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Our first ever class of MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) students joined us in September 2020, taking full advantage of Imperial’s innovative and exciting online learning tools to study the programme from locations all over the world.
For these 52 students, the opportunity to study an online version of Imperial’s world-class MSc Strategic Marketing allows them to develop sophisticated marketing skills, while continuing to advance their careers by balancing work, study and other commitments.
MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) differentiates itself from other marketing programmes and short courses by tapping into Imperial’s position as a leading School in analytics, data, and science. In the programme, marketing fundamentals intersect with the latest thinking and tools in strategy, technology and innovation, and marketing science is blended with managerial insights and data-driven decision making.
The class of 2020-22 will be equipped with strategies, cutting edge thought leadership, and tools to develop solutions to real-world business challenges. They will learn through online lectures, live sessions, workshops, practical activities, interaction with classmates around the world, and expert talks.
Find out more about this diverse and inspiring group, and hear from them directly about what drove them to study the MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) programme at Imperial.
What does the new class look like?
Studying their programme online means these students can do so from every corner of the globe, a fact which is reflected in the diverse nature of this year’s cohort, with 29 different nationalities represented across the 52 students in the cohort.
They also bring with them a variety of different degree backgrounds, with 70% having studied either arts/humanities or business/management (35% of students each), and only 12% having studied marketing previously. The remaining students come from alternative backgrounds such as economics, science, engineering, technology, and maths, which reflects the STEM influence that runs throughout Imperial.
There’s no better time to start an online postgraduate degree in strategic marketing. The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly changed the way we work and learn, and at Imperial College we have already adapted. A post COVID world will also require companies to find new ways to reconnect with their customers, to rebuild confidence, and to grow again. I believe marketers will be at the centre of this effort, as their customer centricity and analytical skills will be in high demand.
Omar Merlo, Academic Director, MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time)
Meet the MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) students
Name: Yasmine Abbas
Nationality: Lebanese
Job prior to the programme: Corporate Communications Manager, Bosch Middle East
What is your background prior to studying MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time)?
Following my bachelor's degree in business studies with a concentration in marketing, I pursued a career in Dubai. I kicked off my professional life at an international public relations agency, where I spent three years working on regional projects for global tech and corporate brands. Afterwards I took a leap into a client-side role where I currently hold the position of Corporate Communications Manager at a global firm, also based out of Dubai.
What are your future career plans and how do you think the programme will help you achieve them?
As the world is becoming more competitive, and after working for nearly six years, I decided to embark on a part-time Master's alongside my job to further enhance my knowledge in the marketing field. The future remains unknown, but as of now I wish to pursue a PhD upon completing my MSc Strategic Marketing, and I’m confident that Imperial College London will provide me with the platform needed to grow further in the best direction for my future.
Name: Alejandro Gutiérrez Torrano
Nationality: Spanish
Job prior to the programme: International Sales Representative, JamesEdition
What is your main motivation for studying MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time)?
I decided to study the online programme because it’s the perfect option to combine a world-class education with my continued professional development. Marketing is the core of any organisation and is driven by multiple factors. Being able to identify, process and take strategic decisions through information that will help companies succeed, is the reason I chose to study this programme. Here at Imperial, I’ve found people from all walks of life, with diverse interests, all based in completely different time zones; this makes the journey even more enriching and prepares us for work in a global environment.
What are you most looking forward to outside of your studies?
As a person of multiple interests, I’m always looking to discover, learn and push my limits. If I could choose to work on something continuously throughout my life, it would be to create new products, or help to improve existing ones. The complexities involved in testing, learning and developing a product mirror how I view my own personal development, and I relish the challenge of helping to produce something meaningful. I believe the MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) will help me succeed in these future endeavours by giving me a well-rounded, holistic view of both myself and projects I work on.
Name: Chandra Nightingale
Nationality: British
Job prior to the programme: Marketing Manager, Gradup
What is your main motivation for studying MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time)?
My main motivation for studying this Master's is the flexibility to work and study together through the online platform, The Hub. Imperial's reputation and resources meant that I knew I would get the best experience and opportunities out of this experience, which in the future will boost my career.
What are your future career plans?
I am hoping to work in the branding at Unilever and contribute to a company that is sustainable and changing the FMCG industry! I am also currently working for a startup and am looking forward to applying the knowledge from this course to see it grow.
What lies in the year ahead?
Over the course of the next year, the MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) 2020-21 cohort will learn from and collaborate with our world-class faculty and thought-leaders to cover a multitude of subjects. Having already completed several pre-study modules in preparation, the students are now well underway with their first set of core modules in areas such as ‘Marketing Analytics’, ‘Consumer Behaviour’ and ‘Strategic Brand Management’.
Knowledge and skills developed in these core modules will cement the foundations needed to become a marketing leader. In addition, elective modules in more focused areas such as ‘Crisis Management’ and ‘Sustainable Marketing’ give candidates the opportunity to deep dive into concepts and skills that will set them apart in the marketing profession and help take their careers to the next level.
The programme culminates in a Work Based Project or Case Study and Applied Strategic Marketing Report. The Work Based Project can be done on the student’s current organisation or as a consultant for a third party. These projects are students’ opportunity to synthesise all of their learnings in an applied scenario, utilising their problem-solving skills in complex and challenging marketing situations. Whatever is chosen, these projects will showcase leadership, managerial and strategic marketing skills and are an opportunity to draw upon the knowledge and skills developed in other modules on the programme.
The MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) has been designed around and for our students. The cutting edge online learning platform that enables students to stay connected with their peers, tutors and the greater Imperial community allows us to deliver a world-class programme that is built around the exact same content as our on-campus programme, and delivered by the same experienced teaching faculty.
The flexibility of online learning means that this year’s cohort are in the best position possible to shape both their programme, and their futures, in a manner which not only fits their lives but also matches their career goals. At the end of their programme, the MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) 2020-21 cohort will have developed an extensive marketing toolkit to help them become future leaders in the field, with a well-rounded understanding of its impact in both business and wider society.
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