MSc in Marketing, part-time in UAE (Dubai & Abu Dhabi)

In Glasgow, Scotland. Strathclyde Business School is one of the 4 faculties of the University of Strathclyde. A Royal Charter University, Strathclyde is the third largest University in Scotland, and one of the largest centres for postgraduate education in the UK. The vision statement of the University is “The Place of Useful Learning” which it adopted at its founding in 1796.

Strathclyde Business School is one of the oldest, largest and most respected Business Schools in the UK. It has been consistently ranked in the top 10 Business Schools in the UK in terms of research and teaching quality, and is a pioneer in the field of management education.

Strathclyde was one of the first universities in the UK to have a Department of Marketing, founded under the leadership of Professor Michael Baker. 2011 marks the Department’s 40th anniversary of pioneering leadership in providing marketing education in the UK and internationally.  Today it is home to more than a thousand students and enjoys strong links with business, commerce and the public sector.

In the increasingly globally competitive environment in which we all work, employers demand personnel with pre-requisite skills in key customer-focused disciplines such as marketing.  There are a number of situations where individuals would benefit from studying on this programme:

• Individuals who come from a non-business background (e.g. they hold a primary degree in engineering or languages) who wish to change their career and see Marketing as the ideal career with employment opportunities in a diverse range of areas such as advertising, brand management, sales, new product development and marketing research; and
• Mid-career individuals already employed in a marketing or business related position, who wish to enhance and update their skills and knowledge to operate more effectively in the global business environment.

In undertaking the Masters in Marketing students will be exposed to the latest thinking, theoretical frameworks and business models within the context of the global marketing environment and they will sharpen their analytical, creative, evaluative and interactive skills as they work through the programme. On completion of the programme students will have acquired an extensive knowledge base and global marketing ‘tool kit’ that will allow them to successfully function in organisations operating in both the local and international business arenas.

The programme has been carefully designed to be completed over a two year period and the majority of students do complete the coursework in two years.

There is however, a great deal of flexibility in the programme to allow students to extend their period of study to a maximum of five years from the date of registration to accommodate work, family commitments and unanticipated events. 

N.B. Awards ceremonies take place twice per year, therefore it is important to note that students graduate outwith the 2 years taken to complete the programme.

The programme and course materials have recently undergone a comprehensive review resulting in an extensive updating and restructuring.  There are three stages to the programme:

Stage 1: Core Classes

Stage 1 comprises three core subjects:

• Strategic Marketing Management
• Buyer Behaviour
• Marketing Research.

Additionally, students will participate in a programme orientation workshop which will develop key skills designed to enhance their learning experience.

Stage 2: Elective Classes

On progressing to Stage 2, students are required to undertake four electives from a wide range of specialist subjects, examples of which include:

• Brand Management and Strategy
• Business to Business Marketing
• Contemporary Consumers
• Customer Management
• Entrepreneurial Marketing
• Export Marketing
• Global Supply Chain Management
• Integrated Marketing Communications
• International Services Marketing
• International Product Innovation
• Retail Marketing.

A 'Dissertation Skills' class will additionally be offered at this stage to prepare students for the dissertation element of the programme.

Stage 3: Marketing Works Project plus Dissertation

This final stage requires students to undertake a group-based Marketing Works Project and an individual research Dissertation. Both tasks are undertaken under the guidance and supervision of an academic from the Marketing Department. The Dissertation is the last formal element of the programme to be completed and it takes the form of a substantive written project (length of approximately 15,000-20,000 words).

Yes, the Degree award is exactly the same; graduates from the part-time and full-time programmes receive exactly the same parchment awarded by the University. Additionally, students in the UAE will receive a second certificate from the Strathclyde Business School in the UAE which incorporates a ‘chip’ for attestation by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MHESR).

No. As a general policy, Strathclyde does not award exemptions from any subjects on the programme on the basis of academic and/or professional qualifications, or work experience and does not permit credit transfer from other programmes.

