Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2023-2024 (archived)

Module BUSI3201: SOCIAL MARKETING

Department: Management and Marketing

BUSI3201: SOCIAL MARKETING

Type Tied Level 3 Credits 20 Availability Available in 2023/24 Module Cap Location Durham
Tied to N201
Tied to N203
Tied to N207
Tied to N509
Tied to N510
Tied to N511

Prerequisites

  • Integrated Marketing Communications (BUSI2201) OR Behavioural Science for Marketers (BUSI2211) OR Brand Strategies, Identity, Culture and Society (BUSI2171)

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None.

Aims

  • The module aims to enable students to consider the scope of commercial marketing techniques for social change campaigns and specifically it aims to:
  • Determine what is the nature of exchange in social marketing.
  • Examine various marketing theories and how these can be applied to social marketing.
  • Identify how well current models derived from the private sector address the salient issues of social marketing.
  • Consider how social marketing might be used to promote behaviours that bring social benefits.
  • Determine to what extent social causes can be more successfully advanced through applying the principles of marketing analysis, planning and controls to problems of social change.

Content

  • History and development of social marketing.
  • Definition and domain of social marketing.
  • Ethics in social marketing.
  • Analysing the social marketing environment.
  • Upstream social marketing.
  • Social marketing and behaviour modification.
  • The social marketing mix.
  • Social marketing communications.
  • Implementation and monitoring of social marketing campaigns.
  • Application of marketing to social behaviours (environmental marketing, tobacco regulation, smoking cessation programmes, campaigns designed to promote moderation in alcohol consumption and the use of fear appeals, use of marketing to promote other social behaviours, such as donation behaviour, piracy, etc).

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • Demonstrate a detailed understanding of how social marketing theory has evolved, differences between social marketing theories, and limitations affecting these theories.
  • Demonstrate a detailed understanding of marketing's role in contemporary social debates.
  • Understand the process of adapting commercial marketing tools and techniques into social marketing environments.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • Discuss and criticise the arguments about the moral responsibilities of contemporary organisations for managing social and environmental impacts.
  • Explore the composition of social marketing campaigns; examine how these campaigns operate for individual, community and general public benefit without directly benefiting the organisation.
  • Apply skills in critical analysis that enables them to evaluate social marketing theory and practice.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which insights from social marketing may contribute to social policy.
Key Skills:
  • Time management.
  • Interpersonal and teamworking skills.
  • Oral presentation skills.
  • Critical thinking and analysis.
  • Ability to communicate effectively in writing on specialised subject areas.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • The module will be taught in a combination of a weekly (2 hour) TEAL workshop and 1 hour per week of asynchronous online learning activities. Asynchronous online learning activities will cover the core concepts which students can work through at their own pace. TEAL workshops will comprise a balanced mix of group work, case studies and discussions. This flipped classroom approach encourages greater levels of interaction and collaboration, thus facilitating a deeper understanding of the module content and enabling the learning outcomes to be met.
  • Summative assessment is by means of one written individual report and one group presentation.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
TEAL Workshops 10 Weekly 2 hours 20
Asynchronous Online Learning Activities 10 Weekly 1 hour 10
Preparation, fieldwork and Reading 170
Total 200

Summative Assessment

Component: Individual Assignment Component Weighting: 90%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Report 3000 words max 100% Same
Component: Group Assignment Component Weighting: 10%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Group presentation 20 minutes presentation 100% Individual assignment

Formative Assessment:

Workshop exercises to prepare students for the summative components. The exercises tackle each element of the Social Marketing plan, and allow students to understand the theoretical concepts and apply them to realistic scenarios.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University