BSc (Hons) Marketing Management
Marketing at USW is rated top in the UK for student satisfaction. National Student Survey 2022
Marketing managers lead a business in its efforts to understand, create, and keep customers. Marketing management is a mix of art and science that needs creativity, data, and innovation to succeed. You’ll learn these skills both in the classroom and in your interactions with real businesses throughout your study.
Studying this course will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to perform efficient, effective, and engaging marketing. You’ll be immersed in key areas of marketing such as consumer behaviour, marketing communications, and market research. Through flexible and creative assessment, you’ll build a portfolio of work that demonstrates a range of desirable marketing management skills and behaviours.
Students also get a minimum of 10 weeks of work experience in the industry during their second year of study, with a range of fantastic employers in the region - maximising your employability.
You’ll have the opportunity to gain the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Level 4 Certificate in Professional Marketing, alongside other practitioner qualifications of your choosing, all as a part of your program of study. The BSc (Hons) Marketing Management is the only marketing degree in the UK to be recognised by three different professional bodies. By studying at USW, you’re able to join the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s CIM Accredited Degree. The course is also recognised by the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), and the Institute of Data and Marketing.
This course is also available through Network75, a combined work and study route.
Top in Wales for Marketing and Public Relations (Guardian University Guide 2023).
For students enrolling on to this course in January, please note that you will be required to enrol for the second year of the course in September (of the same calendar year), subject to successful completion of year 1.
Year 1 Marketing Management – Contemporary Management Challenges:
This year focuses on developing your fundamental knowledge and skills in marketing management, and business management more widely. Developing a holistic understanding of business functions and processes enables you to establish transferable skills and integrate a marketing orientation more deeply into your future organisation. You’ll study the following modules:
- Marketing and Consumer Behaviour - Welsh provision available: Marchnata ac Ymddygiad Defnyddwyr
- People, Work and Society
- Principles of Supply Chain Management
- Economics, Law, and the Business Environment
- Becoming a Professional: Critical Enquiry - Welsh provision available: Datblygiad Proffesiynol: Ymholi Beirniadol
- Becoming a Professional: Enterprise Project
Year 2 Marketing Management - Marketing Management in Practice:
This year aims to make clear links between the theory and practice of marketing management. You’ll be introduced to a range of new marketing theories and concepts to build your understanding of the discipline. You’ll further your understanding through working with real businesses in an internship or business consultancy position this year. You’ll study the following modules:
- Creative Marketing Communications
- Digital Marketing: Tools and Techniques
- Project Management
- Skills for Market Research
- Marketing Employment Experience 1: Reflection - Welsh provision available: Profiad Gweithle 1: Myfyrio
- Marketing Employment Experience 2: Portfolio - Welsh provision available: Profiad Gweithle 2: Prosiect
Year 3 Marketing Management - Critical Perspectives of Marketing Management:
The focus this year is on developing you into a marketing manager who is well-rounded, critical, strategic, and confident. You’ll work on further growing your marketing management knowledge with a range of new modules which explore the current boundaries of the discipline. You’ll also conduct your own investigation into a topic of interest to give an added boost to your CV. You’ll study the following modules:
- Omni-Channel Marketing Strategy
- Public Relations and Reputation Management
- Professional Selling and Business Development
- Strategic Management
- Critical Enquiry Project (optional) - Welsh provision available: Prosiect Ymgynghori
- Consultancy Project (optional) - Welsh provision available: Prosiect Ymholi Beirniadol
Teaching
Your studies will be underpinned by the latest research undertaken by the South Wales Business School Research Group. This means you will be taught by academics who are at the forefront of their specialist field.
Accreditations
This is a CIM Accredited Degree. The course is also accredited by the Institute of Data and Marketing, and the Public Relations and Communications Association.
Placements
You will get a minimum of 10 weeks of work experience in the industry during your second year of study, with a range of fantastic employers in the region - maximising your employability. You will also benefit from the established practitioner relationships the South Wales Business School has developed over the past decade. This provides excellent opportunities for your professional practice through practitioner-led guest lectures, field visits, career development events, observational and practical research, student placements and scenario-led assessments. The inclusion of placements, company visits and organisational engagement (through the South Wales Business Clinic and professional networking events and visits) provides the opportunity to engage with organisations and professionals and be involved in discussions with companies as they seek to provide solutions to real company problems and issues.
Featured Lecturer:
Dr Lauren Thomas
Dr Lauren Thomas has worked in a number of industries including medical sales, publishing, charity and education, where her focus has typically been on digital marketing, but has also included fundraising and sales. Lauren believes that consumers should be at the heart of every organisation and this is reflected in her work.
Lauren’s research explores how technology influences two key areas in society; pedagogy (the science of teaching), and the sharing economy (the continuing changes we see in how organisations and citizens control access to, and discussion about, goods and services). You can read Lauren’s research in journals such as Computers in Human Behaviour and the Journal of Strategic Marketing.
Lecturers
Dr Lauren Thomas, Course Leader
Mike Parsons
We regularly revalidate courses for quality assurance and enhancement
At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.
