MBA (Marketing)

Outline
Our Specialisation Track in Marketing provides managers with the skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed decisions that support the development goals of their organisation or business. Specialisation modules include Marketing Research, Consumer Behaviour, Services Marketing and Marketing in a Global Environment. Programme Structure
The programme comprises five core modules and three electives, culminating in a dissertation.
Your first module will be 9 weeks in length where you begin with a week long brief introduction to the programme, the learning platform and then continue with the module content.
Each following module is eight weeks in length. By taking one module at a time you can explore a specific subject in depth without distractions.

Core Modules

Corporate Strategy

Aim:
To develop strategic thinking skills and an understanding of the principles of strategic management.

Description:
You will learn to see beyond functions, such as finance, accounting, information systems or marketing, in order to assess the entire business and understand the environment in which it operates. You will also understand the internal, external, controllable and uncontrollable forces that impact the business environment. Using case studies, you will document your decision making and thought processes, comparing these to what the real management did and the results they achieved. As the module progresses, you will refine your skills in order to be able to deploy sound business and management strategy in a variety of circumstances.

Managing the Environment
Aim:
To provide managers with the strategic outlook necessary for organisations to succeed in international markets.
Description
The Managing the Environment module draws from the closely related disciplines of strategy and marketing. It provides students with the tools necessary to analyse micro and macro business environments and prepare marketing plans adapted to the varying has been developed to complement the related core modules of Managing People, Managing Resources, and Managing Change.

Managing Resources
Aim: To provide a sound theoretical and practical foundation in accounting, finance, and operations management.

Description:
This module equips students to apply accounting and operations management concepts to real-life business situations and to understand accounting and finance terminology. Students will gain an appreciation of the nature and value of the resources available to an organisation and how best to manage them to increase efficiency, competitiveness, and return on investment.

Managing People
Aim: To provide an understanding of the principal research, practices, and concepts surrounding managing people in complex organisations.

Description:
This module introduces students to the dynamic field of organisational behaviour. Students will gain a sound theoretical foundation through textbook research and learn to apply the various
concepts to managing people in their own workplace.

Managing Change
Aim:
To provide an understanding of how organisations change and enable you to develop appropriate strategies to manage change to the benefit of the business.

Description
Managing Change touches all elements of an organisation, including people, finances, materials, marketing, infrastructure and the business processes, while preparing you to develop change management strategies and processes. A key success factor for any business is its ability to make changes that are in line with its goals. This module helps you develop a holistic philosophy to meet this challenge and create a sustained business advantage. Elective Modules
(students choose three) Marketing in a Global Environment
Aim:
To build upon the basic marketing knowledge gained in the core modules by introducing more advanced issues relating to a global context.
Description
This module investigates advanced management concepts in the areas of market segmentation, multiple market channels, competitive intelligence, integrated marketing, and e-business. In particular, this module introduces students to marketing concepts used by domestic and foreign companies seeking to market products globally. This module also provides an in-depth experience of the process of developing effective marketing plans, strategies, and tactics in terms of theoretical as well as "real life" perspectives.
Marketing Research
Aim:
To provide you with techniques for conducting marketing research, then analysing and applying the resultant data as a decision-making tool.

Description:
An overview of the methods by which marketing data is obtained. You will master a range of market research techniques, then discover how best to collect, analyse and use the data. The module also addresses issues such as data mining, data privacy and ethics. You do not need advanced knowledge of statistics to take this module.
Consumer Behaviour
Aim
To provide an understanding of the many complex factors that influence the consumer purchasing behaviour.
Description
This module explains how to evaluate and analyse the cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors that affect customer behaviour. You will come to understand the importance of cognitive psychology, external influences (such as culture) and consumer research and discover how to apply such knowledge to the development of marketing strategies.
Services Marketing
Aim
To provide an understanding of the unique marketing challenges of services as opposed to tangible goods.
Description
You will gain an appreciation of the theoretical concepts used by a variety of global service providers and evaluate their practical application across a range of businesses. You will develop greater understanding of many issues that are unique to the marketing of services, including how to sustain competitive advantage and implement service management.

(students choose three) Marketing in a Global Environment
Aim:
To build upon the basic marketing knowledge gained in the core modules by introducing more advanced issues relating to a global context.
Description
This module investigates advanced management concepts in the areas of market segmentation, multiple market channels, competitive intelligence, integrated marketing, and e-business. In particular, this module introduces students to marketing concepts used by domestic and foreign companies seeking to market products globally. This module also provides an in-depth experience of the process of developing effective marketing plans, strategies, and tactics in terms of theoretical as well as "real life" perspectives.
Marketing Research
Aim:
To provide you with techniques for conducting marketing research, then analysing and applying the resultant data as a decision-making tool.

Description:
An overview of the methods by which marketing data is obtained. You will master a range of market research techniques, then discover how best to collect, analyse and use the data. The module also addresses issues such as data mining, data privacy and ethics. You do not need advanced knowledge of statistics to take this module.
Consumer Behaviour
Aim
To provide an understanding of the many complex factors that influence the consumer purchasing behaviour.
Description
This module explains how to evaluate and analyse the cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors that affect customer behaviour. You will come to understand the importance of cognitive psychology, external influences (such as culture) and consumer research and discover how to apply such knowledge to the development of marketing strategies.
Services Marketing
Aim
To provide an understanding of the unique marketing challenges of services as opposed to tangible goods.
Description
You will gain an appreciation of the theoretical concepts used by a variety of global service providers and evaluate their practical application across a range of businesses. You will develop greater understanding of many issues that are unique to the marketing of services, including how to sustain competitive advantage and implement service management.
Dissertation
Aim
To provide an opportunity for you to produce a final, original piece of written work that demonstrates your originality in the application of theory gained during your study.

Description
The culmination of your programme, this written project demonstrates your mastery and integration of all your previous learning.
The dissertation is the cornerstone of the UK university system. It is an original, scholarly work that applies your new knowledge and experience and allows you to prove your mastery of the techniques you have studied. It must have merit beyond the scope of your particular need. If you follow a Specialisation Track, it must be on an appropriate topic.