MSc Marketing

Key details

MSC MARKETING

Start Year

2022

Attendance

Full Time

Award

Degree of Master of Science

Duration (years)

Prepare for a high-flying career in marketing with this intense Master’s.

Marketing is the practice of identifying customers and satisfying their needs. But the best marketers aren’t only experts in their specialism. They understand the other key functions of business too.

On this course you will learn how to identify, evaluate and execute marketing strategies – and you’ll also discover how to engage and collaborate with company-wide specialisms.

You don’t need to have studied or worked in marketing before to excel on this course – you’ll be introduced to all the key concepts and practices before delving deeper. Equally, if you do have an undergraduate degree in marketing or a related subject, or you have experience working in industry, this degree is a great opportunity to push your skills and capabilities further.

About

This course is an excellent foundation for a career in marketing. Alternatively it will help you bring a marketing perspective to any number of other business roles. It’s also a great choice if you have your own business, or work in a family business, and want to improve your marketing skills.

Over 12 months of intensive study you’ll discover the intellectual and practical skills of marketing, exploring theories, concepts and techniques, and building the analytical tools and perspectives necessary for a lifetime of making marketing decisions. You’ll learn how to lead and respond, both operationally and strategically, in the dynamic global marketplace.

You’ll discover the long-standing fundamentals of marketing, as well as investigating new areas that are critical to success in today’s world, such as internationalisation and the global marketplace, the power of the internet, and socially responsible marketing.

You’ll learn how to analyse markets and their behaviours, and how to develop brands that work effectively within those markets.

You’ll gain an overview of all areas of business, discovering how to engage and collaborate with non-marketing specialists – an essential skill for successful marketing professionals. And you’ll explore the impact of marketing strategies on growth, cash flow and profit.

You’ll also develop key management skills, and become adept at integrating and aligning organisational processes, systems and people to meet the challenges and goals of the marketing department.

Your studies will have an international outlook throughout. You’ll study business issues from a global perspective. You’ll learn from lecturers from all over the world. And you’ll be part of a diverse student body. All of this means you’ll graduate ready to succeed on an international stage.

Outside of your studies, you’ll be able to take part in the Norwich Marketing Club – a collaboration between Norwich Business School and CIM. Norwich Marketing Club holds three events each year where marketing professionals and NBS marketing students come together for workshops, talks and debate. In workshops you’ll often find yourself tackling a task in mixed groups of professionals and students, with students bringing fresh thinking to the task, and professionals contributing an industry perspective.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

During the programme your knowledge is assessed using a broad range of assessment methods (e.g. coursework, group-projects, and presentations). You will be able to submit formative and summative work for assessment, and you’ll receive feedback on your work to help you identify areas for improvement and areas of strength.

Structure

In your first semester you’ll gain a firm foundation in both your subject and other essential business functions. You’ll do this through the compulsory modules Accounting and Financial Management, Managing People and Organisations, and Strategic Marketing Management.

In your marketing module you’ll explore the history of marketing before going on to look at marketing strategy. You’ll also study the theory of marketing and discover different marketing models. And you’ll gain experience in key marketing methods, from print to digital, to evolving channels such as social media.

Your first semester is a great chance to explore different areas of marketing and business, and discover the areas you might like to specialise in during the rest of your studies and later career.

In your second semester, you’ll have the chance to specialise by choosing from a range of optional modules, such as:

Retail Marketing and Management
Innovation Management
Integrated Marketing Communications
Social Media and Digital Marketing

Unlike other Master’s courses where your third semester is spent on independent study, you will benefit from a third semester of taught modules. You will spend this semester consolidating your learning and further developing your critical thinking skills with modules such as Buyer Behaviour and Interactive Marketing, and Integrated Business Decisions. Option modules include Global Business, as well as Management Skills and Personal Development.

Across all your modules, your studies will be grounded in the real world. For example, you’ll develop your thinking by interrogating the strategic marketing plans of real businesses, asking how you might do things differently, or what techniques might work in other businesses. Case studies will have a global outlook. For example you might find yourself studying international businesses such as Lululemon, Airbnb or Tesla. This ensures that you graduate ready to excel on an international scale, whether that’s returning to your home country to work, working in a business with international clients, or taking a role with a multinational corporation.

