CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing

Achieve more with BPP

The CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing gives you a firm understanding of the principles of marketing. Focussing on the skills you'll need to implement tactical activities, it's ideal if you are:

• supporting the marketing process at an operational level
• a graduate looking to get your first job in marketing
• a manager of an SME without any formal marketing qualifications, needing to understand the core activities and how they work.

Flexible study dates

Our CIM courses are designed for busy professionals. Taught part-time to fit around your schedule, they combine distance learning and face-to-face classes one evening a week. You can complete all our CIM courses part-time in 12 months. For all the courses, there are four start dates a year in January, March, June and September.

How the course is taught

Our CIM tutors are experienced academics and marketing practitioners, with excellent track records of teaching the CIM syllabus. Using state-of-the-art teaching methods and industry software, they're dedicated to helping you pass your exams and gain valuable skills that you can take straight into the workplace. You'll be supported at every stage with one-to-one sessions, phone and email contact.

How you'll be assessed

Modules are assessed either by an assignment, a case study exam or an unseen three-hour exam. Assessments are held four times a year – usually in March, June, September and December – and you'll be fully prepared with mock exams and one-to-one coaching.

BPP extras

Our free careers workshops provide additional skills training beyond the syllabus, showing you how to use your CIM marketing qualification for your desired career. BPP also offers a unique Pass assurance scheme.

Courses tailored to your organisation

Your business can get even more out of our teaching with a tailored CIM course for groups of eight or more. BPP is the sole provider for some of the world's largest companies, with over 35 years of professional training experience in our CIM courses.

If you would like to book a CIM course for your business contact out Client Services Team.

Dates and prices

• Online Classroom £1,495 
• Part time £2,150

Structure

Our CIM Professional Certificate gives you a firm understanding of the principles of marketing, along with the practical skills to implement marketing activity at a tactical level. 

You’ll need to pass four modules. The full course can be completed in 12 months by studying one module per assessment period. We recommend studying in the following unit order:

Unit 1 - Marketing Essentials 

 On completion of this module you will be able to:

• Explain how marketing has evolved and the importance of market orientation in creating customer value 
• Assess the importance of marketing, its cross-functional role and the contribution it makes to the organisation and to society
• Identify and explain the stages in the marketing planning process 
• Assess the key elements of the internal and external marketing environment that impact upon the organisation, its objectives and its activities 
• Identify and describe the characteristics and applications of each element of the extended marketing mix (the 7Ps) 

Unit 2 - Assessing the Marketing Environment

On completion of this module you will be able to:

• Explain the nature and scope of the internal marketing environment, including the resource perspective
• Distinguish between the types of organisation within the public, private and voluntary sectors and understand the different influences, objectives and challenges they face
• Identify and explain the different characteristics of the micro-environment and recognise the sources of information required to gain a good understanding of its drivers and challenges, and distinguish it from the natural environment
• Assess the importance and potential impact on a market-orientated organisation of key trends in political, economic, social, technological and regulatory environments
• Consider the implications for organisations pursuing both economic and environmental sustainability as part of an agenda for CSR 

Unit 3 - Marketing Information and Research 

On completion of this module you will be able to:  

• Identify appropriate information and marketing research requirements for marketing decision-making 
• Evaluate the importance of customer databases and their contribution to providing detailed market information to support marketing decisions
• Review the processes involved in establishing an effective database
• Explain the nature and scope of the research industry and discuss the importance of working in line with the industry’s code of conduct 
• Explain the process for selecting a marketing research supplier in domestic and international markets, developing the criteria to support that selection 
• Explain the process for collecting marketing and customer information, utilising appropriate primary and secondary sources 
• Appraise the suitability of different qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to serve different research situations

Unit 4 - Marketing for Stakeholders 

 On completion of this module you will be able to:

• Assess the relative importance of organisational stakeholders to the marketing function
• Explain the importance of relationship marketing in the context of the organisation’s stakeholders in achieving their interest, involvement, commitment and loyalty
• Learn how the marketing mix can be effectively co-ordinated to support internal and external stakeholder relationships 
• Explain how to co-ordinate the communications mix to communicate effectively with the organisation’s stakeholders
• Evaluate key methods for measuring the success of the marketing mix

Ways to study

You can study at one of our UK centres, in your own time via our Online Classroom, or with our online and paper-based distance learning packages.

NEW - Online Classroom

A dynamic study experience that combines the flexibility of distance learning with the support of a traditional classroom. Available for all papers, it's ideal if you can't commit to fixed study sessions. You also get Free Pass Assurance. Learn more about BPP Online Classroom.

Flexible learning

Our Chartered Institute of Marketing courses are designed for busy professionals, so we offer flexible, part-time study that lets you balance work and home with gaining a world-class professional qualification.

You'll study each module with a mix of face-to-face learning (24 hours per module), workshops and online distance learning.

Face-to-face

You will attend taught classes from 6pm to 9pm one evening a week over a period of nine to 11 weeks leading up to your assessment. These classes focus on key syllabus topics, practical application and exam or assignment technique to get you fully ready for your assessments.

Online learning

Our distance learning course lets you study at a time, pace and place that suits your lifestyle. This option gives you added flexibility, but it still covers all aspects of the syllabus, so you don't miss out on core subject areas. Throughout your studies, expert support is also available from our experienced tutors.

In the modules requiring exams, you will have opportunities to practice and improve your exam technique. In addition, a mock exam allows you to practice your technique under exam conditions.

All exams are marked by your tutor who will provide you with feedback, ensuring you are able to provide the examiners with exactly what they are looking for in a good script.

Study duration and assessment

The entire course can be completed part-time in 12 months by studying one module per assessment period.

There are four assessment periods per year starting in January, March, June and September, with corresponding assessments in March, June, September and December.

Assessment workshops

Our experienced CIM tutors will give you time management tips and question techniques to help you excel in your assessments. Each workshop reinforces your understanding of key theories and scrutinises frequently-examined areas, using past exam questions and assignment models.

Assessment workshops include:

• One day of face-to-face tuition per module
• Intensive question and answers forums
• Exam or assignment technique practice

You'll also have mock exams to practice your technique under real exam conditions. Your tutor will give you detailed feedback so you know exactly what the examiners are looking for.

Self-study

Entry requirements

To enrol for this course you need to meet one or more of the Chartered Institute of Marketing's admissions criteria:

• A minimum of two 'A' Levels
• Any general Bachelors or Masters degree
• CIM Introductory Certificate in Marketing (Level Two or Three)
• An NVQ or SVQ Level Three (equivalent to NGF Level Three)
• An NVQ or SVQ Level Four in any other subject (UK – equivalent to NGF Level Four and above)
• International baccalaureate (equivalent to NQF Level Three and above) or a pass of the entry test onto Level Four

If English is not your first language, you'll also need to provide evidence of at least IELTS 6.5 or Trinity ISE III or Trinity ISE IV.

How to apply

• You can apply by completing the application form and sending via post or email to admissions@bpp.com
• Call 0845 077 5064 for more information or to book a personal tour.

Study locations

You can choose to study our CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing at one of two locations – in London and Manchester. Whichever you choose, you will be assured of access to the latest equipment, world-class support and a comfortable study environment.

• BPP London
• BPP Manchester