'These skills are sought after in today’s world': why I chose BSc Marketing
Digital marketing manager Zaiba is confident a degree from the University of London will give her the skills to succeed in her chosen industry.
Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Zaiba works for an aesthetics clinic and spa, handling all aspects of digital marketing – from campaigns to social media and website content.
“I love the digital side of things, but I’m very business-minded as well. That's what I really enjoy: strategising, crunching the numbers and making sense of everything,” she says. Looking to the future, Zaiba is considering a career in fashion, and feels a marketing qualification will stand her in good stead.
She wanted a degree that would give her a multifaceted grounding in the field, and the University of London’s online BSc fit the bill. “It’s great because it’s not specialised – it kind of covers everything, and I can apply that to any industry, whether I go into fashion or something else.
We’re being taught skills that are sought after in today’s world. We live in a digital age and everything is about marketing a brand, so I think it will really benefit me in finding a good job.
When researching courses, Zaiba initially looked to overseas providers “because where I live, they don't offer the kind of course that I'm studying.” However, the University of London stood out from the other options available.
“The name of the university definitely caught my eye first, and the more I looked into it, the more put-together this programme looked compared to the others. I love how organised and structured everything is.
“All the information was so easily available before I signed up for anything. I also like that we can split our fee payments across modules – it's a lot easier than paying everything up front.”
The programme is developed by academics from Royal Holloway and is delivered on the online learning platform Coursera, which gives Zaiba the flexibility she needs to fit her studies around her job.
“I can do it at home; I can do it at 2 o'clock in the morning if I want to. My job is pretty flexible as well – I work from home, and I only go in for meetings or for shoots, so I’m able to move things around.
“If I'm getting burnt out, I can stop at any point and catch up later, which is so great – especially for my mental health,” Zaiba adds.
If I need to take some time out and relax for a couple of days, I can.
The platform also provides opportunities to connect with other students: “We have forums, and from there we’ve set up a WhatsApp group and a Slack channel as well. If someone is confused about the course content, or if they have questions about exams or deadlines, all of us will pitch in to help.
“I really appreciate that – we're in an online environment so you don't get face-to-face interaction, but we've still made that active effort.”
To students considering an online degree, Zaiba advises “Definitely do it, but don’t rush into it either. Really do your research to make sure it’s the right fit for you. I took my time and really looked into my options, and in the end, this was the one I was set on.”
Find out more about BSc Marketing at the University of London.
This page was last updated on 26 February 2024