Teaching and Learning

You’ll benefit from teaching that is research-led and industry-relevant. You’ll learn from lecturers, academics and guest lecturers who are engaged in cutting-edge research and/or have practical experience in business.

Learning takes place through a mix of lectures, seminars, group work, presentations, case study analysis, and individual study. Teaching takes place both face-to-face and online. The course is taught using a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities. Our lectures are often highly interactive, with group tasks, games, learning technologies, direct polls and video.

Throughout your studies there will be an emphasis not only on learning how to apply key marketing and management theories, but also how to think about them critically in a modern context.

There is no dissertation on this degree, which means you’ll benefit from a greater number of taught modules. Although there is no dissertation, you will have the chance to hone your research skills by researching primary and secondary sources during your modules.

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Assessment for Year 1

Compulsory Modules

MANAGING PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS

Code NBS-7024A

Credits 20

The purpose of this module is to provide you with an overview of people management – including topics from both Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management - and permit you to explore the question of; if people are your business, why is managing people in an organisational context so difficult? In the module you will learn about the process and development of the so-called ‘soft’ management competencies as well as hard management. You will focus on the development of these skills in order to increase productivity and performance as well as develop and manage people in different business contexts. You will begin with an overview of different organisational behaviours and how these can be managed within the organisation. You will learn key frameworks from organisational behaviour and human resource management and how these concepts that for instance can include leadership, team working, motivation and diversity can be applied to business scenarios. You will realise both soft and hard aspects of management in managing individual people as well as acquiring knowledge about key HRM function and the role of line managers in managing staff. On successfully completing this module you will have gained experience of discussing differing key organisational and HRM concepts and how they can apply in different settings resulting in different outcomes. You will have gained a sensitivity to the diversity of people and organisations. You will be able to analyse organisational contexts and how people are managed to understand how you yourself would like as an individual to be managed and how this knowledge can be applied to others in a variety of different business settings.

STRATEGIC MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Code NBS-7025A

Credits 20

The main objective of this module is to equip you with an in-depth understanding of the strategic marketing planning process. You will be able to apply marketing principles in a strategic context and develop both a theoretical and practical knowledge of strategic marketing. A key feature is that you’ll consider approaches to strategic marketing from an international perspective.

INTEGRATED BUSINESS DECISIONS

Code NBS-7034X

Credits 20

This is a module with a twist - building on core skills such as team-working, marketing, accounting and strategy, you’ll apply your knowledge and work in teams to win different ‘games’ – the military has previously used such games to teach strategy and tactics. Updated to reflect the international business environment, you’ll be using each game as a way to embed your knowledge and see if your team emerges as the winner!

ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Code NBS-7026A

Credits 20

Do you want to be fluent in business? Accounting is the language of business and financial management is critical to the survival of businesses. If you want to become knowledgeable in two of the core areas in business such as accounting and financial management, then this module is for you. Throughout the module you will discover why accounting is considered a management information system and why managing the financial aspects of the business will contribute to business success. This is a semester long introductory module and no previous study of accounting or finance is required. The module will be divided in two parts: in the first part you will study accounting and in the second part of the module you will study financial management. In this module, individual study coupled with a series of lectures and seminars will give you a very good overview of the accounting and finance methods and concepts. In accounting you will learn how to read and interpret financial statements, you will acknowledge the importance of understanding and managing costs and the importance of liquidity. In financial management you will learn how investment appraisal and valuation works as well as the advantages and disadvantages of using different forms of equity and debt. All the knowledge gained by taking this module will put you at an advantage in any business meeting, benefiting your future career.

BUYER BEHAVIOUR AND INTERACTIVE MARKETING

Code NBS-7036X

Credits 20

Is consumer behaviour relevant to interactive marketing? The module aims to demonstrate that the key to a successful marketing strategy is the development of a customer focus within the organisation which relies upon a thorough understanding of consumer (buyer) behaviour. Thus, it provides a knowledge and understanding of the main theories of consumer (buyer) behaviour, and the application of these theories in the development of marketing strategies. Further, it provides knowledge and understanding of the main theories relating to the use of new interactive marketing media and the application of these theories in the development of marketing relationships. We will conclude with a discussion of online analytics and related aspects relevant to consumer behaviour in online environments.

