Marketing and Consumer Psychology MSc : University of Sussex

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Key information

Duration:: 1 year full time
Start date:: September 2018
Apply by:: 1 August (International), 1 September (UK/EU)

Psychology plays an important role in many aspects of business and marketing. Consumer psychology is the key to understanding buyer behaviour, enabling organisations to design innovative products and create effective communication messages.

This course will prepare you for careers building on both disciplines – whether you wish to pursue a successful career in marketing, or more generally apply psychological theories to the world of business.

Your studies will culminate in a research project that bridges marketing and psychology.

Why choose this course?

Marketing at Sussex is ranked 7th in the UK (The Complete University Guide 2018).
91% of our Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience research quality was rated world-leading or internationally-excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF).
Benefit from the combined academic expertise and industry experience of the School of Psychology and the School of Business, Management and Economics at Sussex.

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Degree requirements	You should normally have an upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree or above.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.

Please select your country from the list.

Argentina

Degree requirements	Licenciado/Titulo with a final mark of 7.5-8.5 depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Australia

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with second-class upper division.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Azerbaijan

Degree requirements	Magistr or Specialist Diploma with a minimum average mark of at least 4 or 81%
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Bahrain

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA 3.0/4.0 (Grade B).
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Bangladesh

Degree requirements	Masters degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Brazil

Degree requirements	Bacharel, Licenciado or professional title with a final mark of at least 7.5 or 8 depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Brunei

Degree requirements	Bachelors (Honours) degree with second class upper division or GPA 3.1/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Canada

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA 3.3/4.0 (grade B+).
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Chile

Degree requirements	Licenciado with a final mark of 5-5.5/7 depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

China

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall mark of 75%-85% depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Colombia

Degree requirements	Licenciado with ‘Acreditacion de alta calidad' and a GPA of 3.5.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Cyprus

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree or Ptychion with a final mark of at least 7.5.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Ecuador

Degree requirements	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 17/20.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Egypt

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree from a university with an overall grade of 75%
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

France

Degree requirements	Licence with mention bien or Maîtrise with final mark of at least 13.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Germany

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree or Magister Artium with a final mark of 2.4 or better.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Ghana

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree from a public university with second-class upper division.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Greece

Degree requirements	Ptychion from an AEI with a final mark of at least 7.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Hong Kong

Degree requirements	Bachelors (Honours) degree with second-class upper division.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

India

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall mark of 55-70% depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Indonesia

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree from an 'A' accredited university with GPA 3.0/4.0. Bachelors degree from a 'B' accredited university with GPA 3.2/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Degree requirements

Bachelors degree from an 'A' accredited university with GPA 3.0/4.0.

Bachelors degree from a 'B' accredited university with GPA 3.2/4.0.

Subject-specific requirements

Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.

Please note

Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Iran

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree (Licence or Karshenasi) with a final mark of at least 15.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Italy

Degree requirements	Diploma di Laurea with an overall mark of at least 105.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Japan

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a minimum C/GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Jordan

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Kazakhstan

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall mark of 4 or better (on a scale of 1-5)/GPA 3,33.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Kenya

Degree requirements	Bachelors (Honours) degree with second-class upper division.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Kuwait

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or B+
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Lebanon

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA 3.5/4.0 or 14/20.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Malawi

Degree requirements	Masters degree, depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Malaysia

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Mexico

Degree requirements	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 8.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Nepal

Degree requirements	Masters degree with overall mark of 80%
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Nigeria

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with second-class upper division or CGPA of at least 3.5/5.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Norway

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall grade of B.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Oman

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA of at least 3.3/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Pakistan

Degree requirements	Four-year bachelors degree with overall grade of 65% or Masters with 60%
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Palestine

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with GPA of at least 3.5/4.0 or B+
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Paraguay

Degree requirements	Bachelors with a final mark of at least 7.5/10.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Peru

Degree requirements	Licenciado with a final mark of 14/20 depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Philippines

Degree requirements	Masters degree with 1.5/5.0 (where 1 is the highest) or 3.7/4.0
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Qatar

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall CPGA of at least 3 (on a scale of 4).
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Russia

Degree requirements	Magistr or Specialist Diploma with a minimum average mark of at least 4.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Saudi Arabia

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a CGPA 3.5/5.0 or 3/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Singapore

Degree requirements	Bachelors (Honours) degree with second-class upper division or CAP 4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

