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Study Marketing, why & how to study

If you’re interested in the branding and promotional side of business, a degree in Marketing could be for you. This guide will help you understand what a course might be like.

Designers drawing website development with marketing emphasis

CONTENTS

  1. What’s Marketing?

  2. What Marketing degrees can you study?

  3. What do you need to get onto a Marketing degree?

  4. What topics does a Marketing degree cover?

  5. How will you be assessed?

  6. Why study Marketing?

  7. Are scholarships and bursaries available to students studying a Marketing degree?
  8. What do Marketing graduates earn?

  9. What jobs can you get as a Marketing graduate?

  10. What are the postgraduate opportunities?

  11. Similar subjects to Marketing

  12. Have any questions?

What’s Marketing?

Marketing is about understanding the needs of customers, and communicating how a business meets those needs. If you can build a relationship with customers, you can build brand loyalty.

Study for a Marketing degree to learn how to promote, sell and distribute the services or products an organisation offers. You'll also gain a business and economic understanding of the field. You’ll know how to analyse consumers and competitors, and how to develop a marketing strategy. 

Topics include social media, branding, sales, consumer behaviour and search engine optimisation (SEO).

Take a look at the university league table for Marketing.

What Marketing degrees can you study?

A BA (Bachelor of Arts) degree has more of a focus on the social sciences and humanities. A BSc (Bachelor of Science) degree will have a more quantitative approach. It will primarily use statistical and scientific techniques to analyse data.

Examples of undergraduate degrees:

Marketing

This degree covers the broad spectrum of the subject area. You’ll learn all about the traditional and modern strategies for improving a business.

Search for Marketing courses.

Digital Marketing

Most marketing is online nowadays – and a Digital Marketing degree will focus on just that. You will study email marketing, digital campaigning, online advertising, social media and more.

Find Digital Marketing courses.

International Marketing

You can study the subject from a global perspective to see how marketing trends vary between countries. You’ll look at how politics, economics and other cultural differences make an impact.

Search for International Marketing courses.

Business and Marketing

Build your business expertise alongside the field of marketing. You’ll learn about how different aspects of an organisation, including its marketing efforts, make up a successful business.

Find Business and Marketing courses.

Fashion Marketing 

Specialise in the fashion industry and learn about retail, merchandising and trend forecasting. This course is ideal if you’re keen to work with a fashion brand, media organisation or fashion marketing agency.

Search for Fashion Marketing courses.

Other options

You will come across courses where Marketing is on offer with another subject. This could be Psychology or a modern language, for example.

Universities also often offer:

  • Integrated foundation year
  • Professional placements
  • Study abroad opportunities

What do you need to get onto a Marketing degree?

Must have

Typically, entry to an undergraduate Marketing degree requires between 96–168 UCAS points. Qualifications may include: 

  • A Levels: AAA–CCD
  • BTECs: DDD–MMP
  • Scottish Highers: AAAAB–BBBC (Advanced Highers: AAA)
  • International Baccalaureate: 37–28
  • Interviews may be held by some universities 

Good to have

  • Studied maths – if not studied at A Level, then good GCSE grades (or equivalent)  
  • Work experience or shadowing in a company's marketing department or marketing agency
  • Volunteered with a charity to help with their communications or events 
  • Tried online courses or MOOCs to gain insights about areas you’d like to specialise in 
  • Researched marketing through books, industry magazines, websites like the Chartered Institute of Marketing, podcasts or other media

What topics does a Marketing degree cover?

Typical modules for courses in this subject include:

  • Consumer brand relationship
  • Consumer psychology
  • Data insight for business decisions
  • Digital marketing
  • Global marketing
  • Marketing communications
  • Principles of management
  • Social marketing
  • Understanding the business and economic environment

How will you be assessed?

Courses are assessed in a variety of ways, depending on the module, and may include:

  • Case studies
  • Essays
  • Exams
  • Group presentations
  • Podcasts
  • Posters
  • Reports
  • Videos

Why study Marketing?

Career-specific skills:

  • Understanding customer behaviour, business management and the wider business environment
  • Specific skills such as customer segmentation, competitor analysis, developing a marketing or branding strategy, and how to use digital marketing, social media and print advertising
  • Ability to develop creative content and coherent communication

Transferable skills:

  • Communication
  • Creative problem solving
  • Critical and entrepreneurial thinking
  • Interpersonal and teamwork skills
  • Leadership
  • Organisation and strategic planning
  • Presentation

Professional accreditation:

  • Degrees may be accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) offering a pathway towards professional qualifications
  • Degrees may also be accredited by the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) and Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM)

I’ve since worked at global marketing agencies working for brands such as Pets at Home and Lloyds Bank, and even worked for GAME where I delivered marketing for Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo.

Sophie, University of Gloucestershire

Some universities offer students a scholarship, bursary or grant. It’s worth seeing if you are eligible, how to apply and what it covers like materials, tuition fees or living costs.  

What do Marketing graduates earn?

Marketing graduates can expect an entry-level salary of between £18,000–£23,000.

Mid-career, a brand manager could earn £45,000 on average, while specialists such as a digital marketer could earn up to £50,000. Managerial responsibility will boost your income, with salaries of £100,000–£144,000 reported for roles such as marketing director or chief marketing officer in major companies.

What jobs can you get as a Marketing graduate?

Marketing is a role found in every sector you can think of – and specialisms can lead to a wide range of careers. If you prefer to diversify, your skills and knowledge will also prove useful in other areas of business. Some roles will require further qualifications. Careers could include:

  • Accountant
  • Advertising copywriter
  • Brand manager
  • Business development manager
  • Channel marketing specialist
  • Charity fundraising consultant
  • Customer experience analyst
  • eCRM manager
  • Event manager
  • Market researcher
  • Marketing director
  • Media buyer
  • Media planner
  • PR officer
  • Solicitor

Read about how to become a digital marketer.

What are the postgraduate opportunities?

Postgraduate study in Marketing offers the chance to specialise. Examples of taught master’s and research degrees at postgraduate level include:

  • Business with Marketing MSc
  • Digital Marketing MSc
  • International Marketing MSc
  • Strategic Marketing MSc
  • User Experience and Service Design MA

Similar subjects to Marketing

If you’re interested in consumer behaviour or business practices, you could also consider:

Search undergraduate Marketing courses now!

Have any questions?

Ask our experts! You can email ask@thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk with your question about studying Marketing – we’ll be happy to hear from you.

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