Marketing (Branding and Communications) MSc (PGCert PGDip)

Intro

Our Marketing (Branding and Communications) MSc programme will develop your understanding of marketing from a strategic perspective. This course allows you to specialise and deepen your knowledge as you develop competitive brand management strategies.

This programme is ideal for those seeking to launch a career in marketing and communications, as well as those looking to further progress their knowledge.

On the course, you will learn both theory and practice of marketing at an advanced level, providing you with an in-depth, critical understanding of research methodologies, and marketing communications planning and strategy.

You will gain practical experience from live projects, critically analysing and developing strategies for real clients. Project briefs vary from launching a new product to expansion strategies. This commercial marketing experience will give you a head start when progressing your career.

This course is part of our Marketing MSc programme. All students complete the same core modules, then from the end of your first term you can tailor your course with specialisms and option modules. Other courses include:

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2 years

January and September start dates

Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)

Apply online

Please review the entry requirements carefully and if you have any questions do get in touch with us.

Apply now for your place

Course content

Course structure

The course is organised into three-hour blocks of teaching and seminar activities, which are based on specialist reading, research and case studies. Modules are assessed through essays, reports, group work, presentations and examinations.

All of our Marketing MSc courses share six core modules.

This specialist route includes one subject-specific module (Branding and Communications), but also shares a range of option modules which enable you to tailor the course to your interests and career aspirations.

In the final phase of the course, you will complete a 15,000-word dissertation on a marketing topic of your choice, where you will make recommendations for real-life marketing practice. Throughout your dissertation, you will receive support from a supervisor who will help to guide you in your research.

Syllabus

All students study six core modules including a masters transition module and a dissertation. You also choose an option module to study. This will allow you to specialise in the areas of the course that interest you the most.

Modules

Moving to Masters
Critical Developments in Marketing Theory and Practice
Marketing Planning and Strategy
Marketing Research I: Quantitative Methods
Marketing Research II: Qualitative Methods
Branding and Communications
Dissertation

Options
One from:

International Marketing
Social Marketing
Behavioural Economics
Digital Marketing
New Product Development

Modules in focus

Branding and Marketing Communications

Marketing communications refers to the various tools that marketers use to communicate with key target markets. It covers the use of advertising, sales promotion and PR amongst others. This is therefore an invaluable module for any student who wishes to pursue a career in marketing.

Contents

The marketing communications (marcoms) mix
Personal and environmental influences on marcoms
Ethics in marcoms
Consumer and organisational buyer behaviour
Communications theories
Segmenting, targeting and positioning for marcoms
Marcoms planning models and integrated marcoms strategy
The creative approach
Present and future media selection alternatives
Measuring effectiveness
Product and corporate branding

New Product Development

This module will help ensure that you perform effectively in a new product development team – making a valuable contribution in those areas more directly related to the marketing frame of reference eg idea/concept/product screening; product research and testing and commercialization.

Contents

Developing balanced NPD programs in the context of corporate strategy.
Managing the introduction of new technologies. Does it pay to be a first mover?
Managing and scheduling the NPD process.
Finding and screening project concepts, including business analysis and the application of NewProd.
Research for new products – from product and consumer testing through to test marketing.
Speeding up product development – tools and techniques.
Issues in branding and segmentation.
Launching new products – new product marketing strategies.

Staff profiles

Francisca Farache, course leader

Francisca holds an MA in Marketing and a PhD in Business, both of which are from the University of Brighton.

Her research is in the field of corporate social responsibility and CSR communications. She has published her work in the Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Business Research, Corporate Communications an International Journal, and Latin American Business Review among others.

She has presented her research at leading management and marketing conferences, including the European Academy of Management, European Academy of Marketing, Australian and New Zealand Academy of Marketing, International Corporate Communication, Corporate Social Responsibility Communication and the European Business Ethics Network.