South Africa

Degree requirements	Bachelors (honours) degree with second-class division 1.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

South Korea

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a CGPA of at least 3.5/4.0 or B+
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Spain

Degree requirements	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 2/4.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Sri Lanka

Degree requirements	Bachelors Special degree with upper second honours.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Switzerland

Degree requirements	Licence or Diplôme with 5/6 or 8/10.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Taiwan

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with overall mark of 70%-85% depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Thailand

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Turkey

Degree requirements	Lisans Diplomasi with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

United Arab Emirates

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

USA

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA 3.3-3.5/4.0 depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Vietnam

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree (with a Graduate Thesis/research component) with CGPA of at least 3.3/4.0 or 7.5/10.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Zambia

Degree requirements	Masters degree with GPA of 2.0/2.5 or equivalent.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Zimbabwe

Degree requirements	Bachelors (Honours) degree with second-class upper division.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

My country is not listed

If your country is not listed, you need to contact us and find out the qualification level you should have for this course. Contact us at pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification can be in any subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.

English language requirements

IELTS (Academic)

Standard level (6.5 overall, including at least 6.0 in each component).

Check your IELTS qualification meets all of our entry requirements and find out more about IELTS

Alternative English language qualifications

Proficiency tests

Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English (CAE)

For tests taken before January 2015: grade B or above.

For tests taken after January 2015: 176 overall, including at least 169 in each skill

We would normally expect the CAE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Advanced

Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

For tests taken before January 2015: grade C or above.

For tests taken after January 2015: 176 overall, including at least 169 in each skill.

We would normally expect the CPE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Proficiency

Pearson (PTE Academic)

62 overall, including at least 56 in all four skills.

PTE (Academic) scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Pearson (PTE Academic)

TOEFL (iBT)

88 overall, including at least 20 in Listening, 19 in Reading, 21 in Speaking, 23 in Writing.

TOEFL (iBT) scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about TOEFL (iBT)

The TOEFL Institution Code for the University of Sussex is 9166.

English language qualifications

AS/A-level (GCE)

Grade C or above in English Language.

Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)/ AS or A Level: grade C or above in Use of English.

French Baccalaureat

A score of 12 or above in English.

GCE O-level

Grade C or above in English.

Brunei/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

Singapore/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

GCSE or IGCSE

Grade C or above in English as a First Language (Grade 5 or above in GCSE from 2017).

Grade B or above in English as a Second Language.

German Abitur

A score of 12 or above in English.

Ghana Senior Secondary School Certificate

If awarded before 1993: grades 1-6 in English language.

If awarded between 1993 and 2005: grades A-D in English language.

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)

Level 4, including at least 3 in each component in English Language.

Indian School Certificate (Standard XII)

The Indian School Certificate is accepted at the grades below when awarded by the following examination boards:

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) – English Core only: 70%

Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) - English: 70%

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)

English A or English B at grade 5 or above.

Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) 119/GCE O-level

If taken before the end of 2008: grades 1-5 in English Language.

If taken from 2009 onwards: grade C or above in English Language.

The qualification must be jointly awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).

West African Senior School Certificate

Grades 1-6 in English language when awarded by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Country exceptions

If you are a national of one of the countries below, or if you have recently completed a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree or higher in one of these countries, you will normally meet our English requirement. Note that qualifications obtained by distance learning or awarded by studying outside these countries cannot be accepted for English language purposes.

You will normally be expected to have completed the qualification within two years before starting your course at Sussex. If the qualification was obtained earlier than this, we would expect you to be able to demonstrate that you have maintained a good level of English, for example by living in an English-speaking country or working in an occupation that required you to use English regularly and to a high level.

Please note that this list is determined by the UK’s Home Office, not by the University of Sussex.

List of exempt countries:

Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Canada**
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Ireland
Jamaica
New Zealand
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
United Kingdom
USA

** Canada: you must be a national of Canada; other nationals not on this list who have a degree from a Canadian institution will not normally be exempt from needing to provide evidence of English.

English language support

If you don’t meet the English language requirements for your degree, you may be able to take a pre-sessional course

Visas and immigration

Find out how to apply for a student visa

Admissions information for applicants

How to apply	You apply to Sussex using our postgraduate application system
Personal statement	Yes. You must submit a personal statement as part of your application. Find out how to write a personal statement

If your qualifications aren’t listed or you have a question about entry requirements, email pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

Pre-Masters

Need to boost your academic skills for your taught course? Find out about Pre-Masters routes

Application deadlines

1 August (International), 1 September (UK/EU)

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Course details

How will I study?

