Background before joining the programme 

Before studying for my master’s degree, I had graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Business Administration. For my undergraduate thesis I had chosen to research on the impact of digital marketing strategies on the performance of restaurant SME’s. Through this research project was how I realised that the marketing modules I had studied during my undergrad did not cover much about digital marketing. This is where my passion and interest for digital marketing begun as I thoroughly enjoyed researching about the different aspects of digital marketing. I realised this was the career path I was interested to pursue after I graduated and decided to pursue a master’s in digital marketing to overcome my knowledge gap.

Why you chose MSc Digital Marketing at The University of Manchester

Amongst the different MSc Digital Marketing degrees I had taken the time to research and apply to, the University of Manchester was immediately my top choice for a few reasons. The degree programme offered 8 different modules to take, which enabled I would cover an extensive amount of relevant material. The modules the University offered covered many aspects of Digital Marketing and I appreciated the different forms of assessments, as we had individual assignments, group assignments and exams. Being tested and examined in a variety of ways was appealing to me, rather than sitting exams at the end of the semester. Also, the ability to select two modules of my choice in the second semester was also a key highlight for me, as it enabled me to tailor my degree to my liking and benefit.

Additionally, the final year project was a group project rather than a dissertation, this interested me as it was a different research approach compared to my undergraduate degree. Working with my peers to utilise all the knowledge we had acquired in the previous modules for our final project was a great way to showcase everything we had learnt through the course.

Memorable experiences or key takeaways from your time here

Studying for my masters was challenging but so rewarding at the same time. I really enjoyed my Digital Business module where we had the opportunity to come up with a digital business idea and execute the business plan as a group. Working with my group members for this assignment taught me so much valuable knowledge and insight – plus, it was also very enjoyable. I believe this assignment in particular helped me with our final project as we also needed to come up with a product and execute a digital marketing plan. I was very proud of the work that my group and I did for our final project and all the hard work was worth it in the end as we achieved a Distinction for the final project grade.

I was part of the first cohort to take this programme and it was filled with amazing people. I was a student representative during my time and a key memorable experience was organising a cohort dinner at Gusto after we had finished our second semester assignments. It was such a lovely evening to have everyone come together to celebrate the end of the semester, rather than studying!

Your career development or current role since graduating

After I graduated from AMBS, my first role was as a Digital Support Executive at TOTUM. This started out as a temporary role and ended up with me being kept on as a permanent staff member. My company was aware of my background in Digital Marketing and when a role opened up in the Marketing department I was approached for the job. This is how I became a Digital Marketing Executive through the help of my MSc in Digital Marketing, despite not having previous experience in this line of work. During my time there I executed Email Marketing campaigns, Push Notifications and In-app messages. I also generated Content Articles, created Native Ads, analysed campaign performances and managed the company LinkedIn account. With the experience I gained at TOTUM, I am now a Freelance Digital Marketer.

Any advice you’d offer to future applicants

Take the opportunity to utilise all the resources that the University provides for you. The career services are great help in aiding with the job hunt. They provide career workshops, offer to look at your CV to provide useful tips and they also post jobs which you can apply for.

Always try to start assignments ahead of time and avoid waiting for the last minute so that you can produce quality work. Most students aim to graduate with a Distinction and this requires a lot of hard work, dedication and time. I am very grateful I was able to graduate with a Distinction in MSc Digital Marketing and I know this wouldn’t have been possible without dedicating the time and effort.

Also most importantly, do not hesitate to contact the professors if you are unsure on anything regarding assignments. My professors were so helpful and the clarification they would provide if I was unsure on an aspect of an assignment helped me enormously.

Overall, as necessary as it is to put your all in to studying for your masters, it is also important to take time to connect with your peers as good friends will make the experience so much more enjoyable. In between studying, take the opportunity to explore Manchester as you’ll find that it is a great and diverse city with so much to do.

The MSc Digital Marketing Programme is truly a great masters to pursue and you will come out of it with a greater skillset, a lot of practical and theoretical knowledge and a degree that will help you develop or advance in your Digital Marketing career.

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