CIM Professional Postgraduate Diploma

The Professional Postgraduate Diploma provides professional marketing managers the skills to operate at a strategic and board level.

Following extensive discussions with delegates, tutors and the CIM we have introduced some radical improvements to both ensure you achieve exceptional exam results and develop career-enhancing new practical skills.

Please note that you need an existing degree to start the programme.

New Improvements for September 2008

Following the recent move by CIM to offer assessment via assignment for the Managing Marketing Performance unit, we have completely redesigned the CIM Professional Postgraduate Diploma programme.

The new Postgraduate programme is unique, radical and highly innovative.

There are three key steps:

1. first you will learn the key concepts
2. then you will learn how to turn these concepts into usable skills
3. then you will learn and develop the skills necessary to pass your exams.

1. Skills and confidence

As most postgraduate delegates have not undertaken an exam for at least ten years, some suffer from considerable anxiety and loss of confidence. Indeed many delegates become fixated with ‘theory dumping’ rather than dealing with the practical task in hand.

The new TMF programme focuses on building your marketing skills and confidence first. Indeed, you will have covered the entire postgraduate programme before you are put forward to an exam.

The programme will be delivered over 15 months, although it is possible for you do complete it in 12 months should you prefer.

2. Term 1- Combined first two units

Analysis & Evaluation (A&E) and Strategic Marketing Decisions (SMD)

During your first term with TMF, you will develop analytical and strategic marketing skills. You will be taught by a variety of specialist practitioners in their particular fields of expertise.

Each of the twelve sessions will in effect be delivered as a self-contained course in its own right. Each session focuses on the ‘How’ rather than the ‘What’ and includes topics such as:

• How to prepare and write an effective Marketing Plan
• How to develop a truly ‘Customer Centric’ organisation
• How to develop an effective Brand strategy that creates truly shareholder value
• Finance for Marketers - basic and intermediate skills
• How to create an Innovative culture

You will NOT be examined at this stage.

You will be taught the skills necessary to conduct a Strategic Audit for your own organisation, your first requirement for the Managing Marketing Performance unit.

3. Term 2 - New Assignment and Case Study

Managing Marketing Performance (MMP) and Strategic Marketing in practice (SMiP)

You can now choose to be assessed for this unit either via examination or assignment. TMF strongly advocates that you choose the latter option.

You will be required to produce an 8,000 word assignment which consists of a strategic audit, strategic options and recommendations, a plan and a control mechanism.

You have a choice from two themed briefs. For September 2008, we expect these themes to be on Quality and Corporate & Social responsibility.

You will again be taught by specialist tutors on each topic followed by support from your designated personal tutor to help you with your assignment.

You will complete the assignment before the Strategic Marketing in Practice (SMiP) case study. This is taught over two very intensive weekends.

Only after you have completed your MMP assignment and the SMiP Case Study course will you be entered for examinations.

By this time you will have had time to use the concepts in earnest, both on your own organisation and the Case study.

As such you will be sufficiently familiar with these concepts to be able to use and critically evaluate them as well.

4. Term 3 - Exam Focused courses for first two units

You will then return in Term 3 to be taught specifically how to pass the examinations for these two units. You will be taught:

• Specific examination skills
• Revision skills
• Personal planning skills
• Mental preparation

There will even be a special ‘Exam Confidence Booster’ session run by Tim Smale of the Mindworks to help you. Tim has been extremely successful helping very high profile clients fulfil their potential and overcome various fears and bad habits.

Some exercises such as the application of Portfolio analysis will also feature some elementary calculations.

5. Develop your Presentation, Finance and Numeracy Skills

After some sessions you will be required to work in groups to prepare material for the following session. Usually this will take the format of a presentation. This process will also help you hone your presentation skills, vital for ambitious marketers.

A common weakness among marketers and a core skill for new CIM Postgraduate Diploma, finance and numeric skills will feature in many sessions.

Every case study will now include some basic finance, such as break-even analysis and simple ratio calculations.

6. Free one-hour consultation with your Course Director

You can also meet with your Course Director to discuss both your academic and professional development. Not only can they help you with specific technical issues relating to marketing they can also advise you on CV writing and career planning.

7. Three free 'Cutting Edge' Masterclasses per term

Throughout the programme you will be able to choose up to three free Masterclasses per term covering a wide range of specialist topics.

Each Masterclass will focus on cutting-edge issues such as Digital media, Ambient Marketing and Guerrilla marketing.

Want to know more? Call us today on 0207 031 4400.

Course Units outline

CIM Postgraduate Diploma - Analysis & Evaluation

Analysis and Evaluation cover the first part of strategic marketing in a strategic and global context. It aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills required to undertake strategic analysis and evaluation of the organisation’s current situation as a foundation for making strategic marketing decisions. It sets strategic marketing in context as a key creator of stakeholder value and deals with strategic insights into the organisation, its customers and the challenges it faces.

CIM Postgraduate Diploma - Strategic Marketing Decisions

Strategic Marketing Decisions covers the second part of strategic marketing in a global context by building on the skills and knowledge gained from the study of Analysis and Evaluation. The focus is on the nature of competitive strategy in a global context. It examines how, in such a dynamic environment, competitive advantage might be developed through strongly differentiated positioning and exploited in a cost-effective manner.

Its emphasis is on where and how the organisations competes and, in doing this, highlights the strategic marketing significance of brands, innovation, alliances and relationships and e-marketing. An important theme is the development of the capability to provide innovative solutions that enhance an organisation’s competitive position in its chosen markets.

CIM Postgraduate Diploma - Managing Marketing Performance

Managing Marketing Performance covers the implementation of a customer-focused business strategy in a strategic and global context. It aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills required to contribute to the successful implementation of a customer-oriented and competitive strategy for the organisation. Its emphasis is on facilitating change in the organisation, ideally towards a stronger market orientation, managing and integrating the marketing function as part of the organisation’s response, and measurement.

CIM Postgraduate Diploma - Strategic Marketing in Practice

Marketing has to be firmly rooted in both theory and practice. Practice informs theory and vice versa. Strategic Marketing in Practice is designed to allow participants to put strategic marketing into practice. As the final subject in this qualification, it not only builds on the knowledge and skills developed in all the preceding modules, but also looks for an overall competence in marketing that encompasses all the various subject areas covered in the lower qualification levels.

As marketing is constantly evolving, continuously informed by both academic and business research, one of the aims of this module is to explore the latest trends and innovations relevant to marketers who are operating at a strategic level within organisations.

One of the other aims is to understand marketing as an activity, which is important in all contexts (profit, not-for-profit, societal, global). It is expected that participants will be able to add value to both their marketing experience and marketing knowledge. Therefore there is not a specific syllabus for this subject.

Who should attend?

The CIM Professional Postgraduate Diploma suits marketers with considerable experience looking to expand their knowledge.

Whilst the Postgraduate programme is a natural progression from the CIM Professional Diploma we would advocate that delegates leave at least 3-5 years before recommencing study again.

Want to know more? Call us today on 0207 031 4400.

CIM Postgraduate Diploma Course Application Form