In the autumn and spring terms, you’ll study a series of core modules.

In the summer term, you carry out your research project.

Assessment is through a combination of coursework, projects, examinations and presentations.

Modules

Core modules

Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

Advanced Research Methods in Psychology
Empirical Project in Marketing and Consumer Psychology
Applications of Social Psychology
Buyer Behaviour
Contemporary Applications in Consumer Psychology: Neuromarketing and Beyond
Ethics, Philosophy and Methods of Research
Marketing Analytics and Metrics
Social Psychology of Consumer Behaviour

Options

Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests.

Applied Social Psychology Research Internship
Cognitive Psychology (Masters)
Digital Marketing
Global Marketing Management
Managing Customer Experiences and Customer Relationships
Structural Equation Modelling

Please note

If you’re receiving – or applying for – USA federal Direct Loan funds, you can’t undertake your placement/internship in the USA. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid

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Our experts

This MSc will help you develop unique insights into the minds of consumers – successful organisations are built on such insights.”Chris Storey
Professor of Marketing
Course Convener of the Marketing and Consumer Psychology MSc

Marketing faculty

Dr Achilleas Boukis

Lecturer In Marketing

Research interests

Consumer branding, Innovation Management, internal branding, Service Encounter, Services Marketing

View Achilleas Boukis's profile

Dr Marv Khammash

Lecturer in Marketing

Research interests

bioethics, consumer activism, Consumer behaviour, Consumer Ethics, Consumer health, Consumer studies, digital identities, Digital Marketing, digital media, ethical consumption, Forecast Models, forecasting, ICT and Digital Technologies, Internet of things, Marketing, Marketing Research, Mobile Apps, online identity, Peer to Peer Computing, Pharmaceutical marketing, Piracy, Psychosocial methods, Social networking, technology foresight

View Marv Khammash's profile

Dr Ruxandra Luca

Lecturer in Marketing

Research interests

Advertising, Attention, Behavioural Nudging, Cognitive Psychology, Consumer behaviour, Decision making, Heathy Eating, Marketing, Neuromarketing, Neuroscience, Psychology

View Ruxandra Luca's profile

Dr Ngoc Luu

Lecturer in Marketing

Research interests

Buyer-Seller Relationships, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Marketing Research

View Ngoc Luu's profile

Dr Maria Restuccia

Lecturer In Marketing

Research interests

Marketing, Marketing Research, New Product Development, Policy, Arts Management & Creative Industries

View Maria Restuccia's profile

Prof Chris Storey

Professor of Marketing

Research interests

Buyer-Seller Relationships, innovation, Marketing, New Product Development, Services Marketing

View Chris Storey's profile
Psychology faculty

Dr Rod Bond

Senior Lecturer

Research interests

Psychology

View Rod Bond's profile

Prof Zoltan Dienes

Professor in Experimental Psychology

Research interests

Bayesian Methods, Consciousness, Experimental psychology, Psychology

View Zoltan Dienes's profile

Prof Helga Dittmar

Professor of Social and Applied Psychology

Research interests

Psychology

View Helga Dittmar's profile

Dr John Drury

Reader in Social Psychology

Research interests

Collective action, Crowding and personal space, Crowds, Disasters, Empowerment, Mass emergencies, Protest, Social identities, Social movements, Social psychology

View John Drury's profile

Prof Alan Garnham

Professor of Experimental Psychology

Research interests

Experimental psychology, Psycholinguistics, Psychology

View Alan Garnham's profile

Prof Pete Harris

Professor of Psychology

Research interests

Motivation, Obesity, Public health, Vaccination

View Pete Harris's profile

Dr Megan Hurst

Lecturer in Social Psychology

Research interests

body image, exercise psychology, Motivation, wellbeing

View Megan Hurst's profile

Dr Donna Jessop

Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology

Research interests

Psychology

View Donna Jessop's profile

Dr Paul Sparks

Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology & Health

Research interests

Environmental Psychology, Health, Identity, Social Influence processes, Social psychology

View Paul Sparks's profile

Course enquiries

+44 (0)1273 872668
bmec@sussex.ac.uk

Find out about the School of Business, Management and Economics

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Fees and scholarships

How much does it cost?

Fees

UK/EU students:: £10,600 per year
Channel Islands and Isle of Man students:: £10,600 per year
International students:: £17,900 per year

Note that your fees may be subject to an increase on an annual basis.

