Introduction to Social Marketing: Self-paced Online Course

The International Social Marketing Association (iSMA) has developed this short, high quality, low-cost, continuously available introduction course to Social Marketing that reflects iSMA’s endorsed concepts of Social Marketing and how they can be applied in a global context.

Social Marketing Key Concepts and Principles is a three module, self-paced online course that is continuously available all over the world and one that can be studied at times and at a pace that fits in with students needs and situation.

This short course which takes approximately five hours to complete is an ideal stepping off point into other more advanced and specialised courses offered by iSMA and its affiliated associations and academic partners.

The course is delivered as a set of three high quality pre-recorded presenter inputs via an e-learning platform. 

Students who satisfactorily complete all three self-assessments, read the six course booklets and participate in the live course sessions will be awarded a professional certificate of completion endorsed by iSMA, ESMA and other supporting associations.

Please note that this course is provided by an external provider - iSMA - and not the NSMC. However, the NSMC is one of the organisations who have developed the course and the NSMC's John Landels is a course tutor. 

This course can only be booked through iSMA's website. Click here to access the booking page. 

The course is built around three taught sessions covering:

  •  Why Citizen-centric policy and programme development is necessary, and how Social Marketing can enable and enhance its delivery.
  • What Social Marketing is, its core principle and six concepts as endorsed by iSMA and its affiliated associations.
  • An introduction to Social Marketing planning and evaluation.

Each session includes tasks to be completed to check understanding, with the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas with other course participants about how to apply theory in practice. Prior to, and after each session, students will be asked to complete designated pre-set free reading guides that will be sent to them in sequence.

As part of the course fee, students will also be given an electronic library of over twenty papers and guides to supplement the content covered in the three taught modules.

After the completion of each module, students will be asked to complete a multiple-choice review of learning questionnaire and receive automated feedback on their answers. Students will also have a chance to participate in regular live Q&A sessions with course presenters.

The content of this new course is focused on the application of Social Marketing in a broad range of fields including health, environment, social justice and social development reflecting UN SDG’s.

The course has been designed to appeal to an international audience and draws upon social marketing case studies from across the world. 

The course is delivered as a set of three high quality pre-recorded presenter inputs via an e-learning platform. 

Although the course is self-paced, we recommend that you aim to complete the course within six months of starting it. 

The cost of course varies between £50.00 and £250.00. The course rate is dependent on attendee’s residence of a low, lower middle or upper middle income country as designated by the World Bank.

This course can only be booked through iSMA's website. Click here to access the booking page.