Course Overview
Course summary
Marketing lies at the heart of every successful business. By engaging with and understanding the customer’s needs, marketing managers influence the development of products and services, providing advice on the best point of sale and recommending the most competitive price. They identify and make sure the target market knows what’s on offer – in increasingly more creative and dynamic ways.
You can also boost your employability by gaining additional qualifications with the Institute of Data and Marketing (IDM) and/or the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) – our status as a CIM Graduate Gateway institution entitles you apply for exemptions from modules on its professional qualifications, while you can gain IDM’s Award in Digital Marketing during the Digital Marketing Essentials module.
Employability is embedded in the course, where you will develop your employability and enterprise skills through modules in leadership and opportunities for work-based learning.
Incorporating the latest marketing strategy, tools and techniques, the modules you study will develop your understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of all areas of marketing. You will gain awareness of the global, cultural, social, economic and ethical professional environment within which marketers now operate. Acknowledging the importance of digital techniques and social media marketing, you’ll have access to our new digital marketing lab, Switch 23, which is set up to mimic a creative agency with a large touch screen that students can connect to using laptops and mobile phones.
Marketers, perhaps more than in any other area of business, need to be able to work effectively in teams, solve problems, think critically and creatively, and present their ideas persuasively. Developing these transferable skills and more, you’ll also discover the connections between marketing teams and other functional business areas.
You’ll gain hands-on experience working on live client briefs from external marketers, analysing performance and customer research, as well as using relevant internet-based technologies for marketing, such as Google Analytics. As part of the Marketing and Planning module, for example, students previously developed marketing solutions for an international brand, presenting their recommendations online to the International Marketing Director, who was based in Milan.
As a professional marketer, you will graduate with the skills and knowledge to work in-house for an organisation or a creative agency or become a freelance consultant.
Top reasons to study with us
- Professionally focused course with the chance to gain additional professional qualifications from the Institute of Data and Marketing (IDM), the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), and the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI)
- Option to spend one semester or one year studying abroad at one of our partner institutions, gain valuable work experience, or a combination of both. Previous students had their placements at high-profile global companies such as Samsung, Sony and Disney
- Opportunity to study a foreign language as an optional module in each year of study: one of our students chose to learn Japanese and spent a year studying at Waseda University and working as an intern at SMEJapan in Tokyo
- Hear from experts and mingle with marketing students by joining the student-run Westminster Marketing Society or gain professional experience working for Westminster Business Consultants
- Guest lectures from industry practitioners have previously included speakers on the use of Google Analytics, and speakers from IBM, Tableau, Coca Cola, and LinkedIn
- Programmes are delivered by a multicultural and international teaching body who come from professional practice and/or regularly publish in top international journals
Course structure
Designed to meet the needs of industry, this course will prepare you for a career in a broad range of marketing disciplines, combining marketing strategy, marketing communications, data and analytics and market research. With work-based learning embedded in the course, you’ll graduate work ready with the skills, knowledge and expertise required to move confidently into the world of marketing.
The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course.
You are introduced to key marketing and digital marketing theories, concepts and emerging marketing tools and techniques. We focus on the customer, examining buyer behaviour and the factors which affect perceptions and purchase decisions.
Subjects of study include:
- Digital Marketing Essentials
- Employment and Academic Skills
- Fundamentals of Marketing
- Leadership, Innovation and Organisations
- Marketing Research and Data Analysis
You'll also have the opportunity to take an option module that broadens your skills or helps you to gain more in-depth knowledge of your specialist area. Your option module may be a foreign language.
Credit Level 4
You’ll be introduced to the theories and concepts of buyer behaviour, learn how marketing managers utilise them to design their marketing strategies and develop key analytical skills to make decisions based on data. You’ll also gain the employability skills needed to prepare you for entering the workplace. Optional modules allow you to choose topics that interest you most. For example, in B2B marketing, you’ll be introduced to the complex buying and selling relationships between organisations and marketing issues, such as e-commerce, key account management and supply-chain ethics. Other options offer you the opportunity to consider ethics and social responsibility in marketing, marketing services and product and brand management or other areas of business including languages.
Subjects of study include:
- Careers and Enterprise
- Consumer Behaviour for Marketers
- Data Analytics
Plus two options from: Ethics and Social Responsibility in Marketing, Finance for Marketing Managers, Marketing B2B, Marketing Services and Product and Brand Management.