Living costs

Find out typical living costs for studying at Sussex

How can I fund my course?

Postgraduate Masters loans

You can borrow up to £10,280 to help with fees and living costs if your course starts on or after 1 August 2017. Loans are available from the Student Loans Company if you’re from the UK or if you’re an EU national studying for a Masters.

Find out more about Postgraduate Masters Loans

Scholarships

Our aim is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to despite financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique individuals.

Asian University for Women Scholarship

This scholarship is available to two students currently studying at the AUW in Bangladesh and progressing on to an eligible Masters course at Sussex.

Find out more

Chancellor’s International Scholarship

There are 25 scholarships available to international postgraduate students, applying to Sussex, who can demonstrate academic excellence

Find out more

Chancellor’s Masters Scholarship

Open to students with a first class UK bachelors degree or excellent grades from an EU university, applying to an eligible Masters degree

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Chevening Scholarship

Chevening is the UK government’s international awards scheme aimed at developing global leaders. Funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)

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Said Foundation Scholarships

Two scholarships available for Masters students from Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria.

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Sports Scholarships Scheme (Postgraduate)

These scholarships are available to Masters students who have demonstrated sporting excellence prior to joining the University of Sussex

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Sussex Graduate Scholarship

Open to Sussex students who graduate in 2018 with a 1st or 2.1 degree and are offered a full-time place on a Sussex Masters course in 2018

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Sussex India Scholarship

This scholarship is for Masters students from India.

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Sussex Malaysia Scholarship

This scholarship is for Masters students from Malaysia

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Sussex Nigeria Scholarship

This scholarship is for Masters students from Nigeria.

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Sussex Pakistan Scholarship

This scholarship is for Masters applicants from Pakistan.

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Sussex Vietnam Scholarship

This scholarship is for Masters students from Vietnam.

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How Masters scholarships make studying more affordable

Working while you study

Our Careers and Employability Centre can help you find part-time work while you study. Find out more about career development and part-time work

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Careers

This course is for you if you aim to work in:

digital marketing
international marketing
marketing research, consultancy and public relations
new business development
research or doctoral study
sales management.

You could also go on to psychology-based roles in advertising, branding, and management, where understanding people as consumers is essential.

Graduate destinations

95% of students from the Department of Business and Management were in work or further study six months after graduating. Our graduates have gone on to jobs including:

marketing manager, Constant Casting
designer, Parallel World Technology Company
media executive, Carat Media Services.

(EPI, Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey 2015 for postgraduates)

Advanced Research Methods in Psychology

15 credits
All Year Teaching, Year 1 credits

In this module you will learn about various advanced research methods and statistical techniques in psychology, by exploring their theoretical basis and their practical application. The module is typically taught as a set of 2-day workshops in which particular methods are considered in detail. You are expected to study three methods (ie attend three workshops) from the selection that is offered. The options available to you are likely to include the following:

Discourse Analysis for Psychology
Experiment Generators: Use of Eprime
Eye Tracking
Item Response Theory
Longitudinal Data Analysis
Measurement of Affective Processing Styles (MATLAB)
Meta-analysis; Multilevel Modelling
Service User Involvement in Clinical Research
Structural Equation Modelling
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Voice Analysis and Re-Synthesis
Latent Variable Analysis
Introduction to R
Randomised Control Trials.

Empirical Project in Marketing and Consumer Psychology

45 credits
Spring & Summer Teaching, Year 1 credits

In this module, you undertake an independent research project.

You will be involved in the design and execution of a substantial piece of empirical research on a topic that is relevant to your course.

You need to critically survey and identify relevant theories and models and then to employ them to make recommendations for problem solutions.

The dissertation will consist of a research report detailing the project that has been carried out.

Two briefing and preparation sessions will take place towards the end of the second term.

Applications of Social Psychology

15 credits
Autumn Semester, Year 1 credits

The core objective of the module is to introduce you to contemporary theorising in social psychology that has the potential to address some of today's most pressing social issues.

The module will consist of two parts:

Group and Intergroup Processes in Society
Changing Behaviour in Society.

In the first part, you will learn about some key theoretical developments in group and intergroup processes and consider the practical implications for contemporary social issues, such as immigration, intergroup conflict, and social change.

In the second part, you explore the topic of how behaviour can change and is changing the focus, with a number of issues in health psychology being considered, such as using (and abusing) alcohol, sexual relationships, and social media.

