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Marketing master degree programme

Major tracks in Tourism and Hospitality Marketing, Fashion and Lifestyle Marketing, and Retail and Shopper Marketing

Do you enjoy working in a creative, dynamic and international environment, and planning and implementing marketing and communications strategies? Compatible with part-time employment, the Marketing master degree programme is tailor-made for you, with major tracks in Tourism and Hospitality Marketing, Fashion and Lifestyle Marketing, and Retail and Shopper Marketing.

The degree programme

Marketing management refers to the planning, coordination and monitoring of all corporate activities geared towards meeting customers’ current and future needs. This demands a detailed understanding of consumer behaviour, various marketing tools, as well as creative approaches to developing products and services. Innovative marketing strategies are the key to a company’s success, especially in the tourism, fashion, lifestyle and retail sectors.

The Marketing master programme gives you specialist knowledge and enables you to develop the skills and competences you need to work and communicate effectively as a marketing expert in Austria or abroad.

You learn how to plan, execute and evaluate marketing activities, with a strong focus on business practice. Core topics include strategic and brand management, digital marketing, communication skills and market research.

You acquire practical expertise in web design and storytelling, while specialist courses in communication give you the tools you need to handle presentations and management situations.

Throughout the programme, students work closely with businesses on course-related and research projects. This means you can forge contacts that might play an important part in your future career, as well as learning from the experts.

What does “compatible with part-time employment” mean? Courses take place on three successive weekdays, so you can hold down a part-time job during your degree. The curriculum does not include a compulsory internship, although in semester 4 students can either complete a placement with an employer of their choice or spend an exchange semester at one of our partner universities.

Certifications

In addition to the degree, this study programme enables you to receive two Austrian Standards personal certifications , namely the P06-Online Marketing Manager and the P52-Social Media Manager certificate.

" Marketing experts play a crucial role in every company, because they contribute directly to value creation. Their key skills include strategic and analytical thinking, creativity, excellent communication abilities, and expert use of digital media. The Marketing master degree programme is designed to meet the business world’s demand for all these requirements. The option of specialising in tourism, fashion or retail marketing helps to broaden students’ skills profile. "

Programme director Christian Maurer

A formula for success: theoretical knowledge + practical experience

The programme is built on three pillars.

  1. 1

    1. The core subjects

    Semesters 1-3

    Developing attractive products, services and offers requires in-depth knowledge of strategic marketing management. This includes an understanding of: 

    • factors influencing the quality and development of locations
    • customer-focused product and service development using design-thinking methods
    • marketing processes throughout the customer journey 
    • the latest consumer analysis and market research methods, such as big data and artificial intelligence
    • the functions and applications of conventional and digital media for marketing and public relations 
    • preparation and management control of marketing budgets
    • the legal and ethical frameworks for marketing strategies

    In addition, the Digital Skills module in semesters 2 and 3 sharpens your skills in using software applications to develop web and mobile apps, and shows you how to ensure customers remain loyal to your company by means of storytelling and influencer marketing.

    The creative communication courses that form part of the Personal Branding and Leadership module cover aspects such as personal branding strategies and effective communication skills in order to build trust, motivate teams, and identify team dynamics and conflicts..

  2. 2

    2. Practical elements

    Semesters 1-4

    Each of the four semesters has a strong practical focus. Lecturers with international backgrounds and extensive business experience will share their practical know-how with you. Questions are discussed on the basis of case studies, and in particular in semester 3, you will work on real-life, course-related customer projects, in collaboration with and on behalf of companies.

    Marketing in Action (semester 3) gives you the option of taking part in excursions to high-profile companies, where you can gain insights into day-to-day business processes from marketing experts and marketing managers, as well as forming new contacts.

    Semester 4 is mainly devoted to writing your master thesis. During the “mobility window” in the same semester, you have the chance to complete an internship at a company of your choice or a semester abroad at one of our numerous partner universities.

  3. 3

    3. The electives and master thesis

    Semesters 1-4

    Improving your career opportunities: the electives help to bring you up to speed for jobs in highly attractive business sectors. You can choose one of three majors: Tourism and Hospitality Marketing, Fashion and Lifestyle Marketing, or Retail and Shopper Marketing.