Alternatively, in place of the option modules listed above, you may be able to take the WBS Study Abroad Experience (subject to eligibility) or the WBS Work Experience.
Credit Level 5
Professional experience or Study Abroad year
Between Years 2 and 3 you can undertake a one-year business placement. Past students have completed placements in a variety of SMEs and prestigious organisations including British Airways, Disney UK and Heinz. Alternatively, you can study abroad at one of our partner institutions. You can also choose to split your year abroad into a first semester exchange and a second semester work placement, both conducted overseas, or undertake a placement year overseas.
We continue to expand your knowledge of marketing management, learning how to use the metrics you have already studied to analyse the data collected and use this to inform marketing strategy decisions. In addition, you'll look in greater depth at how brands promote themselves using the various marketing communication platforms and media. You'll also develop a marketing strategy for a live marketing project which in the past has included working with a small business and an international charity.
Find out more about the costs involved in taking a study abroad or placement year.
You’ll bring together the skills and knowledge you’ve learnt throughout the course for your Final Major Project, where you’ll have the flexibility to complete either a dissertation, consultancy report or creative project addressing a defined business problem. Alongside this, you’ll examine the importance of and benefits of integrated marketing communication dynamics, present strategic marketing plans based on real life issues and explore ways of marketing sustainably.
Subjects of study include:
- Final Major Project
- Marketing Communications
- Marketing Planning and Strategy
- Sustainability Marketing
Plus two options from: Global Marketing Management, Luxury Brand Management, New Product Development and The Management of Marketing.
Credit Level 6
Programme recognition
As a Graduate Gateway Institution with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the content of our degree has been mapped against CIM qualifications to apply exemptions for modules. This provides a unique opportunity to gain a professional qualification or award alongside your marketing degree and means that for most CIM qualifications, you only have to take one assessment instead of the usual three. You can also take the IDM Award in Digital Marketing as part of the Digital Marketing Essentials module in your first year.
The Marketing Management BA Honours is accredited by the Digital Marketing Institute. Our marketing degrees have been mapped for DMI certification. The partnership offers DMI professional certification opportunities when students enrol as DMI members.
For more details on course structure, modules, teaching and assessment Download the programme specification (PDF).
To request an accessible version please email [email protected]
Get your copy of the University of Westminster prospectus and browse the range of courses on offer.
Contact us for general course enquiries:
+44 (0)20 7911 5000 EXT 65511
(Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm GMT)
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Open days
Join us at an open day online or on campus. Get a feel for student life at the University of Westminster and talk to course leaders and our support teams.
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Careers
Marketing is a dynamic sector, which offers the chance to pursue careers working abroad or for companies that trade all over the world. Our marketing degrees are designed to develop your analytical and problem-solving, providing you with a breadth of knowledge in business, along with the specialist knowledge required to carry out strategic marketing in challenging new contexts.
Past graduates of this degree have found successful employment in marketing roles such as: management trainee, retail manager, marketing trainee, market research assistant, advertising trainee, PR assistant, sales promotion executive, trainee brand manager, global brand assistant. Increasing numbers of students progress to further study on graduation: either taking professional qualifications or staying on for postgraduate study.
The University's Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.
Develop your innovation & entrepreneurial skills
Develop your innovation & entrepreneurial skills in The Big Idea competition, sponsored by Santander.
Kickstart your career
Learn how to use social media in your job hunt or LinkedIn to kickstart your career.
Develop your CQ
Develop your cultural intelligence – or ‘CQ’ – studying alongside students and staff representing more than 100 nationalities.
Industry links
As well as the links the institution and individual staff have with professional bodies, including the CIM and IDM, many of the staff who currently teach on this course have extensive professional experience in a range of business sectors with many staff maintaining links with industry through consultancy and training work.
Through our Alumni Voices series, you’ll also hear from former postgraduate Marketing students, who will share experiences, including those who work for global media groups or have established their own marketing consultancies.
Job roles
The course will prepare you for a wide variety of roles in business. Examples of these from our recent graduates are:
- Advertising executive
- Brand manager
- Management trainee
- Market researcher
- Marketing associate/manager
- Marketing strategist
- Product development officer
- PR officer
- Social media executive/manager
Westminster Employability Award
Employers value graduates who have invested in their personal and professional development – and our Westminster Employability Award gives you the chance to formally document and demonstrate these activities and achievements.
