Marketing N5K609 - Durham University

Apply Now

Course details

The MSc in Marketing enables you to explore the exciting world of modern The MSc in Marketing enables you to explore the dynamic world of modern marketing and its pivotal role in helping to shape and steer corporate strategies in business and other professional sectors. This one-year full-time course offers an in-depth understanding of key academic marketing theories, current marketing industry issues and opportunities to gain practical experience abroad.

We work with the leading UK professional body, the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), to also offer you the opportunity to gain professional qualifications by taking advantage of the exemptions our CIM Accredited Degree provides.

You will study core modules that include marketing management and strategy, buyer behaviour and marketing innovation, marketing theory, contemporary marketing communication and business-to-business marketing. You will also select optional modules, ranging from digital marketing to global sports business and complete a dissertation or business project.

The option also exists to take a module on the theory and practice of influencer and content marketing, which can replace the dissertation or business project and consolidates your knowledge gained from the course.

Away from taught learning, you will be able to take part in extracurricular activities, which will give you valuable business insight and develop vital networking opportunities.

You will also be able to enjoy marketing presentations by guest speakers, including expert academics and senior representatives from major multinationals.

Durham University Business School is one of the longest established in the UK and is also one of an elite group accredited by all three major business accreditation bodies – the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the Association of MBAs and the European Quality Improvement System.

World-class Business Education

7th (UK) 24th (Europe) 32nd (Global) - QS World University Rankings: Masters in Marketing 2024

Course structure

Core modules:

Marketing Management and Strategy provides a comprehensive introduction to issues in marketing management and gives you the skills and ability to develop a professional strategic marketing plan.

Buyer Behaviour and Marketing Innovation provides you with insights into consumer behaviour’s role in modern marketing, including historical perspectives, neuroscience, purchase decisions, perception, memory, emotions, and more. You'll also explore how to apply these insights in product design, branding, advertising, retail, and ethical marketing.

Marketing Theory develops your understanding of marketing theory and the key debates within the field by considering the theoretical, managerial, social, economic, and political dimensions of marketing. You will look at the role of marketing within markets, organisations, and society and the assumptions underpinning marketing thinking.

Contemporary Marketing Communication will develop your understanding of contemporary marketing communication by looking at recent research studies and first-hand accounts of strategy development from leading marketing agencies. You will contribute your own experience of advertising and promotion to the module and examine ethical, critical and social issues that arise in the field of promotional and contemporary communication.

Business to Business Marketing tackles the over-emphasis found on academic courses on the study of business-to-consumer marketing and provides a comprehensive introduction to the main theoretical and managerial issues in business-to-business marketing, a field in which many of our graduates work.

Either

Research Methods and Dissertation in Marketing (International study route and business project routes available) provides you with training for advanced-level research and requires you to conduct an in-depth investigation into a relevant subject, for which you will have the opportunity to undertake research abroad at a partner university. Alternatively, instead of a dissertation, you will produce a business project in partnership with an external host organisation or through an issue-led investigation across a range of organisations on a specific management issue.

Influencer and Content Marketing: Theory and Practice consolidates your course learning and requires you to carry out a critical analysis of the influencer marketing and content creation sectors and their impact on the traditional marketing industry. You will identify a viable business concept, carry out detailed market and customer analysis and then complete a major digital project based on your own specialist interests within influencer and content marketing.

In recent years, optional modules have included:

Arts, Heritage and Tourism Marketing
Digital Marketing
Global Marketing
Global Sport Business
Retail Marketing Management
Social Marketing
Designing and Marketing Services
Advanced Marketing Strategy
Consulting
Innovation and Technology Management
Science of Leadership
Society and Sustainability
A language module such as those offered by the University’s Centre for Foreign Language Study

Scholarships

A group of business people around a table

Download a Brochure

Come and Meet Us

People walking away from the business school entrance

The Durham Student

A group of students walking down a cobbled street in Durham

What Our Students Say

A group of students around a table studying

Contact Us

Entry requirements

Application deadline:

Staged Admissions

As there is a high demand for this programme with a finite number of places available, we operate a staged admissions process with application deadlines throughout the year for MSc Marketing. Due to the competition for places we give preference to applicants from high ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements.

	App Fee Deadline	Decision Deadline
Round 1	30/10/2024	23/12/2024
Round 2	06/01/2025	05/03/2025
Round 3	12/03/2025	30/04/2025
Round 4	14/05/2025	25/06/2025
Round 5	02/07/2025	13/08/2025

We aim to have a diverse student body and recognise that we can only offer places to a finite number of applicants. To help achieve our aim, we look to ensure we offer places to applicants from all nationalities and close applications when we receive the allocated numbers.

The University is under no obligation to make any offer of a place on the programme to any applicant, nor is the University obligated to fill all spaces available on the programme.

This programme is intended for graduates in any subject or discipline; no previous study in Marketing is necessary. Please note however, Marketing undergraduate students, or students who have completed a professional Marketing qualification may find some content on this programme overlaps with their prior learning.

What do I need first?

You will need the equivalent of a UK first or upper second class honours degree. Check the full list of equivalent qualifications.

If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take a pre-Masters pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

NB Chinese Applicants: Applications will be accepted from students who have graduated from a prestigious university in China. Entry requirements may vary depending upon the reputation of the university you have graduated from and the academic programme you have applied for. As a guide, applicants are expected to have achieved an overall average of 85%.

How do I apply?

You will need to complete an online application form.

Fill out the online application form

To support your online application form, you will need to provide the following documents.

Official transcript of marks
Copy of degree certificate (if available)
Copy of English test results (if available).

You can either upload your supporting documents with your online application or email or fax them to the Postgraduate Admissions Office using the contact details below.

NoteOnly files of type .doc, .docx, .gif, .jpg, .pdf, .png, .rtf are permitted to be uploaded.The maximum file size is 5MB.

College membership

If you’re applying for a full-time programme you’ll need to become a member of one of our Colleges as well as being accepted by a department. Here’s more information about how the college system works. Once you accept your programme offer, the College Postgraduate Office will get in touch with you to arrange accommodation. Please note that demand for college accommodation usually exceeds availability, so please try to arrange it as soon as possible.

Application fee

Once we receive your online application form, you’ll get an automatic email within 48 hours asking you to pay the £60 application fee* which is required to progress your application.

You’ll need to follow the link in the email to the webpage where you can confirm your details and make the payment using a debit or credit card. This is a secure website operated by Secpay, which will send you an automatic receipt of payment.

Once we receive confirmation that your application fee has been paid, we’ll be able to progress your application. If you do not pay the application fee your application will be automatically withdrawn.

*Please note you will only be able to make a payment for one programme in each suite i.e. one MSc Finance programme, one MSc Management programme, one MSc Marketing programme, one Islamic Finance programme.

Admissions process

Here are the steps in the admissions process:

We will let you know when we’ve received your application.
Once we’ve received all of your supporting documents, we will email you to let you know our decision.
If the decision is to make you an offer of a place on the programme we will let you know by email. Please note we do not issue hard copy offer letters as these are not required to obtain a student visa.
You should confirm acceptance of your offer as soon as possible. In order to secure your place, you are required to pay a deposit within six weeks of the date of your original offer (check your offer documents for details of payment methods).
International students requiring a student visa will receive a CAS (Certificate of Acceptance of Studies) via email once all offer conditions are met, acceptance and deposit have been received and you are within five months of the start date of your programme.

Please note: You must let us know your own personal email address when applying. Please do not note use a University-linked email which may stop working once you complete your bachelor degree.

English language requirements