Strategic and Digital Marketing (MSc)
- Duration: 1 year
- Mode: Full time
Open day
Find out more about studying here as a postgraduate at our next Open Day.
Why study this course
Developing and empowering the next generation of marketing leaders in the digital world.
Change business for good
Address a contemporary business challenge in a public, private or third sector organisation with your live Marketing Management Project.
Industry insights
See marketing in action on company visits and from high-profile guest speakers.
Socially responsible
Be part of our public value mission - we're committed to delivering social improvement alongside economic development.
Professional accreditation
CIM-accreditation, offering eligibility to complete a CIM professional qualification through reduced modules and access student membership.
In today's rapidly evolving business environment, marked by the proliferation of digital technologies and social media platforms, companies must swiftly adapt their marketing strategies to maintain competitiveness. And they need creative and critical thinkers with the skills, knowledge and marketing insights to support them.
Our full-time MSc in Strategic and Digital Marketing will teach you the essential marketing principles tailored for the digital age. Through a comprehensive curriculum, we aim to enhance your skill set, enabling you to excel as a marketing professional while driving real-world impact and value through your marketing activities.
Drawing upon the expertise of our esteemed marketing faculty and industry practitioners, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your knowledge in practical settings, including Live Marketing Projects. Here, you’ll collaborate with businesses to tackle challenges and devise innovative marketing solutions.
Our programme integrates foundational marketing principles with the latest technology and innovation. You’ll explore topics such as strategic marketing decisions, digital media strategies, consumer behaviours, brand communication, data analytics and societal impact.
Upon completion of the program, you’ll possess the credentials, professional knowledge and confidence to pursue diverse roles in various sectors and international contexts.
Join us in shaping the future of marketing leadership and making a tangible difference in today’s digital world.
If you have three years of relevant work experience, you may also be interested in our MBA programme..
Accreditations
Where you'll study
Cardiff Business School
We’re an AACSB International and AMBA-accredited Business School with a clear mission: to make a positive impact in the communities of Wales and the world.
Admissions criteria
In order to be considered for an offer for this programme you will need to meet all of the entry requirements. Your application will not be progressed if the information and evidence listed is not provided.
With your online application you will need to provide:
- A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts which show you have achieved a 2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject area such as business, marketing or management, to include a minimum of 60% in at least three marketing modules (e.g. principles of marketing, marketing communications, consumer behaviour, relationship marketing) or an equivalent international degree. If your degree certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates.
- A copy of your IELTS certificate with an overall score of 6.5 with 5.5 in all subskills, or evidence of an accepted equivalent. Please include the date of your expected test if this qualification is pending. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.
If you do not have a degree in a relevant area, your application may be considered on the basis of your professional experience. Please provide additional evidence to support your application such as signed and dated employer references.
Application deadline
We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible. Applications normally close at the end of August but may close sooner if all places are filled.
Selection process
We will review your application and if you meet the entry requirements, we will make you an offer.
Find out more about English language requirements.
Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK must present an acceptable English language qualification in order to meet UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements.
Criminal convictions
You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- access to computers or devices that can store images
- use of internet and communication tools/devices
- curfews
- freedom of movement
- contact with people related to Cardiff University.
Course structure
This is a 1-year, full-time programme which is split into 2 academic stages.
- Stage 1 consists of 8 modules (120 credits in total).
- Stage 2 consists of a Marketing Project of 60 credits.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum. Final modules will be published one month ahead of your programme starting.
The taught stage of the course runs from September to June. You’ll complete 8 core modules during this stage.
Upon successful completion of the taught phase, you'll proceed to the Marketing Project which takes the place of a traditional dissertation. This runs from June until September, and you’re expected to remain in Cardiff until this is submitted.
The Marketing Project aims to integrate and apply core marketing course concepts, skills and techniques holistically, experientially and in a self-guiding context in order to construct and present a complete marketing project report for an organisation based on a defined brief.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic Marketing Management | BST141 | 15 credits |
| Research in Strategic Marketing | BST146 | 15 credits |
| Brand Communications in the Digital Age | BST148 | 15 credits |
| Strategic Marketing Analytics | BST149 | 15 credits |
| Consumer Behaviour | BST238 | 15 credits |
| Digital Marketing | BST240 | 15 credits |
| Marketing and Society | BST247 | 15 credits |
| International Marketing | BST248 | 15 credits |
| Project | BST249 | 60 credits |
The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.
Learning and assessment
How will I be taught?
