Professional Certificate in Marketing (CIM)

One year part-time consisting of one evening per week, plus occasional Saturday workshops.

This qualification gives you the practical skills and knowledge to devise and execute tactical marketing activities and gain marketing credibility. It is aimed at people who may be working in marketing support positions or those whose job roles include elements of marketing. The qualification provides practical insights into the principles and application of marketing in a way to boost knowledge and support career progression.

The typical profiles of people who might take this qualification could include:

• Marketing assistants/co-ordinators
• Marketing executives
• Account managers/Junior product managers
  
• Marketing managers in SMEs without formal marketing qualifications
• Existing marketers wanting to become more specialist

Units of study

Unit 1 - Marketing Essentials (ME)

The aim of this unit is to give a thorough grounding in key marketing principles. These include:

• How marketing has evolved and the importance of a market orientation in enhancing customer value
• The role of planning within the marketing context
• The setting of objectives and the importance of monitoring the external environment
• The cross-functional role marketing plays in the organisation and the importance of stakeholders in the marketing decision process

Unit 2 - Assessing the Marketing Environment (AME)

The aim of this unit is to provide an understanding of the nature and scope of the internal and external marketing environment with broad consideration of the impact of international and global marketing.

The unit seeks to provide an overview of the significance of the marketing environment within the confines of the PESTEL model, but with consideration of issues including environmental sustainability.

Unit 3 - Marketing Information and Systems (MIR)

This unit focuses on the importance of marketing information in gaining a more in-depth understanding of both the market in which the organisation operates and the customers it seeks to advise.

It aims to provide an understanding of how marketing information supports marketing decisions within the organisation and how information contributes to the overall marketing process. The unit explores different research methodologies and encourages consideration of complementary approaches to collecting a range of market and customer information.

Unit 4 - Stakeholder Marketing (SM)

The focus of this unit is to recognise the nature and scope of an organisation's diverse range of stakeholders (of which customers are part) and their relative importance to the marketing process and the market orientated organisation.

The unit considers how to manage stakeholder relationships effectively, in terms of utilising a marketing mix that influences and satisfies stakeholder needs in line with the organisation's business and marketing objectives.

Student testimonial

"The CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing was ideal for me as I felt it would give me a foundation to build on personally and professionally.

I was initially nervous about going back into education as it has been some time since I last studied but the tutors have been really encouraging! They made the transition back into study very easy.

I have found that mixing with people from different industries incredibly valuable, it has enabled me to get a different perspective on marketing issues and understand how other businesses operate. It has made me think differently about how I approach tasks and I am already putting into practice the theory I have learnt.

My advice to those thinking of enrolling onto a course with Northampton Business School is just do it! You get so much out of it."

Emma Anderson, Channel Development Manager, Barclaycard

Each of the four units are assessed in a different way. Three hour examination, research based project, 90 minute computer based test and a work-based project.

Northampton Business School has a long and successful track record of partnership with The Chartered Institute of Marketing. Our pass rates consistently exceed the published CIM averages and student feedback on the academic and social aspects of studying here is typically positive and enthusiastic. The CIM is the largest, longest established and most respected marketing organisation in the world. Advance your knowledge and marketing career in partnership with NBS and CIM.