If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.
The entry criteria below reflect our standard entry requirements for the course for September 2023. However, all applications received by the University are reviewed holistically and individually. Entry criteria for September 2024 is changing and will be published on ucas.com from 8th May 2023. Entry criteria for September 2024 will be updated on our website from the end of October 2023.
Contextual offers
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions. USW prides itself on it’s a student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Here is a link to our Contextual Admissions Policy.
Other qualifications and experience
We can also consider combinations of qualifications and other qualifications not listed here may also be acceptable. We can sometimes consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or advanced entry to year two or three of a course where this is possible.
To find out which qualifications have tariff points, please refer to the UCAS tariff calculator.
If you need more help or information or would like to speak to our friendly admissions team, please contact us here
Typical A-Level Offer
BCC - CDD (this is equivalent to 104-80 UCAS tariff points).
Typical Welsh BACC Offer
Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C/D in the Skills Challenge Certificate and BC - CD at A Level (this is equivalent to 104-80 UCAS tariff points).
Typical BTEC Offer
BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit - Merit Merit Pass (this is equivalent to 112-80 UCAS tariff points).
Typical Access to HE Offer
Pass the Access to HE Diploma and obtain a minimum of 80 UCAS tariff points
Additional Requirements
GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances
International Entry Requirements
We also welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications. Please visit the country specific pages on our international website for exact details.
English Requirements
In general, international applicants will need to have achieved an overall IELTS grade of 6.0 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component.
However, if you have previously studied through the medium of English IELTS might not be required, but please visit the country specific page on our international website for exact details. If your country is not featured please contact us.
Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course.
August 2022 - July 2023 Fees
Full-time UK: £9000
Full-time International: £13700
August 2023 - July 2024 Fees
Full-time UK: £9000
Full-time International: TBC
August 2024 - July 2025 Fees
Full-time UK: TBC
Full-time International: TBC
Student Perks
At the University of South Wales, you’re investing in so much more than a degree. We strive to provide our students with the best possible experience, no matter what you chose to study. Whether it’s access to top of the range mac books and PCs, state-of-the-art facilities packed with industry-leading equipment and software, masterclasses and events led by industry experts, or a wide range of clubs and societies to meet likeminded people, better tomorrows start with extra perks.
Each course also has their own unique student benefits to prepare you for the real word, and details of these can be found on our course pages. From global field trips, integrated work experience and free course-related resources, to funded initiatives, projects working with real employers, and opportunities for extra qualifications and accreditations - at USW your future, is future-proofed.
Click here to learn more about student perks at USW.
Additional Costs
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
* Obligatory
| Item | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| IDM Certificate in Digital and Data-Driven Marketing | £80 - £80 | Students are able to opt to take the assessment for the Certificate in Digital and Data-Driven Marketing. Scholarships may be available to undertake this assessment. |
| CIM Award in Marketing in Action | £150 - £150 | Students are able to submit their work for the "Award in Marketing in Action". |
| CIM Student Membership | £65 - £65 | Access to the CIM members portal and professional development resources. |
| IDM Student Membership | £45 - £45 | Access to IDM members portal and professional development resources. Students are also eligible to undertake the "Award in GDPR" as part of their membership. |
Funding
Funding to help pay for (or cover) course tuition fees and living costs
Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
To learn about course fees, funding options, and to see if you are eligible for financial support, visit our Fees and Funding pages.
Welsh Medium Scholarships
The University offers scholarships between £250 - £1000 to students studying part of their course through the medium of Welsh. The University is also part of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol's scholarship scheme, which offer scholarships up to £3000. More information here: Welsh-Medium Scholarships | University of South Wales
UK and EU students
Apply via UCAS if you are a UK/EU residing applicant, applying for year one of a full-time undergraduate degree, Foundation Year, Foundation Degree or HND and you have not applied through UCAS before. If you are applying to study part-time, to top up your Foundation Degree or HND, or to transfer to USW from another institution, please apply directly.
International students
Apply directly to the University if you live outside the UK/EU.
With extensive transferable skills development throughout the course, the BSc (Hons) Marketing Management prepares students to go into a range of marketing and non-marketing careers. Examples of jobs that graduates go into include:
- Marketing communications (in-house and agency)
- Market research
- Digital marketing specialist
- Public relations
- Business management and business development roles
- Event management
- Entrepreneurship (running your own business)
At the end of your degree, you may wish to progress on to postgraduate research with a Masters by Research or PhD.
Graduate Stories
Student Stories
Highlight Stories
The Pontypridd Campus is made up of two sites: Treforest and Glyntaff. Our students love the community atmosphere, as well as living and studying in the same place. It’s quieter than the cities, with green open spaces and views across the valley.
It’s the community and friendships you’ll build that make this place special. Outside your studies you can experience our amazing sport facilities and Students’ Union.
Living in Halls is a great way to meet new people and make friends. We have high quality accommodation in Treforest, Cardiff and Newport.