Hi
@Maya4955I studied marketing at university and now I work in the marketing department where I studied (it's come full circle
).
There are a lot of different routes as marketing is a really broad area that can take you anywhere across any industry as marketing is such an important element for pretty much any business.
In terms of if it's a necessity, it really depends on the role you want to go into and your awareness of marketing in general as you'll be surprised how much you already know as a consumer being exposed to marketing campaigns on a daily basis. You'll likely find that a lot of entry level roles are at agencies where you'll cover a specific marketing function such as social media, PPC, SEO etc where you'll work with a range of clients that you may not need to hold a qualification providing you have a basic understanding of the area you want to go into and you'll learn a lot on the job.
It's worth noting that these are typically entry level jobs and there might not be a lot of room for progression as I've personally found with agencies but you can certainly progress this way without a degree. Remember though that these entry level roles aren't limited to agencies though so see what you can find. A degree will definitely be helpful to start your career higher up as your qualification shows employers that you have a strong understanding of marketing theory and its applications to real world situations.
If you asked me, I would advise going down the degree route as it sets you up better for the long term and it's much more beneficial from a progression standpoint as you'll tend to find in a lot of industries and disciplines that a qualification is required for more senior roles.
I hope this insight helps but if you've got any more questions do let me know!
All the best,
Tom - Marketing and Content Assistant - Teesside University