MSc
Marketing and Consumer Behaviour
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Why study MSc Marketing and Consumer Behaviour at Goldsmiths
The MSc Marketing & Consumer Behaviour will equip you with a comprehensive grounding in approaches to understanding consumer preferences, judgements and decision-making.
- You'll learn how to use this knowledge to improve organisational strategy and success, in terms of targeting, product placement, advertising, marketing, influencing and protecting consumers.
- We will enhance your employability by fostering the development of the real-life and job-relevant competencies and skills that are required to succeed in today's competitive job market. You will be provided with the strong knowledge base and hands-on research experience needed for succeeding in today's competitive job market.
- You will develop the skills necessary to conduct independent research and to understand:
- the psychological and cultural processes underlying consumer behaviour
- the psychology of consumer preferences and choices
- psychological theories of attitude change, persuasion, and influence
- the psychology and strategy of branding
- how to create and sustain customer experience
- behavioural economics (including the psychology of pricing)
- the psychological impact of various types of media and advertising
Contact the department
If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Annemijn Loermans.
Length
1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Entry requirements
You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least 2:1 standard in a relevant/related subject. Appropriate work experience will be considered in place of this, such as sufficient experience within a design agency, and/or marketing or advertising department.
Fees
Home - full-time: £15980
Home - part-time: £7990
International - full-time: £22640
Department
What you'll study
You'll take the following compulsory modules, including a 60-credit in-depth research project in your particular area of research interest.
| Module title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Consumer Behaviour | 15 credits |
| Psychology of Marketing and Advertising | 15 credits |
| Behavioural Data Science | 15 credits |
| Marketing Strategy | 15 credits |
| Creating Customer Experiences | 15 Credits |
| Consumer Culture | 15 credits |
| Research Project (Dissertation) | 60 credits |
Note about optional modules (if available): The above is indicative of the typical modules offered, but is not intended to be construed or relied on as a definitive list of what might be available in any given year. The module content and availability is subject to change.
Overview
The MSc in Marketing & Consumer Behaviour consists of:
- 90 credits of compulsory modules
- 30 credits of optional modules
- A research project worth 60 credits
The modules are organised within the Institute of Management Studies (IMS) and most have a strong practical component.
All lecturers on this programme have a strong research profile, which they bring to bear when presenting the theoretical, technical, and applied components of consumer behaviour.
How to apply
Apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system
To complete your application, you will need to have:
- Details of your academic qualifications
- The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively a copy of your academic reference
- Copies of your educational transcripts or certificates
- A personal statement
When to apply
We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September.
We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.
If you're applying for external funding from one of the Research Councils, make sure you submit your application by the deadline they've specified.
Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available.
Selection process
Admission to many programmes is by interview either in person or via Skype.
Read our guide to applying for a postgraduate degree at Goldsmiths.
Entry requirements
You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in a relevant/related subject.
Appropriate work experience will be considered in place of an undergraduate qualification on a case-by-case basis. This may include (but not be limited to) sufficient experience within a design agency, and/or marketing or advertising department.
International qualifications
We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.
If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.
Fees and funding
Annual tuition fees
These are the PG fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.
- Home - full-time: £15980
- Home - part-time: £7990
- International - full-time: £22640
If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.
It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.
If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.
Funding opportunities
Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.
Additional costs
In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.
There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.
Careers
Possible careers for graduates of the programme include:
- Consumer insight
- Market research
- Consumer research
- Marketing
- Media
- Communications
- Advertising
- Consumer research
- Entrepreneurship
- Public relations
Skills
You will become adept at assessing marketing techniques, problem-solving, interpreting human behaviour, influencing consumer choice, analysing complex information, working in teams and excelling in individual projects.
Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.
Staff
The following staff members all teach on this programme and are complemented by visiting tutors and industry professionals in the delivery of the programme curriculum.
Dr Annemijn Loermans
Modules: Psychology of Marketing and Advertising, Research Project (Dissertation)
Annemijn is the programme director and lecturer in Marketing. Prior to joining Goldsmiths, Annemijn was a postdoctoral researcher at ESSEC Business School in Paris, France. She holds a BA in Social Sciences from Utrecht University, a MSc in Behavioural Science from the Radboud University Nijmegen and a PhD in Psychology from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, all in the Netherlands.
