Marketing and Analytics MSc

The MSc Marketing and Analytics course will develop your understanding and application of core theories in marketing. You will learn how to undertake and apply marketing analyses using appropriate marketing theories and techniques, which will allow you to make appropriate strategic and operational marketing decisions.

The course will also help you develop the ability to make strategic decisions by advancing your understanding and application of how business analytic methods can support interventions in the decision-making process of organisations. 

This course aims to provide a programme of study that meets your needs if you are a local, national or international student, enabling you to learn by the exchange of experience as well as formal academic study. It is designed for recent graduates and those already in employment. 

This course is part of a suite of MSc programmes offering you the opportunity to design you degree to suit your personal and professional career aspirations.

How will my skills develop?

This course will help you develop the ability to make strategic decisions by advancing your understanding and application of how marketing theories and analysis along with business analytic methods can support interventions in the decision-making process of organisations. 

You’ll study The Aston Global Advantage module which focuses on professional development and employability, helping you to apply the key skills that you will gain throughout the year.

You’ll also have the opportunity to study abroad with one of our international partners, undertake an internship placement in the UK or overseas or get involved in a global business challenge simulation. 

How will this course help my career?

On completion of this course you’ll be able to demonstrate a range of transferable skills that are necessary for a successful career in your chosen field.

At Aston University you’ll also have a range of opportunities to gain practical experience, whether that’s through offering support to start-ups and SMEs in our business clinic, support to start your own business, or gain experience through integrated internships as part of your course. 

We have students studying with us from all around the world. You’ll work with people from different backgrounds and gain an awareness of key cultural differences. This will enhance your communication, teamwork and management skills, which will be hugely beneficial in your professional career.

The course concludes with a business project or dissertation, giving you the opportunity to analyse a business problem and practically apply the knowledge and skills developed during the course to outline your recommendations. This will also help to show prospective employers how you are able to impact their business. 

This course offers an opportunity to study a second degree at one of our international partner institutions once you have completed  your year at Aston University. 

Marketing modules

Marketing Management

You will learn a comprehensive understanding and critical evaluation of marketing management practices, underpinned by relevant theories and conceptual frameworks applied to contemporary issues and organisational strategies within national and international contexts. Culminating with the creation and the proposal of a professional marketing plan.

Consumer Behaviour

This module introduces key theories surrounding consumers and how they navigate through modern marketplaces considering the whole consumption cycle. As a consequence you will not only evaluate how consumers make purchasing decisions, but also formulate a critical understanding of how they may use possessions or get rid of stuff (e.g. gift-giving) especially in the context of their own consumer behaviour.

Strategic Brand Management

Most branding modules focus on what brand perfection looks like. Most organisations do not want perfection they want to use their brand practically to support the delivery of the organisations objectives. This module focuses on the art of the practical not the art of the perfect.

Digital Marketing

You will produce a strategic understanding of the opportunities provided by digital marketing and the challenges of preparing and formulating successful digital strategies. It evaluates the role of digital media in marketing strategy and how new technologies can be embraced for marketing purposes. It evaluates the impact of web based innovations on marketing and consumer behaviour.

Analytics modules

Descriptive Analytics

We will introduce you to visualisation techniques used to display and summarise information. You will look at descriptive statistics that can be used to extract meaningful information from data. This module will give you the skills and practise in using appropriate statistical techniques when completing business reports and communicating data analysis to the organisation management team.

Decision Models

Here we focus on turning real-world problems into mathematical and spreadsheet models and examine how you can use models to help rational decision making in organisations. You’ll develop a deep knowledge and understanding of the main modelling concepts and you will be able to quickly identify problems and situations in business where the use of those models can be beneficial.

Data Mining and Web Analytics

We explore data mining techniques and their use in business decision making. You will learn how to uncover patterns and trends hidden in data.

Performance Analytics

You will understand how mathematical and econometric methods can be used to model diverse transformation processes to establish benchmarks of efficiency and productivity for organisations. Learn how to carry out a benchmarking exercise using such methods. Gain valuable hands-on experience of implementing an efficiency and productivity assessment using specialised software.

Plus

Research Methods Workshop

Ethics in Academic Practice

This module provides an introduction to the Academic Offence framework. By completing the resources you will understand the key principles underpinning the submission of academic assignments. These principles can then be applied to the rest of the modules studied at the university.

