Introducing MSc Digital Marketing — University of Liverpool

If you want to learn the latest digital marketing theory and practice at a pace that fits around your life then this part-time online course is for you. Both lecturers in marketing at the University of Liverpool, director of studies Dr Natasha Clennell and deputy director of studies Dr Chloe Spence explain more

What is digital marketing?

Digital marketing involves maximising the use of digital channels to promote products and services, build brand awareness, and reach customers. The scope of a digital marketer's role encompasses a range of digital media - including social media, search engines, email, and online advertising. This is underpinned by various things, such as search engine optimisation (SEO) - working to improve a website's position in search results pages - and pay-per-click (PPC) - using paid search advertising campaigns to bring users to a company's website - as well as managing social media and email campaigns, running analytics reports, and updating website code.

Tell us about studying online.

We offer a fully online part-time programme. This provides unparallelled flexibility, allowing students to access study materials and complete assignments according to their own schedule, which is beneficial for those with work or personal commitments. Module content is delivered through a combination of methods including written materials, podcasts, and forums. Students have the opportunity to engage with lecturers and peers in real time as well as accessing content when it's most convenient to them. Learning is developed through a combination of interactive individual activities, collaborative tasks, and discussion boards, with the potential for students to learn from their peers and work together to address practical real-world problems.

Where can the course lead?

Our aspiration is to ensure that graduates are really effective and professional digital marketers. This might mean developing an existing career in marketing, moving into a marketing role, or developing a managerial career, for example. Typically, we wouldn't expect graduates to be going into entry-level roles but would be thinking more about preparing them for leadership, with the potential to enter senior management positions with salaries between £45,000 and £48,000. So, this is a well-paid career, and for passionate and committed students, the MSc can be a hugely valuable investment in their professional futures and open up a world of opportunities.

What types of students would suit these courses?

The course is ideal if you're a business, economics, management, or marketing graduate wanting to specialise in digital marketing. This is also a great opportunity for those with professional experience, who are looking to expand their knowledge and benefit their careers. While most students will have some kind of undergraduate degree - whether related or unrelated to marketing - there is also a route for students with practical experience but no prior degree to apply. We assess each application individually and will sometimes have meetings with potential candidates, to understand more about their background and assess if they have the ability to get through the course. This is important as this is an academic, not entirely practical programme. There is a focus on connecting theory to practice, ensuring students are grounded in basic theoretical principles and understand how to apply these. This proves helpful for graduates progressing into leadership-level roles.

What are the top three digital marketing trends students need to be aware of?

• Firstly, there is an increased focus on the role of social media. This includes influencer marketing, meaning that digital marketers are not only involved in directly creating and curating content but also collaborating with influencers who connect with their brands.
• Online retail has been growing rapidly, intensified by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As well as increasing numbers of transactions occurring online, around 78% of people now conduct online research before making a purchase, meaning that businesses are investing in expert digital marketers to propel their company forwards.
• Finally, there is increased emphasis on using analytics to support digital marketing activities. It's essential for future digital managers not only to be able to produce lots of reports but to effectively interpret these and put the findings into action - for example, to adapt their overall strategy or adjust a specific social media campaign.

What advice do you have for anyone considering digital marketing as a career?

We would encourage prospective students to try and familiarise themselves with the field and keep up with key trends and developments. This might involve things like engaging with marketing journals and following brand social media, developing an understanding of different aspects of campaigns such as influencer marketing. It's also important for those considering the course to think carefully about their time, the financial contribution they'll have to make, and how this fits in with their career aspirations. We would encourage anybody interested to look closely at the programme specification provided on the website and reach out to us directly for a chat. Regardless, if you are passionate about the subject and decide you want to find out more about or advance a career in digital marketing, then this programme is a worthwhile thing to do.

Find out more

• Take a look at the MSc Digital Marketing at the University of Liverpool.
• Learn what you can do with a marketing degree.
• Discover how to get into digital marketing.