A complete guide to marketing degrees

The world has never been so full of marketing opportunities. Whether it’s that glossy billboard in the city centre, a pop-up promotional message on your phone, or your favourite influencer telling you about a new product, everyone is selling something. So, it’s hardly a surprise that marketers are high in-demand.

In a society where goods, services, data and even ideas can be bought and sold, there will always be a need for creative, business-minded professionals in the workplace. The great thing about marketing is that there’s something for everyone. 

A marketing degree is the perfect springboard for a wealth of well-paid opportunities and careers across every single industry. If we’ve caught your attention, keep reading to learn everything you need to know about marketing degrees.

What is a marketing degree?

If you decide that you’re interested in a career in marketing, a degree is one of the most highly regarded academic qualifications you can earn to prove your knowledge and expertise to future employers. On a marketing degree, you’ll study everything from consumer behaviour and competitor research to brand identity and creative strategy. 

Ultimately, you’ll develop a broad set of skills that will help you promote, sell and distribute the products or services that a business offers. The business acumen, economic understanding and creative problem-solving skills that you’ll gain will set you up for a successful career in marketing, or even elsewhere.

Types of marketing degrees

There’s not just one kind of marketing degree﹘the right degree for you will depend on your current professional experience and how much time you have to study. Below we explore the most common types of marketing degrees, so you can weigh up your options.

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. If you’re at undergraduate level, and looking to gain a comprehensive foundation in marketing principles and practices, a more generalist degree like this is a good idea.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business or Management with Marketing. If you’re interested in marketing but have entrepreneurial or leadership aspirations, you may be suited to a business or management degree that contains marketing modules.
• Bachelor’s degree in Digital Marketing. Perhaps more traditional marketing methods don’t appeal to you, in which case you might want to specialise in digital marketing from the beginning. You’ll likely focus on digital skills like SEO, UX and social media.
• Master’s degree in Marketing. For those who already have an undergraduate degree under their belts, master’s programs in marketing offer more specialised knowledge and often include opportunities for internships or exciting research projects.
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a marketing focus. Whether you’re an experienced marketer seeking a promotion, or a business professional hoping to transition into marketing, an MBA with a marketing specialism will prepare you for senior and managerial roles in the field.

How long does it take to get a marketing degree?

It’s handy to know approximately how long it takes to get a degree so you can start thinking about your future. Keep in mind that degrees these days can be flexible based on whether you study full-time or part-time, and whether you choose a campus-based or online course.

• Bachelor’s degree: 3-4 years
• Master’s degree: 1-2 years 
• MBA with a marketing focus: 2-5 years

Entry requirements for a marketing degree

So, you’re already interested in obtaining a marketing degree – but first, you need to know whether you meet the entry requirements. This will vary slightly depending on the quality of the university and the level of the degree program, but generally, you need A-levels or equivalent qualifications to get onto a bachelor’s degree, and an undergraduate degree in a relevant field (like business, management or marketing) for a master’s.

On average, you should be able to get into an undergraduate program with A-level results of BCC, or BTEC results of DDM. For a master’s degree, you may also need some relevant industry experience under your belt.

Below, we dive into some must-haves and good-to-haves when it comes to applying for a marketing degree.

Must-haves for a marketing degree

• Relevant qualifications
• Strong communication skills
• Interest in consumer behaviour
• Analytical mindset
• Creativity
• Commercial awareness.

Good-to-haves for a marketing degree

• Marketing work experience
• Data analysis skills
• Confident at presenting
• Networking abilities
• Social media know-how.

How much does a marketing degree cost?

Of course, it’s also very important to consider how much a marketing degree will cost you. Luckily, UK students can get a student loan that will cover most, or all, of their tuition fees, so you only have to start paying it back once you earn over a certain threshold.

On average, undergraduate degrees cost £9,250 per year for UK students, though most Scottish students study for free. International students will likely pay significantly more. Master’s degrees cost anywhere between £12,000 and £25,000, but will depend on whether you study full-time or part-time. 

MBAs are where it gets a little more expensive – they range from £18,000 to £45,000, with the most sought-after programs from highly regarded institutions at the upper end of the spectrum.

Funding options for marketing degrees

Besides student loans, there are other funding options available to you, so make sure to always do your research before ruling yourself out for financial reasons. There are scholarships, grants and sponsorships out there for postgraduate courses, and some institutions even offer financial aid packages or payment plans.

Where to look

• Check out Prospect’s postgraduate funding page
• Use the Turn2Us grants search tool
• Take a look at The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding

How to get into a degree in marketing

In the UK, applying for a marketing degree is pretty much the same as for any other subject. That means you’ll need to submit an application through the UCAS system if you’re going for an undergraduate program, or directly to your chosen university for postgraduate programs. 

Part of that application will likely involve writing a personal statement that summarises why you’re the perfect candidate for that degree, including details about your qualifications, passion, experience and aspirations. Below, we offer some more marketing-specific tips.

Personal statement tips

• Demonstrate your passion for marketing. Explain why you’re interested in this field and what your potential career ambitions are.
• Highlight your relevant experience. Give details about any work experience, school projects, business operations, or personal marketing you’ve worked on.
• Be honest. Show off your accomplishments and qualifications but don’t over-embellish, and remember to be yourself.
• Offer personal insights and learnings. Demonstrate that you’re up-to-date with current news and trends, and show that you’ve gained new skills or knowledge from your past experiences.

