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With marketing tools and techniques continuing to evolve at pace, maintaining up to date knowledge has become critical to a marketers success. Whether you are starting out in your career or looking to develop your skills as your career progresses, you’ll find a wide range of marketing courses available.

More traditional University marketing courses provide a fantastic foundation to the principles of marketing, with the industry professional bodies offering courses that will enhance your marketing career.

It’s also possible to develop marketing skills for free with many learning platforms providing course material free of charge.

 

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) provides professionally recognised Marketing & Digital Marketing qualifications to develop core marketing industry skills.

The Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) delivers internationally recognised digital marketing certifications to develop digital skills and advance your digital marketing career.

The Institute of Data & Marketing (IDM) has 30 years' experience in delivering world-class data-driven marketing learning and training to develop marketing toolkits for business.

Looking to pursue or advance a career in marketing? These qualifications can help you acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to excel:

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Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Qualifications

CIM Level 3 Foundation Certificate in Professional Marketing

This qualification is aimed at those in entry level roles such as Marketing Assistant or those new to the field of marketing. The course covers the fundamentals of marketing.

CIM Level 4 Certificate in Professional Marketing and Digital Marketing

The qualification is made up of two mandatory modules covering concepts, analysis, the marketing mix, campaign planning, evaluating and measuring campaign success. Along with an elective module in either customer insights or digital marketing techniques.

CIM Level 6 Diploma in Professional Marketing or Professional Digital Marketing

Targeted at those already working in an operational marketing role with at least two years experience and existing Marketing Managers responsible for strategy. To get onto the course you’ll need a degree in marketing or existing CIM level 4 certificate or demonstrable experience. The course is split across two paths, one with a digital focus and the other following core marketing topics. The modules cover digital, strategy, innovation, customer experience, brand and resource management.

CIM Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Marketing

The course is aimed at the professional marketer working at a senior level wishing to move to a more strategic management role, like Head of Marketing, and develop their knowledge and skills across a range of areas to succeed and progress their career in marketing and add value to their organisation across global markets. The course has two mandatory modules covering Global Decisions and corporate communications and one of global marketing transformation or entrepreneurial change electives.
Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) Certification

DMI offers a range of digital marketing qualifications, including:

Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing

A 30 hour online course, focusing on all aspects of digital marketing including SEO, PPC, Social Media, Video, Content and Analytics.

Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Marketing

A 16 month online course delivering expert level marketing knowledge. Focusing on strategy, customer experience, analytics and search marketing.

The DMI also run a series of short courses around specific marketing skills gaining the following certificates:

Professional Diploma in Search Marketing
Professional Diploma in Social Media Marketing
Professional Diploma in Digital Strategy & Planning

Institute of Data & Marketing (IDM) Qualifications

IDM offers marketing qualifications and certifications, including:

Professional Marketing Diploma

Targeted at existing marketers with up to 2 years experience, looking to take their skills to the next level and possibly management. Focusing on strategic planning, briefing, campaigns and channel planning.

Postgraduate Marketing Diploma

Presented as Masters Degree level, this is an advanced course for existing senior marketing professionals.

The IDM also offers a range of short courses focusing on specific specialisms. These include certificates for Social Media Marketing, Content, Copy Writing. Behavioural Economics, Data Strategy and Data Driven Marketing

Digital Marketing Apprenticeships
Training providers offer apprenticeship programs in digital marketing at an equivalent level to an A-level, the digital marketing apprenticeship course allows individuals to earn while they learn and gain practical experience in the field.
Government funding is available towards course costs.
Universities Courses
Offering a wide range of marketing courses at various levels, including undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs. These courses cover different aspects of marketing and related disciplines.
Undergraduate Marketing Courses:

Undergraduate Marketing Courses:

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Marketing: Many universities offer undergraduate programs in marketing, providing students with a comprehensive foundation in marketing principles and strategies.Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Marketing: Some universities offer a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing, which may have a more creative and communication-focused approach.

BA/BSc (Hons) Business and Marketing: Combines business and marketing studies to provide students with a broader understanding of business operations.

BA/BSc (Hons) Advertising and Marketing Communications: Focuses on advertising and integrated marketing communication strategies.

Many of the UK University courses offer exemptions from units towards industry qualifications such as those provided by the CIM.

Postgraduate Marketing Courses:

An MA in Marketing course typically delves deeper into marketing concepts, research, and strategic planning. Generally targeted at those already working in a marketing role looking to enhance their skills. MSc in International Marketing: Concentrates on marketing strategies for global markets and international business.

MSc in Consumer Psychology with Business: Explores the psychology behind consumer behaviour and its implications for marketing.

When choosing a marketing qualification, consider your career goals, current level of experience, and the specific areas of marketing you are interested in. Different qualifications cater to different needs and career stages, so it's essential to select the one that aligns with your objectives. Additionally, it's a good idea to research the latest offerings and updates as the field of marketing evolves rapidly.

Free Online Marketing Courses and MOOCs (Massively Open Online Courses).

Various online platforms offer marketing-related courses and certifications, such as Coursera, edX, Google, Hubspot and LinkedIn Learning. These courses cover a wide range of marketing topics and can be a flexible way to acquire skills, many course are free and provide an excellent alternative to traditional learning models. Google provides a range of free marketing courses covering Google Analytics and Google Advertising, including Search, Display, Video, Shopping, and Mobile Advertising. Achieving these certificates demonstrates a proficiency in using Google tools, a valuable skill for professionals to analyse website traffic, SEO, advertising spend and user behaviour.

HubSpot Marketing Academy: HubSpot's free training program offers certification covering a wide range of marketing topics including CRM, Content, marketing software, inbound marketing, digital marketing and SEO. It is a great resource to build marketing skills.

Yoast SEO for WordPress Training: Yoast offers a free SEO training course and a premium SEO academy that covers SEO best practices, especially for WordPress users.
SEMrush Academy: SEMrush offers various free courses and certifications in SEO, including SEO Fundamentals and Technical SEO.

Moz Academy: Moz provides courses and resources on SEO, including the Moz SEO Essentials Certification.

LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning offers a variety of marketing courses taught by industry experts.

Coursera and edX: These platforms offer marketing courses from top universities and institutions some are free to enrol.

These qualifications and certifications can help individuals build and showcase their expertise. It's important to choose certifications and courses that align with your career goals and the platforms you work with regularly, as the marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and staying up-to-date with the latest best practices is essential.

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Marketing Salary Guide

 

With an increase in demand for digital, technical & analytical Marketing skills there is continuing pressure on businesses to compete for talent both in terms of salary and working environment.

Find salaries for marketing roles in your region with our up to date marketing salary guide

Marketing Salary Guide

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