MSc in Marketing
Oxford Brookes University
Key Information
Campus location
Headington, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 - 2 year
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
GBP 16,200 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
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* UK students full-time: £10,400 | International/EU students full-time: £16,200
Scholarships
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Introduction
You'll gain a strong foundation in marketing theory and practice with our MSc Marketing. We encourage innovative and creative approaches to your learning with:
- live case-studies
- consultancy projects
- skills workshops.
You will be part of an inclusive, international learning environment. You will combine theory and practice to develop the key skills that employers are looking for. And you will gain an understanding of:
- customer behaviours and expectations, and the variety of channels used to interact with customers
- analysing marketing data
- devising a marketing strategy for global brands and organisations.
You will develop the decision-making skills and rationale to devise marketing plans and communications. And you can develop an area of marketing expertise, with a range of specialist modules, giving you more career options.
If you start in September you can opt to take a year's paid supervised work placement in a marketing role. This work experience will prepare you for your future career.
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Curriculum
Study modules
Compulsory modules
- Introduction to the Principles of Marketing
This module introduces the key principles of Marketing by studying the theories that underpin Marketing. It explores the roles of buyers, the marketing environment, and the ways in which marketers plan, manage, implement and monitor marketing programmes in the context of the international environment of the twenty-first century. - Understanding Customer Behaviour
You will critically appraise the behaviours of customers and their interactions with marketing. Informed by behavioural science, you will analyse why customers behave as they do and how marketing activity influences their behaviours. This analysis informs your critical understanding and implementation of both strategic and responsible marketing practices. An innovative dimension of this course is the investigation of change agents that will significantly influence the behaviours of customers in the future, for example, neuroscience, climate change and technology innovation. This is an analytical module that utilises research evidence to inform evaluation, behavioural and communications research. - Professional and Academic Development
This professional and academic skills development module helps you to become a lifelong learner, develop career focus and enhances your employability. Starting with a focus on how to achieve your best academically, you then develop your skills for employment and career planning. You will work through a self-development plan, taking the lead in your own learning and development. You will be coached in identifying, engaging in and reflecting on how you can gain from developmental activities within the university and externally. - Research Methods for Events and Marketing
This module delivers the skills that enable you to conduct marketing research independently. Students on the MSc programmes are expected to undertake effective research drawing upon a range of secondary and primary data sources in the preparation of coursework. You will be exposed to a range of methodological issues, data collection techniques and study skills. In addition, this module is geared towards the preparation for, and successful completion of, high quality, rigorous and systematic research for business and management. - Digital and Social Media Marketing Strategy
Digital technologies have transformed marketing, they offer new sources of customer insight, they have dramatically changed customer behaviour, enabled new business models and impacted how organisations interact with their customers and key stakeholders. This module aims to take a strategic perspective of the digital and social media environment. It focuses on the interaction between consumers, businesses and other organisations and how thinking digitally can assist in effective marketing. Web-based media, mobile platforms, social media and digital tools are reviewed, practised and critically evaluated to identify successful performance and to create contemporary digital marketing strategies. - Global Marketing Strategy
You will build on the Principles of Marketing module, and explore the global marketing environment. There is a particular emphasis on internationalisation and the creation and development of global markets. You will understand the principles, influences, and institutions affecting the development of international trade and global marketing strategies. You will analyse opportunities and constraints in the context of global marketing strategy, and the associated organisational and control issues associated with the development of global markets. This includes an appreciation of the importance of ethical and social issues.
