MSc Strategic Marketing

During the module, students consider, discuss, and evaluate concepts, models, digital tools and processes that are necessary for gaining sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. Emphasis is placed upon identifying key strategic issues, competitive positioning and strategy formulation. Marketing strategies are examined with a particular focus on environmental analysis, segmentation, targeting, positioning (STP) and strategic marketing planning.

Sustainable marketing plays a vital role in promoting sustainability values within businesses which is of paramount importance in todays world such as environmental considerations, human welfare and responsible consumption. The module provides an understanding and critical assessment of the theoretical concepts of sustainable marketing and their application to real marketing cases to enable students to become informed marketing managers.

Services drive the modern economy, shaping how we communicate, travel, manage finances, receive healthcare, and conduct business. Mastering the marketing and management of services as unique, exceptional experiences is essential for service companies seeking to thrive in a competitive landscape and deliver value. This module equips students with advanced knowledge and expertise on services marketing, customer experience management, and relationship marketing. It also introduces cutting-edge topics, including the transformative role of digital technologies, the imperative of building responsible and ethical service organisations, and the strategic management of superior customer journeys.Through a combination of rigorous theoretical principles and applied learning, students will analyse real-world case studies of service industries, use practical tools and apply consultancy-based principles to develop critical thinking and analytical skills and make impactful decisions. By the end of the module, students will have acquired the knowledge and hands-on skills needed to design and manage superior experiences, harness digital technologies for service innovation, and build responsible organisations, preparing them to become strategic leaders in their future careers.

The main aim of this module is to get students ready for conducting professional and academic (dissertation) research. Whereas all stages of a research process are covered in this module, the clear focus is on conducting qualitative and quantitative studies to support marketing decisions in response to business opportunities or problems. More specifically, this module offers the relevant framework for making the informed marketing decisions. The module is organized around the stages of a marketing research project (e.g. problem definition, design, data collection, data analysis, and documentation). The course will be of particular value for students planning careers in marketing research and marketing consulting.

This module provides students with practical and theoretical knowledge of Digital Integrated Marketing Communications in contexts, operations, and strategies. It aims to develop students¿ critical thinking and ability to apply and adapt theories to cases in international marketing settings. This module deepens your understanding of how to communicate as a marketer. You will:Extend marketing¿communications theories and frameworks and apply them to real business casesExamine how a brand¿s strategic goals shape its marketing communicationsExplore methods for assessing the target audience of marketing messagesLearn how to design messages that influence customers, using recent research and practice examples to understand how specific message elements should be integrated and evaluatedInvestigate additional message tactics for persuading customers, including the psychological processes and message formulations that can lead to both rational and irrational decisionsConsider the likely consequences of new and emerging media for marketing communications

In an increasingly globalised business and business environment, it is necessary for management students to learn how to strategies internationally viable global strategies. This module covers a variety of topics such as global strategic analysis, global strategy formulation, and global strategy execution. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.

Consumer Behaviour is evident in everyday life, therefore knowledge and understanding of this subject can be beneficial to personal decision-making as well as to marketing and strategy formulation, both in offline and online environments. The module Perspectives on Consumer Behaviour deals with a range of theoretical, practical techniques in understanding and researching consumer consumption behaviour and how such an understanding can be used to create successful and viable marketing strategies. This module gives students the opportunity to explore theories and leading-edge research findings and apply knowledge by conducting small group discussion and/or activities. Thus, reflective, and critical applications of relevant behavioural, cognitive, and socio-cultural approaches to consumption are discussed.

Social media marketing is an emerging and rapidly developing discipline with substantive changes periodically occurring in industry and academic research. While much of social media marketing is focused on the promotional mix, it also is used for customer care, research and more. The field has shifted from one focused on the influence of individual consumers in social channels to one including bots, AI, and influencers. This module provides students with both academic (theories and concepts) and practical grounding underlying strategic decisions for the use of social media for marketing and the implications of the emerging developments in the area. Discussions, study cases and examples will bring these theories to life.

Internationalisation is a very substantive feature of the retail industry, with implications for retail competition, retailer strategy, retail development, digitalisation and supply chain management among other issues. A considerable and growing body of academic and practitioner literature surrounds this issue. It highlights some of the potential complexities and enduring challenges of retailing in an international environment and provides a valuable body of knowledge to inform future international marketing managers and retail marketing managers.

This module is designed to help students develop the social and professional skills required to work effectively in complex organisational settings. Students will explore how the ¿self¿ is managed in professional contexts, how to negotiate, how to navigate challenging social situations, and how to build relationships with key stakeholders. Rather than engaging with these skills only at a theoretical level, the module adopts an immersive and practice-based approach. Students will work in small teams as student consultants on a live project challenge with an external organisation. Together, they will critically analyse a genuine workplace problem and develop creative, evidence-informed solutions. The module encourages students to reflect critically on their own social behaviours, communication style, and assumptions, enabling them to understand how they influence others and how others respond to them. Through a combination of theoretical lectures, applied workshops, and live consultancy work, students will develop practical experience, enhanced self-awareness, and increased confidence in applying their skills within professional contexts.

The dissertation is optional to all the three MSc Marketing programmes; International Marketing (IM), Strategic Management (SM) and Digital Marketing (DM). This module provides an opportunity for a sustained period of independent study and research. It allows students to concentrate on marketing and retail topics that are of particular interest to them. It also gives an opportunity for students to work independently with individual supervisors. The dissertation follows the standard academic pattern of identifying a topic arising from a gap in the literature and developing a methodology to explore this area in depth. The module will be run by the Marketing Department, and as such the students will have the opportunity to work in a smaller group and will receive better feedback and personal attention, thus enhancing student satisfaction and increasing progress in learning and understanding.

In this module, you will step into the role of a marketing consultant, applying advanced strategic and marketing frameworks to solve real business challenges. Working with a pre-vetted industry partner, you will diagnose a live marketing problem, conduct market and consumer analysis, and develop actionable recommendations supported by taught content that builds your consultancy skills. You will learn to manage client relationships, present insights persuasively, and reflect critically on your professional practice. By the end, you will have produced a portfolio-ready consultancy output and strengthened your employability through authentic business engagement.