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Strategic Digital Marketing

MSc

Home Courses Postgraduate Marketing degree

Summary

Study level

Postgraduate

Award

Master's

Full time

1 year

Part time

1 year+

Location

Berlin or Online

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Faculty of Business

What makes Arden University special?

Education for everyone, everywhere

Whether you're constrained by location, cost, time, or other life commitments, we're passionate about giving you access to higher education that fits into your busy, modern life.

You decide how and where to study

We offer a wide range of flexible undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in both our online and blended study modes.

Full support both online and on-site

We're also proud to offer non-standard entry, meaning your work experience and previous qualifications are taken into account when assessing your application.

Strong focus on employability

You will gain in-depth subject knowledge and transferable skills that employers from a huge range of industries will value. Many of our courses at Arden are also accredited by leading professional bodies in the UK.

Course Overview

This dual professionally accredited (DMI and CIM) MSc Strategic Digital Marketing course will teach you the core principles and skills at use in marketing today. Given the constantly evolving marketing landscape, this course is designed for professional marketers looking to move into more senior roles. It provides complementary knowledge of the latest trends in marketing such as big data, user experience (UX), Martech, and AI alongside skills in brand building, leadership, and digital creativity.

Taking a modern, global, and practice-based approach, this master’s in strategic digital marketing is regularly updated to reflect the latest insights from leading industry experts and academics. Throughout the course, you’ll have the chance to analyse current areas of marketing practice by examining live client case studies taken from real-world practice. This provides the skill set you’ll need to respond to future changes in marketing technology and consumer experience, helping you future-proof your career through the ability to adapt your marketing knowledge to any environment.

Designed to open up a variety of career opportunities in marketing, the course will show you how to create structured, strategic marketing plans with digital tactics and tools for any organisation or business – a highly sought-after skill in today’s job market. The course integrates a variety of leading-edge digital tools and software, helping you evaluate the application of marketing strategies and tactics in context. That means you’ll graduate with a deeper understanding of how to successfully shape high-level marketing activities and manage creative global marketing plans.

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Professional accreditation

This course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and Digital Marketing Institute (DMI), both respected professional bodies in the promotion of successful marketing courses.

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Course details and modules

During the course, you’ll explore the general marketing environment as a whole and then consider the impacts of digitisation on the contemporary marketing environment. You’ll develop the ability to critically analyse data and apply marketing theories from technical and creative perspectives, helping you become a highly capable and employable marketing professional.

The course will help you build practical skills in areas such as social media scheduling, Google ads, social media marketing, UX design, SEO, and AI, as well as the ability to develop advanced digital marketing strategies. You’ll also have the opportunity to gain an international marketing perspective while networking with students from around the world.

Meeting the tutors and students online and then having the opportunity to meet again in person is such an incredible experience. The courses are well explicated and the tutors are great. Classes are engaging and students are supportive of each other. I’m proud to be an Arden student and I would certainly recommend this course to others.

Youssef Yehya

MSc Strategic Digital Marketing - Berlin Campus

Core Modules

Digital Marketing Environment
Building and Managing Digital Brands
Contemporary Marketing Communications Planning
Big Data, Analytics and Martech
Managing Customer & User Experience
Social Media Marketing
Digital Transformation Project (Capstone Project, 60 credits)

How do we assess you?

Your assessment takes place entirely through coursework that has been designed to mirror professional marketing practice to enhance your employability. This will give you the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained in each module in the context of ‘real world’ strategic digital marketing scenarios. These include:

The creation of marketing campaign plans
The design of digital marketing artefacts
Building customer journey maps
Live client briefs tackling real marketing challenges
Digital marketing consultancy project

Study options

This course is available to study full time through our blended learning study mode at our campus in Berlin, Germany.

The course is also available to students via online learning. This gives you the convenience of being able to study worldwide, providing you with the same high standards of teaching but with lower tuition fees.

Denise's Story: How distance learning is helping me add to my experience

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Full time, blended learning

How does it work?

When you choose our blended learning study mode, you’ll have eight hours of timetabled classes spread over two days at our centrally located Berlin campus. This is combined with around 25 hours of independent study, which takes place through ilearn, our university campus in the cloud. ilearn contains all the resources you need to study successfully. As a blended learning student you’ll also have access to our Library Portal, an extensive digital library with thousands of journal titles, eBooks, and a range of academic and industry databases that you can use to research and gain in-depth information on your area of study. At Arden, all of your course materials are provided free of charge, removing the need for you to buy expensive textbooks to study your degree successfully.

