Master of Commerce (Extension) (Marketing)

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of New South Wales

Program Overview

The Master of Commerce (Extension) (Marketing) at UNSW Business School is a two-year postgraduate degree designed for students who want to develop advanced commerce knowledge while building deeper expertise in marketing and related business areas. Students develop capabilities in marketing, data analysis, responsible business, strategy and professional practice, with the flexibility to study one or two specialisations and broaden their expertise through electives.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish a strong foundation in business and professional practice through MGMT5050 Responsible Business Professionalism and a data-focused course such as COMM5000 Data Literacy for Business or COMM5501 Data Visualisation and Communication. They then progress into the Marketing specialisation, developing knowledge across areas such as marketing strategy, consumer behaviour, branding, communications and contemporary marketing practice.

Year 2: The second year provides greater depth and flexibility, allowing students to continue their Marketing specialisation while selecting additional electives or a second specialisation such as Marketing Analytics. Students can also undertake applied subjects such as COMM5010 Strategy, Marketing and Management, COMM5020 Global Business Practicum or MARK5830 Marketing Analytics Project, before completing the program's capstone course, bringing together their commerce and marketing knowledge in a practical business context.

Focus Areas: Marketing strategy, consumer behaviour, brand management, marketing communications, marketing analytics, data-driven decision-making, responsible business and strategic management.

Learning Outcomes: Graduates develop advanced business and marketing knowledge, data literacy and analytical capabilities, strategic thinking, professional communication skills and the ability to apply commerce knowledge to complex business challenges. The program also develops practical and industry-focused capabilities through applied projects, practicums and the capstone experience.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): The Marketing specialisation is designed around contemporary marketing practice and industry expectations. UNSW also provides professional-recognition pathways across relevant Master of Commerce specialisations; for example, the program identifies AHRI membership eligibility for Human Resource Management graduates and CIMA pathways for Accounting students.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): UNSW Business School is ranked #1 in Sydney for Business and Management and in the global top 30 for Accounting and Finance in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. UNSW has also been recognised as having the most employable students for seven consecutive years in the AFR Top 100 Future Leaders & Graduate Employers Awards (2020–2026), while UNSW is ranked #1 in Australia for career outcomes in the AFR Best Universities Ranking 2025.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Master of Commerce (Extension) – Marketing at UNSW Business School is strongly focused on applying marketing knowledge to real business situations. Students develop practical capabilities in areas such as consumer behaviour, marketing research, product innovation and communications, while the two-year structure gives them additional scope to undertake electives and gain work experience. The program specifically incorporates internships, industry projects and practical coursework, allowing students to build skills with tools and technologies used in professional workplaces.

Students can also strengthen their analytical and research skills through UNSW's extensive business databases, digital research resources and specialist library support. For students interested in research-led marketing, UNSW Business School provides access to the BizLab experimental research laboratory, while the UNSW Library offers specialist business resources and research consultations:

Industry projects: Students can apply their learning through industry projects incorporated into the Master of Commerce (Extension), helping them work with practical business problems rather than relying solely on theoretical study.
Internships: The program provides opportunities to gain real-world work experience through internships, allowing students to develop workplace skills and professional connections while studying.
Marketing research: The Marketing specialisation develops practical skills in marketing research, consumer behaviour, product innovation and communications, preparing students to analyse and respond to real customer and market challenges.
Marketing analytics: Students can choose Marketing Analytics as a specialisation, developing actionable analytical capabilities for marketing decision-making and using analytical tools to address contemporary marketing problems.
Practical coursework: The program combines coursework with hands-on application, with UNSW specifically highlighting practical coursework alongside internships and industry projects.
Data analysis and visualisation: The program includes a data analysis course, with the current study structure allowing students to develop skills in data analysis or data visualisation and communication.
Capstone experience: Students complete a capstone course in their specialisation, providing an opportunity to bring together their marketing and business knowledge in an applied context.
Digital and analytical tools: UNSW Business School provides access to professional data platforms including LSEG WorkSpace, with its Excel add-in, as well as Bloomberg terminals and other business databases. These resources can support market, company and data analysis.
Marketing research databases: Through UNSW Library, students can access specialist business information and research databases, with subject guides covering areas including Marketing, company and industry information, economics and management.
Research laboratory: The UNSW Business School Experimental Research Laboratory (BizLab) is a dedicated research facility with 48 fixed touchscreen workstations, a 20-person negotiation table, laptops, observation facilities, eye-tracking technology and virtual/augmented-reality research technology. It is primarily a research facility, making it particularly relevant to students interested in advanced consumer and behavioural research.
Library and research support: UNSW Library provides access to extensive scholarly resources, while postgraduate students can request individual or group research consultations to locate specialist databases and develop research strategies for assignments and projects.
Collaborative learning: The program's professional skills and ethics component and practical coursework support collaborative learning, while industry projects and capstone work provide opportunities to apply business knowledge in work-relevant contexts.
Industry-connected curriculum: The 15 specialisations in the program are co-designed with industry, ensuring that the knowledge and skills covered reflect how organisations operate in today's business environment.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Commerce (Extension) (Marketing) at UNSW is designed to build advanced marketing and commercial capabilities that can be applied across a wide range of industries. The Marketing specialisation develops practical knowledge in consumer behaviour, marketing research, product innovation and communications, helping graduates pursue roles that combine strategic thinking with customer and market insight.

Typical career opportunities include:

Marketing Analyst – analyse market and consumer information to support evidence-based marketing decisions.
Marketing or Brand Manager – develop and manage marketing and brand strategies.
Customer Experience Manager – use customer insights to improve experiences and engagement.
Product Manager – contribute to product development, positioning and market strategy.

UNSW provides several career advantages to help students turn their qualification into professional opportunities:

UNSW Employability: Students can access career coaching, internships, placements, industry projects, mentoring and professional development, with support designed to help students build their professional profile and secure graduate employment.
Job and internship opportunities: UNSWConnect provides professional, graduate and paid internship opportunities, while UNSW Prosple connects students with graduate employers in Australia and internationally.
Employment outcomes: UNSW is ranked #1 in Australia for employment outcomes in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and has been recognised as having the Most Employable students for seven consecutive years (2020–2026) by the Australian Financial Review Top100 Future Leaders Awards.
Salary information: UNSW does not publish a specific graduate salary figure for the Master of Commerce (Extension) (Marketing) on its official program page, so no unsupported salary estimate is included here.
Industry partnerships: The UNSW Business School's Career Accelerator connects students with industry through business challenges, workshops, panel discussions, mentoring and real-world experiences. Its global network includes organisations such as TotalEnergies (Vietnam), Cricket One, Emtek Group, Givvable and NetNada.
Work-integrated learning: UNSW works with partner organisations to provide placements and project-based learning, allowing students to apply classroom knowledge to genuine organisational projects. Business School Career Accelerator opportunities include consulting projects, internships, global programs and group projects.
Industry-aligned curriculum: The Marketing specialisation is designed around current professional practice, covering areas such as consumer behaviour, applied marketing research, product innovation and marketing communications.
Long-term accreditation value: UNSW Business School holds the prestigious AACSB and EQUIS international business-school accreditations, demonstrating its alignment with rigorous international standards for business education. The Business School states that AACSB accreditation was most recently renewed in July 2024.
Professional recognition: The current Master of Commerce (Extension) provides professional recognition pathways depending on specialisation. For the Marketing specialisation, students should distinguish this from historical UNSW Marketing arrangements; the current official program page does not list a specific Marketing professional-body accreditation.
Graduation outcomes: UNSW's strong employment positioning, industry engagement and career programs give graduates access to a substantial professional network and opportunities to continue developing their careers after graduation.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the Master of Commerce (Extension), students interested in advanced research can progress to postgraduate research in Marketing, including the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Commerce & Economics, which offers Marketing as a specialisation. The MPhil can provide a pathway toward deeper research and potentially further doctoral study, making it suitable for graduates interested in academic, research or specialist consulting careers.