Marketing Communications – (M.A.)

Contents

Marketing communications is a creative and evolving field. This course covers the key subjects related to marketing communications as a strategic marketing tool, including an analysis of the core components of marketing communications, such as advertising, public relations and sales promotions. Both traditional and new media forms are examined and their effectiveness analysed in the context of durable products, fast-moving consumer goods, services and social marketing campaigns.

You will develop your knowledge, skills and capabilities to an advanced level in strategic management and decision-making. With a particular emphasis on strategic marketing, you will also develop the necessary knowledge and skills needed to participate in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of long-term, organisation-wide decisions related to business environment, competition, markets, products and users/consumers.

Modules

* Contemporary Marketing Strategy (30 Credits)

This module aims to provide the students with a framework for analysing marketing processes from a strategic and managerial perspective in a diverse range of organisations. In particular, the module will focus on the development and implementation of marketing strategies to help organisations gain a competitive advantage in our highly volatile operating environment.

* Current Issues in Integrated Marketing Communication (30 Credits)

The aim of this module is to develop students' systematic understanding of marketing communications theory and practice, especially integrated marketing communications. In particular, the module will focus on the various marketing communication tools and enable the students to creatively apply the gained knowledge in practical situations.

* Public Relations, Advertising and Sales Promotions Practice (30 Credits)

The aim of this module is to develop students' knowledge of theory and practice relating to the most prominent sectors of marketing communications, i.e. public relations, advertising and sales promotion. The approach is inspired by a thorough review and critical analysis of relevant theoretical frameworks but also focuses on the practical applications of theory to real- world activity.

The module will explore the application of advanced research into public relations, advertising and sales promotion effects and effectiveness of various marketing communication tools and the ways that each of these tools can be used strategically and tactically to maximise overall communication effectiveness.

* Research in Marketing (30 Credits)

This module aims to develop the students' ability to evaluate and interpret the role of market research in order to inform strategic marketing decisions. The module will also develop the student's ability to identify a problem for research, set research objectives, determine an appropriate methodology, undertake both secondary and primary data collection and evaluation, and establish a set of recommendations for management from the findings.

* Dissertation (MM) (60 Credits)

This module aims to enable the student to integrate relevant marketing concepts and theories, demonstrate practical competence and enhanced knowledge through a focussed research-based investigation of a relevant marketing topic.