    The electives account for eight hours per week during the semester and 16 ECTS credits.

    During your work on the master thesis, you independently carry out academic analysis of a problem related to your elective, devising solutions that meet practical business requirements.

    More about the electives

Curriculum

What can you expect from your studies? The curriculum provides an overview.
Click on the individual courses for further information.

  1. CourseSWSECTS
    Marketing Management
    Strategic Brand Management 23
    Location Development 23
    Understanding and Influencing Consumers
    Consumer Behaviour and Neuroscience 24
    Methods for Market Research 24
    Integrated Marketing Communications
    Advertising and Public Relations 24
    Digital Marketing 24
    Specialisation Tracks I: Fashion & Lifestyle Marketing
    International Fashion and Lifestyle Marketing Trends 24
    Store Concepts and Design 24
    Specialisation Tracks I: Tourism & Hospitality Marketing
    Global Tourism Perspectives 24
    Tourism, Culture and Society 24
    Specialisation Tracks I: Retail & Shopper Marketing
    International Retail Principles 24
    Operations and B2B-Relationships 24
  2. CourseSWSECTS
    Marketing Analytics
    Data-driven Marketing 24
    Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Marketing 24
    Digital Skills I
    Development Tools for Web and Mobile Apps 24
    The Art of Visual Marketing 24
    Personal Branding and Leadership
    Building your Personal Brand 23
    Communication Skills of Leadership 23
    Specialisation Tracks II: Fashion & Lifestyle
    Fashion Marketing and Collection Planning 24
    Marketing of Fashion and Luxury Brands 24
    Specialisation Tracks II: Tourism & Hospitality Marketing
    Tourism Experience Marketing 24
    Digital Transformation in Tourism 24
    Specialisation Tracks II: Retail & Shopper Marketing
    E-Commerce Business Models 24
    Shopper Marketing and Omnichannel Retailing 24
  3. CourseSWSECTS
    Marketing Strategy Implementation
    Budgeting and Performance Management for Marketers 23
    Internet Law and Data Privacy 23
    Digital Skills II
    Influencer Marketing and Social Media 23
    Content Creation and Storytelling 23
    Research Methods
    Research Seminar 24
    Behavioral Analysis Tools 23
    Specialisation Tracks III: Fashion & Lifestyle Marketing
    Innovation and Project Management 23
    Marketing Strategy Capstone Project 28
    Specialisation Tracks III: Tourism & Hospitality Marketing
    Innovation and Project Management 23
    Marketing Strategy Capstone Project 28
    Specialisation Tracks III: Retail & Shopper Marketing
    Innovation and Project Management 23
    Marketing Strategy Capstone Project 28
  4. CourseSWSECTS
    Ethics and CSR in Marketing
    Ethics and CSR in Marketing 22
    Academic Coaching Colloquium
    Academic Coaching Colloquium 12
    Master Thesis
    Master Thesis 022
    Master Exam
    Master Exam 04

Major Tracks

Choose your own focus areas. You select one of three major tracks on the programme.

Tourism and Hospitality Marketing

This is the elective for you if you are interested in planning and implementing marketing and management measures at tourism destinations, accommodation providers, event or consulting agencies, or similar service providers.

You will look at the latest tourism-related developments, and tourism’s significance for the community.

In the tourism industry, there is a long-standing emphasis on deploying information and communication technology to optimise business processes (such as bookings, storing guest data, and e-marketing) and enhancing the customer experience.

Fashion and Lifestyle Marketing

This elective is the ideal choice for anyone interested in fashion and lifestyle brands, and looking to find out more about positioning strategies and brand management in the fashion and luxury goods sector.

You will look at topics such as international fashion and lifestyle trends, as well as methods and processes used in planning collections.

This elective gives you the skills required to take on various positions, including product, communications, merchandising, brand and store manager, purchaser and many more besides.

Retail and Shopper Marketing

If your aim is to build up in-depth knowledge of retail marketing, with a view to optimising retail performance, this is the elective for you.

The focus is on designing stores and store processes, such as point-of-sale design and e-commerce. The target is to create a unique shopping experience for customers.

This elective will put you in a position to assume responsibilities in a wide range of roles, including as a retail marketing manager, sales representative, as well as e-commerce, channel, supply chain or key account manager.

