Advanced and Strategic Marketing MSc

We have taken an innovative, externally focused and customer-centric approach to the re-design of our part-time marketing masters. The result is an academically grounded programme but which is designed to provide for immediate application and maximum utility in the workplace.

If you are a marketing professional and you already have a thorough grounding in the basic principles of marketing, then this programme can help you to improve your professional effectiveness and standing and to differentiate yourself in the job market.

'You' are the most important brand you will ever work on. You can invest in that brand through this part-time Kingston MSc programme.

What will you study?

The programme starts with a Professional Self Development module which encourages students to challenge their existing pre-conceptions about marketing and how it is commonly practised and to address the gap between academic marketing research and commercial best practice.

The following modules then introduce students to current academic thinking and the evidence base behind any marketer's day-to-day activities and involvements in the workplace.

The first half of the programme is taught and is composed of five core modules. The second half of the programme is research based. It is composed of two further taught modules (Research Methods and Market Analysis) but is centred on a free choice of Research Project and which can be linked directly to each student's own organisation and any of the marketing related challenges which it may be facing.

The underpinning ethos of this new MSc programme is that better business decisions and sustainable competitive advantage can result from the application of current, evidence-based, academic research.

Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list. Those listed here may also be a mixture of core and optional modules.

Taught modules

• Practitioner Self Development

• Practitioner Self Development

  In this module, you will explore what constitutes 'marketing orthodoxy' and you will be encouraged to challenge that orthodoxy in order to leverage marketing effectiveness and efficiency and in order to secure competitive advantage. This is achieved through consideration of how creativity and entrepreneurship can be applied to marketing practice. The module also includes a broad overview of the financial implication of marketing decisions in general and of pricing decisions in particular. Assessment is via a written assignment.

  
   
• Understanding Consumers

• Understanding Consumers

  This module examines current ideas on how consumers think and act in making purchasing decisions. In parallel, you will benefit from a broad overview of both qualitative and quantitative market research approaches and analytical techniques. This overview is of relevance to and underpins the whole of the programme, which ends with the Market Analysis module, where quantitative analytical techniques are explored in greater depth, ahead of the Research Project phase of the programme. Assessment is via a written assignment.

  
   
• Winning and Retaining Customers

• Winning and Retaining Customers

  Very few marketing programmes consider the sales perspective. In contrast, this module considers the necessary overlap between the marketing and sales functions within organisations. The focus is on how to create loyalty and lifetime value at both a B2B and at a B2C level. For example, it may be argued that KAM and CRM are actually sales rather than marketing driven activities. Also included in this module is a consideration of the growing call for more objective financial and other metrics which may be applied to both marketing and sales. An exploration of the impact of 'new media' is also included here as a pivotal relationship management tool, rather than just another communication channel. Assessment is via a written assignment.

  
   
• Strategic Marketing Decisions

• Strategic Marketing Decisions

   

  Strategic Marketing Decisions links theoretical concepts and philosophies from strategic management, organisational theory and finance to marketing and allows students to apply these integrated, multidisciplinary frameworks to their own organisations or business contexts in a practical manner. The module has been designed with the business practitioner in mind where academic rigour is used as a basis for aspiring senior managers to better understand how marketing decisions fit and impact upon the rest of the business as well as have a good understanding of the financial implications of their marketing decisions. At the end of the module managers should be able to analyse and a range of strategic marketing issues, formulate and value a range of strategic options and finally they should be able to develop a range of strategic implementation issues required to make a strategic marketing decision work in practice.

  
   
• Brand Equity Management

• Brand Equity Management

  It may be argued that the real IP of any organisation rests within their brands. This module explores the multi-dimensional concept of 'brand equity' and the challenges faced by managers in creating, maintaining and measuring the 'equity' of their brands. The concept of 'brand' is explored in the widest sense and linked to IMC and how IMC management has had to change in recent years. The financial valuation of brands as corporate assets is also considered. Assessment is via a written assignment.

  
   

Research modules

• Research Methods

• Research Methods

  This module introduces the Research Project phase of the programme. Business problem definition is considered against a backdrop of a review of the academic and applied literature. Selection of the most appropriate investigative approach is then scoped, before project aims and objectives are formulated. Students are encouraged to present their research ideas to each other and to academic staff, before progressing to the drafting of their research proposal. An in-depth exploration of qualitative analytical techniques is also contained within this module. Assessment is via the written Research Proposal.

  
   
• Market Analysis

• Market Analysis

  This module is structured around a series of half-day workshops. Each workshop explores a different aspect of quantitative analytical technique. Students are advised to attend art least those workshops which will enable them independently to conduct their Research Project. However, the workshops are 'open to all' for those students who have a wider interest in the subject.

  
   
• Research Project

• Research Project

  Once the Research Proposal has been approved, each student is allocated a named project supervisor who will provide one-to-one guidance during the deployment of the Research Project. All students are expected to follow a common approach to the research process (problem definition, literature review, intended methodology, etc) but the written output from the project can take several forms including: an academic dissertation, a draft research paper, a management report etc.

  There are no examinations associated with this programme. Assessment is via a series of written assignments associated with the various modules, a Research Proposal and a Research Project.

  
   

The Faculty of Business and Law runs a number of postgraduate and post-experience open days. Visit us to find out how we can help you achieve your career ambitions.

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Research is an essential part of the day-to-day life of Kingston Business School and is embedded in its intellectual activities and development.

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