Strategic Marketing Management MSc

Aston University, Birmingham

Marketing communications play a vital role for organisations, however the landscape in which they operate has become increasingly fragmented and dynamic, with a two-way communication perspective more prevalent than ever before. This is reflective of customers playing a greater role in content creation and their choice of purchase being influenced by sustainable practice that is effectively communicated within the business world. It is therefore important for you to understand the synergies between different communication tools to plan, implement and evaluate campaigns. It is here you will apply your learning to a real-life company marketing issue, providing you with essential skills that can be applied in the business world.

This module introduces you to the world of marketing. The module outlines the development of the marketing concept and its importance within a real-world context. You will work in small groups to develop and present marketing plans within an experiential situation using appropriate marketing theories, frameworks and tools. You will learn to conduct situational analyses, formulate suitable strategies and measure the results using appropriate metrics. You will develop, implement and reflect upon your marketing planning knowledge and skills in an authentic situation which will support your future employability or entrepreneurial ambitions.

In this module you will integrate and apply knowledge and skills you have acquired in the taught part of the course. Strong analytical and strategic skills are important transferable skills for senior marketing roles.

In today’s hyper-competitive marketing environment, brands are often the most valuable asset that can differentiate your offerings from competitors. This course highlights the strategic implications of branding and provides a framework to understand, analyse, and execute branding strategies. This module offers you the chance to combine theory and practice to understand how to design successful strategies to build strong brands, how to maximise the value of existing brands, and how to manage multiple brands in a portfolio. This learning platform will enable you to make well-informed brand management decisions.

The Aston Global Advantage is our professional development programme that runs throughout all MSc programmes at Aston Business School. Focusing on professional development and employability, this integrated module gives you the opportunity to identify, develop and apply the key transferrable skills you will gain throughout the year.

This module enhances your understanding of how marketers use marketing psychology to influence consumers’ decisions through learning about different concepts, theories and models of consumer behaviour. This is done by analysing current research, real-life cases and current businesses’ marketing strategies and identifying aspects of marketing psychology. This module helps you gain insight into different aspects of businesses’ practices that are only understood through the different theories and models of consumer behaviour. You can use these practices in your roles as marketers in order to influence consumers’ decisions.

This is an exciting opportunity for you to develop key problem solving and research skills which will allow you to follow your passion, use the strengths and interests developed during your degree, and creatively learn how ethically to explore this. This module equips managers and leaders of the future with the skills critically to evaluate research-based information. It covers various research methods and techniques, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.

The research project offers a unique opportunity for you to take the initiative and dive deep into a specific topic, fostering personal and academic growth. Building on the foundational knowledge gained in the taught portion of the programme, this module sharpens essential analytical and academic skills for lifelong learning in today's dynamic business landscape. By conducting independent empirical or theoretical research, you gain a deeper understanding of their chosen subject and contribute to the field. Additionally, this module serves as a stepping stone for those considering further research degrees.