The Aston Global Advantage

The Aston Global Advantage is our professional development programme that runs throughout all MSc programmes at Aston Business School. Focusing on professional development and employability, this integrated module gives you the opportunity to identify, develop and apply the key transferrable skills you will gain throughout the year. 

Either

Business Project or Dissertation

The Business Project/Dissertation is a chance for you to carry out an original piece of work applying material that you have learnt in the taught element of your degree. Specific requirements will be explained relating to different degree programmes but in summary you must demonstrate both theoretical and practical knowledge of your chosen area of specialism.

If you have any questions about the application process please get in touch with our postgraduate admissions team:

Email: pgadmissions@aston.ac.uk

Call: 0121 204 3200 (Please note this line is open Monday-Friday between 10am-4pm)

Please click here for guidance on completing the postgraduate application. 

Entry requirements 

One of the following:

•  A UK honours degree, minimum Lower Second Class (2:2)
• Equivalent overseas degree recognised by Aston University

Subject-specific requirements

Applicants are also required to have taken the following quantitative modules at bachelor's level, achieving a minimum of 50%:

• Economics (micro/macro)
• Statistics
• Quantitative methods
• Mathematics
• Finance

As well as:

• Two professional references – at least one must be from an academic referee
• An official academic transcript of your university grades to date
• A completed application form.

International students

• An official academic transcript, with an official English translation, of your university grades to date.
   
• Students whose native language is not English will also need to satisfy our English language requirements. Pre-sessional English language programmes are available for good applicants whose English qualification falls just short of these requirements.
   
• Postgraduate masters students enrolling to Aston Business School with a 5.5 in one of the four IELTS sections will be required to engage with English language tuition as part of our professional development programme, The Aston Global Advantage. There will be no extra cost to the student.
   
• Aston University provides a range of opportunities for international students to join our community and study on our campus. A key part of our strategy is our relationships with teaching partners, providing multiple pathways to Aston. 
   
• For more information about qualifications, view our Aston in your country webpage.
   
• For more information about completing a foundation year, visit our foundation year webpage.

Extensive work experience

We recognise the value of extensive professional experience. If you do not have the academic qualifications, but have extensive and relevant professional experience and a proven ability to succeed, we would welcome your application.

The information contained on this website details the typical entry requirements for this course for the most commonly offered qualifications. Applicants with alternative qualifications may wish to enquire with the relevant admissions teams prior to application whether or not their qualifications are deemed acceptable. For less commonly encountered qualifications this will be judged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the academic admissions tutor.

This course will provide you with an excellent learning experience that draws on the research and consultancy of Aston University academic staff, utilising the University’s links with business, professional and public sector organisations. It offers you the opportunity to enhance your employability by developing life-long learning and personal development skills.

Our innovative virtual learning environment, Blackboard, will support and enhance your learning experience. This online platform has a wealth of resources to help you make the most of your course such as lecture slides and other study materials.

There is a variety of assessment methods, including exams, coursework and practical sessions designed to test your understanding of key topics.

International students 

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students on many of our postgraduate programmes. Students from over 120 different countries chose to study with us every year and Aston is not only a great place to study, based in the centre of Birmingham it’s also a great place to live.

Ask one of our International alumni about their time studying with us. They will be happy to share their thoughts on moving to Birmingham to study their course and answer any of your questions from their own experiences.

Find out more

Post-study work visa

Aston University welcomed the creation of a new immigration route which will enable international students to remain in the UK for two years to find work after they have completed their studies. The new post-study work visa will apply to international students starting undergraduate and postgraduate courses from 2020 at universities with a track record of compliance with immigration policy.

Find out more about the post-study work visa.

Student experience and employability

Overseas opportunities

We benefit from an extensive network of partner institutions, including some of the highest ranked business schools in the Europe, such as Kedge Business School in France. Your options are not just limited within Europe, we also have partnerships with universities worldwide, from Australia to China and USA to Singapore.

You’ll be pleased to know that all of our overseas study programmes are all tuition-free and you’ll study and be assessed in English.

Placements

We believe that a work placement taken as part of your masters programme can be hugely beneficial to your career prospects. It will enhance your CV and can give you a competitive advantage when applying for graduate roles.

As part of this course you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a work placement. Choose a company of your choice, in the UK or overseas, and spend from one month to 12 months gaining valuable work experience. You’ll apply what you’ve learnt on a daily basis and develop a deeper understanding of your subject area.

Our students have been successful in gaining work placements in a wide variety of business sectors, both in the UK and internationally. You’ll also have the unique opportunity to support start-up businesses and a local SMEs with real-life business projects through our Aston Business Clinic. You can work to solve strategic problems and making a real positive impact to growing businesses.

