Masters in Marketing and Digital Transformation

Our Masters in Marketing & Digital Transformation programme runs full-time from early September until the end of June - entailing 60 ECTS credits. Classes take place from 9am to 5.30pm and are a dynamic mix of working on real-life business cases, class interaction, company visits and group exercises. 

Our active learning approach involves many assignments in small teams and thus requires mandatory attendance, 100% motivation, and the willingness to work hard.  

You might already be convinced by the power of digital. Now it’s time to build a comprehensive skillset – underpinned by theory and practical insights – so you can drive change in digital marketing and marketing management.

Get a full overview of all different courses here

At Vlerick, our unique approach blends action learning and personal development.  

Action learning

From theory to practice:

• Interactive classes 
• Pragmatic, multidisciplinary approach 
• Insightful business simulations 
• Real-life cases and challenges 

 Highlights of the programme include: 

• Digital marketing campaign: Collaborate with a real company to design, plan, implement, evaluate and report on a real-life digital marketing campaign from start to end. This project includes content marketing, video marketing and digital advertising on search engines and social media. You’ll draw on the analytical and strategic marketing knowledge you gain during the programme and get coaching from our expert faculty. 
• International digital marketing trip to Dublin: This one-week trip is an exciting combination of lectures, sightseeing and networking sessions – as well as visits to leading marketing companies like Google, LinkedIn and Microsoft. Embrace the opportunity to develop a concrete understanding of how marketing works in an international context.  
• Company Project: Over three months, you’ll apply everything you’ve learned to a real business challenge of your choice in a market research consultancy project or a global social project for an NGO. 

Personal development

Make the leap from student to professional with: 

• Continuous feedback and coaching 
• Targeted skill development 
• Comprehensive career services 
• Multiple networking opportunities 
• Personal development portfolio 

Highlights of the programme include: 

• My Vlerick Development Portfolio: Gain insight into your own strengths and weaknesses, be challenged to reflect and take actions to improve. 
• Management Skills: During three days you will focus on leadership development and the management skills you need for the digital age.
• Diversity and inclusion: Understand your own assumptions, biases and preconceived ideas about how the world works – or should work. Discover which behaviours are acceptable, open your mind – and begin to develop a broader world view. 
• Career Coaching: Stay aligned to the current global job market as you gain the skills, insights and instincts to make a difference and explore your true potential. 

See a full overview of all the courses here

• Broaden your digital skillset against a backdrop of cutting-edge business trends and insights and prepare for a successful career in marketing or sales.
• Witness the power of digital during visits to the European headquarters of major online marketing companies such as Meta and Google. 
• Sharpen your sales skills as an active member of the Vlerick Sales Club.
• Learn the ins and outs of digital marketing by developing, planning, running and mentoring a winning digital marketing campaign for a real company.
• Benefit from learning alongside a highly diverse community of students, faculty, alumni and corporate partners from around the globe.
• Put your knowledge and skills to the test throughout a challenging three-month marketing consultancy project for a company of your choice. 

Curious to find out what it means to study at Vlerick? Discover what it’s like to study in Belgium – and get practical information on how to organise your stay. 

Here’s a snapshot of our MDT alumni success in the job market:

Take a look at the career prospects for our Masters in Marketing & Digital Transformation graduates:

• International FMCG companies such as P&G, Unilever, Nestlé, Coca-Cola and AB Inbev
• Key areas in marketing, e.g. marketing strategy, digital advertising, branding strategy, sales, and strategic marketing planning
• A wide variety of roles, such as product and brand manager, digital advertising strategist, market analyst, key-account and customer relationship manager, sales manager, category manager

Take a look at where our Masters in Marketing & Digital Transformation graduates are working:

Define your career goals and how to match them with the jobs market with the help of: 

• Meetings with potential recruiters in Dublin, the digital marketing hotspot of Europe 
• Practical workshops 
• Career clubs and competitions 
• One-to-one coaching 
• Career and networking events 

Take a look at our full career services offer

Are you:

• A recent university graduate with limited or no work experience? 
• An aspiring digital expert with a passion for products, brands and/or data?  
• Inspired by the power of data to transform products, brands and even whole markets? 
• Keen to use your skills to make a genuine impact on the business world? 

Then you’re a perfect fit for a Masters in Marketing Management & Digital Transformation at Vlerick. Together with a diverse group of peers who share your passion for marketing, you’ll dive into both the creative and analytical side of this exciting, fast-moving function.

Our recent cohort for the Masters in Marketing & Digital Transformation looked like this: 

Educational background

Start date: 2 September 2024 
Duration: 10 months (from September until June) 
Location: Ghent  
Application deadline non-EU citizens: 30 April 2024

The tuition fee for this Masters programme is €19,800.

