Digital Marketing
MSc
Key facts
Start dates
September 2023
Location
Course length
Full time: 1 year or 2 years in sandwich mode which includes one year's full-time paid supervised work experience (a work placement). Sandwich mode is only available for September entry.
Part time: 24 months for UK and EU students (teaching normally structured to provide one whole day or two half days each week in the semester)
Department
Accreditation(s)
Chartered Institute of Marketing, Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing
Overview
Our MSc in Digital Marketing enables you to specialise in planning and applying digital marketing strategies.
The specialist digital marketing knowledge we teach helps you to understand and create digital marketing solutions. During your studies you will develop:
- a strong foundation in marketing theory and practice
- a specialist perspective on digital marketing and how it integrates into an overall marketing framework
- the skills to analyse complex marketing situations in the digital environment and develop solutions and actions.
The work placement option, available if you start the course in September, prepares you for your future career. View our work placement FAQs here.
In addition, you have the opportunity to take the Institute for Direct and Digital Marketing (IDM) Certificate level exam. IDM student members benefit from digitally focused job opportunities through the IDM digital hub.
After graduating you will be ready for a range of careers including:
- Digital Marketing Analyst
- Social Media Manager
- Communities and Social Media Specialist.
How to apply
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
The programme is designed to attract students from a wide range of backgrounds, disciplines and nationalities. Applicants are welcome from any academic discipline. Admission is normally open to those with:
- a minimum of a second-class honours degree
- or equivalent overseas degree from a recognised institution
- or equivalent professional or other qualification.
Those who do not meet any of the above criteria may be eligible for entry, provided they have compensatory work experience. This should include, in particular, further professional training and accreditation and the demonstration of appropriate career development.
Entry will also be subject to two satisfactory references (one of these must be an academic reference).
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language you will need to satisfy the university's English language requirements:
- IELTS minimum 6.0 (with a minimum of 6.0 in reading and writing and 5.5 in listening and speaking)
- if you have completed your undergraduate degree in the UK (at least one full year of study) you will automatically meet our English language requirements.
Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.
English requirements for visas
If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.
International applications
When you accept our offer, you agree to the conditions of enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
Pathways courses for international and EU students
We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for your postgraduate course and also familiarise you with university life in the UK.
Take a Pre-Master's course to develop your subject knowledge, study skills and academic language level in preparation for your master's course.
If you need to improve your English language, we offer pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements of your chosen master’s course.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
Application process
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
The full-time fees quoted are for the taught Year 1. Fees will be charged for the placement year in Year 2 and are available on request from finance-fees@brookes.ac.uk. For approximate fee levels of the placement year see the placement fee above.
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.
Optional costs
Additional costs | Amount (£) |
---|---|
International Business in Practice Study Trip module (inc. accommodation for seven nights, insurance, company visits and group transportation for all activities). This fee did not include international airfare, visa application fee (if relevant), dinners and activities during your free time. |
£350-1500 |
It’s your responsibility to cover print / binding costs where coursework submission is required. Please note that a lot of the coursework is now submitted online. |
From £30 |
You may choose to purchase books to support your studies. Many books on our reading lists are available via the Library, or can be purchased secondhand. | £20-60 per book |
Accommodation fees in Brookes Letting (most do not include bills) |
£94-265 per week |
Accommodation fees in university halls (bills included, excluding laundry costs) |
£122-180 per week |
Graduation costs include tickets, gowning and photography. Gowns are not compulsory but typically students do hire robes, starting at £41. |
Typically £0-200 |
Students are responsible for their own travel to and from university for classes. BrookesBus travel is subsidised for full-time undergraduate students that are on a course with a fee of £9,250 or more, or living in an Oxford Brookes hall of residence. There is an administration fee for the production of a BrookesKey. |
From £8 |
Funding your studies
Financial support and scholarships
Featured funding opportunities available for this course.
All financial support and scholarships
Learning and assessment
You will study eight compulsory modules including one which helps develop your professional and academic skills. You’ll choose either a dissertation or client project.
If you start in September, you can choose the sandwich mode, which gives you the opportunity to apply for a one year paid work placement in a digital marketing role.

Start this course in January
You have the option to start this course in January. You will study a range of modules between January and May. During the summer months of June, July and August you will study further modules and begin work on your dissertation. Between September and December you will complete your final modules and focus on your dissertation.
Study modules
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Learning and teaching
Most of the teaching on this course takes the form of interactive workshops. You will strengthen your practical analysis and decision-making skills with:
- lectures
- discussions
- role-play exercises.
These are linked with selected case studies and assessments.
Structured group assignments and an online group-based marketing simulation will develop your skills in working as part of a team.
By undertaking live research projects for an organisation you’ll gain practical experience. This allows you to put your knowledge of marketing approaches and theories into practice. In addition, you will benefit from the insight of teaching staff at the Business School. They are engaged in academic research or come from an industry background.
You’ll participate in leading edge discussions and specialist events due to the input of visiting speakers from the world of business, consultancies and research bodies.
A voluntary International Business in Practice study trip module is included.
Field trips
The International Business in Practice Study Trip module allows you to experience ideas and practices of global business. During the trip you will have direct interaction with management executives and practices. You will: attend presentations from local management executives and experts go on site visits to major corporations and agencies. This study trip is voluntary and you will need to fund all costs associated with the trip. It is not linked to university assessments in any way.
We also run a study trip to Chengdu, China. If you choose the study trip (which runs in July), we will give you all the details by March so that you can make your decisions ahead of the trip in July.
If you successfully complete this non-credit bearing module, it will be recorded on your transcript as P58335 International Business in Practice: Study Trip.
Assessment
Assessment methods used on this course
You will be assessed in a number of ways which will encourage your creativity. These include:
- individual and group reports and presentations
- portfolios
- reflective statements
- examinations
- open briefs.
Classroom activities will prepare you for the assessment process.This is through structured engagement with both peer and tutor feedback. You will be supported by a tutor in a supervisor role, who will provide regular feedback on your progress.
The dissertation and client project allows you to focus on a marketing communications management topic.Both activities are self-managed.
Research
Studying for your MSc in Marketing or Events Management at Oxford Brookes Business School offers you a first class experience to engage with our excellent researchers. They investigate core challenges facing contemporary societies, ranging from sustainable tourism and events management to pro-environmental behaviour in a changing world. We also have expertise in Coaching and Mentoring (leadership development) and Diversity (gender, ethnicity, class) and are keen to include students into our projects where possible. Please visit our research pages to learn about our three research centres: The Centre for Business, Society and Global Challenges; The Centre for Diversity Policy Research and Practice and the International Centre for Coaching and Mentoring Studies (https://www.brookes.ac.uk/business/research/). Being a master student offers great opportunities to be part of research culture and to discuss your own research ideas with us.

After you graduate
Career prospects
Graduates of this course will gain the knowledge and skills for future roles in digital marketing, such as:
- digital marketing analyst
- social media manager
- communities and social media specialist.
In addition, graduates from our portfolio of courses are employed in marketing roles throughout the world; these include jobs in media, digital, brand and communications agencies, as well as in-house marketing management positions in areas as diverse as fast moving consumer goods, retail, luxury retail and hospitality, travel, publishing and manufacturing. Employers include:
- Johnson & Johnson
- Hitachi
- DK
- Avis
- PWC
Examples of our graduates’ positions in digital marketing include:
- marketing managers
- social media community managers
- marketing planners
- brand managers
- corporate communication managers.
In addition, some of our students go on to start their own companies.
Marketing at Oxford Brookes University has strong relationships with several companies in a range of industries. These inform the programme design and delivery, and provide opportunities for placements and employment. In addition to the professional career development support provided within the programme, the University has an active and enthusiastic Careers Service. This service helps you gain the ‘competitive edge’ when applying for jobs by offering help with CVs, and mock assessment centres and interviews.
Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been
published on the website. For more information, please visit our
changes to programmes page.