Full time study in Berlin is the best option for students who prefer the structure of regular face to face classes with their tutor and fellow classmates, and is particularly suited to students who are attracted by the opportunity to move to Germany to study, where you can take advantage of the employment opportunities available for overseas students.

Learn more about our Berlin campus

Part time, online learning

How does it work?

Studying this course online gives you the ultimate in convenience. You can enrol with Arden from anywhere in the world and study your degree from the comfort of home, without the requirement to attend classes in a physical location.

Our online students study their degree through ilearn, Arden’s university campus in the cloud. ilearn provides everything you need to study at University. It offers an integrated virtual learning experience, including your virtual classroom, lecture theatre, and access to our Library Portal. The portal includes an extensive digital library including thousands of journal titles, eBooks, and academic and industry databases which you can use to research your assignments and projects. All of these materials are provided to you free of charge, and contain all the research information you’ll need to complete your degree with us.

ilearn is also integrated with Zoom, making it easier to chat with your course tutor during your scheduled seminar sessions. You can even integrate our study materials into your Kindle, making it possible to study wherever you have you Kindle handy.

Studying online doesn’t mean studying alone. As well as receiving regular feedback and guidance from your course tutor, you’ll be studying with likeminded students who you can meet with through our Unitu community, and you’ll have access to community message boards to discuss your course and the topics being raised within it. We’ve even set up community boards embedded into each of the course modules so you can have discussions with your tutor and classmates on the topics you’re currently learning.

Learn more about online learning

Entry requirements

At Arden University we consider applications on a case by case basis. If you have significant work experience, have qualifications you have gained elsewhere, or a degree or qualification that isn't a clear pathway to this degree - we are more than happy to discuss your application.

What you need to study with us

Our aim is to make learning as accessible as possible by ensuring that you can study in a flexible and convenient way. That's why we keep our requirements simple. All you need is a laptop or desktop PC (we recommend one running the latest version of Windows), and a good internet connection. Through ilearn, our online university campus in the cloud, you'll be able to access your course calendar, support services, learning materials, and our online library containing thousands of ebooks, as well as tools for creating assignments, keeping notes, and collaborating with other students on your course.

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Eligibility

To be eligible for our MSc Strategic Digital Marketing, we need to see that you have:

A UK bachelor’s degree at a minimum of second class (2.2) or equivalent
Individuals who have HND/HNC/Dip HE, with three to four years strong professional work experience with evidence of managerial/supervisory responsibilities are also encouraged to apply.

We also consider applications from candidates who lack formal qualifications but possess at least five years of relevant managerial experience in any discipline.

English proficiency

IELTS 6.5 (no less than 6.0 in any element); or TOEFL iBT 90; or equivalent
Alternatively, evidence you have previously studied in English, such as a letter to show that the Medium of Instruction was in English can be accepted.

We also offer an internal English test for applicants who are unable to provide the above evidence of English proficiency. More information can be found here.

Course fees and funding

Funding and Scholarships

The Arden University Postgraduate Merit Scholarship offers UK Online Learning students with a 2.1 undergraduate degree or higher £2,000 off our postgraduate tuition fees. You can also apply for up to £12,167 funding from Student Finance England fund your studies.

If you’re an international student, we have a number of Regional Offers that can help you save money on your tuition fees.

Refer a Friend

When you help a friend or family member to study with Arden through our Refer a Friend programme, both you and the person you refer will receive a £500 Amazon e-voucher or £500 tuition fee credit.

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Meet the faculty

For over twenty years, Gillian worked in senior marketing positions leading teams and directing the marketing strategy for several high-profile tourism, events, and cultural venues in the UK. Gillian joined Arden University as Head of School of Digital Marketing and Sales in 2020, where she has been responsible for setting up the school and planning an innovative suite of digital marketing and sales programmes. In her role at Arden, Gillian strives to help our ambitious students to grow faster, equipping them with the latest innovative marketing skills for them to be successful in their marketing careers.

Gillian McCurdy

Head of School – Digital Marketing and Sales

Career prospects

Studying your master’s in strategic digital marketing degree with Arden University is all about preparing yourself for a successful future career. As well as mastering a number of advanced skills, you’ll graduate with a stand-out CV that sets you apart in today’s competitive job market. So, whether you want to progress to more senior positions in your current organisation, or you want to begin a new career in marketing after working in a different discipline, this course will provide you with the knowledge and competencies you need to succeed.

related courses

What will MSc Strategic Digital Marketing do for me?

