The CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing
The Professional Diploma is intended for people who usually have already been working in marketing for some time and are concerned with managing the marketing process at an operational level, as well as those who are looking to build on the knowledge gained at Certificate with a future marketing management role in mind.
It is a practical qualification centred on understanding how to write, implement and evaluate an effective marketing plan, therefore you will need to gain access to information either from your employer’s organisation or from case studies to practice and develop the skills you learn at this level.
The Diploma qualification allows you to become an Associate Member of CIM (ACIM).
Study programme
The Diploma combines essential management skills with an in-depth understanding of marketing issues, placing your Certificate studies within a decision-making context. There are four modules; you have to do all of them. It is helpful to begin your studies with Marketing Planning. Marketing Management in Practice must be the last as it builds on the other three.
Marketing Planning (Course 238)
Marketing Planning looks at the creation and operation of marketing plans which are appropriate to their organisational and wider contexts and the marketing environment. This includes consideration of budgeting, the extended marketing mix, appropriate analytical and planning tools, culture, strategy, audit, branding, positioning, performance measurement, and product/organisational development.
Marketing Research and Information (Course 240)
Marketing Research and Information covers the management of customer information and research projects as part of the marketing process and in supporting decision-making. It considers databases, information systems, research projects and methods, information creation from data, legal/ethical data management, third-party research agencies, and developing business advantage from information.
Marketing Communications (Course 239)
Marketing Communications provides the skills and knowledge that enable marketers to manage marketing communications and brand support activities within organisations. Its central concerns are relationships, channels, the communications mix and customer/stakeholder dynamics, but it also considers promotions in some depth, media planning, and campaign planning.
Marketing Management In Practice (Course 241)
Marketing Management in Practice brings together the other, specialist areas of the Diploma in the context of managing a marketing team and the marketing function. Whilst it concentrates on the processes and skills involved in developing and managing individuals, teams and projects, it also gives due consideration to planning, marketing research, customer service, communications campaigns, organisational development, analysis, decision-making, and performance evaluation.
Programme details
To start studying at the Diploma, you will need to either have:
- CIM’s Certificate in Marketing,
- a Bachelor or post-graduate degree,
- an EdExcel (BTEC) Higher National Certificate/Diploma in any subject (UK),
- NVQ or SVQ Level 3 in Marketing (UK),
- NVQ or SVQ Level 4 in any other subject (UK),
- another appropriate qualification approved by CIM, or
- three years’ work experience in a marketing practitioner role.
If you have good non-marketing qualifications you will be allowed to start at this level, but you must remember that CIM will assume that you are completely familiar with the topics taught at Certificate. If you’re not, you will need to do some background study to get the most out of your course.
You can enrol for as many or as few modules at the same time as you like.
The Diploma typically takes between 10 to 16 months. CIM will also expect you to regularly spend some time keeping up with developments in marketing and business. You can do that through, for example, newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, and the Internet. It will help you if you look out for real-world examples of the things which you’re studying.
Each module has its own assessment. You can choose to be assessed either by an exam or by assignment/project. There’s more on assessment on our assessment page.