Optional A Modules

(60 credits)

RETAIL MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT

Code NBS-7030B

Credits 20

The aims of this module are: - to provide you with a critical insight on key aspects concerned with retail management; - to provide you with an understanding of the theory and practice of retail management and strategies pursued by leading retail organisations; - to develop skills in obtaining, analysing and applying information from a variety of sources, including publicly available material; - to develop the ability to learn and to manage one's own self-learning.

INNOVATION MANAGEMENT

Code NBS-7033B

Credits 20

The module aims to develop your overall understanding of how a company’s success depends on its innovation strategy and management. Results of both theoretical and empirical research will enable you to understand the central terms and mechanisms in this area and to analyse companies’ innovation strategies in a holistic way. Analysing innovations at the intersection between market needs and technological possibilities, you should be able to develop suggestions for innovation strategies and their implementation. You’ll cover both the economic and managerial aspects of innovation. You will get an in-depth understanding of key aspects of innovation processes and their institutional and strategic implications. Learning that innovation is a cross-functional task involving all corporate functions like R&D, marketing, production and finance is a central objective of the module. Using exemplary innovation case studies students will first acquire knowledge of key terms and definitions of innovation research. The emergence of systematic innovation in the corporate environment will be discussed by studying the history of certain industries. At the organizational level, ways to leverage innovation internally and with external partners will be analysed. You will learn about different sources of innovation as well as roles and functions in the innovation process. Key concepts like open innovation and user innovation will be discussed thoroughly. Your practical applications and implications will be pointed out. Finally, the module will discuss the issue of how to appropriate the returns from innovation, with special focus on patents and markets for technology.

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

Code NBS-7035B

Credits 20

Have you ever wondered how marketers catch your attention? This course looks at the communications tools used by marketers and will cover such topics as advertising, sales promotions, public relation management, sponsorship, social media and others. Throughout the module you will discover how the tools of marketing communications are used to communicate the organisation’s message to its customers. We will also discuss the importance of integrated marketing communications as part of the marketing mix. You will learn how organisations use a variety of tools to communicate with the marketplace and the impact that some of these have on customers. This module provides an understanding of the current theories and practices of marketing communications. The course will provide students with an appreciation of how the integration of advertising, public relations, sales promotions, direct marketing and other forms of external and internal communications contribute to the consumer’s perceptions of the organisation’s offer. A key element of this module will be the development of marketing communication plans to help understand how segmentation, positioning and other marketing activities are used in the implementation of marketing communications. Finally, the module links marketing communications with brand image and organisational positioning in the marketplace. The course will consist of a series of lectures and discussions and you will be assessed through two pieces of coursework. On successful completion of this module you will have developed a marketing communications plan that uses marketing communication tools appropriate to a given situation. You will be able to discuss the elements of marketing communications in relation to their function, benefits and weaknesses. You will develop your research, writing and presentation skills and be able to communicate your ideas more effectively.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL MARKETING

Code NBS-7086B

Credits 20

Social media is an emerging and quickly developing field. You will cover areas of social media marketing such as customer engagement, social shopping, and social customer service. You will gain an in-depth understanding of what consumers are doing in social media and transform this understanding into marketing relevant expertise. Further, it provides knowledge and understanding of the main theories relating to the use of new interactive marketing media and the application of these theories in the development of marketing relationships.