You’ll gain a wide range of leadership, technical, and creative skills and the knowledge to develop successful innovative marketing strategies. And, because we focus on the practical application of your studies to the real world, you’ll find that these marketing skills are transferable across a wide range of roles. Whilst studying, you will:

Develop analytical and planning skills in a digital marketing context.
Develop skills in designing and implementing marketing strategies in the digital business environment.
Explore the challenges presented by “big data” sets in a marketing context.
Evaluate, interrogate, and analyse marketing-focused data sets relating to consumer user experience and behaviour, brands, and communications.
Evaluate the potential and effectiveness of relevant proprietary software and digital marketing tools.
Gain practical skills in areas such as website analytics, SEO, email marketing, social media marketing, digital advertising, website creation, copywriting, and graphic design.
Develop a variety of transferable skills suited to an extensive range of marketing positions.

What can I do after Arden University?

This strategic digital marketing course will help you develop the right skills and knowledge to accelerate your career to a senior marketing role. Our academics work to ensure that the modules you study on the course cover real marketing scenarios and are career focused. This means that when you graduate, you’ll have the skills required to enter a variety of professional marketing roles. Knowledge of digital marketing and marketing theory is applicable to a range of business sectors, from technology and FMCG to healthcare and the non-profit/charity sector. Some future roles that you might want to consider after graduation include:

Marketing Director
Digital Marketing Manager
Senior Marketing Executive/Analyst
Head of Sales and Marketing
Email Marketing Specialist
Social Media Planner/Manager
Brand/Product Manager
UX Designer
Video Content Developer
Business Owner/Entrepreneur

Industry skills

Dual accredited by the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) and Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)

Arden University is one of the few institutions offering dual accreditation by the DMI and CIM, meaning your degree will give you valuable professional recognition across the globe.

Digital Marketing Institute (DMI)

Highly acclaimed and globally recognised across the digital marketing sector, the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) is the gold standard in digital marketing certification and works to support today’s marketers in achieving their full professional potential.

The DMI partners with representatives from leading brands such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and LinkedIn to build a framework that bridges the digital skills gap, ensuring your curriculum is up-to-date and meets the real employability needs of the digital marketing industry.

While you’re studying your DMI accredited course with us, we’ll cover the cost of your student membership, giving you access to a wide range of valuable resources, including exclusive industry-focused short courses, webinars, articles, and toolkits, careers guidance, and networking opportunities with its 170,000+ global members.

Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)

Students completing this course will gain exemptions for CIM Certificate and Diploma qualifications, meaning you will only need to complete one or two modules instead of three.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is the world’s largest organisation for professional marketers and plays a key role in setting industry standards.

The CIM helps and supports its members at every stage of their marketing careers, helping you develop your marketing capabilities and keeping you informed about industry developments and employment opportunities across the sector – focusing on providing you with the ‘4Cs’ of CIM membership: Career, Capability, Community and Content.

The cost of your CIM Affiliate Membership is included while you are studying with us, which gives you access to all of these resources and more.

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) membership.

Arden University is a member of the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB International is a global association of leaders in education and business dedicated to supporting and advancing quality business education worldwide.

This membership reflects the fact that Arden University has successfully matched the high standards required by the AACSB, and enables the sharing of ideas and the exchange best practises between global business schools. Membership also gives our faculty members access to in-depth data and research to support the development of our courses and teaching methods, ensuring that we are able to provide you with the best possible university experience.

Business Graduates Association (BGA)

The BGA is a membership and quality assurance body. As a member, Arden University have signed up to the BGA Charter, committing their institution to responsible management practices and lifelong learning, positively impacting their students, communities, and the economy. This shows our students that we are demonstrating responsible management ourselves, as well as it being a central theme that runs through our own courses.

As Arden University is a member of the Business Graduates Association (BGA), students will receive complementary BGA student and graduate membership. Through this membership, current students will have access to the BGA Career Development Centre, packed with interactive tools, e-learning content, partner discounts and the latest job opportunities. This is a lifetime access, which means students will continue to have access to these services even after they graduate.

LinkedIn Learning

All Arden students will have free access to LinkedIn Learning through the Library Portal. LinkedIn Learning is a video-based online learning platform offering over 16,500 expert-led courses across a wide range of subjects including business, technology, and creative skills.

With LinkedIn Learning, you can:

Pursue curated learning pathways aligned with our curriculum and your career goals.
Add value to your LinkedIn profile by showcasing your newly acquired skills.
Personalise content based on skills relevant to your chosen career path, interests and prior learning.