What does a marketing degree cover?

Since marketing is so broad, exactly what you’ll learn will depend on the specific program you’re on. For example, a more business focused degree will contain more modules based on leadership, entrepreneurship and marketing strategy, whereas a digital marketing degree will hone in on social media and web marketing. 

To give you a better idea of what to expect, we’ve got some example marketing modules below, and we also discuss the hard and soft skills you’ll gain on a marketing degree.

Example modules:

• Marketing Principles
• Fundamentals of Organisational Behaviour
• Introduction to Economics
• Consumer Behaviour
• Market Research
• Brand Management
• Understanding and Managing Data
• Digital Marketing Strategy
• Corporate Communications.

Skills you’ll learn on a marketing degree

The list of skills that you’ll learn on a marketing degree is almost endless, as you’re studying across so many subjects, from finance to psychology. However, we’ve noted some of the most important hard and soft skills you’ll develop below.

Hard skills:

• Data analysis
• Market research
• Campaign planning
• Social media management
• Content creation
• Digital tools and platforms.

Soft skills:

• Communication 
• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Collaboration
• Leadership
• Adaptability.

How will you be assessed on a marketing degree?

Rather than purely focusing on exams and essays, marketing degrees tend to mimic the real world and use a range of assessment methods, including presentations, group projects and practical assignments. This puts marketing students in great stead to tackle real-life scenarios, building their confidence and easing the transition from student to working professional.

How difficult is a marketing degree?

As with many subjects, the difficulty of a marketing degree is fairly subjective. It not only depends on the institution you study with, but also on the kind of person you are. Since marketing degrees take a multi-faceted approach and cover a broad range of specialisms, they suit someone who enjoys different assessment types, and thrives in real-life scenarios rather than just academic settings.

So you don’t need to be an A* academic student to do well at marketing – instead, you need to be adaptable, a great communicator, and unafraid to take on a challenge. As long as you have a commercial mind and true passion for marketing, you should be able to succeed with the help of time management and organisational strategies.

Job satisfaction and industry growth for marketing 

Since there are so many jobs and specialisms within marketing, your job satisfaction will vary depending on your role. First things first, you want to ensure that you specialise in an area you’re truly passionate about. However, there is a lot to like about a career in marketing – good progression, high salaries and flexibility, to name just a few. One particular career that has a high job satisfaction rate is Marketing Manager, rated almost 4 out of 5 stars on PayScale. 

While some industries were knocked hard by the COVID pandemic, marketing was not one of those. Instead, every year, the number of marketing jobs on offer is steadily rising, so you can be pretty confident that there’ll be a job waiting for you if you pursue a degree in marketing. There are currently 28,424 marketing jobs available on Indeed, to give you some perspective.

Career paths: Where can a marketing degree take you?

There are so many exciting options available to you as a marketing graduate, so it’s okay if you don’t know what you want to do at the start of your degree. As you study different modules, you’ll figure out which areas interest you most, and tailor the rest of your degree so you can land your ideal career. Below are just some of the careers you could get into with a marketing degree.

• Market Research Analyst
• Brand Manager
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Manager
• Campaign Lead
• Copywriter
• Social Media Manager
• Public Relations Officer
• Marketing Manager
• Media Planner
• Head of Content.

Salary prospects: How much do marketing graduates earn?

One of the draws of a career in marketing is the potential for high salaries. However, you have to start from somewhere, and according to Glassdoor, the average salary for a marketing graduate is between £18-34k. This will really depend on the company you work for and your specialism – for example, there’s often more money in SEO than social media.

Salaries can rise significantly with experience though. Marketing Managers earn an average salary of £44,394 according to Glassdoor, with this shooting up to £64,215 for Head of Marketing. The sky can be the limit when it comes to marketing salaries, so it depends on your level of ambition, determination and thirst to climb the ladder.

Why choose a degree in marketing?

If you’re not already tempted by a marketing degree, let’s go over all of the benefits and perks that come with a dynamic career in this growing field.

• High levels of job satisfaction
• Competitive salaries with great progression prospects
• Stimulating workload with a mixture of creative and analytical projects
• Opportunities to collaborate with different teams and stakeholders
• The chance to work with huge brands and organisations
• Continuous learning opportunities due to the ever-changing nature of marketing.

Online marketing degree options

Need a more flexible study schedule so you can work around work or family commitments? Or perhaps you’re unable to attend in-person classes, or simply prefer to study from the comfort of your own home. Online marketing degrees offer the perfect alternative, and they can even be cheaper than traditional programs.

For instance, our BA Marketing degree by the London School of Design and Marketing (LSDM) costs just £11,385 for 27 months of study. Similarly LSDM’s MA Marketing costs just £6,325 for one year. If this sounds like a good deal, that’s because it is.

We also offer online MSc and MBA programs, so you can specialise in the area of marketing you want to at your own pace, from anywhere in the world. Take a look at our full list of online marketing degrees below.

Online marketing degrees on FutureLearn

Bachelor’s

• BA Marketing by the London School of Design and Marketing 

Master’s

• MA Marketing by the London School of Design and Marketing 
• MSc Digital Marketing with Data Analytics by Coventry University
• MSc Global Marketing by the University of Roehampton
• MSc Digital Marketing by the University of Roehampton

MBA

• Master of Business Administration (Marketing) by Coventry University

Check out our full collection of online degrees to discover flexible options for earning your degree with top universities.