Course Outline

BUS105 Marketing Essentials

Course Coordinator:David Schmidtke (dschmidtke@usc.edu.au) School:School of Business and Creative Industries

2026Trimester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Marketing plays an important role in society. It is necessary for public and private sectors and profit and non-profit organisations. This course is designed for anyone curious about what marketing is and how it influences individuals, groups and communities. In this course, you will learn that marketing is much more than selling and advertising and involves a range of activities designed to create, communicate and facilitate the responsible exchange of value between stakeholders.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Asynchronous (pre-recorded) videos and associated online activities. 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Synchronous (live) face to face workshops. 2hrs Week 1 12 times
Online
Learning materials – Asynchronous (pre-recorded) videos and associated online activities. 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Synchronous (live) online workshops. 2hrs Week 1 12 times

Course Topics

  • Introduction to marketing, the marketing environment and marketing analytics
  • Sustainable marketing
  • Buyer behaviour
  • Segmentation, targeting, differentiating and positioning
  • 4Ps: Products, pricing, placement and promotions

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
1 Exhibit marketing acumen and radical creativity. Creative and critical thinker
PC1.2, PC3.1
2 Analyse and harmonise marketing theory and practice. Empowered
PC2.1, PC3
3 Cultivate marketing knowledge and skills to be career ready. Knowledgeable
PC6, PC6.2

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
PC1.2 Oral Communication
PC2.1 Teamwork
PC3 Creative and Critical Thinking
PC3.1 Problem Solving
PC6 Career-ready
PC6.2 Discipline Knowledge

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Advice and tips on how to approach the course and assessment will be provided during the early weeks of the semester. There will be dedicated workshops for each assessment task. Early feedback will also be provided via Assessment Task 1.  

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Artefact - Creative Individual 30%
5 minutes
Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Written Piece Individual or Group 30%
800 words
Week 8 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Written Piece Individual 40%
2,200 words
Week 12 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Product concept pitch
Goal:
You are to create a persuasive pitch for your own innovative, new product concept that addresses a gap that you have identified in the market.
Product: Artefact - Creative
Authorship Statement:
Format:
As an emerging business professional, it is vital that you can analyse the macroenvironment, identify a gap in the market, create an innovative, new product concept to address that gap and then persuasively pitch your product concept to potential investors. This digital presentation is an individual assessment task.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Analysis of the macroenvironment and identification of a gap in the market
1
2
Creation of an innovative, new product concept to address the identified gap
1
3
Persuasive digital presentation skills
1
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Applying technologies
All - Assessment Task 2:Emerging trend
Goal:
You are to identify and analyse an emerging trend and link it to marketing theory.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Marketing is dynamic with new trends constantly emerging. The ability to identify and analyse an emerging trend and connect the trend to marketing theory is important for all business professionals. This written piece may be completed as an individual or as a group assessment task.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Identification and analysis of an emerging trend using a range of credible information sources
2
2
Linking of the emerging trend to relevant marketing theory
2
3
Effective and engaging written communication skills
2
Generic Skills:
Collaboration, Problem solving, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Marketing portfolio
Goal:
You are to demonstrate and reflect on your marketing knowledge and skills to be career ready.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
As an emerging business professional, it is important that you cultivate your marketing knowledge and skills from the outset of your university studies. This written piece is an individual assessment task. In certain workshops, you will complete a range of activities related to Task 3 and hand them in.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Demonstration of marketing knowledge and skills
3
2
Reflection on marketing knowledge and skills
3
3
Effective written communication skills
3
4
Ability to demonstrate consistent progress and planning.
3
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Recommended Armstrong G, Denize S, Volkov M, Adam S, Kotler P, Ang S, Love A, Doherty S and Van Esch P 2021 Principles of Marketing 8th edn Pearson

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: