Advanced Diploma in Marketing

Purpose

This qualification is suitable for continuing professional development by enabling the learner to develop an understanding of contemporary marketing functions which includes independent decision-making, analytical approaches and relevant cutting-edge technologies.

This qualification is aimed at empowering learners with focused and applied specialisation which meets the requirements of a specific niche in the labour market. This involves specific knowledge and skills so as to enable learners to perform at operational levels within a multi-disciplinary marketing environment.

Qualifying learners will have had the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and skills in their chosen specialisation area as well as in the general areas of Marketing. Learners will also be introduced to Quantitative Techniques such as research methodologies and techniques. The qualification further enables graduates to gain insight into the practices of the marketing industry as well as the ability to face managerial challenges in order to maximise the marketing operations.

On completion of the qualification, graduates will be able to plan, develop, implement and manage marketing strategies.

Rationale

The field of marketing is expanding into areas of specialisation that requires highly specialised knowledge and skills relating to both the industry and academia. The industry reported a demand for employees with extended knowledge and skills at the Advance Diploma level. For this reason, three areas of specialisation are incorporated making the qualification more suitable for industry requirements. The diversity of specialisation serves a further purpose in that it prepares learners for continuous studies in the selected areas of specialisation.

The Advanced Diploma in Marketing will prepare graduates to operate in specialised areas within the marketing discipline and was therefore designed to allow learners a choice between the specialisation areas of Professional Selling, Digital Marketing and Integrated Brand Communication, thus providing specific career pathways in the marketing arena.

This qualification offers students access to Postgraduate studies. Completion of the Advanced Diploma in Marketing may be presented for entry into the Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

This qualification may be achieved in part through the recognition of relevant prior learning which includes formal, informal and non-formal learning and through prior experience as a practitioner in the field of Marketing. A structured means for the assessment of individual learners will be developed against the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification on a case-by-case basis and assessment is done by means of Integrated Assessment strategies. Such procedures, and the assessment of individual cases, are subject to moderation by independent-assessors. The learner will be thoroughly briefed on the mechanism to be used and support and guidance that will be provided. The necessary evidence as required by the Exit Level Outcomes, and presented by the learner, should meet the following principles: currency of evidence, sufficiency of evidence, validity of evidence and authenticity of evidence. If the learner is able to demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this qualification the appropriate credits will be assigned to the learner.

Entry Requirements

The minimum admission requirement for this qualification is

• Diploma in Marketing, Level 6.

Or

• Diploma in Marketing Management, Level 6.

Or

• A related qualification at Level 6.

This qualification consists of compulsory and elective modules at Level 7 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 7, 90 Credits

• Marketing IV 30 Credits.
• Research Methodology 30 Credits.
• Advanced Quantitative Techniques 30 Credits.

Electives Modules, Level 7, 30 Credits (Choose one)

• Advanced Professional Selling IV 30 Credits.
• Digital Marketing IV 30 Credits.
• Integrated Brand Communication IV 30 Credits.

1. Demonstrate integrated knowledge of the central areas of the field and practices of marketing, including an understanding of and an ability to apply and evaluate the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of that field; and detailed knowledge of an area or areas of specialisation and how that knowledge relates to other fields, disciplines or practices.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of a range of methods of enquiry in the field of marketing research, and their suitability to specific investigations; and an ability to select and apply a range of methods to resolve problems or introduce change within a practice.
3. Demonstrate integrated knowledge of the central areas of the field and practices of Professional Selling, including an understanding of and an ability to apply and evaluate the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of that field; and detailed knowledge of an area or areas of specialisation and how that knowledge relates to other fields, disciplines or practices.
4. Demonstrate integrated knowledge of the central areas of the field and practices of Digital Marketing, including an understanding of and an ability to apply and evaluate the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of that field; and detailed knowledge of an area or areas of specialisation and how that knowledge relates to other fields, disciplines or practices.
5. Demonstrate integrated knowledge of the central areas of the field and practices of Integrated Brand Communication, including an understanding of and an ability to apply and evaluate the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of that field; and detailed knowledge of an area or areas of specialisation and how that knowledge relates to other fields, disciplines or practices.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit-Level Outcomes 1

• Evaluate several market plan options and select an appropriate option.
• Develop a marketing plan and evaluate its viability.
• Select a market plan for the international market that will be recommended.
• Develop and evaluate an international marketing plan.
• Evaluate factors relating to implementation of international marketing plan.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit-Level Outcomes 2

• Demonstrated an understanding of and the ability to apply relevant marketing research principles, concepts and processes.
• Apply appropriate research design, methods and techniques for a given project.
• Analyse data and communicate results to a diverse audience.
• Demonstrate scientific writing and professional presentation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit-Level Outcomes 3

• Explain the conceptual foundations of sales force management in the 21st century.
• Justify the importance of organising and developing the sales force.
• Compare the different management styles and the methods for directing sales force efforts.
• Apply the different sales force performance appraisals.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit-Level Outcomes 4

• Apply the relevant concepts, terminology, and processes relating to digital marketing.
• Implement the digital marketing window.
• Identify the key aspects of the digital marketing mix.
• Distinguish the extended digital marketing platforms.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit-Level Outcomes 5

• Categorise the key components of brand building.
• Analyse the value of a brand's identity.
• Apply the positioning of a brand within the competitive environment.
• Apply the principles for building an effective brand in the competitive environment.

Integrated Assessment

The overall assessment strategy of the Department of Marketing, Logistics and Sport Management is that of integrated assessment which is evident in the approach to the assessment of applied competence. Applied competence is understood as the learners' ability to integrate concepts, ideas and actions in authentic, real-life contexts; the assessment of which is broken down to the assessment of foundational, practical and reflexive competence where:

• Foundational competence is the demonstrated understanding of what the learner does and why (s) he does it.
• Practical competence is the demonstrated ability to perform a set of tasks and actions in authentic contexts.
• Reflexive competence is the demonstrated ability to integrate learner's performances with their understanding so that they are able to adapt to changed circumstances and explain the reason behind these adaptations.