Optional modules
- Customer Insight and Engagement
You explore how to acquire, retain and grow the share of wallet of good customers, as well as how to demote undesirable customers without triggering revenge behaviours. It is based on the premise that customers are the essence of the organisation, as, without customers, the organisation would fail. The module takes a customer-centric approach and acknowledges the hyper-connected environment in which organisations operate today. Technologies and methodological approaches to obtain customer insight and to build detailed customer profiles are discussed. Moreover, the module considers how to engage with customers in ways that add value to both parties. It uses real case studies, as well as students' own experiences as customers. - Digital Marketing and Analytics
You will explore the macro and micro impacts of digital technology on marketing management, before looking at the issues of implementing and executing a digital marketing campaign, including ethical issues. In addition, you will examine ways in which digital information is used to make strategic marketing decisions and evaluate and improve marketing performance. You will develop skills in problem-solving, critical reasoning, market research design, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, the use of technology in marketing management, and the analysis and interpretation of marketing data. - Content Marketing Management
This module investigates the concepts of branded content and content marketing. You will particularly focus on the role and application of content marketing as a new managerial approach in marketing communications. The module critically examines the fundamental paradigm shift within the marketing communications landscape from push to pull marketing which has led to the rise of branded content and content marketing. Furthermore, this module clarifies what differentiates branded content and content marketing from other key marketing communications concepts and management approaches. You will learn to develop ethically responsible content marketing management practices across a variety of sectors and consider multiple stakeholders on a regional, national and international level. - Brand and Marketing Communications
You will explore the role and usage of contemporary brand and marketing communications and the fundamental insight that an organisation's brand strategy needs to be at the heart of all its marketing communications activities. A professional and ethically responsible focus will help you to consider multiple stakeholders' needs – eg consumers, businesses, the media, pressure groups – in a global context. A broad range of marketing communications channels and tools will be critically assessed. This includes advertising, public relations, sponsorship and digital marketing communications. Creative and strategic insights from current practice will help your understanding and application of marketing communications skills. - Strategic Brand Management
You will examine how brands are created and successfully managed. You will explore the latest research and practice in strategic brand management and focus on innovative approaches to new product development. Key ethical, environmental and socio-cultural implications for contemporary brand management are analysed within regional, national and global contexts. The latest research and practice in strategic brand management and the use of social media and digital communications technology is investigated. On completing this module, you will have gained advanced knowledge of the latest tools, techniques and broader societal implications of contemporary strategic brand management. - International Luxury Marketing
This module examines the strategic decisions involved in luxury marketing and luxury brand management. You have the opportunity to plan and critically evaluate luxury marketing campaigns. Luxury brands are unique in that they offer the consumer a high-quality product or service coupled with the emotional benefits of prestige and exclusivity. This module brings together contemporary luxury marketing theories and practices, spanning many fields such as jewellery, fashion accessories, tourism, fine wine, spirits and prestige cars. - Managing the Luxury Experience
This module links operations management to the core strategic aspects of international luxury retail management across different channels. You will discover how some destinations have become synonymous with luxury, because of their ability to create and deliver a seamless luxury experience. The key to this is not only the management of channels to market but also the ability to create, manage and foster a credible and consistent relationship with customers. At a time when counterfeit goods have also become a mainstream issue for this industry, managing the experience of luxury goods and services is more central than ever to the sustained success of luxury brands.
Final project - choose one of
- Dissertation
This module gives you the opportunity to explore and develop expertise in an area of interest. You are encouraged to choose topics that will be valuable in your future career. This is a self-managed activity, driving your own research project while being guided and advised by a supervisor, based on the proposal developed in the Research Methods in Marketing and Events module. - Client Project
You have the opportunity to link theory to practice by analysing a real organisational issue. Having identified a project (with the approval of both the client company and the Module Leader) you investigate a particular issue, one that can be supported through the relevant literature and by conducting primary research with the client. This module is not an internship but can be taken in conjunction with an internship you have identified and are participating in. The 'issue' in question may be a current management problem for the client organisation or related to future strategic choices. The Client project provides you with a significant learning and personal development experience.
Work placement
- Marketing Practice (sandwich mode)
This module is a great opportunity to gain one year’s supervised paid work experience in the UK or internationally in a marketing role. You will investigate a marketing challenge in a commercial or non-profit organisation. Throughout this module, you apply the practical concepts you have learned in the course. When you are working for the organisation, you will be responsible for managing a large proportion of your own learning, including tracking and recording your progress.
We provide lots of support to help you find paid work experience and gain connections with various organisations. Our placements team (WAVES) has a database that records work placement opportunities and they run numerous placements fairs where you could meet potential employers. Securing a work experience placement is your responsibility and does take a lot of effort, but this gives you valuable experience. You would need to cover your own living and travel costs throughout this duration.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Our Graduates are employed in marketing roles throughout the world; these include jobs in media, digital, brand and communications agencies, and in-house marketing management positions in areas as diverse as fast-moving consumer goods, retail, hospitality, travel, publishing and manufacturing. Current employers include:
- Johnson & Johnson
- Hitachi
- DK
- Avis
- PWC
As well as a number of small and medium-sized ‘digital’ agencies.
Examples of our graduates’ positions in marketing include:
- marketing managers
- marketing planners
- brand managers
- corporate communication managers
- social media community managers.
In addition, some of our students go on to start their own companies.
We have strong relationships with companies in a range of industries. These relationships inform the programme design and delivery and provide opportunities for placements and employment.
In addition to the professional career development support provided within the programme, the University has an active and enthusiastic careers service. This service helps you gain the ‘competitive edge’ when applying for jobs by offering help with CVs, and mock assessment centres and interviews.
Program Admission Requirements
Demonstrate your commitment and readiness to succeed in business school by taking the GMAT exam – the most widely used exam for admissions that measures your critical thinking and reasoning skills.
Download the GMAT mini quiz to get a flavour of the questions you’ll find in the exam.