Become an expert in promoting brands and organisations online through a digital marketing masters. This guide explains what the subject is all about and what the postgraduate options are.
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Digital marketing is where brands promote themselves to potential customers through digital communication. It can be through websites, social media, email, search engines and other online methods.
A master's course in digital marketing will let you build on your existing knowledge and elevate your understanding of theoretical areas like:
It can be a good step up if you’re a marketing, business or economics graduate, or if you’ve already got professional experience and want to enhance your specialist abilities.
A master’s course will teach you how to use data for decision-making in a socially conscious and conscious way. They provide many opportunities that prepare you for the fast-paced graduate job market, such as:
As well as specific digital marketing skills, you’ll develop transferable skills such as:
Degrees are often approved and accredited by bodies like:
Qualification options include masters, doctorates, certificates and diplomas in digital marketing. Each has a slightly different focus and style of teaching.
Taught masters in digital marketing
A digital marketing master’s degree is usually a Master of Science (MSc). This is a taught course that helps you become an effective and strategic digital marketer. You learn different techniques and theories, and apply them to real-world scenarios. You may even get to complete an industry placement as part of the course.
Alternatively, you could opt for the Master of Business Administration (MBA). This has a more business and management focus, where students usually already have lots of professional experience.
Research in digital marketing
Research and doctorate degrees are usually Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). They let you undertake an in-depth, original research project that contributes to the field of digital marketing. This involves a lot of independent study, but you work alongside supervisors, academics and other researchers.
Certificates and diplomas in digital marketing
Postgraduate certificates (PGCert) and postgraduate diplomas (PGDip) are shorter versions of the master’s qualification, where you study the same modules but not as many. These are good for deepening your knowledge and are often useful for those already working in a related career.
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What are postgraduate degrees
With a degree in digital marketing, you’ll have the necessary qualities for a range of marketing roles such as those in business strategy, communication, content management, social media and analytics. Roles include:
Some digital marketing master’s students continue their studies and pursue a PhD in a related area. Those who have already completed a research degree often continue in academia.
To qualify for a master’s course, you’ll usually need:
Depending on the course and university, you might be admitted if you have at least two years of professional experience in marketing.
For other postgraduate courses, you’ll usually need:
Examples of postgraduate digital marketing degrees available in the UK:
Potential module topics and research themes include:
Master’s courses usually have structured teaching through lectures, seminars, practical workshops, tutorials, group work, discussions and problem-solving activities. You could be assessed via portfolios, presentations, project work, exams, coursework, reports, group assignments and a dissertation.
On a research degree, you’ll probably work with expert supervisors but receive less support than on a taught course. Assessment is usually through an independent research project and oral exam (viva).
Course length depends on what you choose. Usually, courses are:
Other subjects you could consider studying like digital marketing include:
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