Career paths for graduates of the Marketing master programme

Graduates of the Marketing master degree programme will have the skills required to perform expert tasks in a domestic or international professional environment and as part of a team, to take the initiative and to communicate effectively. You will have the necessary knowledge, skills and competences to identify problems in interdisciplinary settings and independently devise creative solutions.

In particular, you will be able to assume strategic marketing management responsibilities, as well as planning, implementing and evaluating offline and online marketing campaigns. You will have expert knowledge of developing web and mobile applications, social media and influencer marketing campaigns. In-depth communication, presentation and organisational skills will enable you to take on managerial responsibilities, and oversee communications with customers and suppliers.

After completing the Tourism and Hospitality Marketing elective you will be in a position to perform strategic and operational marketing duties in the tourism and service sector, draw up bespoke solutions and implement and evaluate them. With the help of design methods and information and communication technology, you are able to develop customer-focused tourism products and services.

​​​​​​Students on the Fashion and Lifestyle Marketing elective develop the ability to analyse and predict fashion and lifestyle trends, and use this as the starting point for devising brand and positioning strategies for fashion and luxury products. Students can also apply a range of methods and processes for planning collections and enhancing the customer experience.

If you choose the Retail and Shopper Marketing elective, you will be able to analyse, evaluate and optimise store designs and processes, which in turn helps your company to improve its performance and boost customer satisfaction. Strategic tools (such as key account and supply chain management) and methods enable you to structure your collaboration with suppliers in connection with the delivery of goods, and organise flows of information to customers. 

The most important responsibilities of marketing managers include:

  • Analysing and researching market trends
  • Identifying target markets
  • Planning and implementing marketing campaigns
  • Managing marketing budgets
  • Communicating with colleagues and customers
  • After graduating, you will be qualified to take on the following positions in various industries
  • Brand manager
  • Business development manager
  • Channel manager
  • Consultant 
  • Destination manager 
  • E-commerce manager
  • Event manager 
  • Key account manager
  • Cultural venue manager
  • Marketing manager
  • Retail marketing manager
  • Location manager
  • Store manager
  • Supply chain manager
  • Travel manager
10 good reasons

What makes us special? We are more than happy to tell you about the aspects of our university, which we are especially proud of.

Krems

Friendly and cosmopolitan: The city attracts students from all over the world, who come to study, research and work together.

Service centers

Our university has removed a host of administrative hurdles, leaving you free to concentrate fully on your studies.

Advisory Service

Do you have questions regarding our degree programmes or the application? Contact our Prospective Student Advisory Service.

Find out more

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Opinions: Marketing

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Our team

Get to know the core team of our master degree programme Marketing.

  • Prof.(FH) Mag. Christian Maurer | Head of Institute Tourism, Wine Business, and Marketing / Programme Director Marketing - IMC Fachhochschule Krems
    Prof.(FH) Mag. Christian Maurer
    Head of Institute Tourism, Wine Business, and Marketing / Programme Director Marketing

    Head of Institute Tourism, Wine Business, and Marketing / Programme Director Marketing

    Prof.(FH) Mag. Christian Maurer

  • Prof.(FH) Mag. Claudia Bauer-Krösbacher, PhD
    Programme Director Tourism and Leisure Management
  • Prof.(FH) Dr. Claudia Dolezal, MSc, BA
    Professor (FH) Institute Tourism, Wine Business and Marketing
  • Prof.(FH) Giancarlo Fedeli, PhD, MA, BSc, PgC
    Professor (FH) Institute Tourism, Wine Business and Marketing
  • Dr. Larissa Neuburger, MA, MA
    Senior Lecturer Institute Tourism, Wine Business and Marketing
  • Prof.(FH) Priv. Doz. Mag. Dr. Arthur Posch
    Professor (FH) Institute Tourism, Wine Business and Marketing

Application and admissions – the next steps

You've found a course that's a perfect fit? Great – you’ve already taken the most important step! We’ve put together an overview to guide you through the next steps.

What are the admission requirements for master programmes?

To qualify for a master programme, you must have completed a bachelor degree – with a workload of at least 180 ECTS and lasting at least six semesters – in a related subject, or hold an equivalent degree from a recognised Austrian or foreign higher education institution.

