This course provides students with an understanding of marketing strategy in practice, challenging them to work as part of a team applying knowledge from the core marketing theories to the solution of a real business issue for an external client.

■ 6 x modules delivered through a combination of active workshops, online materials, interviews and self-study.

■ 3 x 1 to 2 hour supervision sessions - dates and times for will be arranged individually with each team.

None

1. Presentation

25% = Group project PowerPoint presentation of solution to client. The presentation will be marked as a group performance by the course coordinator, taking in to account the feedback of the panel. Presentation will be a maximum of 20 minutes long with 10 minutes for questions at the end. Peer evaluation may be used to adjust the marks of the group work by +/- 10% of the mark.

2. Group Report

65% = Group 3,500-word report that explains and justifies the key marketing decisions and recommendations in line with the learning objectives.

3. Individual Reflective Summary

10% = 1,000 - word summary report reflecting on the overall learning outcomes. This should focus on the lessons learned from bringing together theory in a practical environment.

The overall aim of the course is to develop the students' ability to apply the principles of strategic marketing to the solution of a marketing challenge faced by an external industry client.

Using academic frameworks and concepts to analyse a strategic marketing situation students will deliver realistic recommendations for strategy that could help generate marketing plans and action.

Additionally this course aims to develop presentation and organisational skills whilst challenging ability to work constructively in a team under pressure - key employability skills.

Students will work in teams of approximately 5 people to manage their project and communicate their outcomes to their client organisations. The teams are responsible for managing their clients and will be assigned a supervisor who will oversee progress.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Evaluate the main theories around marketing strategy as practise, recognising the strengths and weaknesses of strategy theories and studies.

■ Critically assess and interpret a client brief.

■ Propose techniques of planning, execution and control in marketing project management.

■ Design a marketing strategy using marketing theory, practices and processes to solve an industry challenge.

■ Professionally construct and present clear recommendations along with a guide for implementation to an industry client.

■ Manage and appraise team working situations in order to work constructively under time pressure whilst solving potential conflicts within a team.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.