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John McGill: In designing the program, the part time masters the MSc in Advanced and strategic Marketing Management.
I think you're aware we were very keen to achieve a sort of level of practitioner focus as we call it
Which is about bridging the gap between academic theory and what marketing practitioners do on a day to day basis in the marketing place
To what extent do you feel we've achieved that aim in terms of the way the course has been put together?
Carel Van Heerden: I think very well
I've definitely been able to go away from specific courses and go straight into a workplace and apply it
Apply the theory or apply the thinking
Which has benefitted me greatly in my company where I started out a year ago as a very very junior
And now I'm kind of project managing stuff which is cool
And purely because my learning curve has been so much more than just
sitting at a desk and you know trying to teach yourself
So I think you know the different courses, Branding, Strategic Marketing
Strategic Marketing especially has really benefitted me
Mark Woods: Definitely, learning of specially some of the lecturers and pulling of their industrial experience and then applying it
To see how they are teaching it in a practical sense as well and not purely theoretical
So you can go into a workplace and you can see this is what the company is doing, especially from a strategic marketing aspect
Looking and analysing companies effectively
John McGill: We explored when you had my module right at the beginning, this notion of,
There is this sort of gulf, this gap between academic thinking and practitioners in the work place
And a lot of universities, a lot of business schools seem to just accept that that's just the case
And what we're saying here is that we don't think there needs to be gap
The two disciplines can be better integrated so the feedback there I think we are coming somewhere to achieving that, what about Steve?
Steve Buckle: Yeah I think it's helped me to sort of frame my experience and put that into some kind of context
And to relook at that and the decisions I have made in the past, and why I've made those decisions
How maybe I could have come to maybe or gone through a different decision making process
And maybe come up with different solutions as well
It has sort of demonstrated to me things I've missed along the way really
Like I should have done that [Laughs]
John McGill: My second question is that the program is run wholly at weekends and lasts for one year only
That's part of its distinctiveness, part of its uniqueness that it is a one year program
But in terms of being able to balance your pressure of study against your commitments in the workplace, have you been able to achieve that?
Without too much sleepless nights, how has it been for you?
Carel Van Heerden: For me that was the whole reason for coming on this course that it was just one year
I guess I'm still young, but heading towards thirties I couldn't imagine myself doing a three year or two year course
So definitely having the advantage of it just being a year has been fantastic
John McGill: We are told by previous students on this program that they attend this program in particular for three key reasons
One is to become better marketing practitioners, better at their jobs
Secondly, to get promoted, to stand out within the workplace with their current employer to get promoted
And thirdly, if they're looking for another job with another employer to make sure they at least get an interview
It's the kind of the higher level qualification improves your chance of getting an interview
Now that you're coming to the end of the taught part of the program
And you're moving into the second part which is the research part of the program
Are you thinking what it will do for you and where it might take you in the future?
Would the three categories of what it does, the benefits it has, be the same for you?
Would you disagree with that?
Or add anything else?
Carel Van Heerden: I think for me, it's really shown me things I've already known but now knowing in theory and in practice
It's given me a lot of confidence when presenting, when presenting to my boss, when presenting to clients to know what I know
And when I think about it some of the students on the course have said specifically that the reason they come on this course
is to prove to themselves that they know what they know and get a qualification behind it
But definitely, the advantage it gives you when approaching new prospective employees
Who's going to turn down a master student
John McGill: Anything to add to that?
Mark Woods: Yeah he hit the key points, going forward and the use of that and leveraging it
And also open up new avenues that you might not have been aware
So you're using your past experience and maybe confirming that knowledge
but also learning other attributes which you are gaining and also going forward
And say I might actually try that, so opening up new avenues for you effectively
John McGill: So it's the confidence thing?
Mark Woods: Yeah definitely the confidence
Steve Buckle: Well for me it was really getting a recognised marketing qualification
After many years of not having a formal qualification in marketing
So I felt at the time of my career I needed something to backup, I have got lots of experience but I needed something on paper to back that up
John McGill: And the attraction to this program is that it does do that, it is a high level program
And also it is very intensive and it is over within 12 months which is great
Steve Buckle: Because you can use that qualification sooner, you don't have to wait another year or so to graduate
And that gives it greater use to everybody
John McGill: Thank you very much gentlemen for your time