Teaching is heavily informed by research and combines academic rigour with practical relevance. Our internationally leading faculty consists of academics who are at the forefront of knowledge within their field. They bring the lessons and insights from their most recent research into the classroom, giving you access to up-to-date real-life examples and scenarios and critical business thinking.
Your teaching and learning resources will be provided and we will be responsive to your needs and views. For your part, you’ll need to put in the necessary amount of work both during and outside formal teaching sessions, and to make good use of the facilities provided.
Most modules involve a mixture of lectures and small group teaching (called classes, seminars, workshops or tutorials).
In a lecture, the lecturer will mainly be giving an overview of a particular aspect of the module content (as well as opportunities for you to ask questions and be reflective), while in classes and workshops you will have an opportunity to practice techniques, discuss ideas, apply concepts and consolidate your understanding in the topic.
How will I be assessed?
Assessment methods vary from module to module but you can expect a mixture of exams, coursework, essays, practical work, presentations, and individual and group projects.
How will I be supported?
The University offers a wealth of support for postgraduate students, which includes:
Learning Central
Learning Central is the University’s virtual learning environment. All programme and module materials are posted here for students to access before, during and after lectures.
Libraries
You’ll have access to libraries across campus which hold over 1.1 million printed books. You will also have access to more than 1.5 million online books, journals, resources and databases.
Personal Tutor System
Each student is allocated a personal tutor. This member of academic staff will maintain an overview of your learning and educational experiences. If you are experiencing difficulties, your personal tutor will be there to listen and where possible provide professional guidance or else direct you to the appropriate source of support.
In addition to this, a suite of support services is offered by our Student Life teams. Located in the purpose-built Centre for Student Life, these support services encompass: Advice and Money, Student Futures for careers support, Counselling services, Health and Wellbeing, the Student Disability Service including dyslexia support, Academic Study Skills and Student Mentoring.
What skills will I practise and develop?
The Learning Outcomes for this programme describe what you will achieve by the end of your programme at Cardiff University and identify the knowledge and skills that you will develop. They will also help you to understand what is expected of you.
On successful completion of your programme, you will be able to:
Knowledge & Understanding:
- Systematically understand key aspects of strategic and digital marketing theory.
- Develop a depth of understanding of behavioural issues in marketing strategy and become familiar with a number of behavioural models which can be applied to a variety of marketing functions.
- Critically assess current marketing management issues and be able to apply their knowledge to a variety of organisational contexts..
Intellectual Skills:
- Appreciate the range of operational marketing systems available to the marketing strategist and be capable and confident of putting these into practice.
- Engage intellectually with literature and ideas in the marketing area.
- Appreciate the complexities of strategic and digital marketing in multiple contexts.
- Reconcile the inter-relationships between marketing and strategy, and the sometimes-conflicting pressures of the commercial and social environments within which marketing operates.
Professional Practical Skills:
- Underpin practical marketing decisions with appropriate theory and research results.
- Effectively work in teams and demonstrate communication skills.
- Evaluate a range of research designs and determine their appropriateness for different research projects, from both a theoretical and practical perspective.
Transferable/Key Skills:
- Demonstrate problem solving skills through the application of analytical, interpretive, evaluative and diagnostic skills.
- Utilise and apply appropriate numeracy and technology skills in a marketing context.
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.
Learn how we decide your fee status
Fees for home status
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £12,200 | None |
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2025/26 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.
Fees for island status
Learn more about the postgraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Fees for overseas status
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £28,450 | £2,500 |
More information about tuition fees and deposits, including for part-time and continuing students.
Financial support
Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.
Additional costs
No
Living costs
We’re based in one of the UK’s most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Funding
Career prospects
You'll receive a career-changing education from world-leading academics that have different points of view. They’ll challenge your thinking as you consider the world of business from a range of alternative perspectives.
On our MSc in Strategic and Digital Marketing, you’ll benefit from the knowledge and expertise of our Career Enhancer Team. They’re ready and waiting to identify events and opportunities to help you achieve your future aspirations.
We’ve developed relationships that range from the largest multinationals to the smallest micro-businesses and include a wide variety of social enterprises and cooperatives. We use these networks to deliver value for our students through:
- real-world case studies and insights
- collaboration with our Public Value Entrepreneurs in Residence
- guest lectures
- field trips and workshops.
This wide ranging and varied learning experience will help enhance your career and demonstrate how you can make a difference along the way.
Our programme offers knowledge and expertise for a career in marketing in the UK or overseas - in industry, commerce or the public sector - or to pursue further research for a PhD.
Graduates from this course have gone on to careers in digital marketing, tourism marketing, advertising, product development marketing, customer relationship management among many more.
Next steps
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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.