The award is flexible and can be completed in your own time, allowing you to choose from a set of extracurricular activities.
Activities might include gaining experience through a part-time job or placement, signing up to a University-run scheme – such as mentoring or teaching in a school – or completing online exercises.
Read more about our Westminster Employability Award.
International Opportunities
Many of our courses offer international study and work experiences, and the University provides other global opportunities that all students can apply for - so whatever you're studying, you'll have the chance to go abroad.
Opportunities could include:
- Taking part in semester or year-long exchanges at institutions around the world
- Attending an international summer school or field trip
- Developing your CV through volunteering or work placements abroad
International experience broadens horizons, boosts self-confidence, and improves global understanding, alongside being fantastic for your career.
Find out more about our international opportunities, including funding options and where you can go.
Course Leader
Ali Baig
Senior Lecturer
Ali’s interest in marketing was sparked while studying his MBA at the University of Bradford in 2004, researching the challenges of marketing to businesses in hard-to-reach communities within the city. Prior to this he had lived and worked in Japan, which further stimulated his interest in culture and global business.
Ali found his way into academia after a variety of marketing, consultancy and market research roles. Part-time teaching at Bradford University was followed by lecturing at Coventry University, which included a significant role as a Link Tutor for the partner institution, the School for Higher and Professional Education (SHAPE) in Hong Kong. At Coventry, he developed his research interests on the impact of celebrity endorsers on brands and the subsequent impact of the brand on the endorser.
He joined Westminster Business School in 2019 and is very passionate about student success.
I enjoy being in the classroom and, while it sounds a cliché, I like the fact I can make a difference shaping young people’s minds. From the moment they come to Westminster, I can help them become a professional, building their confidence and improving the way they communicate with the rest of the world, so they’re ready to take anything on once they graduate.
Course Team
Marketing courses
Learn more about Westminster's Marketing courses from our students and staff. Find out about their experience studying at Westminster, including what it's like to study at the University's Marylebone campus in the heart of central London.
Why study this course?
Combine theory and practice
Link theory to global practice through real-life case studies, guest lectures and live marketing projects.
Build connections
Build connections with peers, marketing professionals and future employers through our links with the CIM and IDM.
Additional professional qualifications
Get the chance to gain additional professional qualifications from the Institute of Data and Marketing (IDM) and the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).
Entry Requirements
- A Levels – BBC (112 UCAS Tariff points)
- T levels – 112 UCAS Tariff points
- International Baccalaureate – 112 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme. International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis
- BTEC Extended Diploma – DMM
- BTEC Diploma – D*D*
- Access – 112 UCAS Tariff points from the Access course
In addition to one of the above, you should have:
- GCSE English Language grade 4/C – IB grade 4 Higher Level, GCSE Maths grade 4/C – IB grade 4
If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component.
We also welcome applications from students who are taking a combination of qualifications listed above. For further information, please contact Course Enquiries.
View more information about our entry requirements and the application process
- International Baccalaureate – 112 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme. International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis. You can refer to the UCAS calculator to determine your point score
- We accept a wide range of international high school level qualifications. Please see information on Country-specific entry requirements
- We work in partnership with Kaplan International College London who provide International Foundation Certificate courses for students who don’t meet our entry requirements. Upon successful completion, you can progress to your chosen degree at the University of Westminster. Find out about a range of university preparation courses that are accepted for entry.
English language requirements
- If your first language is not English, you should have an IELTS score of 6.0 overall, with a score of 5.5 in each component. Please note we accept a wide range of English language qualifications and assessments. Find out more at English language requirements.
- If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, then we offer online and on campus pre-sessional English programmes to help develop your English language skills to the required level before you start your course. Find out more about our pre-sessional English programmes.
More information
What our students say
Deniz Velichkova
Marketing Management BA - 2024
I couldn't be happier with my choice of programme, from the interactive modules that stimulate you to think creatively, out of the box and get out of your comfort zone to the ones that give you priceless insights into the Marketing industry. Each one of my modules has helped me build knowledge in many fields, and my module leaders have made me confident that I am ready to step into a graduate job.
Learn new skills
Develop your creativity
Develop your creativity to think outside the box.
Learn to critically evaluate
Learn to critically evaluate the strategies that managers use to help organisations adapt in an uncertain or complex environment.
