Overview
This Level 3 qualification is designed for aspiring marketers, career changers, and those new to a marketing role. Whether you're taking your first step into the profession or building your foundational knowledge, it offers an accessible entry point and a recognised pathway into the marketing industry.
You’ll gain an understanding of how marketing supports organisations, explore customer behaviour, and learn how businesses use content, channels, research, and insight to make informed marketing decisions.
If you’re curious about marketing and ready to take your first step, this qualification is for you. You don’t need any previous marketing knowledge.
It’s ideal if you’re:
• Exploring a future career in marketing
• Looking to move into a marketing role from another field
• Just starting out and want to build practical skills and confidence
• Ready to turn your interest in marketing into career
No prior experience, qualifications, or prior marketing knowledge required to enrol.
If English is not your first language, CIM requires evidence of English proficiency, such as:
- IELTS Academic score of 6.5 overall (with no component below 6.0), or
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English, Grade B or above, or an equivalent qualification.
The total cost of your qualification is made up of:
- Tuition fees charged by your chosen Accredited Study Centre*
- CIM membership, which is required to book assessments and access student resources. CIM membership, which starts from £70 per year
- CIM assessment fees**
*Tuition fees vary between study centres, so we recommend comparing providers before enrolling.
**Total assessment fees of £250 at the Global Standard and Developing Markets rate, or £220 at the Emerging Markets rate, based on passing both modules at the first attempt. Resits incur additional fees.
What you'll learn
You’ll develop practical knowledge across the core areas of marketing, from understanding customers and the marketing environment to using content, channels and insight effectively. Our qualifications are flexible and what you will learn is dependent on your choice of modules. It could include:
- The purpose and principles of marketing
- Customer needs, behaviour and buying decisions
- The marketing environment and marketing mix
- Online and offline marketing channels
- Understanding content for different audiences and objectives
- Marketing research, customer insight and data
- Customer journeys and relationship building
Available modules
|
Module |
What you'll learn | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mandatory |
Marketing essentials |
Understand the role of marketing, customer behaviour, the marketing environment and how the marketing mix is applied and measured. |  |
|
Specialist |
Content and channels |
Learn how to select appropriate online and offline channels, create effective marketing content and align both with audiences and campaign objectives. | |
|
Specialist |
Marketing insights |
Explore marketing research, customer insight and consumer behaviour, and learn how to use data and marketing audits to support decisions. | |
This qualification is worth 24 credits. Use the qualification planner to understand course structure and plan your qualification. For full details of every module, download the syllabus PDF.
Ready to enrol?
Here are your next steps:
1. Choose a study centre
Compare Accredited Study Centres to find one that suits your learning style, pace, support and budget.
2. Join CIM as a member
Giving you access to valuable learning resources to support your studies and recognition to stand out in the profession.
3. Book your assessments
As a CIM member you can book assessments through the MyCIM portal.
FAQs
We’ve mapped degree and apprenticeship qualifications against CIM learning outcomes to provide exemptions across our Level 3, 4 and 6 qualifications. If you’re eligible for an exemption, you’ll fast-track your qualification and reduce both time and money spent on your studies.
An Accredited Study Centre is a tuition provider that has been formally approved to deliver our qualifications. Accreditation recognises a centre's commitment to high-quality teaching, learner support and professional standards, giving students confidence that they are learning with a trusted and recognised provider.
Study Centre finder
CIM membership is required because it forms part of your qualification experience. It gives you access to valuable learning resources, professional insights, networking opportunities and ongoing support, while connecting you to the global marketing community and helping you develop throughout your career. Membership is also required to book and complete CIM assessments.
Explore membership