This includes:  

• Dublin trip (including accommodation, breakfast and the transport to company visits)   
• Company visits 
• Travel between different campuses for mandatory programme events 
• One year of access to the full Adobe Suite such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, InDesign, Acrobat, etc.
• One year of full online access to the Financial Times and The New York Times

The fee does not include the cost of travelling abroad (f.e. flight and airport transfer) for the Dublin trip, any visa costs or living expenses or the costs for any optional modules abroad you may choose as part of your programme. 

Financing your Masters 

Joining a Vlerick programme can be a significant financial investment. But there are many financing options available to help towards your tuition fees – and we’re here to help you explore what types of support you might be eligible for. We process applications for our Masters programmes on a rolling basis as of October, for the September intake. If you want to be considered for one of our full scholarships, make sure to submit your scholarship application together with your programme application before February.

Scholarships 

• Academic Merit Scholarship: Provide us with proof of your excellent academic track record and get a scholarship of up to 50%. To qualify for this scholarship:
  • You need study results equal to great or greatest distinction at Bachelors level for Belgian degrees or study results within top 20% of class at Bachelors level for non-Belgian degrees.
    
    OR
  • You need to have obtained outstanding GMAT/GMAT Focus (> 700/> 655) or GRE (> 164 quantitative and > 163 verbal) scores.
• Equal Opportunity Scholarship: We value social diversity and we encourage individual commitment. For this partial scholarship, of up to 50%, you need to either represent diversity (e.g., belong to a minority group or an underprivileged community) or actively promote diversity and inclusion, by engaging in long-term initiatives that have a clear social impact. We thank alumnus Jan Toye for sponsoring a full scholarship in this category. Applicants who fit the criteria will be automatically considered for this full scholarship.
• Financial Need Scholarship: This scholarship can be combined with other scholarships. To apply, you will need a realistic financial plan and proof of financial need (e.g. through previous scholarships or grants). The scholarship allocation and amount are decided on a case-by-case basis. We thank MGM1990 alumni, and MGM1992 alumni for each sponsoring a full scholarship and 3d Investors for sponsoring three full scholarships in this category. Applicants who fit the criteria will automatically be considered for this full scholarship.

If you're planning to apply for a scholarship, make sure you apply early and submit your scholarship applications alongside your application file. Please check the application form for full conditions.

Loans 

You may consider getting a loan to cover your programme fees. 

• Regular loans: A loan from your bank could cover your tuition fees – get in touch with them for more information.  
• Prodigy Finance loans: Our partner Prodigy Finance offer loans to international students at the world’s top business schools. These loans could cover your living expenses and 100% of your tuition fees, minus any scholarship you may be awarded. Learn more  

Paying in instalments   

You can choose to pay your tuition fees in three separate instalments in November, February and April.

If you want to pay by instalments, you need to sign a contract and pay an admin fee of €250.

There are four steps to start your Vlerick journey: 

1. Check your eligibility 

What you need: 

• Candidates studying in Belgium need a Masters degree from a recognised institution  
• Candidates from outside Belgium can apply with a Masters degree or a 3 to 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised institution (there may be additional requirements too)

Our Masters programmes are designed for young graduates, with an average age of 23 and little-to-no professional experience. If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact our admissions team. 

2. Submit your application 

We process applications on a rolling basis from October, for the following September intake. If you need a visa to study in Belgium, we expect your application by 30 April at the latest for the following September intake.

Complete your personal details and upload all necessary documents to our application tool. If you don’t need a visa to study in Belgium, you have until June to apply. However, we advise early application as we allocate places on a first come, first served basis. 

3. Take your admissions test 

There are three elements in your admissions test:  

1. Vlerick Online Test  – we accept our own in-house abstract reasoning test (and numerical reasoning if applicable), GMAT/GMAT Focus (minimum 600/minimum 565) or GRE (157 verbal and 158 quantitative). 
2. Motivational interview – Using a standard set of questions, we assess the match between you, Vlerick and our programme. This interview takes place online and lasts about 20 minutes.
3. Knowledge interview – Vlerick faculty will ask you about your interest and insights into the field of studies you are applying for. This interview also takes place online and lasts about 20 minutes.

Want to prepare for your admissions test? – discover our tips and tricks.   

4. Register for the programme 

We’ll let you know within a week of your interview whether you’ve been admitted. You can request feedback on your application, whatever the outcome. Once you’ve been admitted, you can go ahead and register.

Discover what it’s like to study in Belgium – as well as practical information on how to organise your stay.