Improve your problem-solving skills
Improve your problem-solving skills to better understand and tackle people management issues.
Westminster Business School blog
Read our blog and get an insight into life and studies at Westminster Business School.
Fees and Funding
UK tuition fee: £9,250 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
Find out how we set our tuition fees.
Funding
As well as tuition fee loans, there is a range of funding available to help you fund your studies.
Find out about undergraduate student funding options.
Scholarships
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students, which cover all or part of your tuition fees.
Find out if you qualify for one of our scholarships.
Additional costs
See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.
International tuition fee: £17,000 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
Find out how we set our tuition fees.
EU Qualifications Welcome Award Scheme
If you are an international student accepted on an undergraduate programme starting in September 2024 or September 2025 at level 3 (Foundation) or level 4 (first year) on the basis of an eligible EU qualification only, you will be awarded a tuition fee reduction which will align your fee more closely to the one for UK students. For more information, see the EU Qualifications Welcome Award Scheme.
International student funding
Find out about funding for international students.
Additional costs
See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.
Student work
In September 2019, during the first week of term, first-year marketing students spent the day visiting the Tower of London, exploring over a thousand years of history at this famous attraction. The main objective was to bring together new students across all of the University’s marketing programmes, including Marketing Management BA, Marketing Communications BA, International Marketing BA and Business Management (Marketing) BA.
Students were also given a series of marketing challenges to undertake, all relevant to their areas of study. These involved developing marketing plans and promotional campaigns to build awareness of the Tower of London across the world and attract more visitors. As well as making friends and developing their teamwork skills, students had a taste of what it’s like to work as a marketing manager or for an advertising agency.
Find out more about this field trip on our WBS blog.
Marketing Management Module Leader Jose Ruiz-Alba has been working closely with students to customise teaching sessions to enhance students’ engagement. Meeting with a group of students’ representatives every week to share comments, suggestions and initiatives, the students have actively participated as co-creators of academic materials (short case studies, short videos, reports). One of the projects they initiated – a case study with guest speakers – consisted of working with business leaders who had particular marketing challenges in their companies. Once the main challenges were identified by the companies, students started working in groups to offer marketing solutions. One of the companies, AMC, has an annual turnover of 1.3bn and three of its senior managers came from Spain to have a session with the students to discuss and refine the proposed marketing solutions.
Teaching and Assessment
Below you will find how learning time and assessment types are distributed on this course. The graphs below give an indication of what you can expect through approximate percentages, taken either from the experience of previous cohorts, or based on the standard module diet where historic course data is unavailable. Changes to the division of learning time and assessment may be made in response to feedback and in accordance with our terms and conditions.
How you'll be taught
Teaching methods across all our undergraduate courses focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and where appropriate practical application. Learning typically falls into three broad categories:
- Scheduled hours: examples include lectures, seminars, practical classes, workshops, supervised time in a studio
- Placement: placement hours normally include placement opportunities, but may also include live projects or virtual activity involving employers
- Independent study: non-scheduled time in which students are expected to study independently. This may include preparation for scheduled sessions, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks, or revision
How you'll be assessed
Our undergraduate courses include a wide variety of assessments.
Assessments typically fall into three broad categories:
- Practical: examples include presentations, videos, podcasts, lab work, creating artefacts
- Written exams: end of semester exams
- Coursework: examples include essays, reports, in-class tests, portfolios, dissertation
Data from the academic year 2023/24
Supporting you
Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.
- Study support — workshops, 1-2-1 support and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills
- Personal tutors — support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential
- Student advice team — provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits and visas
- Extra-curricular activities — volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events and more
Facilities
Course Location
Our Marylebone Campus has benefitted from a multi-million-pound refurbishment resulting in new workshops, digital studios and development of the Marylebone Library. The campus is home to Westminster Business School and our award-winning Architecture, Planning and Tourism courses. For more details, visit our Marylebone Campus page.
Westminster Business School
Based in the heart of London's political, media and financial services, Westminster Business School has excellent industry links and a strong commitment to social enterprise.
Our courses are accredited by professional bodies including the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
Our practical teaching relates learning to the real world, and we develop graduates who are ready to respond to contemporary business challenges.
Contact us
Call our dedicated team on:
+44 (0)20 7911 5000 ext 65511
Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday
Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday
More information
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