Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

This programme aims to expose students to a framework for instant global reach for marketing through digital technologies and connectivity. With this, it aims to:

• Provide students with a comprehensive understanding of marketing principles, and develop their skills to address associated challenges related to strategic marketing management
• Develop students’ critical thinking on effectively employing technology within an organisational marketing strategy to influence global marketing landscapes
• Build students’ knowledge and expertise in effectively utilising digital technologies in various elements of marketing practice to develop successful digital marketing campaigns
• Provide students and teams with employment skills essential to the digital marketing, such as data analytics for market research, digital communications, customer engagement and managing marketing campaigns
• Provide students with an overarching view of the context in which today’s consumers, businesses and societies operate, including the ethical requirements faced by the marketing profession.

2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

• UK Quality Code for Higher Education, The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, April 2012, especially Part A: Setting and maintaining academic standards:
  • The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ), the QAA, August 2008
  • Master’s Degree Characteristics, the QAA, March 2010
  • The Higher Education Credit Framework for England, the QAA, August 2008
• The Quality Code, Part B: Assuring and enhancing academic quality
  • Chapter B1: Programme Design, Development and Approval
  • Chapter B3: Learning and Teaching
  • Chapter B4: Enabling student development and achievement
  • Chapter B6: Assessment of students
• Master’s Degree Subject Benchmark for Business and Management, the QAA, 2015
• Master’s Degree Subject Benchmark for Computing, QAA, February 2016.
• Proposals for National Arrangements for the Use of Academic Credit in Higher Education in England: Final Report of the Burgess Group, December 2006.
• The Northern Ireland Credit Accumulation and Transfer System (NICATS): Principles and Guidelines, 2002.

3. Programme Learning Outcomes

3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to demonstrate a thorough knowledge and systematic understanding of:  

• K1 Principles and practices of strategic marketing with a clear understanding of marketing management and the emerging role of digital technologies for the marketing practice
• K2 Utilising digital technologies for understanding and engaging consumers and using the knowledge about consumers to make better marketing decisions
• K3 Existing and future practices of market research methodologies using digital technologies and advanced data analytics
• K4 The effects of digital technologies for marketing on other complementary subject areas.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:  

• C1 Develop successful marketing strategies and devise effective and creative marketing campaigns utilising digital technologies
• C2 Critically evaluate available technological tools in digital marketing processes, link them with appropriate theories and apply in a real-world context
• C3 Critically analyse market research data utilising appropriate mathematical and statistical methods
• C4 Utilise artificial intelligence tools and customer behavioural models to predict behaviour and inform marketing decisions

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to: 

• P1 Identify, research and critique core principles and practices of strategic marketing suitable for a given scenario
• P2 Critically analyse sources of consumer data, and devise solutions to store and analyse this data to gain customer insights
• P3 Independently design and conduct market research utilising a range of digital tools appropriate for the task
• P4 Implement effective marketing strategies, and utilise tools to measure the performance of such strategies

c. Key transferable skills:

• T1 Demonstrate skills in analysing information with attention to details, including critical analysis of relevant work
• T2 Effective communication of complex concepts to expert and non-expert audiences
• T3 Work independently or in groups to successful completion of time critical projects
• T4 Demonstrate technical knowledge and skill in developing their own ideas related to the concepts of the subject matter

4. Programme structure

C = Core module; O = Optional module

~Students must choose and complete 4 optional modules in total from the available optional modules in the list above. 2 of these 4 optional modules must be taken and completed in Semester 1 and the remaining 2 optional modules to be taken and completed in Semester 2.

 Model pathways to assist in option choice

Below are example pathways that students may wish to take based on their background. Other combinations are also acceptable (in accordance with the guidance provided above).

a)            Model Pathway 1: Typically students with a background in Marketing or Business who wish to gain skills related to Digital Marketing would choose to study the following core modules, and optional modules that are biased towards digital technologies:

1^st semester: Collaborative Project; Strategic Marketing Management; Introduction to Digital Technologies; Principles of Data Science or Information Management 

2^nd semester: Digital Practices for Customer Engagement; Digital Technologies for Market Analysis; Advanced Big Data Analytics; and Strategy and Planning or Gaming Technologies and Systems

2^nd semester & summer: Dissertation – e.g., topic can be based on digital simulations.

b)            Model Pathway 2: Typically students with a background in Technology who wish to have a career expansion towards Digital Marketing would choose to study the following core modules, and optional modules that are biased towards marketing and social sciences:

1^st semester: Collaborative Project; Strategic Marketing Management; Digital Media Audiences and Markets; Design Practices in Digital Industries

2^nd semester: Digital Practices for Customer Engagement; Digital Technologies for Market Analysis; International Marketing; and Strategy and Planning

2^nd semester & summer: Dissertation – e.g., topic can be biased towards strategic marketing.

c)            Model Pathway 3: Typically students from other backgrounds who wish to obtain an understanding of both marketing and technology would choose to study the following core modules, and optional modules that will give them a balanced view of business principles, marketing and digital technologies:

1^st semester: Collaborative Project; Strategic Marketing Management; Introduction to Digital Technologies; Digital Media Audiences and Markets

2^nd semester: Digital Practices for Customer Engagement; Digital Technologies for Market Analysis; Advanced Big Data Analytics; International Marketing 

2^nd semester & summer: Dissertation – e.g., topic can be based on digital simulations and ethical implications.

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

In order to be eligible for the award, candidates must satisfy the requirements of Regulation XXI. 

All modules available in the Special Assessment Period (SAP) unless specified in the Module Specification.

6. Relative Weighting of Parts of the Programme for the Purposes of Final Degree Classification

Not applicable.