Certificate in Digital Marketing - Part-time

Overview

Digital marketing is one of the fastest-growing career fields in Ireland. According to the Irish Times (April 2023), there were over 1,000 jobs available in digital marketing in Ireland. This is a growth of over 100% since 2013. Recent restructuring by the tech sector in Ireland has resulted in a wave of job losses in 2023 so far, as some of the biggest global players have announced plans to reduce their headcount and restructure their operations. However, Ireland still has a robust job market and digital skills are in demand, despite the job losses. Digital marketing was one of the top 15 most in-demand skills worldwide in 2021, according to a recent LinkedIn report. Digital marketing specialist positions were among the top 10 fastest-growing job titles, according to the same report. The ongoing roll-out of targeted upskilling and reskilling courses via Momentum and Springboard, including those relating to the ICT Action Plan reflects the need to help people learn new enterprise-relevant skills and to progress to sustainable employment.

In a recent report, The Digital Marketing Institute pointed to the transferable nature of the skill set required in marketing, as most businesses now need an online presence and an integrated marketing approach. In DMI’s recent whitepaper ‘Perpetual Evolution - the Interplay of talent and Technology in the future of Marketing’, they analysed the future skills required in the marketplace over the next five years. Based on a survey of more than 500 marketing executives around the world, Perpetual Evolution demonstrates that while marketers understand the line between 'traditional' and 'digital' marketing no longer exists, 74% believe that marketing organizations face a critical talent shortage due to a lack of digital skills that will be needed to meet ongoing customer demands. This talent gap includes digital experiences, marketing experiences as well as soft skills. The top hard and essential soft skills for marketers are technology, creativity, analytical thinking, marketing, and openness to change. However, the same report contends that companies also want solid and applicable marketing skills such as paid search, social media, analytics, website optimization and content marketing. The acceleration in online browsing and purchasing has shown that the skills in an organisation need to match audience behaviour and needs. It is these skills alongside the future skills named above that are difficult to find. This makes for fierce competition in companies of all sizes for skilled marketers with digital skills. The Certificate in Digital Marketing responds to a known and often articulated skills shortage that exists in this area.   The Irish Government and Industry recognise that there is an urgent requirement to ensure an adequate supply of ICT and related talent and skills from both the domestic and international markets to meet the needs.

Aims & Objectives

The objectives of the Certificate in Digital Marketing programme are:

• Develop knowledge of digital marketing tools and technologies in the context of the business, its products, services, customers and the wider market.

• Integrate traditional marketing principles into marketing activity in online and mobile environments.

• Apply practical skills to web design to ensure web/mobile platforms content management processes are optimised.

• Acquire a range of skills, through the use of authentic assessments, so that the learner can articulate digital strategy in an era of GAI tools.

On completion of this programme a learner will be able to:

• Identify the necessary technical and practical knowledge for the effective implementation of digital marketing.

• Demonstrate the ability to successfully create and manage digital marketing campaigns and e-commerce processes.

• Formulate insights into the way in which organisations create and execute strategic digital marketing decisions.

• Appraise consumer behaviour in a digital context.

• Assess the impact of artificial intelligence and other trends on the digital marketing environment.

• Function independently and think creatively to solve problems in a business environment.

Delivery

Classes will be delivered through a blended mode, that is, some classes are hosted on-campus in person, and others are live online.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirements for the Certificate in Digital Marketing Special Purpose Award, Level 7 are: 

• This programme is aimed at learners who have achieved a full Level 6 award (such as a Higher Certificate or full equivalent FETAC award) in any discipline and who wish to upskill and specialise in the field of digital marketing or to enter an industry which requires this skill set.

• Applicants who have at least 3 years’ experience working in a business environment, may also be considered through the college's normal RPL procedures.

Applicants must submit the following:

1. A completed application form.

2. Primary source verified degrees and transcripts.

Equivalence of overseas awards will be assessed via the NARIC Ireland Foreign Qualifications Database.

Further requirements are as follows:

• Copies of any other supporting material, such as results of exams, honours, awards, etc.

• Evidence of proficiency in the English Language, in cases where the language of instruction during previous studies was not English.

• If English is not the applicant’s first language, and s/he has not undertaken a previous higher education programme taught in English, and has no mechanism of demonstrating their level of English; he or she must sit, and obtain greater or equal to B2+ in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL), IELTS, or an equivalent test as approved by DBS. Test certificates should be dated within the last two years to be considered valid.