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Marketing courses

Marketing means promoting a product, service or an idea. On this type of course you study business with a focus on marketing techniques - relating to advertising, customer relations, market research, consumer behaviour, public relations (PR) and event organisation. Graduates from this course could end up working in any of these areas, or in marketing departments of a diverse range of companies in finance, the media, retail or charities.

Studying marketing at university

Example course modules

  • Law of business
  • Personal, professional and academic effectiveness
  • Introduction to marketing management
  • Market research
  • Understanding business and financial information
  • Understanding the market process
  • Consumer behaviour and professional practice
  • Financial aspects for marketing, enterprise and tourism
  • Digital marketing strategies

Teaching hours / week

Average for this subject

11
Hours
5
14
Hours

Average for all subjects

The time you'll spend in lectures and seminars each week will vary from university to university, so use this as a guide.

More on studying and contact hours at uni

Who studies this subject

  • Female : 57%
    Male : 43%
  • Mature : 20%
    School leaver : 80%
  • Full-time : 97%
    Part-time : 3%

What students say about marketing

What you need to get on a course

Subjects you need

A-levels (or equivalent) usually required

  • No Specific Requirements

Useful to have

  • Business studies
  • Media studies

Application checklist

Here's a guide to what to expect from the application process - also check individual university entry requirements, as these may differ.

  • January application
  • October application
  • Personal statement
  • Portfolio
  • Interview
  • Entry test
  • Work experience
  • Audition

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement is a core part of your university application, and getting it just right takes time. Before you start work on yours, take a look at our five quick tips on writing a personal statement. We'll help you past that writer's block!

Career prospects

Sources: HECSU & KIS
The marketing industry hasn't been as badly affected by the recession as many others, and so lots of graduates from all kinds of subjects go into it - with marketing graduates doing so more often than others. A lot of the jobs are in London, but graduates don't just go to work in advertising agencies. All sorts of industries do their own marketing these days, and with the rise of digital and mobile technology, a lot of marketing is done in quite innovative ways, using a wide range of methods. A lot of jobs in this industry are handled through recruitment agencies, so if you get in touch with them early, that might give you a headstart for some of the jobs available. But be careful – unpaid working is not the norm in the marketing industry, but it is more common than in most sectors.
Professional and accrediting bodies:

Six months after graduating

Typical graduate job areas
  • Sales, marketing and related associate professionals

Longer term career paths

Jobs where this degree is useful

  • Market researcher
  • Advertising executive
  • Retail manager

Other real-life job examples

  • Conference manager
  • Merchandise planner or buyer
  • Business sales executive

What employers like about this subject

A degree in marketing can help to develop skills in the theory and practice of marketing; in how to identify market opportunities; how to anticipate and develop customer demand and how to communicate with and influence customers. You can also develop useful transferable skills in numeracy, communication, thinking creatively and solving problems, and in critical thinking and constructing coherent arguments. The UK has a thriving marketing industry, and many companies have their own marketing departments, so you can find marketing graduates all over the economy, not just in the marketing and advertising industry itself, but in fashion, the food industry, tourism, the restaurant trade, sport, IT and universities.