The MSc in Marketing Management is designed to meet the needs of graduates who have not previously specialised in marketing but now wish to do so. While featuring specialist marketing modules, an understanding and appreciation of other business functions within organisations is also developed.
Modules
Compulsory Modules
Elective Modules (pick four from)
Modules are complemented with a substantial piece of independent
research leading to a 60 credit dissertation. Students are allowed to decide on the
particular topic for their dissertation.
The dissertation allows students the opportunity for extended
application of the knowledge and skills acquired in the taught part of
the course.
One of:
- A good UK Honours Degree (minimum lower second class)
- Equivalent overseas degree recognised by Aston University
- Degree-equivalent professional qualification
And:
- International students whose native language is not English or who have not completed a full degree programme taught in English will also need a TOEFL or IELTS qualification.
IELTS requirements are: 7.0 overall with no less than 7.0 in Writing and Speaking and 6.5 in Listening and Reading.
TOEFL requirements are: Paper-based test: 620 with a *TWE of 5.0, Computer-based test: 260 with a *TWE of 5.0 and Internet-based test: 105 with a minimum of 25 in Writing and Speaking and 23 in Reading and Listening.
- 2 references
- Pre-sessional English language programmes are available for good applicants whose English qualification falls just short of these requirements.
*TWE = Test of Written English
The programme is delivered using a combination of lectures, tutorials and seminars. Students undertake a mix of individual and group work, and both interactive and media-based teaching methods are used on the course. Periodically there are sessions by visiting lecturers from industry.
The modules are assessed through a mixture of examinations and individual and group based coursework (details of the assessment criteria for each module are given in its module outline). The taught part of the course is complemented by a substantial piece of research leading to the completion of a dissertation in the student’s particular area of interest.
This course prepares postgraduates for a wide range of general and specialist roles in marketing including: brand management; market research; market planning and product development; promotion; media relations; and direct marketing.
Although marketing exists as a separate sector, with opportunities working for marketing consultancies and agencies, it also crosses the full range of industry sectors with ‘in-house’ opportunities in manufacturing, the services sectors and public sector/not-for-profit organisations.
For information on sector opportunities see the
Advertising, Marketing and PR overview on the Prospects website.
Examples of jobs taken up by our recent graduates include:
- Assistant Brand Manager - Procter & Gamble
- Assistant Marketing Manager - Hyundai
- Marketing Specialist - Starbucks
- Brand Manager - Pepsico International (Cyprus)
- Brand Manager - Mattel
- Junior Consultant - Ernst and Young
Students will acquire skills in the following areas: giving presentations; team working; report writing; negotiation and IT skills.
Modules taught on this MSc will enable students to develop a wide range of technical and transferable skills demanded by graduate employers in addition to knowledge and understanding of marketing processes and procedures.
Key areas of marketing professional practice covered include:
- Marketing research covering research design: questionnaire design and sampling; data analysis using statistical techniques including correlation and factor analysis, regression, cluster analysis/MDS, SPSS
- Marketing planning, market-led innovation, pricing and marketing channel strategies
- Marketing strategy including segmentation and targeting, competitive positioning
- Brand portfolio building as part of a team in an extended simulation using the Markstrat software
- Marketing psychology including consumer decision-making processes and influences
- International marketing management including market research, selection, promotion and pricing strategies
- Marketing communications including designing and evaluating marketing communications plans and the promotional mix
- Services marketing including sector differences, measuring service quality, application of business process reengineering
Other knowledge areas and skills developed during the course include:
- Financial statements including Ratio Analysis, Income Statements, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow
- Management accounting, Cost Volume Profit and contribution analysis
- Multi-cultural teamwork and presentation skills developed through group-work
- Analytical skills developed through research dissertation
Dr Ian Combe
BSc, Research MSc, PhD
Ian’s research interests lie in a range of topics that interface between marketing and strategic management such as strategic orientation, strategic flexibility, strategy practice and managing service quality. He is experienced in conducting case study research and in the use of cognitive research methods such as sorting technique, laddering technique and cognitive mapping. His work has been published in journals such as European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Management and Managerial Auditing.
Dr Luigi De Luca
Lecturer
MSc, PhD
Luigi conducts research in the field of marketing strategy and new product development. His interests include market orientation, marketing knowledge processes and the interface between marketing and other departments in the firm. Luigi's research has produced published and forthcoming articles in international marketing and management journals such as Journal of Marketing, Journal of Product Innovation Management, and Industrial Marketing Management. In addition, Luigi presented in many international referred conferences worldwide, and has held invited presentations at universities in the UK, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
Dr John Rudd
Senior Lecturer in Marketing
Dr John Rudd is an FME Fellow, a Chartered Marketer and a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Marketors. After completing his first degree John spent nearly 10 years in commerce gaining significant marketing and operational experience in retail, wholesale and construction industries. During this time, John successfully completed a part- time MBA at Aston Business School, returning soon after as a full-time member of staff. John's main research interests are strategic marketing, strategic planning, organisational stakeholders and how organisations cope with change.
Professor Veronica Wong
BSc, MBA, PhD
Veronica's current research interests are focused on marketing strategy, product/ brand innovation and global new product launch, with particular emphasis on high-technology sectors. She has written over sixty articles for refereed and professional journals as well as contributions to research and managerial books. Other scholarly publications include a DTI Handbook on Identifying and Exploiting Innovation Opportunities and Europe's best selling marketing text, Principles of Marketing (5th European Edition forthcoming), co-authored with John Saunders at Aston Business School and American colleagues, Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong. The text has been translated into seven other languages including Italian, German, Dutch, Spanish, Greek, Lithuanian, Polish and Russian.
Dr Neeru Malhotra
Senior Lecturer
B.Com Hons, M.Com, PhD
Neeru’s research interests include Internal Marketing, Service Quality Management and Strategy. Neeru’s doctoral research, in particular, investigates the significance of internal marketing in influencing frontline employee attitudes and service quality in banking call centres. Neeru is interested in an inter-disciplinary approach towards research on service quality management.
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