Marketing

Marketing is the discipline concerned with understanding customers and markets, and with developing the strategies and communications that connect products and services to the people who want them. At its most sophisticated it is not simply about selling: it involves deep analysis of customer behaviour, competitive dynamics and market trends, and the creative and analytical challenge of developing propositions that genuinely meet customer needs in ways that also make commercial sense. The field has been transformed by digital technology, with data analytics, targeted digital advertising and online consumer behaviour research creating both new tools and new demands for marketers.

At the University of York this three-year programme develops your understanding of marketing strategy, consumer behaviour, brand management, digital marketing, market research and the organisational context in which marketing decisions are made. You will engage with both the analytical and the creative dimensions of the discipline, learning to interpret market data and to translate insight into compelling strategy and communication. A sandwich year gives you a substantial period of professional experience in a marketing role, and work placements and a year abroad are built into the programme, ensuring you graduate with real-world exposure and international perspective alongside your academic training.

Marketing graduates work across virtually every sector and type of organisation, since all organisations that operate in competitive markets need effective marketing. Brand management, digital marketing, market research, product management, account management in advertising agencies, communications and PR are among the common career paths. The analytical skills the degree develops are also valued in consultancy, strategy and general management.

Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in marketing, business analytics or management, while others pursue professional qualifications alongside their early career roles. The breadth and flexibility of a marketing career, with routes into creative, analytical, strategic and client-facing work, is one of the discipline's genuine attractions.