Marketing and Society (MKTG30007)

Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5Not available in 2025

You’re viewing the 2025 Handbook:
Or view archived Handbooks

Overview

FeesLook up fees

This subject examines the role of marketing in the wider society, beyond its relationship with consumers and shareholders. It looks at the benefits marketing provides, but it also looks at criticisms of marketing in terms of its negative influence on individual consumers and society as a whole. Some of these criticisms include deliberate behaviours, such as deceptive advertising and high-pressure sales techniques, while others are more systemic, such as the promotion of materialism and the destruction of the natural environment. Many of these criticisms constitute public issues (eg. consumerism, climate change), where individuals and consumer groups express their concerns through organised boycotts and political protest. This subject considers how marketers should respond to these criticisms and examines the government’s role in regulating the marketing and society relationship.

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:



  • Appreciate the variety of social, political and economic forces affecting marketing organisations at the global and local level.
  • Identify and analyse current public issues in the interplay between marketing and society, such as advertising to children, junk food, materialism and climate change.
  • Critically evaluate the debates around the ethical and social responsibilities of marketers;
  • identify the different ethical frameworks for engaging in those debates; and understand how marketers can respond to calls for ethical and social responsibility.
  • Apply the above learning to real world cases and situations.

Generic skills

Students are invited to develop the following generic skills through the activities designed into this subject (essay, group presentation, participation in tutorial discussions, note taking and participation in lectures); critical thinking about societal and ethical issues in marketing settings; oral and written communication; problem solving and collaborative learning; and synthesis of data and other information.

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

Note: the following subject/s can also be taken concurrently (at the same time)

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
MKTG10001 Principles of Marketing
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Recommended background knowledge

Please refer to Prerequisites and Corequisites.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

One written assignment (to be completed individually or in a team), not exceeding 2500 words

  • 2500 words
Week 920%

A tutorial group presentation

During the teaching period10%

A reflective journal

Throughout the teaching period10%

Tutorial participation

Throughout the teaching period10%

An examination

  • 2 hours
Hurdle requirement: To pass this subject students must pass the end of semester examination.		During the examination period50%

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Dates & times

Not available in 2025

Time commitment details

170 Hours

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Further information

Last updated: 20 March 2025