Postgraduate Course
Marketing MSc
Learn the theories, tools and techniques needed to succeed in marketing today.
Marketing is central to the success of organisations. This Marketing MSc will introduce you to the diverse and exciting area of business, exploring everything from marketing strategy to brand management. The course brings together relevant contemporary academic research and a practical understanding of organisational operations. Through this you will develop your leadership skills and your understanding of management in a marketing context.
York campus
- Duration – 1 year full time, 2 years part time, 2 years full time with year in industry
- Start date – September 2024, September 2025
- School – York Business School
Minimum entry requirements
2:2 honours degree from a UK ENIC listed institution
Experience Evidence of relevant experience if your degree is in an unrelated subject
Tuition fees
UK 2024-25 £8,000 full time
International 2024-25 £11,300 full time
Course overview
This course will provide you with a thorough understanding of all of the key marketing principles which are necessary for business success. This includes:
- Consumer behaviour
- Strategic marketing planning
- Brand management
- Marketing communications
- Digital marketing
You will explore the challenges faced by marketing professionals in today’s competitive and fast moving business environment, and consider how they can be overcome. Engaging with the latest research will give you valuable insight into current debates and developments in marketing. Through projects which help you to apply this theoretical learning to practical situations, you will tackle real issues and questions facing the contemporary marketing world.
We encourage the sharing of knowledge and experience between students and staff with a wide range of professional backgrounds. This fosters a collaborative learning community which will provide both support and varied perspectives throughout your study.
You can choose to study this course with a Year in Industry, allowing you to apply your learning and gain valuable experience. If you choose a Year in Industry you will be studying for a total of 2 years. Your first year will be a teaching year. In your second year you will either be on placement or conducting a skills and research based module.
Course structure
How you will study
You can study this postgraduate course full time or part time. This allows you to fit your studies around other commitments.
If you choose to study full time the course will take 1 year to complete, or 2 if you choose a year in industry. You will study:
- 9 compulsory modules, including a final Capstone Project module
If you choose to study part time the course will take 2 years to complete and the modules will be split across both years.
This course will be taught in patterns of three weekends per module. This will result in studying four modules per semester, allowing you to focus on a single topic for each three week period.
You can find out which modules are available in each term in the Course Specifications.
Modules
Credits: 15
Compulsory module
This module lets you familiarise yourself with the research expectations of postgraduate study. You will develop a thorough understanding of the research process and advance your skills in this area. We will support you in identifying a specialist business topic which you would like to specialise in and developing a proposal for your own research investigation. We will also introduce you to many of the interconnected contemporary issues that will are essential for the study of business.
Credits: 15
Compulsory module
On this module you will explore the relationships between business and society in an uncertain world. You will expand your understanding of the theoretical and practical issues relating to sustainable business, and engage with the current debates taking place in this field. You will evaluate issues of sustainability in the context of environmental, social and economic needs, and consider how these may differ at national and global levels.
Credits: 15
Compulsory module
Individuals and businesses are exposed to various forms of marketing communications every day. On this module you will learn to take an integrated approach to marketing communications, coordinating your message across many different channels. This is the foundation for building successful brands. We will show you how to put theory into practice in the evolving marketplace. By the end of the module you will be able to produce a full marketing communications plan.
Credits: 15
Compulsory module
On this module we will use innovative approaches to learning, including strategic marketing simulation software, to give you the skills and knowledge to produce comprehensive marketing plans. We cover every stage of the planning process, from audit through to strategic decision making and implementation, as well as relevant theories and concepts in marketing.
Credits: 15
Compulsory module
On this module you will learn to analyse business data. Exploring effective methods of summarising data, you will investigate the relationship between variables. This will give you practical skills in data analytics. We will also introduce you to the idea of the blockchain, and the scope of the blockchain industry. You will learn to:
- React to blockchain trends
- Investigate market disruptions caused by technology
- Assess the impact of blockchain in industries worldwide
Credits: 15
Compulsory module
Discover why organisations must understand their customers to succeed. This module explores the complexities of consumer behaviour. You will analyse and evaluate the impact of internal drivers on the consumer, as well as considering how the marketer should respond to these psychological drivers.
Credits: 15
Compulsory module
Digital technology has revolutionised marketing. This module will extend your understanding of digital and interactive marketing tools. This will help you to understand, assess and develop digital marketing strategies and tactics. You will learn about:
- Website marketing and usability
- Email marketing
- Display and search advertising
- Search engine optimisation
- User generated content
- Social media and content marketing
Credits: 15
Compulsory module
On this module we will introduce you to key theories about branding and brand management. You will explore academic research into brand management and discuss contemporary issues in this field. You will look beyond logos and taglines to think more widely about brand as a strategy. This includes focusing on personality, values, voice, positioning and the message brands project in the market place.
Credits: 60
Compulsory module
This module gives you the opportunity to apply everything you have learnt throughout your course to a current business issue. You will define, research and analyse a topic of your choice, identifying potential solutions and reaching evidence-based conclusions. Your capstone project can take the form of either an academic dissertation or an applied business consultancy project.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning
All of your modules will be delivered using a variety of different teaching sessions. This includes:
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Tutorials
- Guest speakers
- Workshops
- Events
Each module has a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), where you and other postgraduate students will benefit from online debate and collaborative approaches to learning.
