UL Masters in Marketing Rebranding the World As We Know It

The UL Masters in Marketing, Consumption and Society provide various ways of learning and examination have to be incorporated.

UL Masters in Marketing Rebranding the World As We Know It

Have you ever considered a career in marketing but only viewed it as “The Colouring Department”, a job for the exotically creative humans of the world? Well, think again.

The words “College Masters” sends shivers down peoples back at the thought of having to go back to the stress, the all-nighters, the essays, the lecturers that are there to ruin your life, not to mention the cramming done for every exam are just some of the memories that come fluttering back when we think about college. However, UL Masters in Marketing, Consumption and Society at The University of Limerick is redefining student’s outlook on college work and the World as we know it. UL is the only college in Ireland with a Masters of this kind, with many students flying over from countries such as Thailand to study the course. The UL Masters in Marketing, Consumption and Society is not just a Masters in Marketing but marketing, consumption and society In order to do this, various ways of learning and examination have to be incorporated.

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From start to finish, no two days are the same for students in this Masters, with no two students having the same background either. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds, going well beyond the traditional business courses, with a number having previously studied Computers, English, Media, Neuroscience, with the list going on and on. While some may see it to be bizarre having such a mix of students in a room together, it got everyone thinking outside the box. The Masters starts fresh with no student feeling 10 weeks behind on Day 1. Many expected the course to be heavily theory-based, learning about The Four P’s of Marketing and how to make sales – but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. The Masters teaches students to look at the world from a different perspective. To walk around in someone elses shoes and see how they feel. Marketing isn’t just learning theory and pyramid schemes but about connecting with people, building relationships, evoking emotions and being comfortable when exposed to the substantial range of marketplaces.

Not only do students become aware of major brands and how they are perceived by consumers throughout the world, but they also became aware of the importance of brand awareness through projects undertaken in class. Some projects students engaged in involved working with the clients such as Adidas, Juspy and WEEE. As well as this, students were given the task of creating, managing and marketing a website for a digital business such as one group developing a website for Skin Cosmetic Clinic, Limerick.

With the Masters recognised by businesses throughout the world, it gives students a vast amount of opportunities with the potential to travel and achieve their biggest dreams.  Castletroy native, Emma Pembroke, said how she hopes to one day move to New York and work with an advertising firm. No dream is too big for students in this Masters, with jobs in London, New York and Australia being seen as only a flight away.

While UL Masters in Marketing educates students a mass of knowledge from business financing to creating content strategies and launching campaigns, students learn about themselves too. With presentations being a huge component to most of the modules, many who would be shaking with fear at the thought of leading a presentation became the strongest speakers in class. Those who felt they couldn’t contribute to a project initially often became the most passionate about the project. Speaking to Ian Flynn, a current student going through the masters, he says “The MSc has been an amazing experience which has given me the confidence and the ability to deal with consumers and businesses in a range of different fields”.

Many students worked full-time or part-time hours throughout the course of their studies. Having spoken to Tara Cannon, a full-time employee at Johnson&Johnson, she says “Although the last few months have been challenging, they have also been extremely rewarding.I have really enjoyed being immersed in the marketing world and dealing with clients”. It is important to note that while every Masters can be difficult, being able to work directly with clients can be, as Tara said, extremely rewarding. Rather than getting a piece of paper at the end of a project saying ‘well done’, you receive instant feedback and validation from a client, giving you a feel for what working in the marketing industry is like after college.

Having spoken to a number of students in the UL Masters in Marketing, we finished up by asking Fiona Vaughan why she found the Masters to be beneficial for her or for others, she said “it helps you believe in your abilities. You find yourself comfortable in what would have been considered a nightmare before. I didn’t know what direction I was going in my life at all before but having done this Masters, I can finally say I think I know where I’m going”.

For further information on Skin Cosmetic Clinic, click HERE

For more on The University of Limerick from I Love Limerick, Click HERE