Before joining the MSc in Digital Marketing Management Laura was working part-time in retail, and had graduated from International Fashion Business at Glasgow Caledonian University. Here she tells us about her experience at Strathclyde...
What made you take the programme? Why choose Strathclyde?
I had little luck finding a job in marketing or digital marketing/social media after graduating due to the competition for these roles. This was an area I had studied on my previous degree, but I knew I had to develop and enhance my learning on the topic and so decided to do a masters specifically in Digital Marketing Management.
What drew me to the MSc Digital Marketing Management at Strathclyde Business School is that it is one of the only courses in Scotland to offer a Masters specifically in digital marketing and as it is a new course, the class modules are contemporary and up to date with current industry technology. The reputation of Strathclyde Business School was also a major contributing factor when I was deciding where to study. Also having lived in Glasgow my whole life and studying here previously, I knew I wanted to study in this city due to the people and the atmosphere.
What has been your experience of the classes to date?
Classes on Digital Marketing Management are really diverse and involve a lot of practical learning, which I think is super valuable and really puts theory into context, with assignments also involving some practical work, not just essay writing. We study everything from consumer behaviour, strategic digital marketing and integrated marketing communications, to business information systems and supply chain digitalisation. All these topics feed and flow into each other and knowledge from one class can help further understanding in another. Another really great point to make about classes is that there are a lot of guest lecturers who are experts in their fields, who come to share their insights and research, which adds further value to the topic you are learning about.
What are you looking forward to over the rest of your studies?
I am looking forward to finishing my Digital Transformative Project. One of the great things about this course is that we have a project rather than a dissertation. We were tasked with finding a real company to work with where we would conduct research on a topic of the company’s choosing and give recommendations on how to optimise an area of their digital marketing strategy. It is really exciting to have a client and to get a taste of what a role in digital marketing would offer and to really show off our theoretical knowledge in practise.
Where do you see the course in fitting into your longer aspirations for study/career in the future?
My aspiration currently is to graduate and just get stuck into the world of work. This course really has strengthened my knowledge and made me more confident in what I’m doing. I am hoping to go into either a digital marketing strategist, social media strategist, or client services role in digital marketing, all of which my courses have prepared me for. I should also mention that starting the course, I didn’t have much idea of what sort of roles I could even get in digital marketing, but the module leaders and guest lecturers have be extremely helpful in detailing what is available to me with my skillset.
Is there anything you would especially recommend about the course/classes so far?
I think the variety in the classes is great. I’m not particularly a maths type, and while there are elements of a more technical side to digital marketing in classes, there was plenty of opportunity to be creative and fun.
What's it like to be a student at Strathclyde and in the city of Glasgow?
Glasgow is a great city. Having lived here my whole life I can honestly say that you never get bored. Studying in the heart of the city brings the benefit of having the shops and cafes for studying all close to the uni, and after class drinks and social catch ups are always on the cards with the union and bars being super close. Doing this Master degree has been one of the best choices I’ve ever made and the people I have met here are so interesting and lovely. On my enrolment day of the course, the programme administrator said to me, “just wait, by the end of the year you’ll all be best friends and hanging out together”, and she really wasn’t far off in her prediction! The friends and memories I have made during this one year are some of the best of my life so far.
My advice to prospective students would be to take time and make sure that this course is the perfect fit for you.
What advice would you give to prospective students?
Reach out to lecturers and university staff, or previous students of the course through virtual fairs or LinkedIn if you have any questions. I used the virtual fair and it helped to clarify any little queries I had and eased my mind. Secondly, if you’re not sure what to expect from digital marketing, see if there are any volunteer digital marketing roles or e-learning courses that can help you decide. And my third and final piece of advice would be that if you decide this is the course for you, to go in prepared to work hard but have an open mind. A Master degree requires a lot of hours of your time, but in the end, I feel the benefits of the quality of education and the people you meet, really do out-weigh the workload.
