MSc Marketing Management (Digital)

During your studies on MSc Marketing Management (Digital) degree, you will have the opportunity to achieve CIM professional qualifications. You can achieve the Level 4 Certificate in Professional Marketing or Professional in Digital Marketing* and / or the CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing or Professional Digital Marketing or Sustainable Marketing** – this will depend on the amount of prior professional experience you have in marketing. You can also obtain both qualifications after graduating.

Exemption

*You will be exempt from the Applied Marketing and the Marketing Campaigns modules and need to complete one elective module. Please note additional costs and work involved. 
** You will need to achieve a 2:2 or above degree classification and successfully pass the specified (non-exempt) modules at the chosen level of study to be awarded the CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing. You will be exempt from the Marketing and Digital Strategy module and need to complete one mandatory module and one elective module, currently from a choice of two electives. Please note additional costs and work involved.

If pursuing CIM qualification after graduating: you will need to start non-exempt modules within three years of graduation and complete within five years for exemptions to be valid. 

Benefits for you:

• Opportunity to graduate with two highly recognised qualifications, the CIM Foundation Certificate in Marketing and the IPA Foundation Certificate, alongside your academic degree
• Improved placement and employability prospects, due to achievement of academic and professional qualifications whilst in higher education
• Membership of CIM and associated benefits.

Benefits for employers:

• Graduates and placement students with proven practitioner and academic skills.

Additional costs:

• BU will provide all assessment guidance at no additional cost. 
• We will ask you to pay the CIM Affiliate Studying Membership fee of £65 directly to the CIM on registering for the CIM programme. This covers the cost of CIM annual membership.
• If studying on a Level 4 CIM Certificate, you will need to pay the CIM assessment fee for the one unit at a cost of £150. Again, you will need to pay this fee directly to the CIM. If studying on a CIM Diploma, you will need to pay the CIM assessment fee for two units (at a cost of £190 per unit, £380 in total).

• Leadership Essentials: The unit aims to provide a critical understanding of leadership theory and practice through developing your personal leadership skills. You will develop greater self-awareness through reflexivity and working with teams, combined with a theoretical understanding including emotional intelligence, resilience and well-being.
• Marketing & Strategy: You will explore and analyse the premise that in order to be successful, organisations need to gain a good understanding of their customers’ requirements and to seek to achieve organisational objectives through the satisfaction of their customers’ needs and wants.
• Omnichannel Strategy & Supply Chain Management: In this unit you will apply the operational, managerial and strategic uses of technology and strategic management information systems to a global omnichannel business environment, considering the end-to-end process of product development and marketing/selling business-to-business and business-to-consumer.
• Marketing Communications & Brand Management: The unit will examine the key issues and challenges in marketing communications and branding. It will cover strategic issues of integration and planning as well as the tactical considerations needed to execute relevant marketing communications campaigns that meet consumer’s needs.
• Sustainability & Social Marketing: Sustainability and social marketing examines current trends in marketing theory and practice which are occurring as a result of change in the business environment, technology and organisations.
• Digital Marketing: You will be introduced to a range of digital marketing concepts underpinned by the digital marketing planning process including analysis, planning, implementation and control. Emphasis will also be placed on evaluating the effectiveness of various digital marketing tools.
• Dissertation: The dissertation unit aims to provide you with an opportunity to undertake a significant piece of self-managed research in a relevant area of particular interest.

You have the option to undertake a 30-week placement at the end of the course, providing an opportunity to apply your acquired knowledge and skills in the workplace. You are required to find your own placement; however, our Careers & Employability Service and your faculty placements office are on hand to support you.

The placement is intended to foster personal and professional development, and to help you to make a connection between academic learning and the working world.

You should consider how a range of management theories can be used, and if management in industry could be improved. The transferable skills developed will improve your performance in your future career, both as employee and manager.

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the university's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry. If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

We provide a lot of support for you to help you find work, including a block of seminars, covering topics such as writing a CV and a covering letter, completing an application form, performing well in interviews, and we also provide language support to assist you with the written elements of your applications. 