Prior to joining the University of Brighton she worked in Brazil for several years as an account executive in advertising agencies. Dr Farache has delivered a keynote speech at the 6th International Conference on social responsibility, ethics and sustainable business at HTW Berlin in 2017.

Teaching areas include: ethics and corporate social responsibility, Qualitative research methods and research methodologies and methods.

Lyvia Royd-Taylor, senior lecturer

Lyvia began her career working in the marketing department of 3M Healthcare and subsequently held brand management positions at both Maersk Medical and Kraft Foods UK. She also completed her professional qualifications with the Chartered Institute of Marketing and gained her MBA from the University of Birmingham during this period.

She joined Brighton Business School as a Senior Lecturer in Marketing in 2001 and has since become a member of the undergraduate business degrees management team, as well as the MSc Marketing Course Leader.

She is also a guest lecturer at EDHEC Business School in France and an external examiner for Nottingham Trent University.

Her research interests include SME brand development and she holds several long-term brand consultancy roles with local businesses and charities.

Dr Veronique Boulocher-Passet Senior lecturer

Veronique holds a PhD in Education and Marketing from Universite Charles de Gaulle in Lille, France. Prior to joining Brighton Business School, she was associate professor at Edhec Business School in France, where for the past 20 years she has taught across a wide variety of courses at both under- and postgraduate level, and taken administrative responsibilities as head of marketing and head of international relations.

Veronique's main teaching interests are in the area of brand management, international marketing and research methods. Her publications include three textbooks on brand management, market analysis and packaging, as well as many case studies.

Veronique has experience of supervising masters-level dissertations in marketing and of accompanying students with consulting projects.

International study exchange

Through our partnership with MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business, you have the opportunity to gain an international perspective to your studies. On our study exchange programme you would join MIP's International Master in Multichannel Marketing Management course, which is taught in English.

You will be able to choose from a range of modules including Design and Marketing: the Italian way in different sectors including for example Design, Fashion and Furniture, Automotive, Wine and Sports Marketing.

Business school students working together

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Careers

Career prospects

A Marketing (Branding and Communications) MSc from Brighton Business School will help you to specialise and stand out in today's competitive job market. It will equip you with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for a successful career.

The course has been designed for people wanting a successful and rewarding career in sectors including advertising, branding, communications, digital marketing, direct marketing, event management, public relations and sales.

The course is also ideal preparation for continuing your study at MPhil or PhD level or working as a professional researcher in marketing.

Previous graduates have started successful careers with the following companies: Product Manager for Astra Zeneca, Milan; Brand manager for Campari, Switzerland; Account Executive for Blaze Communications, UK; Marketing Manager for Mitchells and Butlers, UK; Marketing Manager for Cartier, Taiwan; Brand Manager for L'Oreal, Greece.

Student on placement at IBM

Accreditation

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is the largest professional marketing body in the world. This course is accredited by and has been developed with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), so that you can gain CIM qualifications whilst you study. We’ve structured our courses to help you complete your CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing before you graduate.

Exemptions from Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)

You can study for the following CIM qualifications during your course:

CIM Certificate in Professional Marketing – you can obtain an exemption from the CIM's Marketing and Integrated Communications module. You will then need to pass one CIM optional module to obtain this certificate.
CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing – you will be exempt from the CIM's Strategic Marketing module. To obtain the diploma you will need to pass the CIM’s Marketing Metrics module and one optional module.
CAM Diploma in Digital Marketing - to obtain this diploma you will need to pass the CIM's Digital Marketing Essentials module plus one specialist unit.

Skills development

Alongside traditional lectures you will gain practical experience by working on live client projects, case studies from visiting alumni and industry experts, preparing you for a career in marketing. By working with real clients, you will work on projects advising them on their marketing approach, from launching new products to expansion strategies.

Lecture in progress

Marketing MSc Students presenting marketing strategy plans to client, Caterina Kostoula.

Careers advice

Our dedicated Placements and Employability team provide a huge portfolio of employers offering business-related placement opportunities. They support all students find a placement.

