MSc International Marketing

• International Marketing (20 credits): This is the introductory module and will aim to establish in students the level of their existing knowledge of marketing, through an international lens. The emphasis will be on the cultural variables of marketing, and time will be spent looking at environmental scanning, the assessment of international marketing opportunities, and the choice of marketing strategy that might be applied in different global contexts.
• Digital Communications (20 credits): The evolution, diffusion, and adoption of digital technologies have fundamentally altered the way we live, work, relate to one another, and conduct business. These technological and societal changes are having a far-reaching impact on the communications, public relations and marketing disciplines, presenting huge challenges as well as opportunities to the industry. This module provides a sound theoretical and practical knowledge of digital communications based on a critical understanding of current and emerging technologies, digital strategies and social media platforms. The module examines a number of topics including: digital strategy; social media; search engine optimisation; online community building and management; stakeholders analysis; issues management; web analytics and big data; content marketing; web design; online customer journey; ethical and legal aspects of digital communications; and more.
• Markets, Innovation and the International Consumer (20 credits): This module will provide students with practical skills and knowledge to be able to evaluate consumers and markets in order to develop better marketing strategies and practices. Innovation will be critically explored as both a process and a product of embedding good practice into organisations, and contemporary examples of innovative products, services and organisations will be embedded in the teaching. Practical and transferable skills in information literacy and market research will be developed.
• Marketing and Society (20 credits): This module will challenge students’ understanding and critical awareness of marketing and its impact on society. Students will be introduced to contemporary concerns and academic debates around sustainable, moral and ethical marketing practice. The module will help develop the student’s ability to be a reflective and critical marketing practitioner. Through its content, this module embodies QMU’s intention to pursue programmes that promote notions of social justice and good corporate citizenship.
• Research Methods/elective module* (20 credits)
• plus one elective choice (20 credits)*

To obtain the MSc, you will choose to progress with one of the following capstone options:

Business Consultancy in Practice: This option will provide the opportunity to design and deliver a live project for a client. You will critically evaluate the consultancy role and practice through a live consultancy project. You will research, develop and deliver the project in collaboration with a business/organisation. The module will be assessed, not on the success of the project, but on your planning, problem solving and reflection upon the consultancy cycle which will include a researched client consultancy report and personal development plan. While there may be the opportunity to work with staff to identify a partner business, the onus to find a real-world project will be on you. Recent project clients have included a major airline, global pharmaceutical company, whisky industry, top five bank, publishing house, European professional basketball team, food companies, charities, big three accounting and consulting organisations, global hotel brands, Irish environmental company, online retailers, local authority, environmental energy agency, major oil and chemical producer and digital marketing agency.

International Marketing Master's Dissertation: The Masters’ Dissertation is the pinnacle of achievement in a Master’s programme. For the QMU MSc International Marketing degree, it is equivalent to three taught modules in terms of credits (60) and is expected to involve 600 hours of student effort. The Dissertation must reflect sufficient evidence of independent thought to justify the award at Master’s level. If a student has not previously taken Research Methods, they must also take an additional 20 Credit Research Methods in their second semester. The aims of the International Marketing dissertation are to enable you to: develop and apply the skills of research and enquiry to produce original work which contributes to the international marketing subject area; explore and apply relevant intellectual approaches and practical skills, including those acquired in the taught components, to the chosen topic; develop critically, strategically, and in depth, a topic or area of interest arising from the work done within the programme of study and in your area of academic or professional interest; develop further the research skills acquired both in the Research Methods module and the core modules, to demonstrate an ability to set the dissertation in its wider context, to sustain argument and to present conclusions; and present and be able to defend your rationale, approach or methodology, outcome(s) and conclusions. Those wishing to undertake a Project or plan a Start-up will take a 60 credit module that runs at various points from September to August. There will be no need to take Research Methods as a module, and so those choosing this route will need to take an additional option module.

Business Incubation Programme: If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and have always dreamed of starting your own business, then our Business Incubation Programme will best match your ambitions. Throughout your studies, this module will challenge you to critically evaluate a range of nascent, micro and family businesses. As you progress through the module, you will develop a new start-up business or social enterprise. Support will be offered to you from inception to investigation and planning a new start-up business. Should you wish to launch a start-up, you can also access support through QMU’s Business Innovation Zone, which is supported by our on-campus Business Gateway team.

NB The modules listed are correct at time of posting (October 2023) but this course is due for revalidation in 2023/24 and it is likely that this will result in some changes to the course. . The updated course will be launched in time for the September 2024 intake and updates will be posted here when available.

*The range of options could include subjects such as digital marketing, strategic management, leadership and other business related subjects.