Annemijn’s research lies at the intersection between marketing, psychology and management, focusing on differences in mental representation and identity and how these drive (consumer) behaviour. She primarily employs quantitative techniques to study online brand endorsements, decluttering and our relationship with possessions, visions of our future selves, and (cultural) differences in how we think and talk about time and temporal events. Her research aims to enhance our understanding of the effects of online brand engagement, how consumers relate to consumer goods and their sustainability goals, how people navigate career transitions, and cultural differences.
She teaches Psychology of Marketing and Advertising at PG level and Consumer Behaviour at UG level. She is personal tutor to all Msc Marketing and Consumer Behaviour students. In her teaching, she emphasises making complex psychological theories and constructs accessible as these provide a fruitful basis for understanding how consumers act and why, and therefore serves as an insightful starting point for all marketing and advertising endeavours.
Dr Ada Maria Barone
Modules: Consumer Behaviour, Creating Customer Experiences, Research Project (Dissertation)
Ada is a senior lecturer in Marketing and programme director of the undergraduate programmes in marketing and management. Prior to joining Goldsmiths, she was a postdoctoral researcher at Aarhus University (Denmark) and visiting scholar at University of Michigan (US). She holds a PhD from Luiss University (Rome, Italy).
Her research is focused on the understanding of the psychological underpinnings of consumers’ (un)sustainable behaviours. Among others, she has investigated what leads consumers to waste food and she is interested in understanding how marketing (eg labelling, packaging) can be used to foster more sustainable choices (eg plant-based consumption). Her work has been published in journals such as Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Journal of Services Marketing, and Business Strategy and Environment.
She teaches Consumer Behaviour and Creating Customer Experiences at PG level, and Market Research and Consumer Insight (quantitative research) at UG level.
Dr Vikram Kapoor
Modules: Consumer Culture, Research Project (Dissertation)
Vikram is lecturer in Marketing and the PGT Exam Board Chair. He has a PhD in Management and Marketing from the University of Limerick (Ireland), an MPhil in Business Administration and Management from Bocconi University (Italy), and an MCom degree in Marketing from Calcutta University (India). Before joining Goldsmiths, Vikram held academic positions at Birkbeck, University of London, where he led postgraduate modules on Consumer Behaviour and International Marketing.
He teaches Consumer Culture at PG level and Brand Management, and Market Research, and Consumer Insight (qualitative part) at UG level.
Vikram’s current research focuses on consumer culture, rituals and festivals, atmospherics, self-gift giving, and qualitative methods. Vikram sits on the Editorial Boards of Consumption Markets & Culture and Festival Culture Research and Education, UK. His works have been published in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, Consumption Markets & Culture, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Academy of Marketing Science Review, and Marketing Intelligence & Planning.
Alex Pickering
Modules: Marketing Strategy, Creating Customer Experiences
Alex has 25 years industry experience across retail marketing, fast-moving consumer goods and small domestic appliances. He is interested in creating more opportunities for graduates with different experiences and backgrounds to enter the marketing industry.
He started on the graduate management scheme at Boots, managed marketing for Andrex and Kleenex, was head of category management for Kimberly-Clark UK/Ireland and most recently worked as a marketing director for De’Longhi, Kenwood and Braun.
He has studied at Durham University (BA) and London Business School (Emerging Leaders Executive Programme). He has judged for the Chartered Institute of Marketing and been a contributor to 'The Definitive Guide to Strategic Content Marketing' (Dzamic and Kirby, 2018).
He has taught Marketing Strategy, Brand Management, Consumer Behaviour and Creating Customer Experiences.
Dr Nigel Guenole
Modules: Behavioural Data Science, Research Project (Dissertation)
Nigel’s research focuses on ways of measuring latent constructs such as personality traits and emotions. His recent work has focused on how machine learning and artificial intelligence methods, such as large language models, can be used to model and measure these concepts. Nigel is interested in how these methods can be used in applied settings, such as organisational psychology and consumer psychology.
He currently teaches Strategic Management and Behavioural Data Science. He is the Director of Research and Ethics for the Institute of Management Studies.
