BA (Hons) Marketing Communications

Program Overview

Through hands-on projects, placements, and guest lectures from industry experts, students develop the skills and knowledge to create persuasive campaigns and succeed in the marketing and communications industry. The program is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing and offers optional units to tailor the program to individual interests.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This program aims to equip students with a critical understanding of integrated marketing communications, enabling them to adapt to various roles within the industry. The program focuses on developing persuasive communications and campaigns that draw on marketing, advertising, digital media, and PR.

Objectives:

• Develop a critical understanding of integrated marketing communications.
• Create persuasive communications and campaigns.
• Gain knowledge and skills in marketing, advertising, digital media, and PR.

Outline:

Foundation Year (Optional):

• Academic & Professional Practice: Develops academic and professional skills required for degree-level study.
• Collaborative Communication Project: Focuses on communication as a process and project, promoting team-based project work.
• Media & Current Debates: Introduces the role of news media in democratic societies and the reporting of key events and debates.
• Media Work: Familiarizes students with various career paths in the communication and media industries and helps them develop their professional identity.

Year 1:

• Principles of Marketing & Marketing Communications: Introduces the principles of marketing and marketing communications, including the marketing mix and traditional and innovative techniques.
• Academic and Professional Practices for Marketing Communications: Develops skills required for successful academic and professional practice in marketing communications.
• Contemporary Debates in Marketing Communications: Provides an understanding of the broader role of marketing communications in contemporary culture.
• Digital Essentials: Explores the impact of emerging digital technologies and the role of digital communications within marketing communications.
• Integrated Marketing Communications: Develops a critical understanding of planning, creating, executing, and evaluating integrated marketing communication campaigns.

Year 2:

• Marketing Communications in a Global Context: Explores the concepts, principles, and activities of marketing and marketing communications in an international context.
• Research Principles and Practice: Introduces the value and importance of research, exploring both standard and innovative research methods.
• Content Creation: Equips students with the skills required to create marketing communications content based on theoretical perspectives.
• Brands and Branding: Explores the building blocks of brands, the theoretical principles of branding, and its strategic managerial implications.
• Customer Experience: Applies key concepts and analytical frameworks of customer experience to develop innovative ways of delivering and enhancing customer experience.
• Marketing Communications Campaigns in Practice: Provides students with the opportunity to experience the parameters and constraints of a client brief.

Placement Year:

• Marketing Communications Portfolio: Builds an effective portfolio of marketing communications work, acting as a persuasive tool for graduate and future employment.
• Dissertation: Allows students to become experts on a topic of particular interest and develop a study that connects their learning with real-world observations.

Optional Units (Choose Two):

• Behavioral Economics: Introduces Behavioral Economics and Choice Architecture, focusing on learnings from cognitive neuroscience.
• Consumer Insights: Provides a critical appreciation of state-of-the-art thinking within consumer culture studies.
• Corporate Communications: Develops a critical understanding of the professional communicator's role in key sectors.
• Influencer Marketing: Develops knowledge and skills on marketing to influencers and becoming an influencer.
• Race, Media and Inequality: Critically examines the processes through which social inequalities are maintained and perpetuated in the media.
• Persuasion and Influence: Provides an understanding of the psychology of audience members and equips students to critique contemporary persuasive communication.
• Promotion, Power and Democracy: Introduces key theoretical ideas from social and critical theory, political economy, and political philosophy.
• Relationship Marketing: Analyzes relationship marketing and its importance in attracting, developing, and retaining customers.
• Social and Intercultural Communication: Provides an understanding of pertinent social and intercultural issues and their impact on professional communication practices.
• Social Media Management: Develops the ability to critically understand how to plan, create, and execute social media management.

Assessment:

• Assessment methods and contact hours for each unit are detailed in the program specification.
• Assessment methods may include coursework, exams, presentations, and portfolio development.

Teaching:

• Teaching is delivered by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge, including senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners, and research students.
• Regular guest lectures from industry professionals are incorporated into the program.

Careers:

• The program equips students with the skills needed to succeed in the marketing and communications industry.
• Typical starting job roles include Marketing Manager, Media Executive, Media Planner, Marketing Executive, Press Assistant, Events Manager, Business and public service associate professionals, Media professionals, Managers, directors, and senior officials.
• Graduates can find employment in various industries, including marketing and communications, advertising, media, and digital.

Other:

• The program is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).
• Students have the opportunity to gain professional qualifications through the CIM Graduate Gateway.
• Students can organize the annual Mike Warne Event in their final year, a student-organized event in the CIM's national event program.
• The program includes a work placement opportunity, allowing students to gain practical experience and make industry contacts.
• Students can choose to undertake their placement abroad, gaining international experience and developing their skills.
• The program offers study abroad opportunities at partner universities around the world.
• The program includes access to the BU Library, which offers a wide range of electronic resources, print and multimedia collections, subject librarians, and study spaces.
• The program provides access to Brightspace, the university's virtual learning environment.
• The program offers IT labs, a wireless network, AV equipment, free software downloads, and the Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme.
• The program provides disability and additional learning support.
• The program offers a range of scholarships and bursaries to eligible students.