Marketing - Subject Guide

Marketing has a wide application, and an equally wide range of specialisms. There are areas which focus more on the psychology of customer and client decision-making, and there are areas which focus more on the mechanics of funding a marketing campaign, and everything in between. Some specialisations are more academic in nature, and others are purely practical.

Some of these include: 

• Marketing analytics: Involves collecting, analysing, and interpreting information, working with large data sets to evaluate performance and make data-driven decisions. It includes topics like sales trends, customer demographics, and campaign effectiveness, enabling marketers to optimise strategies and allocate resources efficiently. 

• Social media marketing: Social media is the most immediate way to engage with audiences and build relationships which can be used for monetary gain or influence. Jobs in this field involve creating and sharing content, running targeted ads, and monitoring interactions to increase brand visibility. 

• Brand management: Brand managers build and implement strategies to enhance a brand's identity, making it appealing to a particular client base. The work can involve starting a brand from scratch, or turning around the reputation of an existing one, updating its values to build long-term brand loyalty. 

• Consumer behaviour: A huge part of marketing is based in consumer psychology. Factors such as motivation, perceptions, and social influences enable marketers to understand and anticipate consumer needs. This influences how individuals use products and services and helps to develop effective marketing strategies. 

• Marketing strategy: This is the planning and execution aspect of how marketers achieve their objectives. It includes things like audience targeting, market positioning, and the allocation of resources to create value for customers, gain competitive advantage, and achieve sustainable business growth. 

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• Market research 

• Consumer behaviour 

• Brand management 

• Advertising and promotion 

• Business ethics and law 

• Marketing analytics 

• Marketing communications 

• Product development and innovation 

• International marketing 

• Campaign management 

You can expect to learn a versatile repertoire of skills and knowledge that will make you widely employable, in today’s ever-changing commercial landscape. You’ll learn how to conduct market research, develop marketing strategies and analyse consumer behaviour from both psychological and statistical standpoints.

You’ll learn through project work, case studies, presentations, and industry placements, developing practical skills in areas such as campaign planning, data analysis, and digital marketing. 

Additionally, you’ll develop loads of transferable skills, allowing you to flourish in a wide variety of workplaces in the UK and abroad. These include: 

• Decision making  

• Innovation 

• Project management 

• Team working 

• Analysing trends 

Most marketing courses will be accredited by a professional body like the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) or the Institute of Data & Marketing (IDM). 

If you're considering a career in marketing, alternative degrees may also be relevant to the type of areas you wish to cover at university. It’s worth checking out all your options before making a decision, so here are a few alternative subjects you may want to research: 

• Business management 

• Advertising 

• Media studies 

• Psychology 

Marketing is a popular degree course in the UK, and for good reasons. It opens doors to loads of different career opportunities across many different industries such as advertising, market research, brand management, and PR. Graduates can pursue roles at all scales from the smallest startup to national tourism boards or multinational organisations. 

Additionally, marketing expertise is valuable in entrepreneurial ventures and business consultancy roles, so whether you want to start your own business, or offer your services for innovation and strategic growth to established businesses, then you’ll be well prepared. 

Some career options include: 

• Advertising planner 

• Market researcher 

• Media planner 

• Event manager 

• PR officer 

• SEO specialist  

• Business analyst 

• Media buyer  

• Social media manager  

• Marketing executive 

These are just a few of the most common job roles. You'll find plenty of other options available to you, and you can also continue your studies by completing a postgraduate degree in marketing or a related subject. 

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