They offer several services to improve your employability including CV and cover letter reviews, mock assessment centres, fast-track interviews and interview practice sessions.

They will also support you throughout your placement and act as referees if you are offered a permanent role.

JobTeaser
We are one of the first UK universities to use JobTeaser, a new online placements system presenting placement options in the UK and Europe. It gathers together all the job opportunities, events and resources you need to help you with your professional development.

Placement and recruitment events
Placement fairs are held twice a year involving companies from well-known names such as Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Enterprise-Rent-a-Car and IBM, through to smaller and more local businesses.

Our regular Employability Weeks offer activities designed to enhance your employability, including LinkedIn workshops, sessions on working abroad, advice from the university’s volunteering service and support from the Careers team.

Starting your own business

Beepurple is the university’s entrepreneurship support network. They offer free support for any student or graduate with their business ideas, freelance plan or social enterprise project.

Beepurple run events throughout the academic year, designed to equip you with skills that will improve your employability and help you grow a successful business.

By taking part in beepurple activities, you will meet like-minded people, hear how other recent graduates have set up their own businesses and gain key enterprise skills that will help you stand out from the crowd.

For more information visit beepurple.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2020. They should be used as a general guide.

Degree and experience
Normally a good honours degree or equivalent is required. Work experience is useful but not essential. Applicants with non-standard entry qualifications will be considered. If you are unsure whether you meet the entry requirements then please contact us.

English language requirements
In order to benefit from, contribute to and enjoy the course, a good command of spoken and written English language is required. If English is not your first language, you will need English language proficiency equivalent to an overall IELTS score of at least 6.5, with 6.0 in the written test and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

International students whose language skills do not match the IELTS scores set out here should consider applying for this course through the Extended Masters programme at the university's Language Institute.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Fees

Course fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,342 GBP

International (full-time)15,156 GBP

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

Our Marketing MSc courses, full-time and part-time, are eligible for the government’s postgraduate master’s loan scheme.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included, while studying a course in Brighton Business School are listed here.

Students who choose to take an optional placement will have travel and living expenses. The cost of this depends on where and how long your placement is.
Some courses include optional field trips for which the school pays – you may incur minimal costs such as for food and drink and should budget up to £15.
You will be required to buy textbooks and should budget up to £150.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2020–21.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location

Local area

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy - as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus. Subjects taught here include architecture, business, computing, construction, engineering, geography, product design, law and pharmacy.

On campus you will find professional-standard facilities including a flight simulator, trading room, design and digital media suites and specialist research laboratories, alongside the library, student centre, a nursery, fitness facilities and Students’ Union. There are excellent public transport links.

The Big Build
A major transformation of our Moulsecoomb campus began in summer 2018. By the time the Big Build is complete, there’ll be new halls of residence, academic building, and Students’ Union and fitness facilities – all created with sustainability, inclusivity and community in mind.

As the development grows it will provide many exciting learning opportunities for our students, ranging from live projects, placements and internships with the companies involved to guest lectures and site visits. Find out more...

Accommodation

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Looking for clearing accommodation? Accommodation is available, we can help you find your home from home.

All eligible students applying for 2020 are guaranteed an offer of university-managed accommodation.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
Moulsecoomb campus is linked to Varley Park and Moulsecoomb Place halls
- Varley Park offers a mix of room and catering options. Varley Park is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.
- Moulsecoomb Place halls are all catered and are located right on campus.

Unihomes and unilets
Unihomes and unilets are student houses that we let to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option can work particularly well when you’re balancing learning with placements and other commitments. We have unihomes and unilet properties at locations across the city.

Starting in 2019 and looking for accommodation advice? Find out more about our accommodation options.

Private renting
There's plenty of support if you opt for private rented accommodation. This is an option which offers choice and flexibility – enabling you to choose where you live and who with. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards. Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Modern accommodation at nearby Varley Halls

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Students eating at the Hub

Maps