From Fragmentation to Integration: Designing a Transversal Curriculum for Digital Marketing Education

In response to industry calls for better digital marketing education, this study develops and validates an integrated framework for digital marketing curriculum design. A multi-phase, mixed-methods design was employed across four European countries, including an exploratory analysis of existing courses, qualitative focus groups and interviews with stakeholders, and a culminating quantitative survey ( n = 334) of professionals. Data were analyzed using t tests and hierarchical cluster analysis to determine curricular priorities. The findings identified essential modules for an introductory course, empirically clustering them into a three-stage pathway: Foundation (traffic & data), Applied Content (engagement), and Optimization (conversion). For advanced study, specialization blocks were validated and grouped into coherent capability sets – performance & analytics, experience, and foundational – reflecting learner preference for integrated pathways. Competencies-set breadth was found to be independent of organization size. The study provides an empirically validated framework for a transversal digital marketing curriculum, supporting a structured model that progresses from foundational competencies to integrated, specialized pathways. This framework addresses current fragmentation in educational provision and enhances the development of transferable competencies applicable across diverse professional contexts.