Buyer Behaviour

15 credits
Autumn Semester, Year 1 credits

This module is intended to develop your understanding of theories and concepts drawn from research in marketing psychology and how these shed light on consumers' motivations and behaviours. You will address the individual, situational, environmental, inter-personal and cultural (sub-cultural) factors that shape consumer behaviour. You will also examine buyer decision-making stages (processes) and the extent to which the afore-mentioned factors influence buyer decision-making and behaviours. Through a focus on contemporary issues in buyer behaviour, and the challenges these may pose marketing managers, the course enables you to apply conceptual and theoretical ideas in marketing psychology to develop marketing strategies aimed at building and maintaining strong customer franchise. The module will emphasise understanding of the array of inter- and intra-influences on consumers and to encourage you to reflect and critically evaluate your own behaviours as a consumer. In addition, the influences will be presented in both a cross-national and multi-cultural national context, in order to encourage you to consider, interpret and demonstrate practical applications of course taught theories within broader or more diverse (national and cultural) settings.

Contemporary Applications in Consumer Psychology: Neuromarketing and Beyond

15 credits
Spring Semester, Year 1 credits

You focus on the psychology of consumers with respect to learning, memory, emotion, and biases.

You learn how new methods in neuromarketing help shed some light into the inner workings of the brain.

Techniques such as EEG, fMRI, eye tracking, and biometric measures will be discussed in the context of academic experimental design and industry applications.

Ethics, Philosophy and Methods of Research

15 credits
Autumn Semester, Year 1 credits

This module will consider the conceptual foundations of psychological research and is divided into three key elements.

Ethics and research governance – during this part of the module you will learn about the ethical principles and guidelines relating to research in psychology, in particular the BPS code of conduct and how it applies to research studies, and the UK frameworks for research governance. The ethical issues involved in using animals to study psychology will also be addressed.

Philosophy of Science – you explore different approaches to what it means for psychology to be scientific and why it matters. Half of the material considers classic philosophy of science as represented in the views of Popper, Kuhn and Lakatos and how they apply to psychology. The remaining material considers the foundations of statistical inference, comparing the conceptual basis of orthodox (Neyman Pearson) statistics with that of Bayesian statistics. The aim is to clear up popular misconceptions in interpreting statistics, not to teach any particular statistical technique.

Qualitative methods – are becoming increasingly important in psychology and related disciplines (eg, biology, medicine, sociology). Nevertheless, heated debates continue to rage about their essential qualities (if any) and 'quality' (if any). In this part of the module we will examine all aspects of qualitative research, from (claimed) philosophical underpinnings, through method selection, project planning, ethical considerations, data collection, data analysis, and the production, assessment, and presentation of results, though to the scientific, practical, ethical, and theoretical benefits of the end product(s). Particular attention will be given to the prospects of developing qualitative methods that are truly complementary to quantitative ones.

Marketing Analytics and Metrics

15 credits
Spring Semester, Year 1 credits

Learn how to analyse marketing data, looking at both qualitative and quantitative data.

You explore how measuring success and monitoring analytics can improve the quality of marketing decisions. You learn to take a more evidence-based approach in marketing decisions, rather than relying on the preferences of decision-makers.

You explore:

the fundamental analytical methods for answering marketing research questions
how to develop research questions, analyse data and draw inferences, with a view to making better marketing decisions
key descriptive and analytical methods, looking at a range of tools to analyse data within the context of marketing-related questions.

Social Psychology of Consumer Behaviour

15 credits
Spring Semester, Year 1 credits

Consumer culture has become such a pervasive aspect of everyday life that it has profound social psychological effects. This module investigates social psychological processes underlying specific behaviours and outcomes, focusing particularly on consumers' identity and self-concept. It examines how consumers relate to their favourite material possessions, what motivates them to buy consumer goods, as well as predictors of excessive buying and the effectiveness of advertising. It also examines the influence of selected mass consumer aspects on individuals' stereotypes and well-being, including materialistic values, and the impact of advertising on stereotyping and body image.

Applied Social Psychology Research Internship

15 credits
Spring Semester, Year 1 credits

This module introduces you to the research process in a hands-on way, through working as a research assistant with a member of faculty in the field of applied social psychology. The nature of the work will depend on the research activities of the particular member of faculty you are supervised by, and it may involve working on a single project, or being involved in diverse activities linked to different projects. The research internship work could involve literature searches, running pilot studies for experimental or survey studies, creating stimulus materials (verbal or visual), collecting data, or entering data and data analysis.

