Questions about my Masters degree
Lately, I’ve been getting many questions about my course. Some of the questions are what made me choose it, and the difference between MSc Marketing, Marketing Communications, International Marketing, and Strategic Marketing and Consultancy. This blog will answer all these questions and will hopefully give you a better understanding of what MSc Marketing entails and why it was the right choice for me.
Why I chose MSc Marketing
So when I was looking into marketing related postgraduate courses, I came across four different options. These were MSc Marketing, MSc Marketing Communications, International Marketing, or Strategic Marketing and Consultancy. It took me a while to decide which one was the best option for me, but in the end, I knew it was MSc Marketing. As a graduate from a different discipline, doing a more ‘general’ course was the smartest move. That is because I wanted to take the time to explore all aspects of marketing and through the course, find what I like the most.
In the first semester of my course, we had some compulsory core modules. During that time, we learnt about Consumer Behaviour both in the traditional and online context, Marketing Management, and Marketing Research. After being introduced to the main theories and concepts of marketing, we had the opportunity to pick three or four optional modules in the second semester. This was such a great thing as by then, I knew what I was mostly interested in and I chose the following modules: E-Marketing, Marketing Communications, and Strategic Brand Management. I chose these modules based on their learning outcomes as well as their assignments. I wanted to do as many practical assignments as possible to be better prepared for the ‘real world’. I worked on both individual and group projects such as communication campaigns, presentations, a poster design and an online consultancy guide.
Why I didn’t choose a more specific Marketing course
The other three courses that I considered were much more focused on particular aspects of marketing. After talking to some students who study each of these marketing courses at the University of Birmingham, I managed to get a better understanding of the reasons why they chose these courses.
MSc Marketing Communications is for students who were already familiar with basic concepts of marketing and it focuses on the communication aspect of marketing, such as advertising and PR.
Others, prefer International Marketing as they want to be taught marketing within the international context. Thus, this course is very similar to MSc Marketing, but slightly more internationally focused. Most of the optional modules for International Marketing are in fact the same with MSc Marketing.
Lastly, students who choose Strategic Marketing and Consultancy typically want to deepen their insights in the theory and practice of specialist aspects of marketing such as problem solving, analytics, contemporary issues in marketing, and consultancy.
A few words about MSc Marketing from a student perspective
The structure of my course reflects its learning outcomes. It aims to enable us to evaluate current marketing practices within a variety of theoretical frameworks, apply modern marketing concepts to managerial decisions, gain experience of project work, and manage market research projects. Thus, we have both academics and professionals teaching us which is amazing as we have the opportunity to learn through real-life examples and projects. Also, as I’ve had to work in multiple groups both during the autumn and spring term, I can confidently say that I’ve improved my team-working skills, learned so much from other people, and were also able to demonstrate my own strengths and knowledge. Overall, it is a course with a not so hectic timetable and not many contact hours as it mostly requires individual study and group work.
Would I change anything about my course?
Well, from my experience doing the modules of my choice in the spring semester and mainly working on individual projects, the only thing I wish was different is the way individual and group work were split. We started the course with group work only, but in the second semester many of the optional modules required individual work, which turned out to be very interesting and practical. But I was definitely not used to it as I spent the first three months working with other people. So, having at least one individual assignment in the first semester would definitely help the transition to the second semester!
Other than that, the course as a whole is very interesting and challenging. I’ve acquired so much knowledge and now I am working on my dissertation, applying everything I’ve learnt in the past six months!
I hope this blog post helps you understand MSc Marketing – as well as the other marketing courses – a bit more.
If you are interested in studying MSc Marketing and have more questions, feel free to contact me on Instagram. I would be more than happy to help!
Sending positive vibes only,
Eleni x x x