Member StoriesKirk Durnford

Why did you choose to do a Masters in Digital Marketing?

I began my relationship with the Digital Marketing Institute with a 1 week boot camp. It provided a fountain of knowledge and I left amazed at how little I knew and how much there was to learn. The following year I enrolled in the post grad digital marketing course not expecting to progress any further.

I enjoyed my time completing the post grad and saw an opportunity to continue my qualifications while researching a topic entirely relevant to my career, by doing the Digital Marketing Masters. I completed my Masters thesis on the factors that influence online consumer decision making while at the same time developing an insurance quote and buy website.

Choosing the Digital Marketing Institute made sense throughout as the topics and discussions were timely and relevant allowing me to put learnings into practice the next day.

How did you find the course supports during your time in DMI?

The class network was helpful but without question the people supporting the course proved invaluable. This was my first Masters level course and I started with a degree of trepidation.

The support and guidance was fantastic and the structure in place helped a first time masters student manage a very time consuming challenge. The experience and knowledge of developing a thesis was evident in the team.

What where your favourite aspects of the course?

I enjoyed the process of developing the final thesis topic. This was an iterative process with a few panic moments but the evolution of the idea helped shape my research and overall thinking.

Since completing the course in how has your career progressed?

Each step I took with the Digital Marketing Institute increased my skills and my role grew with them. Digital was a new and expanding area within my organisation and increasing these skills allowed me to lead that expansion.

Since beginning the Masters in Digital Marketing course, I've gone on to develop 3 quote and buy websites, introduced new analytics and MI tools, won an Appy for best Insurance App and most recently released a new corporate website, www.rsagroup.ie, having responsibility for all aspects of design, content strategy, imagery and brand marketing approach. This wouldn't have been possible without the training from the Digital Marketing Institute.

Is there any advice you would give to new Masters students?

Don't underestimate the time commitment required and take advantage of the support offered.

In one word, how would you describe your time on the course?

Rewarding.