The Strathclyde programme is not a ‘distance learning’ or an ‘online’ programme. It is a face-to-face taught programme. All of the core and elective classes are taught in the UAE through intensive seminars delivered by academics from the Department of Marketing at the University of Strathclyde.  In addition, for the core classes, locally appointed counsellors serve as mentors and deliver tutorial sessions to supplement the intensive seminars.

Both the intensive seminars and tutorial sessions are conducted over weekends at our campus offices in the UAE.

Additionally there are opportunities for students to undertake one or two elective subjects in Glasgow along with the full-time students, if they wish to do so.

Yes. Once students are registered on the programme they will have the same access to the Strathclyde Business School's electronic library resources and the Marketing Department's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), as the full-time students. Students can also make use of the online and physical library resources at both the Dubai Women's College and Abu Dhabi Men's College.   Additionally, all classrooms at our campus offices have Wi-Fi access for students.

Once you are registered you will have full access to the Strathclyde Business School’s electronic library resources. You can also make use of the library resources at the Dubai Women’s College and Abu Dhabi Men’s College for reference or loan. In addition all classrooms have wireless internet access.

Students do not require a high level of technical expertise to study on the programme.  The ability to use a standard web browser and Microsoft Office programmes is sufficient.

Students will need a PC or laptop with access to the Internet.  The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is accessed via Internet Explorer.

An introduction to the VLE will be given during the introductory briefing session. Ongoing support will be available via our Teaching and Learning Technology Officer, by email and telephone.

The fee for the programme is AED 95,000 and is a comprehensive fee in that it covers the costs of registration, all core class textbooks, all teaching-related materials, intensive seminars and local tutorials, library access and examinations.

The full fees must be paid within two years of registration on the programme, and there are several payment options available; students may pay the full fees in a single lump sum, pay on a monthly basis, or pay at the start of each quarter. Payments are made to the UAE campus, either electronically, by cash or by cheque.

Yes, the Department of Marketing offers a limited number of partial bursaries, the amount of which is dependent on individual circumstances. These bursaries are offered on a competitive basis and applicants are asked to submit a written document supporting their application for a bursary. Application forms can be obtained from the staff in the UAE campuses.

Applicants must have:

• 1st or 2ndclass honours undergraduate (baccalaureate) degree from a UK University, or a UK equivalent accredited University. In the case of non-UK degrees, a 3.0 CGPA (out of 4.0 point scale or its established equivalent) is required. Mature students who do not meet the GPA requirement but have relevant post-graduation experience may be admitted to the programme.  In line with UAE MHESR requirements, all degree certificates of candidates enrolling in the programme must be attested by the relevant authorities.

• evidence of English language proficiency, by non-native English speakers, in the form of an IELTS or TOEFL test with a minimum score of IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 95.  (The evidence of English language proficiency is a UAE Government requirement).

This may be possible if an applicant meets one of the following conditions stipulated by the UAE MHESR ‘Graduate Education Admission Regulations for Licensed Non-Federal Institutions’:

1. 1. a native speaker of English who has completed his/her undergraduate education in an English-medium institution where English is the official language;

1. 2. graduation from an English-medium institution in a country where English is the official language and provision of evidence of having acquired a TOEFL score of 95 or its standardised equivalent approved by the Ministry, upon admission to the undergraduate programme.

No matter how fluent written English is, unless an applicant meets one of the aforementioned criteria, as a UAE accredited programme, we cannot exempt an applicant from the English Language Proficiency requirement.

The Department requires the following:

• Academic qualifications, i.e. authenticated photocopies of relevant qualifications along with a full transcript of marks;
• Two references (one academic and one work related or two academic);
• Test certificate of English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL test certificate);
• Copy of passport;
• Curriculum Vitae; and
• Passport sized photo.

The next intake is September 2011. Start dates can be obtained from our UAE campus offices.