The M.Sc. in Brand Management is a niche programme designed to provide students with a specialist, rigorous and holistic grounding in branding theory and practice. It explores brand management from a dual socio-cultural and managerial perspective, and has a strong emphasis upon the practical application of academic theory and employability. Students will study branding from a production and consumption perspective, drawing upon interdisciplinary literatures on the topic and extracting value from each field of study.

The programme content examines the role of strategic thinking in global marketing, brand management and its interrelationship with integrated marketing communications, socio-cultural consumer brand research and the co-creative role of the consumer in brand management processes and practices, and introduces students to methods of brand valuation within the context of financial management and reporting. It is designed for recent graduates from business or cognate social science disciplines and those working in business roles seeking to develop their knowledge and skills within a brand management role.

Students will gain conceptual and practical knowledge about branding, and develop qualitative and quantitative analytical skills that will are vital for to brand management role. The programme has practical skill building and employability at the core of its academic strategy.The programme has also achieved Multi Award Pathway (MAP) Accreditation from Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and students who successfully complete the modules will have the opportunity to earn a CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing which offers superb added value in the job market.

The programme will offer the opportunity to:

• Critically engage with innovative modules that adopt a specialist focus upon brand management theory and practice.
• Acquire vital independent skills in research, writing, communication and professional presentation.
• Enhance teamwork skills through working in groups to analyse business problems and propose potential solutions.
• Critically analyse “real world” branding case studies and histories in order to learn key implications from practice-based examples.
• Develop qualitative and quantitative analytical skills that are crucial to academic progression and brand management roles
• Earn a Professional Diploma from Chartered Institute of Marketing in addition to the MSc qualification

• A UK Honours Degree in business or a cognate discipline (2:2 minimum)
• Equivalent overseas degrees recognised by UEL
• Degree equivalent qualification and two years relevant marketing, social science or brand management experience
• Other marketing or brand management professionals may be admitted at lower levels of attainment providing they have significant experience at a senior level
• A GCSE or equivalent qualification in Mathematics
• International students require an IELTS score of 6.0 (with no component score less than 5.5)

In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS 6.0 or equivalent) is required. International qualifications will be checked for appropriate matriculation to UK Higher Education postgraduate programmes. This IELTS score reflects the theoretical and conceptual content of the programme, which requires a strong command of both written and spoken English.

Students that apply to enter stages of the programme may be admitted through normal Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes. Therefore such applicants must be able to demonstrate and evidence that they have the required learning outcomes as listed in the modules for which they are seeking exemption.

The programme will be offered on both a full and part-time basis. The programme will have two in-takes a year, offering a September and a February start.

The programme has developed a modular structure which is consistent with the UEL academic framework for postgraduate programmes and conforms to Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) benchmarks. It contains four core 30 credit modules as well as one 60 credit Management Dissertation module, and students who earn 180 credits will be awarded an in M.Sc. Brand Management from Royal Docks Business School (RDBS), University of East London

The programme is designed to encourage participative as well as independent learning. Classes are anticipated to be interactive and engaging with students contributing formal and informal presentations, case study analysis, debate and critique of academic theory. The programme will utilise a mixture of traditional lectures, informal seminar activities, in-class videos, guest lectures from expert practitioners and academics, organisational and conference visits, and online discussion forums and e-learning technologies. All classroom activities will endeavour to draw together students’ collective brand experiences, and relate them to everyday consumption or professional practices. Classes will also retain an informal and encouraging atmosphere to facilitate class interaction and participation amongst students.

The modules on the programme incorporate a range of different formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments are designed to provide informal feedback to students so they can evaluate their conceptual and practical understanding of course material. These will take the form of informal presentations, in-class quizzes using Turning Point® software, critique of seminal academic papers, debate of topical issues and case study analysis. Summative assessments which count toward the final module grades include a varied mixture of individual reports, group reports, group presentations, and end-of-module written examinations. Assessments take place throughout the year, although they will be coordinated to ensure that students are not overloaded with clashing dates for submission of coursework. The summative assessments are predominantly based upon individual work, with less than 25% of the entire module assessment weighted toward group work to comply with CIM professional accreditation guidelines. 

The programme emphasises the practical application of interdisciplinary branding theory, and is designed to be highly relevant to business practice and managerial decision making. Students who opt to take the programme part-time will be encouraged to base some assessment work on their own companies, when and where appropriate. Reflective practice exercises will also form part of the formative and summative assessment of modules. Students will be assigned an individual mentor throughout their time on the programme to monitor their progress and provide advice and encouragement when required. This programme is designed to strongly enhance the employability and career prospects of our graduates which is of primary importance to us as a university.