If your undergraduate studies are not sufficiently relevant, for instance if you’ve completed a degree in an unrelated subject, your qualifications will be assessed after we have received your completed application.

Information about accepted previous academic qualifications

In which form do I have to prove my English language skills for this Master degree programme?
There are three different options: 


Option 1: No additional proof of English proficiency is required if:

  • English is your native language
    or
  • you have already a recognised English language certificate (IELTS Academic Training - at least 7.0 Overall Band Score, Cambridge Certificate - Level C1, Toefl IBT - at least 94) at the time of your application
    or
  • you have completed your prior studies either entirely in English or bilingually, with at least 70 ECTS of the courses taught in English.

You are required to upload the English language certificate that you have already obtained at the time of the application. Same applies to the proof of English as the language of instruction of your prior studies. Please upload a confirmation in the form of a list courses lectured in English with ECTS (for example, the Diploma Supplement) already at the time of the application.


Option 2: A combination of an existing proof of English language skills from your prior studies and an English test is required if you have completed less than 70 ECTS of the degree programme in English. The following combinations are accepted:

  • Proof of at least a 6-month semester abroad in an English-speaking country together with the EF-SET50
    or
  • At minimum 10 ECTS English language courses in your prior degree programme and a confirmation that these were held at C1 level, together with the EF-SET 50

You are required to upload the proof of the semester abroad or the English language courses in your prior degree programme plus the confirmation of the level already at the time of the application. The EF-SET 50 with a result at level C1 can be submitted later until the start of the degree programme.


Option 3: An English language certificate is required, if the aforementioned options 1 or 2 do not apply to you. The following English language certificates are accepted:

  • IELTS Academic Training – minimum 7.0 Overall Band Score
    or
  • Cambridge Certificate – level C1
    or
  • Toefl IBT – minimum 94

You can submit the English language certificate or the result of the EF-SET 50 until the start of your studies. Please upload all other certificates and documents from options 1 and 2 already at the time of application.

Option 1 and 2 do not apply to you and you still need an English language certificate as proof of your English language skills? At the IMC University of Applied Sciences you can complete both an IELTS preparatory workshop as well as the IELTS certificate. If you are interested, please contact our language services.

Application interview

Everything revolves around the students on our Master degree programmes. That’s why we’d like to get to know you personally.

As part of the online application you will have to write a statement of motivation. Predefined questions about your motivation can be found in the online application. In your answers, which have to be entered in the provided input fields of the online application, you deal with the questions and explain your motivation to study the selected Master degree programme

Your statement of motivation and your CV (curriculum vitae) form the basis for your application interview. The admission interview is a one-to-one interview, usually with the degree programme director.
In addition to getting to know you personally, your motives for the Master degree programme will be discussed, as well as your professional background and the skillset you have acquired so far. Special attention will be paid to your previous academic and professional experience, your methodological and language skills and your general suitability with regard to your intended Master degree programme.

The application interview is held in the language of instruction of the degree programme and can take place online via Microsoft Teams or in presence. 

Interview dates

There is usually a selection of dates to choose from, with quotas allocated for each date. You can select a preferred date and time slot for your admission interview during the online application process. In order to still benefit from the full selection of dates, we recommend that you submit your application in good time.

Get an overview of the dates for your programme.

Admission interview
25/04/202426/04/202427/05/202429/05/202426/06/202410/07/2024

After you have successfully completed your online application, your application will be checked for completeness and correctness. As soon as this process is completed, we will inform you by e-mail and confirm the date for your admission interview. We will send you the Microsoft Teams Meeting Link in a separate e-mail a few days before the application interview date.

Application deadline for EU nationals 15/05/2024
Application deadline for non-EU nationals 15/04/2024
Apply now

You've decided for one of our degree programmes? First of all: congratulations and thank you for choosing us! We’ll be happy to guide you step-by-step through your online application.

Details

You would like to plan ahead and would like to know when your degree programme starts? Here you will find the answer!

Details

Questions about the degree programme?

Prospective Student Advisory Service


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Ask Vandana

Ask Vandana


Would you like first-hand information about the Marketing degree programme? Contact Vandana directly, she will be happy to answer all your questions about the study programme.

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