Our courses

Overview

At ARU London, we realise that the marketing function of an organisation is a dynamic, creative and fast-moving process. This course’s syllabus evaluates the key marketing skills of forward-thinking, communication, and originality, whilst building core knowledge in the areas of branding, brand management, market research methods, consumer behaviour and digital marketing.

Our lecturers are experts in their fields and all have industry experience. With the growing importance of the online campaign, you will also consider the role of digital marketing in marketing strategy and the key metrics for measuring effectiveness. With marketing knowledge and skills grounded in key business concepts, this course lays the balanced foundations for a successful career.

On successful completion of this course, you might choose to move onto our postgraduate studies, such as our Master of Business Administration (MBA) – International Marketing.

Structure and content

See below for the modules you will study:

Foundation Year

• Critical Thinking Skills
• Data Skills
• Professional Development Skills
• Research Skills

Year 1

• Academic and Professional Skills
• Sustainable Business in the Contemporary Environment 
• Marketing and the Digital Context
• Business Finance

Year 2

• Managing Human Resources
• Sustainability in Career Development
• Digital Regulation and Compliance
• Digital Communications, Social Media and Content Marketing
• AI Marketing, Data Analytics and CRM

Year 3

• Executing Business Strategy
• Understanding Digital Audiences and Consumer Behaviour
• Digital Campaigns 
• Undergraduate Major Project (Leadership in Practice)

For a more detailed overview of the course modules, you can view the Course Information Sheet below.

Course Information Sheet

Entry requirements

3-year full-time study option

ARU London's standard offer is 96 UCAS tariff points from 3 A Levels, e.g. BCC.

Alternatively, ARU London asks for:

• Irish Leaving Certificate: BBCCC.
• Scottish Highers: BBCCC.
• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma: DMM in a business-related subject.
• International Baccalaureate Diploma: 24 points.
• A university foundation course recognised by Anglia Ruskin University

All applicants are required to have at least 3 GCSEs at grade C, grade 4, or above, including English and Maths. 

If English is not your first language, you will be expected to demonstrate a certified level of proficiency of at least IELTS 6.0 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.

Applicants studying for other qualifications should contact ARU London to discuss their circumstances.

We also welcome applications from mature individuals who can demonstrate appropriate, relevant work experience.

Our published entry requirements are a guide only, and our decision will be based on our assessment of your overall suitability for the course. We treat everyone as an individual, which means we will look at your whole application, including any relevant work experience and personal circumstances, as well as your educational qualifications. Please contact admissions@london.aru.ac.uk for more information.

4-year full-time extended study option

5 GCSEs at grade D, or grade 3, or above, including English and Maths and evidence of two years post-GCSE study at Level 3. If you have achieved at least grade E in one A level, or equivalent, you are exempt from the two-year post-GCSE study requirement, but you still must meet the GCSE requirements. 

International Students Undergraduate Entry Requirements 

To join the first year of our undergraduate course, you’ll need one of the following.

• GCE A levels from a recognised UK examination board.
• An International Baccalaureate with a minimum of 24 points.
• A university foundation course recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.
• Relevant qualifications obtained in your home country: see our country-specific entry requirements.

If you've completed a study at university level in the UK or your home country, you may be eligible to enter directly into Year 2 or 3 of a related degree course at ARU. Find out more about transferring to ARU.

If you are an international student and would like to apply to study at ARU London, you can do so here. 

Teaching and assessment

Knowledge and understanding are assessed via several methods, including presentations and a range of assignments. These assignments can be in a variety of forms, from a written Management Report on how to respond to an organisational issue, a presentation, an essay, a briefing document, to an analysis of a company report, or a (digital) marketing campaign. Most modules will have at least two assessments, which provide an opportunity to assess knowledge and understanding and a range of skills in an effective manner.

Formative assessment will also be provided throughout the duration of the course, providing feedback to improve students’ knowledge and development, whilst allowing the opportunity to evaluate students academic needs.

Intellectual Skills

The wide range of teaching methods used encourages the development of a range of skills. Intellectual skills will be developed using such methods as lectures, tutorials, group discussions and debates. Where modules have two pieces of assessment, the first is completed partway through the delivery of the module. This provides an opportunity for students to obtain feedback on their performance, which encourages their learning and, hopefully, adds to their performance in the second assessment. The way the pathway is designed, in three stages, also encourages the student to cultivate their intellectual skills and to promote sustainable development within the scope of their own learning experience and study environment as they proceed through their degree programme. 

The Undergraduate Major Project (Leadership) places specific emphasis on research skills and thinking skills in general. The use of case study material, simulations and projects throughout the pathway provides many opportunities to develop and exercise deductive, inductive, and other cognitive skills.

Practical Skills

These skills are developed through a range of activities and assessment. Students are provided with many opportunities to develop their communication skills, both orally and in writing e.g., by making presentations, negotiating, or producing a management report. Specifically, in the ‘Digital Campaigns’ module and in the ‘Executing Business Strategy’ module whereby students will be able to integrate their academic knowledge with practical experience by conceiving, designing, and executing their own project.

Transferable Skills

Students are encouraged to perceive the study of business, digital marketing and management as being multidisciplinary and to recognise that different cultures can influence how organisations function. Students are encouraged to become independent learners and are assisted in developing their self-management skills by providing activities such as digital campaigns, which will not only empower students to produce work of exceptional quality but additionally test the students’ ability to meet imperative deadlines, communicate and interact in a supportive and motivating manner. Case study-based project work and practical work, including presentations, provide a ‘live’, authentic way of learning, practising and thinking about a student’s academic studies. Working in response to the complexity of real-life situations enables students to ‘participate’ in work-based experiences, gaining insights into the requirements of working environments.

Timetable

Full-time Schedule:

Standard delivery:
Studying on campus 2 days a week, which is Monday-Friday (10:00-17:00)

Employability

Employability is a key aspect of all courses at ARU London. Employers from the business and financial management sector have been directly involved in the design and development of this course, and their desire for a combination of academic learning, work experience, and application of learning to the real world of business and financial management has directly influenced the structure and content of the course. Theoretical learning is applied to practice as a standard approach within teaching and learning.

Where possible, the course makes use of authentic assessments that replicate workplace activities. In addition, great use is made of external speakers from industry and practice who visit modules routinely to provide context to student learning. Where possible, off-site visits are arranged. Alternatively, where possible, practitioners and leaders from the (digital) marketing management sector come in as guest speakers. Thus, the academic experience provided to students on this course ensures the development of several key transferable skills.

Associated Jobs:

• Digital Marketing Executive/ Officer
• Digital Marketing Account Manager
• Digital and Social Media Executive
• Digital Marketing Analyst
• Digital Marketing Campaign Manager
• Online and Digital Marketing Lead
• Online and E-Commerce Marketing Specialist
• Social Media Specialist
• Content Marketing Executive
• Social Media Manager
• Pay Per Click Analyst
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Executive

*Please note that this list is not exhaustive*

To learn more about where this course can take you, please visit the Employability Service. 

ARU London Employability Service provides students with expert support to help them prepare for employment. Within the scheme, the Employment Department assists students by giving feedback on their CVs and cover letters as well as teaching valuable interview techniques. The Employability Service also has a well-established range of external partners. The Service is, where possible, able to match students to suitable opportunities offered by partner employers so that they can obtain extensive practical work experience in the sector by working part-time during the academic study period and/or full-time during vacations.

Course Fees

Home Students

Foundation year will cost £5,760

International Students 

For international students studying their undergraduate with ARU London the tution fee will be £16,700 per year. 

EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information. 

For 2024-2025 entry, the maximum government-approved undergraduate tuition fee for UK students is £9,250 per year. The University is able to charge this fee subject to an approved Access and Participation Plan for 2024-2025 and its current rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework

Course Aims

1. To offer a rigorous academic course of study at a level appropriate to an honours degree that will provide students with opportunities to gain a solid foundation in business in general and digital marketing and management. It is hoped that this realistic understanding of the digital marketing management world will enable students to depart from the course to pursue a career in digital marketing or to identify and choose from a range of alternative career options and professions within the general business sector as early as possible.

2. To ensure that students who complete the course depart with a wide range of skills and competencies along with an appreciation of how business and digital marketing practices contribute to driving organisational performance, underpinning what employers would consider to be both essential and desirable in any new graduate.

