Master of Strategic Marketing Management

You will study four core modules as part of this course, ranging from the fundamentals to advanced-level marketing. Plus, you will have the opportunity to study four optional modules, from specialist marketing areas as well as non-marketing subjects.

Core Module:

• Marketing Management: In this module you will gain a comprehensive understanding and critical evaluation of marketing management practices, underpinned by relevant theories and conceptual frameworks. These frameworks are applied to contemporary issues and organisational strategies within national and international contexts and culminating with the creation and the proposal of a professional marketing plan.
   
• Marketing Research: This module provides you with an understanding of the importance of marketing research in assisting organisations with their marketing decision making. You’ll learn how to examine markets, industries, consumers and businesses. You will develop statistical analytical techniques to analyse data and understand consumer behaviour and business relationships.
   
• Marketing Strategy: On this module you’ll explore how to make best use of your market research to develop a clear marketing strategy and gain a competitive edge. You will examine the capabilities of organisations and learn how to segment markets and how to identify the most attractive target segments and develop differentiation strategies to achieve competitive advantage.
   
• Analysis for Dissertation Research: Lectures and workshops prepare students to undertake their master’s dissertation; developing skills required to tackle particular aspects of the dissertation process. Includes setting objectives, undertaking literature reviews, identifying research questions, identifying appropriate research methods and reporting and discussing results. Assessed by the submission of a research proposal, ensuring that you have a clear understanding prior to commencing the final dissertation.
   
• Ethics in Academic Practice: This module provides an introduction to the Academic Offence framework. By completing the resources you will understand the key principles underpinning the submission of academic assignments. These principles can then be applied to the rest of the modules studied at the university.
   
• The Aston Global Advantage: The AstonGlobal 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.
   
• Business Project or Dissertation: The Business Project/Dissertation is a chance for you to carry out an original piece of work applying material that you have learnt in the taught element of your degree. Specific requirements will be explained relating to different degree programmes but in summary you must demonstrate both theoretical and practical knowledge of your chosen area of specialism.

Optional Module

Note: Availability of any optional modules will be subject to staff availability and a minimum number of students who express an interest in studying the optional modules.

Tailor the course to suit you by choosing from a wide range of specialist marketing topics and non-marketing modules to study. Select 4 optional modules:

Intellectual Property Strategy and Management

This module will look at intellectual property, strategy and management exploring intellectual property rights relevant to an innovative business and will allow you to practice your understanding of the strategy, strategic management and valuation in commercialising these valuable rights.

Accounting for Non-Financial Managers

This module will give you a good grasp of key finance and accounting concepts. You’ll be competent interpreting financial information, such as company accounts and you to be able to communicate effectively using the terminology of finance and accounting. It will also enable you to use accounting to make informed management decisions.

Strategic Business Sustainability

The module looks at how sustainable development as a process can lead to a certain level of sustainability within an organisational context. It places sustainability within the strategic orientation of an organisation and as such as it takes a view of sustainability both in the short-term as well as in the long-term.

Marketing Channels and Strategic Salesforce Management

This module addresses theoretic and contemporary practitioner issues surrounding the fields of channels of distribution and sales force management. These areas are highly important to the marketing, selling and distribution of goods in both domestic and international markets. Although all products and services are considered, business-to-business products are emphasized.

Integrated Marketing Communications

This module introduces you to the various elements of modern marketing communications to be applied to a specific initiative within an organisation. You will analyse current trends within marketing communications with the intention to apply theoretical concepts to a practitioner setting.

Consumer Behaviour

This module introduces key theories surrounding consumers and how they navigate through modern marketplaces considering the whole consumption cycle. As a consequence students will not only evaluate how consumers make purchasing decisions, but also formulate a critical understanding of how they may use possessions or get rid of stuff (e.g. gift-giving) especially in the context of their own consumer behaviour.

Strategic Brand Management

Most branding modules focus on what brand perfection looks like. Most organisations do not want perfection they want to use their brand practically to support the delivery of the organisations objectives. This module focuses on the art of the practical not the art of the perfect.

International Marketing Management

This module evaluates how organisations operate in the global marketing environment. The module critically explores theories/concepts relating to the global marketing environment, international marketing activities and decisions. Implications for international marketing strategies and actions are also considered through a number of relevant case-studies and practical materials.

Digital Marketing

You will produce a strategic understanding of the opportunities provided by digital marketing and the challenges of preparing and formulating successful digital strategies. It evaluates the role of digital media in marketing strategy and how new technologies can be embraced for marketing purposes. It evaluates the impact of web based innovations on marketing and consumer behaviour.

Content Marketing 

This module provides students with the practical skills to put marketing strategies into effect within a digital age. It will critically explore the theory and practice of content marketing across different digital media in the 21st century. 

Strategic Management

This module starts with the purpose of strategy including stakeholder and governance issues and introduces tools and techniques for analysing external environments and internal capabilities. Students learn theories and frameworks/ models for assessing and evaluating organisations’ strategic options which are then applied in analysing contemporary case studies and through engaging in a rich business strategy simulation that involves strategic decision-making.