MSc Strategic Marketing (Online)
An innovative and fully online course designed for the strategic marketers of tomorrow.
Overview
Examine the fundamentals of marketing strategy, new technologies, and the marketing opportunities they present.
The course aims to transform you from an ambitious professional to a market leader with a deep understanding of marketing from a strategic perspective. As an online part-time course, you can learn without interrupting your career.
This two-year course has a strong emphasis on real-life case studies, preparing you for a marketing career in a range of businesses or entrepreneurial ventures.
Throughout, you will draw on our world-class faculty and thought leaders. Our unique view of marketing blends marketing fundamentals with the latest thinking, tools, technology and innovation, examining marketing science alongside managerial insights and data-driven decision making.
Online delivery
This course is carefully designed delivery via The Hub, our bespoke learning environment. This ensures students receive a high-quality and supportive experience, comparable to our on-campus programmes.
You can expect online lectures, live sessions, workshops, practical activities, interaction with students around the world and expert talks.
Study programme
Before term starts, you will complete online pre-study modules giving you basic knowledge of topics in the course. These will be available once you have accepted an offer of admission from July onwards.
Your first year focuses on the core modules of the course. Each module comprises of 20 hours of lectures, building on experience and introducing new disciplines. You will examine marketing and strategy fundamentals and more advanced topics learning how to apply this knowledge in context.
As an online student, you can tailor the programme to your career through optional modules. You have the chance to develop expertise in your areas of interest, broadening your understanding of solving business problems.
Projects
The course culminates in a choice of exciting projects. These are your opportunity to synthesise all of your learnings in an applied complex, applying your problem-solving skills in complex and challenging marketing situations.
Projects include:
- Applied Strategic Marketing Report
- Case study
- Work Based Project
- Individual Research Project
Careers
Our careers team provides you with world-class support that is tailored to your career aspirations and forms an integral part of our Master’s courses.
- One-to-one support: You’ll have access to our expert consultants throughout your course and even after you graduate. They will work with you to identify your skills and strengths, refine your CV, set up mock interviews and review your career strategy.
- Online career modules: A suite of online career modules will help you develop your career strategy, understand how to market yourself and find a career that is right for you.
- Practical career focused workshops: In workshops, you will receive guidance on skills ranging from the application process through to networking skills and cross-culture teamwork.
- Connecting with employers: Our Employer Relations team work to increase the profile and employability of our students, advertising job vacancies and maximising the opportunities for you to meet companies on campus.
Our graduates are well prepared for jobs in a wide range of industries in the UK, Europe and further afield, with employers including Apple, Google and Universal Music Group.
Professional accreditation
We are among a handful of business schools worldwide to achieve triple accreditation:
- Association of MBAs (AMBA)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS)
We have also been recognised for our work in tackling gender inequality in higher education with a Bronze Athena SWAN award.
Structure
This page reflects the latest version of the curriculum for this year of entry. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about the limited circumstances in which we may need to make changes to or in relation to our courses, the type of changes we may make and how we will tell you about changes we have made.
Page last reviewed on 25 October 2021.
Structure
Core modules
Before term starts, you will complete the following pre-sessional modules:
- Accounting Primer
- Data Analysis Primer
- Marketing Fundamentals
- Maths Primer
You will also complete the following required modules in Autumn:
- Induction
- Study Skills
- Plagiarism Awareness
- Career & Professional Development
Year 1 core modules
- Marketing Analytics
- Digital Marketing
- Strategic Market Management
- Applied Strategic Marketing
- Market Research
- Strategic Brand Management
Year 2 core modules
- Consumer Behavior
- Finance & Pricing Strategy
- Services & Customer Relationship Management
Optional modules
Over the two years will be able to choose six optional modules from those listed below.
- Leadership
- Emerging Technologies in Marketing
- Case Study
- Crisis Management
- Customer Analytics and Engagement
- International Business
- Machine Learning Applications in Marketing
- Brand Experience Design
- Strategic Marketing Innovation
- Sustainable Marketing
- Integrated Marketing Communications
- Marketing in the Age of Disruption
Projects
The course culminates in projects that give you the opportunity to synthesise all of your learnings in an applied complex, applying your problem-solving skills in complex and challenging marketing situations.
You will undertake a Applied Strategic Marketing Report and either a Case Study or a Work Based Project. Alternatively, you can choose to take one project as a doubly weighted module.
If you wish to study a doctoral programme after you complete this course, you can opt to undertake the Individual Research Project instead.