However, it is ultimately your responsibility to find work. The university does not guarantee that you will find a place. Some students may choose to opt for a taught unit instead of placement.  

During your time on placement you will be supported by a unit tutor and a placement development advisor who will visit you on placement and keep in touch by phone and email. 

If you choose to do a placement as part of your course:

If you have previously studied in the UK, we will consider any study limit that may apply. We will issue your CAS according to the length of time you are entitled to under UKVI regulations (if you do not have enough time left for a work placement year, we will issue your CAS to cover your course dates only).

If you decide after you have enrolled on your course that you do not want to do a placement, this will be reported to the UKVI when you have successfully completed your course.

If you choose not to do a placement as part of your course:

We will note this on your CAS and your visa will only be granted long enough to cover your taught course, excluding placement.

If you change your mind while you are here and decide you want to do a placement, you will need to leave the UK to make a new Tier 4 visa application for the additional year of study. You would need to pay for your return travel back to your home country, as well as the cost of a new Tier 4 student visa application.

We expect our students to be hard working and enthusiastic, open to new ideas and prepared to work with others to achieve the high standard of industry professionals that BU is renowned for.

You should have a strong interest and passion for extending your skills and knowledge, especially during the final stage of the course when you must research one topic of interest and write a 15,000 word dissertation on this subject.

This course selects candidates by looking at their applications. There are no interviews or additional selection activities and therefore we suggest that you make your application stand out from the crowd. For more information take a look at our how to apply pages.

Please see our website for the application deadlines. You should apply as early as possible to be considered for your course of choice. If you require a student visa, apply for the visa as soon as you have an unconditional offer and receive your CAS. There may be delays in visa processing in your country and you need to be in Bournemouth ready to study for the start of term.

December and January is one of our busiest application periods and therefore it may take us a little longer to process incoming applications. For courses with a January start date, we recommend submitting your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Click the green ‘Apply now’ button to submit your application free of charge online through myHub, our application portal. You will create your own myHub account so that you can track the progress of your application. Don’t forget to save your application as you go; you can return to it at as many times as you want before you submit it. For more information visit our How to apply section.

The normal requirements for embarking upon a postgraduate taught degree are:

• A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in any subject, or equivalent.

If you lack the formal academic qualifications needed to enter a postgraduate or post-experience degree, there are several alternative routes to follow – some based on experience. Contact the Future Students Enquiry Team for more information.

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry:

• India: Bachelor’s degree (four years) from a recognised HE institution with a minimum overall result of 55%  
• Nigeria: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution with a minimum classification of 2:4  
• China: Chinese Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised higher education institution with 65% or above  
• Turkey: Bachelor’s degree (Lisans Diplomasi - four years) with a minimum overall GPA of 2.3/4.0  
• Ghana: Bachelor's degrees from University of Ghana or Legon with a grade of 2.00 or above, or from Cape Coast with a grade 2.5 or above  
• USA: US Bachelor’s degree (four years), with a 2.5 GPA or above  

All applications will be subject to a minimum grade and your degree may need to be in a relevant subject area.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

• IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level. 

After completion of this course typical job roles can include:

• Marketing Manager
• Digital Marketing Manager
• Social Media Manager
• Omni-channel Manager.

If you want to continue your studies after achieving your Master’s, you can look into our range of doctoral programmes.

What's included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Materials for laboratory and mandatory field-based teaching activity

• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, intregrated social media and advanced video features
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
• Free software download to your personal device of Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus while you are studying, as well as access to applications provided on AppsAnywhere, subject to licensing and compatibility restrictions.
• Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of text books and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies.
• Accommodation and living costs. Please visit our website for more information. 
• Travel costs, for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass is included in your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchases separately.
• You will need to meet the cost of any Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if required by your placement setting, including any Post Office or Digital ID verification charges.
• Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) if this is part of your course of study. Placement year funding can be found on our website. 
•  Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study.
• SportsBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

If you need to repeat one or more units during the course of your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full time fee.

International (not Rep. of Ireland) students need to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. For September 2024 and January 2025 entry, a £5,000 deposit is required. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment. There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit:

• You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
• You are refused a visa to enter the UK, provided the reason for the refusal is not a fraudulent application.

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries to eligible students who are beginning their studies at BU. Please visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/funding for details on living costs, budgeting and paying your tuition fees.

Dr Julia Hibbert is a Principal Academic in Marketing and Programme Leader for the MSc Marketing Suite. She received her BA from the University of Lincoln and both her MA and PhD from Bournemouth University. She currently teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes within the Business School. Her fascination with understanding people means that her research interests lie around consumer behaviour and the role of identity in the decision making process. Julia has worked in industry and has led successful marketing campaigns in the childcare sector. 

Elvira is Associate Professor in Digital Marketing at Bournemouth University Business School and is part of the BU Responsible Gambling Research and Digital Marketing Research groups. Currently, Elvira is REF2028 Unit of Assessment 17 Output Champion and BU's Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Funding Panel Deputy Chair.

Elvira has gained PhD with thesis titled 'Mobile Technology Capabilities and their role in service innovation practices in creative SMEs' and now is supervising other doctoral students in the fields of marketing and management with the focus on digital/interactive marketing. Currently, Dr Bolat is developing her emerging thought leadership in the areas of responsible digital marketing and influencer marketing through externally funded projects (i.e., GambleAware, ICRG) - work that she is developing into next REF assessment impact case studies. 

Kaouther is a Principal Academic in Marketing in the Department of Marketing, Strategy and Innovation at the Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University. She holds a PhD in Marketing. She has over 18 years of higher education teaching experience acquired in Tunisia, UK and France.

Kaouther's research interests are in B2B marketing, consumer behaviour and digital marketing. She is the Associate Editor of the Journal of Customer Behaviour and the Chair of the Academy of Marketing B2B Special Interest Group. She has established an annual conference on B2B marketing where academics, students and practitioners get together to debate current issues and challenges facing B2Bmarketing. She has published in top journals. Kaouther has also been invited to give talks at a number of Universities both in the UK and abroad.

Dr Jeff Bray is a Consumer Behaviour researcher, thought leader and educator focused on the societal challenges of sustainable consumption both from an environmental perspective and a personal (health) perspective. He leads Bournemouth Universities Consumer Insights Research Theme.

Jeff’s intellectual contribution is interdisciplinary and focuses on applications of consumer theory to a variety of contexts. Recent funded research and publications have examined consumer decision making with respect to food choice, and the health and sustainability impact that might be achieved through influencing these choices. This work has been funded by EU project FoodSMART (grant 643999) and British Council project Veg+ (grant 332207684). In 2022 Jeff won, as coordinator, EU project FoodMAPP (grant 101086115) working with a consortium across Europe developing short food supply chain solutions.

Outside of the university he is active in promoting our societies young people. He serves as Governor of two large local schools. He is keen to supervise Doctoral students in the areas Consumer Behaviour, Food Choice and Ethical Consumption.

Dr Danni Liang is a Senior Academic in the Marketing, Strategy & Innovation department, within the Business School at Bournemouth University. She is the Programme Leader for MSc International Management and the Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). She held position as level 5 Programme Coordinator of BA (Hons) Business Studies for over 3 years. Prior to academia, she worked as Marketing Management role in O2 Telefónica UK, helped to develop and implement marketing plans. Dr Liang has been teaching in higher education abroad and in the UK since 2013, her education portfolio involves undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and supervision of PhD research projects. Her current research interests are around consumer behaviour, marketing, fashion/luxury branding, Higher Education and wellbeing. She has disseminated her research in journal articles and at various leading international conferences in the world, she is the editorial board member of International Journal of Business Management and Economic Review, also a journal reviewer for a range of different journals. She welcomes prospective PhD applicants interested in conducting research in the above related areas to contact with her.