3. To facilitate students to understand and apply current theories, practices and principles in a range of business and digital marketing concepts, including using technical language appropriate to an honours degree, and develop the cognitive ability of effective critical evaluation, analysis and synthesis.

4. To provide students with a range of opportunities to develop the attitudes and capabilities to meet the challenges presented by a career in a digital marketing or other business organisation in national and international environments, develop the awareness and appreciation of different ethical and cultural values and to appreciate the importance of the macro and micro contexts of organisations.

6. To offer students opportunities to develop students’ confidence and competence in the terminology, concepts, principles and techniques utilised within business and digital marketing, foster professional approaches to work with others and the benefits of effective management through the principles of sustainability.
   
   
7. To offer students opportunities to develop the transferable skills necessary for students’ personal development as lifelong independent learners and for their ability to respond positively to change during their careers, and to be able to continually develop professionally.
   
   
8. To integrate academic and experiential knowledge to enable students to progress and apply key employability skills, develop skill areas of individual weakness, raise self-awareness, develop reflective skills through group work and other authentic assessments to enable them to acquire skills to work in an interdisciplinary environment.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

Business Contexts and Frameworks 

Analyse and evaluate a range of theories, concepts and frameworks underpinning digital marketing management functions and operations and the impact of the contexts within which organisations, including digital marketing service providers and their sectors operate (A01, A03).

Technological Impact

Demonstrate an appreciation of, and insight into, the moral, legal, ethical, and wider societal implications of using the range of contemporary innovative technologies, including AI, to improve individual, group, or organisational performance and effectiveness (A02).

Resource and Operations Management

Identify and analyse the physical, human, and financial resources available to organisations, and explore how these resources can be managed, developed, and used effectively to ensure organisational growth and sustainability (A04).

Decision Making and Communication

Understand and evaluate the range of decision-making methods and supporting analytical tools, including the use of AI, available to formulate and implement personal, group or organisational decisions. Explore how these tools can also be used to formulate effective digital marketing management communications (A05).

Functional Management Knowledge

Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the principles and functions of digital marketing management, including managing and developing people, marketing, legal requirements, finance, accounting, and information systems concerning relevant theories and frameworks (A06, A07).

Ethical Responsibility

Graduates will demonstrate an appreciation of a range of contemporary issues of digital marketing management, such as sustainability, ethics, corporate social responsibility, and incorporate a critical ethical dimension into their work with an appreciation of personal responsibility and professional codes of conduct (A08, A09).

Cognitive and Analytical Skills

Graduates will apply critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis independently across a wide range of contexts, including the analysis and evaluation of theories, models, and research relevant to digital marketing and management. They will use appropriate quantitative and qualitative techniques, including AI tools, to transform abstract data and concepts into purposeful insights and innovative strategies. (B01, B02)

Research and Problem-Solving

Graduates will identify, define, and investigate complex business and marketing problems. They will plan and conduct independent research, including case studies, and confidently handle diverse sources of information using flexible, appropriate methodologies. (B03, B05)

Cultural, Ethical, and Sustainable Awareness

Graduates will demonstrate critical self-awareness and reflect effectively on their values and practices. They will appreciate multicultural and multidisciplinary approaches to digital marketing and management, incorporating ethical and sustainable considerations into professional decision-making. (B04, B08, B09)

Communication and Digital Competence

Graduates will communicate clearly and professionally, both orally and in writing, using appropriate formats and media for business and marketing contexts. They will effectively use ICT and AI tools to support communication, data analysis, and campaign delivery in digital environments. (B02, B07)

Self-Management and Professional Development

Graduates will manage their time, behaviour, learning, and development independently. They will demonstrate initiative, motivation, and sound judgment, actively seeking and using feedback while challenging received opinions where appropriate. (B05, B06)

Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills

Graduates will interact confidently and professionally as individuals, team members, and team leaders. They will apply key interpersonal skills such as active listening, negotiation, persuasion, and conflict management in collaborative environments, particularly within digital marketing teams. (B07)

More information 

For an extensive list of assessment methods, learning activities and more, you can read the Course Specification Form (CSF) for this course below.

Course Specification Form