Our award-winning careers team will be on hand to help you find work placements and graduate positions. The team are also available to assist you with your CV and interview technique. 

Placement case studies

Find out about Ememobong Etim’s placement as a Business Strategist and Development Analyst with Vitabonna Development Limited.

Find out about Suzhen Ye’s placement as an Assistant Marketing Director with First Plus Education.

Find out about Chloe Chan’s, Health Tech Services Internship at Holland & Barrett.

Find out about Piyushi Pawan’s placement as a Regional Marketing Coordinator for India, Aston University.

Universities Business Challenge Global Masters

All Aston University Business postgraduate students have the opportunity to take part in the Universities Business Challenge (UBC) Global Masters. The UBC Global Masters is a team-based business simulation event that provides participants with the opportunity to act as a board of directors, who have taken responsibility for improving the performance of a company. 

Trips and visits

Your lecturers will arrange for a number of guest speakers to visit and deliver the course content. This will give you with the chance to learn from experienced business analytics professionals. You’ll gain an insight into how different companies operate and the challenges faced in this area of business.

A large number of graduate employers visit campus during the year. There’s careers fairs, networking events and much more. You’ll have the chance to discover a wide range of graduate opportunities and speak with companies to see where’s the best place for you to start your career. 

Tuition fees for students are reviewed annually and may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) to take account of the University’s increased costs of delivering the Programme. Any such increase shall always be in accordance with the law. When undertaking a placement year a placement year fee applies.

More information on fees and funding

UK postgraduate loans

If you're thinking about studying a masters course with us, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan to help with course fees and living costs. 

Find out more here.

Scholarships

At Aston University we are committed to supporting the most talented and hardworking students to achieve their potential by providing a range of scholarships to help lower tuition and living costs. 

Find out more about our scholarships here.

Cost shouldn't limit your career aspirations, which is why we are delighted to offer all Aston University graduates (including exchange students) a 20% loyalty scholarship in standard taught MA, MSc and Full-time MBA course fees. Students who have completed their first degree at Aston University will receive an automatic scholarship when applying for their course. If you are not an Aston University graduate there is still a range of UK and international scholarships that you can apply for.

This means that as an Aston University graduate applying to our MSc Marketing and Analytics course, you could save...

As an Aston University graduate, you will automatically qualify. For more information visit our webpage.

This course will prepare you to start you own business, work in a strategic way for any organisation needing an entrepreneurial outlook, that requires critical thinking and decision-making informed by strategic thinking across marketing and business analytics areas.

This course is part of a suite of MSc programmes offering you the opportunity to design you degree to suit your personal and professional career aspirations.

Aston University was recognised as the 'Best University Placement Service'.

The Careers and Placements team at Aston University won the 'Best University Placement Service' category at the National Undergraduate Employability (NUE) Awards 2022. This was achieved by launching Virtual Employability Festivals and recognising the power of peer-to-peer communication by pairing 500 students looking for placements with 500 students who had completed placements.

Why study Marketing and Analytics at Aston University?

This course combines traditional study with hands-on learning experiences, in order to give you the knowledge, skills and applied understanding of these vital areas of business in today’s market.

You’ll have opportunities to put all of this into practice at Aston, through an internship, offering advice to SME’s and start-ups or even starting your own business. Enhance your entrepreneurial potential at Aston.

What kind of career will I develop with a masters in Marketing and Analytics?

Whether you’d like to start your own business, lead an existing family business, or work for an organisation that values entrepreneurial thinking, leadership and analytical skills, this course is for you. You get the opportunity to shape this course to suit your interests and career goals.

Why choose to study with Aston Business School?

Aston Business School is part of an elite group of business schools thanks to our triple accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. We can help to enhance your career prospects, boost your earning potential and set you on the pathway for a successful, rewarding career.

Aston University is renowned for its excellence in teaching and research and the employability of our graduates. At Aston Business School we are committed to innovative approaches to teaching and education. We are dedicated to providing the students with a competitive advantage in the jobs market by delivering the knowledge students need to pursue the many career tracks available to them with a background in international business. Teaching on the course is informed by our world-class scholars and provides you with a deep understanding and skills for conducting business in a global scale. At Aston University, we aim to prepare the students for the real world challenges. There are plenty of opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience and apply their knowledge in real-life situations by engaging in live projects and internships.