Students will be given at least two primary research projects during the course of their programme. The Brand Consumer Research module incorporates a practical marketing research exercise where students must collect qualitative data, quantitative data, or a mixture of both, and write an individual research paper of 4,000 words explaining the key findings and managerial implications of their work.

Students must also undertake a Postgraduate Dissertation as part of the programme. The dissertation project will account for 60 credits of the overall programme, and is 14,000 words in length. Students will be provided with a suite of research planning classes which develop a critical understanding of the research process and various methodological approaches within the social sciences. Following research planning students must select a topic and write a dissertation proposal, outlining the literature they will explore, a preliminary research question and a brief outline of how they will conduct their research.

During the period of the dissertation (12 weeks full-time study or 24 weeks part-time study) students will be allocated a dedicated project supervisor who they should liaise with regularly through the submission of work-in-progress drafts and the planning of research process stages. The dissertation develops students’ project management, writing, analytical and conceptual knowledge of theory, and also allows them to understand its everyday or practical application. This can be an incredibly rewarding experience for students who can then specialise in a particular area of brand management following the completion of their M.Sc. degree for career development or employability purposes.

• Modules which are innovative and exclusive to the RDBS M.Sc. Brand Management, including Brand Consumer Research and Brand Valuation and Financial Reporting.
• The programme is accredited with a Multil Award Pathway (MAP) from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and students will have the opportunity to earn a Professional Diploma in Marketing in addition to their MSc degree. CIM are the world’s largest professional marketing organisation with a global membership of over 60,000.
• Regular guest lectures from leading academics and experienced practitioners to provide a hybrid mix of academic theory and managerially relevant issues.
• Students get a chance to specialise in a growing and expanding area of business practice, which enables them to differentiate themselves in the job marketplace.
• RDBS is populated with leading experts and researchers who deliver the lectures and seminars, and provide value through their conceptual knowledge of theory and its practical application.
• Students will study in a state-of-the-art facility at University of East London, Docklands Campus, with a dedicated suite of rooms exclusively for postgraduate students located in the Molex Suite.

RDBS is very focussed upon the skills and employability of our graduates, and supporting the professional development of part-time practitioners. Our CIM Multi Award Pathway (MAP) Accreditation will enable students to obtain a Professional Diploma in Marketing that is recognised globally and carries great currency in the job market. The programme will also seek to arrange student placements in London companies through our Knowledge Dock centre, which could potentially form the basis for future employment opportunities and experiences. Students who complete the M.Sc. will obtain a qualification that will prepare them for a role in brand management, and graduates will also be highly qualified for careers in marketing, advertising, public relations, consultancy or communications. RDBS encourages lifelong learning, and through our alumni network we will seek to keep contact with our graduates long after they have completed their programmes to continue to support their professional development as lifelong learners, as well as providing them with opportunities to maintain their involvement with the school. 

RDBS will support students on the programme throughout their learning journey. All students are assigned a personal tutor, and will also have access to the programme leader should they wish to discuss any particular academic or non-academic issue. Our students are encouraged to remember that we are ultimately here to help you. All our modules build both academic knowledge and practical skills that students will develop in ways which are beneficial to their career progression.

Students will be provided with access to UEL Plus where they can download lecture notes, engage in online discussion, follow links to useful websites, and download podcasts, video casts, or other e-learning materials. Students are assigned individual project supervisors for their Postgraduate Dissertations who are there to advise and support throughout the research process. Students will also benefit from any CIM events (we are currently hosting CIM specialist events in marketing, as part of their East London branch), invited speakers or research conferences that will take place on campus. We regularly invite guest speakers on our modules to discuss their experiences of the world of practice, and these events help students to understand the everyday realities of business and brand management careers. We also have a dedicated Employability Manager, Mr. Mark Watson, who runs free drop-in clinics for students to help them with their CVs, covering letters, interview techniques or job application processes. There are also various graduate job opportunities and placements that Mark has organised which are exclusive to RDBS students, and employability events that are designed to provide students with unique insights into the world of business from leading practitioners and commentators. 

• The opening of the new sports centre in UEL Docklands Campus which will provide exercise options for students on campus.
• A dedicated, 24 hour library facility and a safe and secure campus.
• A vibrant student body that is diverse, friendly and truly international.
• Access to the latest e-learning platforms and web-based technologies to facilitate off-site learning for our students.