Welcome to your Digital Marketing Management course

Welcome to the MSc Digital Marketing Management at University of Staffordshire. In this course, you will gain hands-on work experience in the field of digital marketing, one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. You will tackle modern business digital marketing issues, including recent real case studies undertaken by our lecturers. You will explore contemporary digital marketing strategies and tactics, including the use of AI tools and digital marketing analytics.

Through expert guidance, you will develop both technical and critical evaluation skills, and learn to apply the most up-to-date digital techniques using new and emerging digital marketing apps. This postgraduate course will ensure you stay up-to-date with the latest capabilities in modern AI, paid online advertising, SEO techniques, influencer marketing, conversion rate optimisation, and digital analytics. You will also gain experience in demonstrating the impact of social media campaigns within organisations.

Your work placement will further develop your digital marketing skills in a real-world environment, providing invaluable practical experience.

We are excited to have you join us and look forward to supporting you on your journey to becoming a digital marketing expert!

Course delivery

In the first semester our lectures, tutorials and workshops will be based on real-world examples and provide hand-on training. You will have the opportunity to pursue globally recognised digital marketing qualifications and gain part-time digital marketing work experience before your work placement.
The academic year is divided into three semesters: Semester 1 runs from September to December, Semester 2 from January to May, and Semester 3 from June to August.
Our virtual learning space, Blackboard Ultra, will allow you to engage with learning materials both before and after classes, serving as an online hub of information. We may also offer activities through the online learning community and other platforms like Microsoft Teams. Don’t worry if you're unfamiliar with these systems - we will provide training and support to help you use them. These systems are provided by the university, and you will simply need internet access to use them.
Regular academic mentoring and support will be available, with your course leader, module leader, and personal tutor accessible throughout your studies.
You will have full access to support services, both online and face-to-face, including our disability service, careers service, student guidance advisors, IT support, and counselling service, among others.

Semester one activities

In the first few weeks of university, full-time students will be enrolled on the Digital Marketing for SMEs, Global Digital Marketing Decisions and AI Digital Marketing. These modules will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of digital marketing principles and theories from both consumer and business perspectives. You'll learn to use industry-standard digital marketing tools, applicable to small and medium-sized organisations.

You will develop digital marketing strategies and tactics to help organisations expand internationally, navigating the complexities of a turbulent business environment. You will also utilise AI tools to create websites, videos, animated content, and social media marketing campaigns, supporting branding initiatives.

Pre-arrival activities

Understanding Digital Marketing - the basics

Video activity:

Please watch this short video, which provides an introduction to digital marketing.

Digital Marketing In 5 Minutes | What Is Digital Marketing?

Mini courses:

Undertake the following free courses and give yourself plenty of time to complete them:

Reading:

LinkedIn SEO

Digital marketing is great for employment

According to Linkedin and Google, digital marketing is one of the most in-demand careers, boasting a high number of job openings.

Skills needed for success in digital marketing:

SEO – Search Engine Optimisation: Careers in SEO include roles such as SEO specialist, SEO analyst, content writer, link builder, and SEO consultant.
PPC (Pay Per Click): When your search on Google, you often see pay-per-click sponsored ads. Marketers pay to have their products or services appear in search results. PPC advertising spans various areas like search, display, social media, remarketing, sequential, and Google shopping. PPC roles include PPC specialist, PPC analyst, Google ads specialist, and social media marketer.
Social Media: On platforms like Instagram, you might scroll, like or comment on posts, eventually encountering brands promoting products. Social media roles include content marketer, social media specialist, social media analyst, public relations, brand managers, digital media manager, and social media strategist.
Email Marketing: Signing up for updates, promotions, and coupons is a common practice. Email marketing remains one of the most effective ways for businesses to build customer relationships and drive sales. Roles in email marketing include email marketing specialist, email marketing manager, and email marketing coordinator.

Other valuable skills include video production, inbound marketing, website development, and data analytics.

General advice and guidance for your academic journey:

Angela Lee Duckworth: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
This talk emphasises that learning requires effort and hard work, and that determination is key to success. Developing a mindset focused on hard work and perseverance is a great start to your university life.
Drew Dudley: Everyday Leadership
Small acts of kindness can change lives. Each person positively impacts those around them in their own way. This comical talk by Drew Dudley delivers a fantastic message about the power of everyday leadership.

Industry experience

As part of your course, you'll have the chance to work in various roles with local and national organisations. These roles include website development, social media marketing, search engine optimisation (SEO) for local, national, international and social media platforms like YouTube and influencer marketing.

When you'e not on placement, you'll benefit from expert advice from industry practitioners and gain additional practical experience to develop your skills throughout the course. You'll also have opportunities for part-time work placements during the semesters.

Meet the team

Paul Dobson

Senior Lecturer

Senior Lecturer at Staffordshire Business School for over 17 years, specialising in digital and strategic marketing. This includes local, national and international Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), and Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO).

Paul's profile

Dr Joe Hazzam

Interim Course Director

Joe is an Associate Professor of Digital Marketing, and the co-director of the Centre for Business, Innovation and the Regions. Joe has 17 years of experience in strategic and digital marketing in various industries globally.

Joe's profile

Kathryn Mitchell

Senior Lecturer

Lecturer in Digital Marketing, specialising in developing strategy in changing and disruptive environments, assessing occupational competency and using technology to increase operational efficiency. Kathryn joined Staffordshire University in 2019.

Kathryn's profile

What to expect on Welcome Week

We're so excited for you to join us on campus and to welcome you to where you matter. During your welcome week you'll be able to meet our friendly student services teams, connect with new friends, join societies, explore on-campus venues attend club nights and much more.

We are really looking forward to you joining Staffordshire Business School in September. If you have any questions, please contact your Course Leader, Paul Dobson (paul.dobson@staffs.ac.uk)