CIM COURSES
Professional Diploma In Marketing
If you are responsible for managing the marketing process at an operational level, moving into a mid-level marketing position, looking to build on knowledge gained at certificate level or wanting greater business understanding of marketing management, this level will probably be for you. The course content has been put together following consultation with employers to ensure that they gain relevant competencies for various stages of the employee's marketing career.
CIM syllabus changes - This may impact on you!
A new Professional Diploma in Marketing will be introduced in September 2009 and open to students with a business degree with one third marketing content. This means that if you are a non business degree graduate with little or no marketing understanding you will be asked by most colleges to do the new Professional Certificate in Marketing which is being launched this coming academic year. Some colleges may already be suggesting to non business studies graduates that they do the Professional Certificate now.
Please note that Oxford College of Marketing will still be offering the Professional Diploma to its non business studies graduate students in 2008 - BUT in 2009 we will offer graduates who feel they know enough about marketing, but do not have any marketing in their degree, the chance to take a cramming session to be able to pass the CIM Level 6 test (Professional Diploma) should they wish to enter at a higher level or be given access to catch up materials.
We will offer access to our on line learning system so that non business degree graduates will be able to self study with specially designed material and catch up on what they feel they may not know enough about. Please register with us if you would like to self study, materials will be ready in March 2009.
But for some people from September 2009, it will be better for them to take a more thorough approach, start at a lower level and do the CIM assessments as the basic learning on marketing will be covered there.
You will be able to see if you are ready to enter on to the NEW Professional Diploma in September 2009 as there will be a test to see if you know enough about marketing to enter at this level. Otherwise you will have to complete the Professional Certificate in Marketing in order to gain entry to the Diploma and Chartered Post Graduate in Marketing qualifications.
We will be happy to advise you about your level entry after we know a little more about you.
Why study at this level?
- Gain the marketing skills you need at an operational level to maximise on opportunities for your company.
- Achieve an internationally recognised qualification and become an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (ACIM).
- Understand how to write, implement and evaluate an effective marketing plan to meet your targets.
Objectives
The Professional Diploma is for individuals looking to build practical skills in operational marketing management and broaden their strategic perspective.
Entry requirements and assessments
You must meet one or more of the following:
- CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing or CIM Certificate in Marketing Management Practice.
- A Bachelor or Postgraduate degree.
- EdExcel (BTEC) Higher National Certificate or Diploma in any subject (UK).
- NVQ or SVQ Level 3 in Marketing (UK).
- NVQ or SVQ Level 4 in any other subject (UK).
- Other appropriate qualifications approved by CIM.
- Three years' work experience in a marketing practitioner role.
We will be happy to advise you about your entry level after we know a little more about you.
Please note that our courses do not fulfil requirements for UK student Visas.
How will I be assessed?
This level is taught in modules assessed by either examination or assignment.
Examination or assignment?
Exam option
You will be prepared to take the CIM exams. Each module is examined twice a year in June or December. People who are happy with the exam route and who have in the past done reasonably well in exams will continue to do so. Oxford College of Marketing is a top performing college and will help to prepare you for the exams should you decide on this route. Exams can be taken at any of CIM's 300 centres around the world including our Oxford centre.
Assignment option
You will complete a CIM assignment per module. There are four assignments each year with strict guidelines on submission dates. People who choose the assignment route often do so because they don't enjoy exams or prefer the experience of an assignment-based project. With this option you need the time to produce fairly long reports. Some students find they need to complete the study for the module including the reading before they are able to tackle the assignments. As a result they may take longer to complete their qualifications.
The assignment route also costs slightly more. CIM has a higher registration fee all assessment entry fees.
Course Structure - there are four modules to study for this level
Marketing Planning
By the end of this module you should be able to:
- Explain the role of the marketing plan within the context of the organisation's strategy and culture and the broader marketing environment (ethics, social responsibility, legal frameworks, sustainability).
- Conduct a marketing audit considering appropriate internal and external factors.
- Develop marketing objectives and plans at an operational level appropriate to the internal and external environment.
- Develop the role of branding and positioning within the marketing plan.
- Integrate marketing mix tools to achieve effective implementation of plans.
- Select an appropriate co-ordinated marketing mix incorporating appropriate stakeholder relationships for a particular marketing context.
- Set and justify budgets for marketing plans and mix decisions.
- Define and use appropriate measurements to evaluate the effectiveness of marketing plans and activities.
- Make recommendations for changes and innovations to marketing processes based on an understanding of the organisational context and an evaluation of past marketing activities.
Marketing Research and Information
By the end of this module you should be able to:
- Identify appropriate marketing information and marketing research requirements for business decision-making.
- Plan for and manage the acquisition, storage, retrieval and reporting of information on the organisation's market and customers.
- Explain the process involved in purchasing market research and the development of effective client supplier relationships.
- Write a research brief to meet the requirements of an organisation to support a specific plan or business decision.
- Develop a research proposal to fulfil a given research brief.
- Evaluate the appropriateness of different qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to meet different research situations.
- Design and plan a research programme.
- Design a questionnaire and discussion guide.
- Interpret quantitative and qualitative data and present coherent and appropriate recommendations that lead to effective marketing and business decisions.
- Critically evaluate the outcomes and quality of a research project.
- Explain the legal, regulatory, ethical and social responsibilities of organisations involved in gathering, holding and using information.
By the end of this module you should be able to:
- Explain the role of marketing communications and advise how personal influences might be used to develop promotional effectiveness.
- Explain how the tools of the promotional mix can be coordinated in order to communicate effectively with customers and a range of stakeholders.
- Devise a basic media plan based on specific campaign requirements using both offline and online media.
- Develop marketing communication and brand support activities based on an understanding of the salient characteristics of the target audience.
- Explain the main elements, activities and linkages associated with the formulation and implementation of a marketing communications plan.
- Recommend a suitable marketing communications budget.
- Explain the importance of developing long-term relationships with customers, channel members, agencies and other stakeholders and transfer such knowledge to the development of marketing communication activities.
- Suggest suitable methods to influence the relationships an organisation has with its customers, any marketing channel partners and other stakeholders, using marketing communications.
- Use the vocabulary of the marketing communications industry and be able to communicate effectively with other marketing practitioners.
By the end of this module you should be able to:
- Explain the roles and structure of the marketing function and the nature of relationships with other functions within various types of organisation.
- Interpret qualitative and quantitative data and present appropriate and coherent recommendations that lead to effective marketing and business decisions.
- Develop marketing objectives and plans at an operational level appropriate to the organisation's internal and external environments.
- Use appropriate management techniques to plan and control marketing activities and projects.
- Use appropriate techniques to develop, manage and motivate a team so that it performs effectively and delivers required results.
- Define measures for, and evaluate the performance of, marketing plans, activities and projects and make recommendations for improvements.
Study options
This level is offered at Oxford College of Marketing via part-time evenings in Oxford, Reading, Brighton, London, Gatwick, via intensive weekends in Reading, Brighton, Sheffield, Liverpool and London, and via online distance learning.
Timetable
Discuss this course
To discuss this programme in more detail please contact us
Telephone: 01865 515255 Email: janeyenquiries@oxfordcollegeofmarketing.ac.uk