Applied Strategic Marketing Report
This is a 5,000-word unsupervised report on a relevant strategic marketing topic. You will be able to choose from a number of report titles which reflect marketing issues and trends discussed throughout the programme.
Case study
This exciting, hands-on elective allows you to identify a company facing a current, marketing challenge and provide a background to that company. You will present and discuss the marketing issue at hand, and outline alternative courses of actions drawing on primary and secondary data and relevant marketing concepts and tools covered in the entire programme.
Work Based Project
Here you will address a real marketing project from inception to completion. This project widens your strategic portfolio and demonstrates your expertise by applying your problem-solving techniques and knowledge from other modules to a complex marketing challenge. You can do the project for your current organisation, or as a consultant for a company. You will create an evidence-based and action-focused set of recommendations which the client organisation can implement in its future strategies.
Individual Research Project
Students wishing to study a doctoral programme after this programme may take a doubly weighted individual Research Report. This project constitutes a small piece of research, with an analytical focus, presenting a major opportunity for you to revise and integrate what you have learned on the MSc programme so far. It allows you to demonstrate that you can apply your theoretical knowledge to a real-world context.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning methods
- Case studies
- Formal presentations
- Group work exercises
- Interactive content including video and module quizzes
- Lectures
- Online discussion forums
- Online lecture materials
- Practical classes
- Pre-programme online modules
- Seminars
- Work Placement Opportunity
- Workshops
Assessment methods
- Case Studies
- Continuous assessments
- Essays
- Formal Presentations
- Multiple Choice Tests
- Participation
- Reports
- Written Examinations/Tests
Entry requirements
We welcome students from all over the world and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
Entry requirements
Minimum academic requirement
Our minimum requirement is a 2.1 degree in any discipline.
You are also required to have a well-researched career plan with clear short and long term goals.
International qualifications
The academic requirement above is for applicants who hold or who are working towards a UK qualification.
We also accept a wide variety of international qualifications. For guidance see our Country Index though please note that the standards listed here are the minimum for entry to the College.
If you have any questions about admissions and the standard required for the qualification you hold or are currently studying then please contact the relevant admissions team.
English language requirement (all applicants)
All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to the College.
For admission to this course, you must achieve the ICBS requirement in the appropriate English language qualification. For details of the minimum grades required to achieve this requirement, please see the English language requirements for Business School applicants.
Competence standards
Our competence standards highlight the core skills students should be able to demonstrate by the end of this course.
View Imperial College Business School's competence standards [pdf]
We believe in providing the widest practicable access to all of our degree programmes and will make reasonable adjustments wherever possible to support your study. For more information, please contact the Department using the contact details below.
Imperial College Business School
T: +44 (0)20 7589 5111
E: business.school@imperial.ac.uk
How to apply
Making an application
Apply online
All applicants must apply online.
Visit our Admissions website for details on the application process.
If you are applying to the Business School, you may only be considered for one programme per admissions cycle, with the exception of applicants to our Finance Master's programmes, who may select two programmes.
Application fee
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course:
- £80 for taught Master's applications (excluding MBAs)
- £135 for MBA applications
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas or research courses, such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
ATAS certificate
An ATAS certificate is not required for overseas students applying for this course.
Further questions?
Find answers to your questions about admissions. Answers cover COVID-19, English language requirements, visas and more.
Tuition fees and funding
The fees for MSc Strategic Marketing (Online) are the same for UK and international students.
Find out more about fees and funding opportunities.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees
2022 entry
£31,800
The tuition fees are split equally between the two years of the programme.
Postgraduate Master's loan
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2022-23 entry, the maximum amount is £11,836. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Scholarships
We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students to support you through your studies. Find out more about our scholarships to see what you might be eligible for.
There are a number of external organisations also offer awards for Imperial students, find out more about non-Imperial scholarships.
Accommodation and living costs
Living costs, including accommodation, are not included in your tuition fees.
You can compare costs across our different accommodation options on our Accommodation website.
A rough guide to what you might expect to spend to live in reasonable comfort in London is available on our Fees and Funding website.
Further information
Got a question?
T: +44 (0)20 7589 5111
E: business.school@imperial.ac.uk
Sign up for our newsletter
Receive regular updates with useful information about studying with us.
Studying at Imperial
Living in London
London’s fusion of culture and charm will give you a student experience unlike any other.
Student finance
Our tuition fees website has everything you need to know about funding your studies.
International students
Imperial is ranked as the UK's most international university, welcoming students from over 140 countries.
Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to universities. We've put together this information in a dedicated section of our website.
Read our terms and conditions for these areas: