Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Strategy

This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.

Horizontal Articulation

• Postgraduate Diploma in Brand Building, NQF Level 8.
• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Strategic Brand Communication, NQF Level 8.
• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Strategic Communication, NQF Level 8.
• Postgraduate Diploma in Management in Marketing, NQF Level 8.

Vertical Articulation

• Master of Arts in Creative Brand Leadership, NQF Level 9.
• Master of Commerce in Strategic Brand Leadership, NQF Level 9.
• Master of Management in Strategic Marketing, NQF Level 9.
• Master of Commerce in Communication Management, NQF Level 9.

The South African, Australian and Canadian Higher Education systems are similarly structured, with progression levels per year of study, a stipulated number of credits required per qualification, and entry requirements aimed primarily at postgraduates looking to change career direction or acquire additional qualifications.

Country: Canada

Institution: Confederation College

Qualification title: Graduate Certificate in Digital Marketing and Marketing Analytics

Admission Requirements: Bachelor's degree qualification

Duration: Two years

Purpose and Rationale

The Graduate Certificate aims at the utilisation of marketing communication and analytical skills, to build a brand, attract customers and communicate effectively in a digital marketing environment. Learners will develop their marketing, communication, and analytical skills, to build a brand, attract customers and communicate effectively in a digital marketing environment. At the same time, they gain training in workplace business practices, communications, and interpersonal dynamics. Combined, these help business graduates obtain employment that is commensurate with their interest in marketing, their business skills, and their qualifications. Upon graduation, learners can expect to find employment in a broad range of marketing positions across Canada, in both the public and private sectors. Graduates may apply to work in professional occupations in advertising, marketing, and public relations. Potential position titles include Digital Marketing Specialist, Digital or Online Marketing Manager, Digital Marketing Copywriter, Marketing Analyst, Marketing Researcher and Customer Service Representative.

Modules in qualification

International Business Communications.

• Marketing Essentials.
• Cross-Cultural Communications and Negotiations.
• Audio/Visual Storytelling I.
• Professional Development.
• Business Law.
• Business Communications.
• Transmedia Storytelling: Digital Postproduction.
• Entrepreneurship.
• Social Media Applications and Measurement I.
• Social Media and Internet Marketing.
• Integrated Marketing Communications.
• Consumer Behaviour.
• Social Media Strategy.
• Social Media Applications and Measurement II.
• CRM Process and Patterns.
• Sociology of Community: The Indigenous Context.
• Project Management.
• Sustainability, Responsibility and Ethics.
• Data Integrity and Organization.
• Capstone Project.

Similarities

The Confederation College qualification compares favourably to the south African qualification as it includes qualification content that is related to digital strategy.

Differences

• The Confederation College qualification is more broad-based than what has been proposed in the South African qualification as general business and traditional marketing management modules are included.
• Both qualifications have a degree qualification as an entry requirement to their respective qualifications.
• The Confederation College qualification takes a more general and high-level approach regarding exposure to theoretical principles, as opposed to the South African qualification where the focus is on the application of theoretical learning.
• The Confederation College qualification has less focus and specialisation as compared to the South African qualification.

The Confederation College qualification has a train-out period of two years while the South African qualification is a one-year qualification.

Country: Canada

Institution: Centennial College

Qualification title Postgraduate Certificate Marketing Digital Engagement Strategy

Admission Requirements: a degree qualification in a business or media field

Duration: One year

Purpose /Rationale

The Postgraduate Certificate in Marketing - Digital Engagement Strategy is a business qualification that will provide the learner with the digital marketing skills required in today's business world. Learners will learn to analyse trends in technology, derive insights from data, design content management strategies, and execute plans across paid, owned and earned media. Learners will gain insight into how to develop and evaluate digital marketing strategies to maximize customer engagement and create meaningful interactions in support of business growth. Experiential learning opportunities with a marketer, a retailer or an agency serving clients will be included in this qualification. The learner will be able to learn leadership, entrepreneurial, organizational, project management and teamwork skills, while effectively applying learning in a real-world environment.

Upon the Completion of the qualification learners will be able to find employment in these areas

• Marketing Manager
• Online Marketing Professional
• Digital Marketing Specialist
• Digital Media Planner
• Manager Performance Marketing
• Web Analytics Specialist

Modules in qualification

• Coop/Employment Preparedness
• Marketing in a Connected World
• Customer Segmentation and Journey Mapping
• Online Advertising and Programmatic Trading
• Search Engine and Performance Marketing
• Social Media Marketing
• Innovation and Change Management
• CRM Strategies
• Digital Transformation Strategy
• Omni-channel Retailing
• Content Creation and Curation
• Web and Conversion Analytics
• Capstone - Digital Engagement Strategy

Similarities

• The Centennial College (CA) qualification compares to the South African (SA) as it includes the same content, but in greater depth and with more practical application.
• Learners from both qualifications are developed and evaluated in digital marketing strategies to maximize customer engagement and create meaningful interactions in support of business growth.
• Both qualifications are offered in one year.
• Both qualifications provide the learner with the digital marketing skills required in today's business world.

Differences

• The Centennial College qualification has modules in digital marketing as well as social media Marketing while the South African qualification doesn't have these modules.
• The Centennial College qualification enables learners to analyse trends in technology, derive insights from data, design content management strategies and execute plans across paid, owned and earned media, while the South African qualification includes a module that includes research.

Country: Australia

Institution: Monash University

Qualification Title: Graduate Certificate of Marketing and Digital Communications

Entry Requirements

Monash University in Australia requires an Australian undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification. The Confederation College in Canada requires a four-year degree from an accredited university or college in Business, with marketing experience, or a Media/Digital Arts field (2nd Division/2.0 (4.0 GPA scale) where applicable). In addition, English Proficiency is required: Academic IELTS: 6.5, no band lower than 6.0.

Exit Level Outcomes

• Identify and explain the possibilities, challenges, and impact of marketing and digital communication.
• Critically analyse a range of texts and cultural products pertaining to marketing and digital communication.
• Apply research methodologies to real world problems of marketing and digital communication, recognising an ethical framework for solutions.
• Communicate research findings in a range of formats to professional and non-professional audiences.
• Recognise and develop skills to undertake work in a world of constant digital disruption.

Content/Modules

Monash learners have a choice of two electives in Semester One and 2 electives in Semester 2.

The modules offered in Semester One are Principles of Global Communications, which considers political economy and the power of media ownership, representation and social media, media reception and consumption, networked communications, and the complexities posed by policy, regulation, data and privacy; Strategic Communications in a Digital Era, which includes theories of strategic communication across sectors in a global context, the use of digital communication to advance personal business and institutional goals, the complexities of new social movements, and the ethics of professional digital communication; Data Analytics in communications, which explores the intersection between audiences and data, online research, and the ethical concerns surrounding the collection and use of 'big data'; Crisis Communication, where strategies to manage crises and critical issues are examined and a focus is placed on ethical and effective communication during a crisis; Social Media Marketing, with emphasis on the utilisation of various tools and technologies to communicate with a variety of stakeholders; Digital Marketing, including the critical analysis of traditional marketing and technological change, online transaction, and delivering customer value; Marketing Principles in a Digital World, where an understanding is developed of how organisations create, maintain and disseminate value to their stakeholders; and Integrated Marketing Communications which integrates theoretical and industry based perspectives to develop marketing communications that influence consumers to achieve specific marketing and promotional objectives.

The focus of the Confederation College of Canada's Graduate Certificate in Digital Marketing and Marketing Analytical is the utilisation of marketing communication and analytical skills, to build a brand, attract customers and communicate effectively in a digital marketing environment.

The modules are

International Business Communications; Marketing Essentials; Cross-Cultural Communications and Negotiations; Professional Development; Business Law; Business Communications; Transmedia Storytelling: Digital Postproduction; Entrepreneurship; Social Media Applications and Measurement I; Social Media and Internet Marketing; Integrated Marketing Communications; Consumer Behaviour; Social Media Strategy; Social Media Applications and Measurement II; CRM Process and Patterns; Sociology of Community: The Indigenous Context; Project Management; Sustainability, Responsibility and Ethics; Data Integrity and Organization.

The SA qualification emphasises the specific application of digital strategy in the context of strategic brand building and creative communications strategy, whilst other qualifications emphasise application in the context of broader business or marketing strategy or within entrepreneurial or start-up ventures. The theoretical principles and content regarding digital strategy are similar.

Similarities

• The Monash University (MU) and the South African (SA) qualifications are offered in one-year full time.
• Both the MU and the SA qualifications require applicants who hold an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification in the cognate field.
• The similarities in outcomes include constructivist independent learning, practical application and problem solving, understanding of situations and contexts, and communication outcomes.

As Postgraduate Diplomas are by nature designed primarily to support career ambitions and transitions, articulation is not a focus. The Monash qualification does however articulate into the Master of Marketing and Digital Communication.

The South African qualification articulates into the Master of Arts in Creative Brand Leadership and the inclusion of a full Research Methodology module provides the opportunity for learners to articulate into other master's qualifications such as the MBA in Digital Business.

Differences

• The MU qualification consists of both compulsory and elective modules whereas the SA qualification consists of compulsory modules and no electives.
• When comparing the MU exit level outcomes with the SA qualification, the differences are the focus on ethical, legal, and public implications of digital and social media communications, the proactive management of advanced crisis communication in the MU qualification and the marketing and analytics focus in the other two programmes, whereas The South African (SA) qualification focuses more on brand building strategy and creativity and the South African context regarding content. The SA qualification has a stronger focus on research with articulation into appropriate master's programmes.
• The Monash qualification consists of 24 credits in total (6 units per module). The modules are electives with a choice of 2 modules of four electives in Semester One and 2 modules of four electives in Semester.
• The assessments include practical application assignments and team projects. The qualification employs a carousel structure with 24 study weeks and a maximum completion of 2 years. Full credits may be obtained in one year or two years depending on the mode of study.
• The South African qualification consists of 120 credits, spread over 12 or 18 months dependent on the mode of delivery. In the first semester, a contact student would complete 60 credits and 60 credits in the second semester. A distance student would complete 40 credits in the first semester, 40 credits in the second semester and 40 credits in the first semester of year two. Learners submit one formative and one summative assignment for all modules, with additional formative opportunities in the Research Methodology module where learners can obtain feedback on distinct phases of their research projects.

Conclusion

The South African qualification offers the same digital strategy principles as the three comparative qualifications. The differences in the specific content application are correct as SA qualification equips learners with the knowledge of digital strategy within a brand building and communication context while ensuring a broader understanding of digital strategy.