraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.

Scholarships and bursaries

Teaching and learning

At Brunel Business School (BBS), you will experience a rich and engaging on-campus learning environment. Our modules are delivered through engaging lectures, and in most modules, through seminars that allow for interactions in smaller groups. Additionally, you will have access to a wide range of resources on Brightspace, our online learning platform, including PowerPoint slides, video recordings, and peer-reviewed academic publications that align with the module learning objectives. Moreover, BBS students benefit from a range of support and opportunities from our dedicated staff and faculty, such as:

  • Extra-curricular activities designed to enhance your skills and expand your network, such as social events, guest speakers and industry visits/field trips (please note these may vary within programmes)
  • A dedicated Student Experience Team to provide pastoral care
  • A dedicated ASK Academic Skills support team to help you understand and address coursework requirements
  • Personalised tutoring and wellbeing advice to support your academic and personal development
  • Employability guidance and career planning from our in-house director.

Access to a laptop or desktop PC is required for joining online activities, completing coursework and digital exams, and a minimum specification can be found here.

We have computers available across campus for your use and laptop loan schemes to support you through your studies. You can find out more here.

Teaching includes lectures, informal small study groups, and individual or group presentations using a laptop and digital projector.

A particular feature of the course is the use of case studies to contextualise contemporary theory and practice. Class presentations offer the opportunity to gain valuable presentation experience as you apply theory to practice.

Should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel, the Student Support and Welfare Team are here to help.

Assessment and feedback

Modules are usually assessed by individual assessment or by examination in May.

Coursework and examinations give you a chance to demonstrate critical and constructive thinking and reasoning. Your dissertation is a 12,000 word document that will show your ability to conceive, design and execute a major project, which confidently substantiates your chosen line of enquiry.