MSc Marketing Management

Course code: MN5AL

Start date: September and January

Course length: full time: one year, part time: two to three years.

Campus: Kedleston Road site, Derby Campus

The MSc Marketing Management and MA Marketing and Media provides you with a wide range of knowledge across key marketing disciplines, as well as the opportunity to focus on an area of particular interest to you in the form of your final independent study. You will practice and develop key subject area skills as well as enhance your own personal business and leadership skills.  All of which will be of benefit to your future.

The postgraduate marketing programme is designed to make you comfortable with core concepts and theories practiced in safe but realistic business and marketing situations. At the Postgraduate Certificate stage you will concentrate on the broad contextual aspects of marketing, developing your knowledge and understanding.

This is continued into the Postgraduate Marketing Diploma stage where you have an opportunity to focus on creating and managing brands and specialising in creating and implementing strategic marketing plans. The focus is on subject specific knowledge and practical skills beyond the operational and functional, through the tactical, towards a more strategic level of understanding in a wider variety of marketing environments and global contexts.

At the MSc Marketing Management level you will complete the taught element of your course and then progress on to the highlight of the course - your independent study. Here you have the opportunity to build on what you have learned on the course so far and focus in a particular area of interest to you. Perhaps you are interested in a career in a particular sector, or in a specific element of marketing?  You'll have the opportunity to conduct an in depth investigation into your chosen sector or area - ask interesting questions, review the literature, conduct research, draw conclusions and make recommendations. This also equips you with highly sought after investigative and problem-solving skills.

You will be assessed throughout the course in a variety of ways. The focus is on developing your skills, rather than 'testing' what you can remember, so you'll be undertaking a variety of different assessment methods, each one helping you to develop your practical skills.

The marketing management postgraduate has been developed with a range of widely respected international and local companies and organisations, and we've taken past students' views in to account.  This means that you are able to deliver to what employers are looking for in their future managers. Our links with local industry also means that the concepts and theories that you are learning are practically applied to current business situations through case studies, company visits, mini projects and assignments. All of this is designed to bring your learning to life and your life to a choice of careers.

Study your degree and gain professional body qualifications

The MSc Marketing Management is one of only a few marketing courses in the UK that is accredited by The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) for a Dual Award. This Dual Award means that while you are studying for your qualification you also have the opportunity to work towards achieving the CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing as part of your masters programme, enabling you to graduate with an enhanced qualification that is sought after by employers. This additional professional qualification makes you more marketable by distinguishing you from other candidates and is another important step in your career development.

In addition, with appropriate work experience you will be eligible to join The Chartered Institute of Marketing with associate or member status and signatory letters ACIM or MCIM.

You'll usually need:

• A degree of at least a 2:1, or equivalent
• If your first language is not English you will need a proficiency in English (IELTS 6.5)

This is a classroom based course.

UK/EU students

• Part time: £695 per module (you usually take 9 of these modules in total)

International students

• Full time: £10,200 (in total)

*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2012 and August 2013. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year.

How you'll learn

Each module is studied on campus, using a blend of lectures, tutorials, self study. Modules are supported by using e-learning materials, through our electronic platform 'Blackboard', and text based resources.

You will have support and access to academic staff throughout your programme, not only in lectures and tutorials, through email, office visits and telephone.

Your learning is also developed through the exchange of ideas and experience from the peer group of students.

How you're assessed

You'll be assessed mainly through coursework. Assessments will often place you in a position of responsibility, so a report format will be a common vehicle to communicate frameworks, analysis and discussion.

Coursework will cover a wide range of assessment types including computer based assessment, reflection statements, group work analysis, practical activities such as developing an investment portfolio, case studies, reports and essays.

The focus is on developing your skills, rather than 'testing' what you can remember, so each assessment method helps you to develop your practical skills.

• On completion of your masters in marketing management you will have experienced many different aspects of marketing, and developed a broad variety of marketing and leadership skills. You'll be in a great position to start, or resume, your career in marketing, or even broader business and management areas.
• An MSc is now probably the most widely respected qualification, and a masters in marketing is certainly a clear way to differentiate yourself from bachelors graduates in an increasingly competitive job market.
• If you choose the marketing management route, as well as getting broad coverage in the key marketing concepts and developing your leadership skills, you will be able to differentiate yourself even more than holders of general marketing degrees.

"The marketing masters has proved challenging, but I've enjoyed developing my marketing skills, in particular the emphasis on psychology and creativity.  I've developed new abilities in communication, leadership and time management, and have become more efficient as part of a team and as an individual."

Gavin Cooper

• Read more student stories

Current and recent masters marketing management students consistently praise the marketing staff for their support during the course. Whilst a challenging course, it is fun and clearly designed to set you up in your chosen career path. Testament to this, students keep in contact with their tutor to let them know how they're progressing after graduation!