Digital Marketing

Program Overview

---

The Digital Marketing BA (Hons) / FdA at University College Birmingham equips students with the knowledge and skills to thrive in the modern digital marketing landscape. Through real-world consultancy projects, an optional paid work placement, and industry-approved accreditation, graduates gain a distinct advantage in securing employment. The program emphasizes the development of innovative, entrepreneurial, and creative skills, preparing students for a variety of careers in the field.

Program Outline

---

Digital Marketing BA (Hons) / FdA at University College Birmingham

---

Degree Overview:

---

The program emphasizes the

development of innovative, entrepreneurial, and creative skills through real-world consultancy projects and an optional 48-week paid work placement

---

Key program objectives:

• Developing students' awareness of current practices and issues in digital marketing.
• Providing insights into the complex and dynamic nature of digital marketing through creative concept development, digital campaigns, critical analysis, and digital effectiveness measurement.
• Equipping students with expertise in specific areas through a range of optional modules.
• Enabling students to obtain industry recognition through accreditation by the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI).
• Offering access to state-of-the-art facilities such as the Digital Creative Studio, where students gain hands-on experience in video production, livestreaming, podcasting, and other digital media creation.

---

Program highlights:

• Optional 48-week paid work placement to gain invaluable real-world experience before graduation.
• Practical application through consultancy projects, research and development of new digital concepts, and access to the Digital Creative Studio.
• Industry-approved with DMI accreditation, providing additional recognition.
• Networking opportunities with digital marketing agencies and professionals, guest lecturers, and industry visits.

---

Outline:

---

Year 1 modules (common to both BA (Hons) and FdA):

• Fundamentals of Content Production: Learn foundational principles of content production, develop visual communication skills, and gain practical experience using Adobe Creative Cloud applications.
• The People Perspective: Enhance your leadership and management skills, and learn to meet challenges in today's agile business environments.
• Essentials of Marketing: Learn decision-making processes in marketing, market segmentation, marketing tactics, and customer orientation.
• Understanding Audience: Develop knowledge of communication theory, audience effects, integrated marketing communications (IMC), and brand message development across multiple channels.
• Social Media Management: Develop practical application of social media tools and platforms, understand the issues surrounding their development, and manage your own social media account for promotional purposes.

---

Year 2 modules (BA (Hons) only):

• SEO and Digital Advertising: Master search engine optimization (SEO) and digital advertising techniques, including PPC, SEM, and social media advertising.
• UX Design: Enhance your knowledge of user experience and interface design, including understanding design limitations and accessibility standards.
• Digital Content and Copywriting: Create powerful digital content and copy for various online platforms.
• Campaign Planning: Explore campaign planning from a marketing manager's perspective.
Develop a clear understanding of digital marketing plans, available tools, and coordination strategies for successful ROI.
• Marketing Intelligence: Explore the nature of marketing research, its role in competitive environments, industry suppliers, and data analysis techniques.
• Plus one optional module from:
• Advertising Psychology
• E-Commerce and Customer Experience Design
• Interactive Media
• Sales Management

---

Optional Work Placement (BA (Hons) only):

• Participate in a 48-week paid work placement to gain firsthand industry experience.
• Develop essential skills with support from UCB's Graduate Advantage program.

---

Year 3 modules (BA (Hons) only):

• Strategic Marketing Management: Critically assess the role of strategic marketing in modern organizations.
Explore digital marketing strategies across business sectors while understanding the technologies involved, relationships with wider organizations, and key issues in development and implementation.
• Marketing Analytics: Develop data analysis skills, learn to identify meaningful patterns in datasets, gain insight into analytical tools and techniques for evidence-based decision-making.
• Managing Online Communities: Understand motivation and behavior of consumers in online community management.
Explore community building, fostering engagement, managing crisis situations, and merging online and offline activity.
• Final Major Project or Research Project:

---

Additional optional modules (BA (Hons) only):

• Advertising and Media Management
• Brand Management
• International Marketing

---

Examples of coursework assignments:

• Individual and group projects
• Presentations
• Essays
• Case studies
• Portfolios
• Practical assessment: A significant portion of assessments involve practical components, representing 24% to 100% of module assessment.

---

Examples of practical assessments:

• Creative content development
• Campaign planning and implementation
• Use of digital marketing tools
• Case study analysis and reporting

---

Teaching:

---

Teaching methods:

• Large group teaching: Up to 6 hours per week, covering core concepts and introducing key topics.
• Smaller group teaching: Up to 6 hours per week, providing focused discussions, hands-on exercises, and practical application of newly acquired knowledge.
• Tutorials: Up to 2 hours per week, offering personalized support, addressing individual needs, and reinforcing learning through personalized feedback.
• Graduate Advantage sessions: 1 hour per week dedicated to developing essential skills such as interview techniques, resume writing, networking, and building professional confidence.
• Subject-related workshops: Provide additional hands-on experience in specific areas of digital marketing, such as video production, marketing research, and data analysis.
• Field trips and industry visits: Enhance learning by providing exposure to real-world industry settings and networking opportunities with professionals.

---

Careers:

---

Examples of potential career opportunities:

• Digital marketer
• Analytics manager
• Social media manager
• Advertising account executive
• Pay-per-click (PPC) specialist
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialist
• Content marketing specialist
• E-commerce manager
• Brand manager

---

Career resources and support:

• University College Birmingham's HIRED, a dedicated careers service, supports students throughout their job search journey with:
• Individual career guidance
• Resume and cover letter workshops
• Interview preparation advice
• Job and internship hunting assistance
• Access to career fairs and networking events
• Alumni connections and mentorship opportunities

---

A half-year tuition fee is £4,625. There will be no change to this tuition fee for the forthcoming two academic years (2023/24 and 2024/25).

---

International students

If you are an international student enrolling on a full-time foundation degree or a BA/BSc in 2023/24, your fee for this academic year will be £13,500 per year. The course fee for academic year 2024/2025 is £14,000 per year. If you complete a placement year, there will be an administration fee of £500 for a full year or £250 for a half-year placement.