SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING - 2023/4

Module code: MANM535

Module Overview

Social media marketing is an emerging and rapidly developing discipline with substantive changes periodically occurring in industry and academic research. While much of social media marketing is focused on the promotional mix, it also is used for customer care, research and more. The field has shifted from one focused on the influence of individual consumers in social channels to one including bots, AI, and influencers. This module provides students with both academic (theories and concepts) and practical grounding underlying strategic decisions for the use of social media for marketing and the implications of the emerging developments in the area. Discussions, study cases and examples will bring these theories to life.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

KARANGI Sheena (SBS)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Overall student workload

Independent Learning Hours: 84

Lecture Hours: 22

Seminar Hours: 11

Guided Learning: 11

Captured Content: 22

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content


  • The social media environment

  • Social consumers

  • Group influences in social media

  • Social media marketing strategy

  • Tactical planning and execution

  • Social community, publishing, entertainment and commerce

  • Social Media Analytics

  • Ethics in Social Media Marketing


Assessment pattern

Assessment type Unit of assessment Weighting
Oral exam or presentation Group project 40
Coursework Individual report 60

Alternative Assessment

Individual essay in lieu of Group Project.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment of the module will take place in two parts as detailed below. The summative assessment for this module consists of:


  • Group project - 40% (LOs 2, 4 and 5)

  • Individual Report - 60% (LOs 1 and 3)



Formative assessment and feedback

Seminars are designed to include activities relevant to the assessments, a detailed marking scheme is provided to students to explain the assessment criteria used and the weighting of each criterion. Criteria have been developed in line with the learning outcomes.

Summative feedback, explaining what students did well and less well, will be published on SurreyLearn once the marking process of the group assignment is completed

Generic feedback, including a statistical breakdown, will also be posted on SurreyLearn so that students can gauge their own performance in relation to the whole cohort¿s performance.

Module aims

  • Provide an in-depth knowledge of the fundamental terminology, concepts, models and theories underpinning social media marketing.
  • Enhance student critical analysis skills in marketing practice and propose relevant social media practices to adopt.
  • Equip students with technical and practical skills in areas such as writing for social media, planning content calendars, creating social media ads and ad campaigns and running analytics reports.

Learning outcomes

Attributes Developed
001 Critically analyze and use social media tools to assess a business practice CK
002 Effectively work as part of a team, demonstrating project management and communication skills, to work up a credible social media campaign PT
003 Demonstrate technical analytical competence in using social media tools for impactful data storytelling and cogent management decision making reporting KPT
004 Critically reflect on the ethical dimensions and value generated from social media marketing CKP
005 Assess the psychological factors that underpin digital consumer behaviors through the exploration of new and emerging themes. CKPT

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The module is delivered through an integrated series of weekly lectures, seminars and guided learning activities. Practical theory and concepts are disseminated in lectures and applied/enhanced with seminar activities in the form of case studies, practical activities and seminar leader-led interactive sessions to discuss the development of group and individual assignments. All Learning Outcomes are supported by lectures, seminars and associated reading.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MANM535

Other information

Employability : Digital marketing skills are in high demand across the world and the scope of what is/can be done in this space is constantly evolving. The programme is closely aligned with industry expectations of specific skills needed to work in any organization with a digital presence. Thus, overall graduate employability is wider as graduates are not limited to one industry but can apply their digital skills across various industries. Each student is supported to develop a unique set of individual, interpersonal and professional skills, which are relevant to their discipline and career/entrepreneurial ventures.

Sustainability: It can be said that the very nature of Digital Marketing as a discipline may contribute to dematerialization and consequently lowering carbon footprints. Overall, sustainability is factored into the content of the module.

Digital capabilities: Digital capabilities are at the heart of this programme. Students will develop capabilities social media planning and analytics.

Programmes this module appears in

Programme Semester Classification Qualifying conditions
Strategic Marketing MSc 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module
Digital Marketing MSc 2 Compulsory A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2023/4 academic year.