PRICE MANAGEMENT FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS

Code NBS-7121B

Credits 20

Why study price management? - “Price is the one element of the marketing mix that produces revenue; the other elements produce costs.” Philip Kotler (marketing guru) - “Pricing is the moment of truth – all of marketing strategy comes to focus on the pricing decision.” Raymond Corey (industrial marketing pioneer) - “The moment you make a mistake in pricing, you’re eating into your reputation or your profits.” Katharine Paine (founder of the Delahaye Group) The profitability and viability of any business depends fundamentally on making the right pricing decisions. Setting prices too high or too low will spell disaster for any business. Making the right pricing choices can help a business to flourish, keep customers satisfied, and keep competitors in check. This highly practical module explores price management as both an art and a science. Drawing on insights and techniques from marketing, economics and psychology, the module provides a hands-on approach to making and communicating the right pricing choices to ensure business success. The module combines lectures, case discussions, and practical exercises to help you design pricing strategies and develop business models for profitable revenue growth and value creation that will elevate business performance. You will learn the basis for making optimal pricing decisions, competing on price without destroying profits, and tailoring prices to appeal to different customers. You will ascertain how to price an assortment of products and apply dynamic pricing for long-term planning. You will discover techniques for applying consumer psychology to alter customer value perceptions that allow businesses to make irresistible selling propositions that boost sales and raise willingness to pay. You will learn about the latest pricing innovations from around the business world as encouragement to experiment with different pricing formats while appreciating the ethical and legal constraints on pricing which responsible businesses should apply. The module will show you how to apply your new knowledge to real business challenges in devising strategic pricing plans to drive performance. Upon completing the module, you will gain the skills, understanding and confidence to assess pricing decisions, make pricing strategy recommendations, and evaluate price management performance.

Optional B Modules

(20 credits)

MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Code NBS-7031X

Credits 20

This module is designed to give you a solid set of management skills through which your learning from across all modules develops into a coherent whole. The focus will be on developing management skills recognised as important for securing meaningful employment in the global marketplace appropriate to the Master’s level of qualification. This is an applied vision and skill development module, focusing on the development of the new skill sets for managers of the 21st century. It is designed as a learning environment and a management trainee program that focuses on the development of knowledge and skills for global leaders. A core belief underlying our approach, demonstrated in interactive sessions, stems from the Chinese proverb, “Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.” A variety of methods will be used to simulate a real-world business environment such as collaborative learning, lectures, management training videos, presentations, films, discussions, role plays, and workshops. This module is one of the few management courses in the UK that builds on unique features, such as individual customization, creative skill development, project based learning, and positive change. We will have intensive brainstorming sessions, problem based learning plus facilitated and self-directed action learning to help you and your colleagues develop and apply management skills for your career in the 21st century. In today’s global, rapidly changing knowledge-based economy, learning and experimenting with management skills and personal development is one of the smartest investments you can make for your career.

GLOBAL BUSINESS

Code NBS-7088X

Credits 20

This module provides students within a comprehensive understanding of Global Business. We examine the essentials of Global Business, including – the environment, strategy, organisation and management. A central feature of the module is the emphasis on real-world scenarios and problems associated with Global Business. Teaching methods includes - case studies, in-class activities and the use of learning technologies. An example of the latter is the game-based learning platform Kahoot! Students will be encouraged to critically analyse the Global Business Environment and entry strategies in Global Business. Managing Global Business across different business functions together with the opportunities and challenges faced by management will be considered.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.

Entry Requirements

Degree classification

Bachelors degree - 2.2 or equivalent

Degree subject

All subjects* (excluding UK degrees in a business-related subject, for which our Academic & Professional Courses are more suitable) *Degrees in dance, drama, music, sport, art, and art and design will be considered on a case by case basis and are reviewed closely for their academic content

Additional entry requirements

Applicants should normally have a good undergraduate degree from a recognised higher education institution in the UK or overseas in disciplines other than business or management. Applicants from overseas may hold a non-UK degree in any discipline.

If you do not meet the academic requirements for this course, you may be able to study one of the International Graduate Diploma programmes offered by our partner INTO UEA. These programmes guarantee progression to selected masters degrees if students achieve the appropriate grade. For more details please click here:

International Graduate Diploma in Business

Students for whom english is a foreign language

We welcome applications from students whose first language is not English. To ensure such students benefit from postgraduate study, we require evidence of proficiency in English. Our usual entry requirements are as follows:

IELTS: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in only two components with 6.0 in the others)
PTE (Pearson): 64 (minimum 59 in only two components with 64 in the others)

Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.

Other tests, including Cambridge English exams and the Trinity Integrated Skills in English are also accepted by the university. The full list of accepted tests can be found here: Accepted English Language Tests

INTO University of East Anglia

International Graduate Diploma in International Development

INTO UEA also run pre-sessional courses which can be taken prior to the start of your course. For further information and to see if you qualify please contact intopre-sessional@uea.ac.uk