Cognitive Psychology (Masters)

15 credits
Autumn Semester, Year 1 credits

This module comprises 24 one-hour lectures, two two-hour practicals and two one-hour seminars (which are linked to the practicals).

The practicals and the seminars are taught by members of faculty. The lectures provide a broad coverage of Cognitive Psychology topics, from basic perception to thinking. Lectures include material on individual differences where appropriate.

This module covers:

1. Sensory systems and visual perception

introduction to the sensory systems
physiology and psychophysics of perception
theories of perception
the visual system.

2. Sound & speech perception

sound production and perception
speech production and perception
categorical perception of speech sounds
evolution of speech & language.

3. Attention

attention - what in the devil is it?
listen up - the better to hear the world
eyes right - the better to see the world
select or else - the better to act upon the world.

4. Memory

short term and working memory
encoding in long term memory
forgetting and retrieval
implicit memory.

5. Language

word meaning and concepts
word reading and dyslexia (including material on individual differences)
text comprehension (also including material on individual differences)
language and thought.

6. Thinking

problem solving
expertise and creativity
hypothesis testing and everyday reasoning
rationality and irrationality

Practical 1: Categorical Perception of speech sounds.

Practical 2: Dot-probe task.

Digital Marketing

15 credits
Spring Semester, Year 1 credits

This cutting-edge marketing module discusses how digital media technology has changed marketing and gives detailed strategies on how to embrace the online environment challenges.

The main aim of this module is to provide you with a critical understanding of the key concepts, fundamentals and challenges of E-Marketing. We will explore the impact of the web on the traditional marketing mix of goods and services and examine the key ingredients of the online Micro and Macro environment. Moreover, E-marketing analyses online consumers’ behaviour and their response to social media strategies and new technologies used by companies.

The impact of electronic technologies on marketing strategy, market segmentation, positioning, and communication strategies is also addressed. An emphasis is also placed on the utilisation of customer relationship marketing approaches within a dynamic online environment. Finally, online marketing strategy formulation and implementation within a changing technology environment is thoroughly described.

By the end of the module, students are expected to develop and demonstrate knowledge and skills in the following areas:

the theoretical and practical importance of the E-marketing mix and its impact on marketing strategy
the online consumer behaviour and online decision-making process
various online marketing strategies for social media
strategic analysis of the online environment
online performance measurement.

Global Marketing Management

15 credits
Autumn Semester, Year 1 credits

In this module, you learn about the the impact of marketing and how it contributes to organisational performance in today's globally competitive markets.

You focus on the theories, concepts, models, techniques and best practice for developing and implementing marketing in a globalised environment.

You look at:

opportunities and threats emerging from a diverse demographic
competitive and cultural environments
the implementation of marketing decision-making tasks at three levels. This includes, the macro level where country selection decisions are made, national level where market entry decisions are made, and market level where marketing mix decisions are made.

Managing Customer Experiences and Customer Relationships

15 credits
Spring Semester, Year 1 credits

In this module, you learn how firms create memorable customer experiences or events to attract a consumer, and drive sales for their product or service.

You study:

management of consumer experiences
customer behaviour in service settings
internal marketing and the role of employees
the management of customer relationships.

You also examine the importance of service quality, complaint handling and service recovery.

Structural Equation Modelling

15 credits
Spring Semester, Year 1 credits

Structural equation modelling (SEM) is a general method of data analysis that brings together path analysis and factor analysis. In path analysis, the aim is to specify and test models of causal relationships among variables, and to estimate direct and indirect effects. SEM extends traditional path analysis by estimating models simultaneously and by providing overall measures of model fit. In factor analysis, the goal is to identify unobserved, latent variables that account for the relationships between observed variables. Traditionally, this has been data driven - that is, the factors emerge from the analysis - and known as exploratory factor analysis. In SEM, the emphasis is on confirmatory factor analysis where you propose a factor model and test to see whether it fits the data. Finally, SEM allows you to combine path analysis and confirmatory factor analysis by testing models of causal relationships among hypothesised factors.

The module will provide a thorough introduction to SEM, and will also deal with some important, related issues. These include mediation analysis, and moderation, and methods for handling missing data. The emphasis will be on analyzing continuous variables with approximately normal distributions, but we will also cover how to handle nonnormal data. Most of the analyses will be carried out with a SEM software package and a further aim of the module is to enable you to use this program.

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