Our teaching draws on both our research and professional experience. This means your learning is informed by the most current thinking in the subject area. You can find out more about our research and backgrounds by visiting our staff pages.
Optional placement year
Choosing the placement year option can give you a competitive edge in your future career. It is an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills you have learned in the workplace.
You will be on placement for a full academic year, after you have successfully completed all of the taught modules. During your placement, you will also work towards and complete your Business Consultancy Project.
Assessment
We use a wide variety of assessment types, which help you to develop skills relevant to the workplace. This includes:
- Presentations
- Critical essays
- Portfolios
- Reflective journals
- Case study work
You will receive feedback on your work throughout each module. This will help you to improve your work for your graded assessments. We will advise you on developing your skills, useful areas for research and how to extend your business knowledge further.
Class time
On this course you will receive 15 hours of contact time per week. This will be delivered in the following blocks:
- Fridays - 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 6pm
- Saturdays - 9am to 1pm, 2pm to 6pm
Our students have found this concentrated teaching pattern has allowed them to balance employment and study, outside of class time.
Entry requirements
Qualifications
Minimum entry requirements
2:2 honours degree from a UK ENIC listed institution
Experience Evidence of relevant experience if your degree is in an unrelated subject
If your degree is in an unrelated subject, but you can provide evidence of relevant professional experience, your application may still be considered.
International students
If you are an international student you will need to show that your qualifications match our entry requirements.
Information about international qualifications and entry requirements can be found on our International pages.
If English is not your first language you will need to show that you have English Language competence at IELTS level 6.0 (with no skill below 5.5) or equivalent.
Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)
If you do not have traditional qualifications, you might be able to provide evidence of professional experience in the subject as an alternative way to meet the entry requirements. This is called Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL). Appropriate references and records of employment would need to be presented to support your case for admission.
Terms and conditions
Our terms and conditions, policies and procedures contain important information about studying at York St John University. You can read them on our Admissions page.
Fees and funding
UK 2024 - 2025 entry
The tuition fee for 2024 entry to this postgraduate course is:
- £8,000 for full time study
If you choose to study this course with a Year in Industry, the tuition fee for full time study would be £9,200.
These costs apply to all UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man students.
Postgraduate loans are available to help you pay for your master’s course. Find out more about funding your postgraduate studies.
International 2024 - 2025 entry
The tuition fee for 2024 entry to this postgraduate course is £11,300 for full time study.
If you choose to study this course with a Year in Industry, the tuition fee for full time international students would be £14,900.
These costs apply to all students living outside the UK.
Due to immigration laws, if you are an international student on a student visa, you must study full time. For more information about visa requirements and short-term study visas, please visit the International Visa and Immigration pages.
Find out more about funding your postgraduate studies.
Tuition fees
UK 2024-25 £8,000 full time
International 2024-25 £11,300 full time
Alumni Scholarships
If you are alumni of York St John University we have scholarships available to help you continue your studies.
Additional costs and financial support
Course-related costs
While studying for your degree, there may be additional costs related to your course. This may include purchasing personal equipment and stationery, books and optional field trips.
Accommodation and living costs
View our accommodation pages for detailed information on accommodation and living costs.
Career outcomes
Where could Marketing take you?
This postgraduate course could prepare you for a marketing career in any sector or industry. The leadership skills you will develop will put you in a good position to move into management roles. Innovative, specialist modules such as Data Analytics and the Blockchain will give you the transferable skills needed for a competitive edge in the marketplace.
This will give you an advantage in careers such as:
- Marketing
- Advertising
- Market research
- Media buying
- Social media management
- Public relations
The course could also lead you to undertake further postgraduate study through an MPhil or PhD.
Stand out from the crowd with postgraduate study
Far fewer people have postgraduate degrees than undergraduate qualifications. This gives you something extra to set yourself apart in a competitive graduate job market. Those with a postgraduate qualification will earn an average of £7,000 a year more than those with only an undergraduate degree. (Department For Education Graduate Labour Market Report 2020)
Our careers service, LaunchPad, provides career support tailored to your ambitions. Through this service you can access:
- Employer events
- LinkedIn, CV and cover letter sessions
- Workshops on application writing and interview skills
- Work experience and volunteering opportunities
- Personalised career advice
This support does not end when you graduate. You can access our expert career advice for the rest of your life. We will help you gain the experience and confidence you need to succeed.
Course highlights
Year in industry
Study this course with a Year in Industry, and gain valuable work experience.
Authentic assessment
Our assessments mirror real organisational activities and build practical workplace skills.
Social responsibility
York Business School is a proud signatory of PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education). This is a United Nations initiative seeking to inspire and champion responsible management globally.
Dr Bob Gammie Dean of York Business School
What we are interested in developing at York Business School are graduates that are characterised as having a creative mindset - based on the belief that the difference between being good and great is the difference between your mindset and your skillset. Providing future-proof business education and graduates who will succeed irrespective of how business is shaped in the future.
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