UDADMCPR - BA Advertising, Marketing Communications and Public Relations

This course places a strong emphasis on cementing one’s knowledge and understanding of the role that integrated marketing communications, digital and traditional media have in enhancing corporate success in today’s challenging global environment. Students and lecturers work together to improve the quality of teaching and learning, and subject librarians provide support on how to best exploit the university’s existing e-resources. Graduates are equipped with highly transferable skills, including those of employability and professional practice, as well as subject-specific practical skills, which enable them to work in wide variety of local and international decision-making and research jobs in: corporate communications, media, public relations, direct and digital marketing, branding, advertising and copywriting.

The course adopts a modular structure. All the modules are delivered over a 12 week teaching but 15-week period. Optional modules are also offered to students on this course in levels 5 and 6. In order to create an integrated approach to learning, the course incorporates a plethora of teaching and learning strategies. Traditional face-to-face classroom methods, such as: lectures, seminars, tutorials and workshops, are combined with some of the latest computer mediated activities, placing students in different learning environments. From the early stages of the course students use computerised technologies in order to access knowledge and to familiarise themselves with the latest digital communications platforms for marketing communications. Each module is supported by Web Learn to facilitate and implement the Guildhall School of Business & Law’s blended learning strategy.

Students complement their in-class experience of advertising, marketing communications and public relations and develop their knowledge and understanding with business textbooks and academic journal articles. By engaging in group work and individual projects, Advertising, Marketing Communications and Public Relations students are actively involved in the learning process and can develop their own learning style. The course is structured in such a way that guest speakers incorporated throughout the year. Thus, students benefit from extra-curricular activities aiming to enhance their understanding of the various career options available to them upon completion of the course. In relation to this, they receive continuous support from the university’s career departments, which encourage them to develop practical knowledge through one semester work experience modules. The aim of the course teaching team is to provide students with realistic practical opportunities for independent, useful, and sustainable learning.

Students are assessed through methods such as: problem-based exercises and unseen examinations, understanding and usage of known computer software for business and communication analysis, which require them to demonstrate their intellectual skills. They are asked to work in teams, prepare presentations and business reports, analyse case studies and present critical arguments through in-class and or online debates. All students carry out independent research, including a lengthy final year marketing communications project, which is a typical example of how they demonstrate their specialist knowledge, intellectual skills, understanding and practical skills. Students are encouraged to engage meaningfully with personal development planning (PDP) through the curriculum. This enables them to reflect on, plan, review and record their own personal and marketing/business skills development.

The main aim of the Advertising, Marketing Communications and Public Relations course is to equip students with a sound conceptual and practical contemporary grounding in the diverse discipline of the management of marketing communications, which covers areas such as advertising, public relations, direct and digital marketing, corporate reputation and brand management. The course seeks to prepare students for a career in both specialist agencies, such as public relations, media and advertising agencies, and within in-house commercial and or public organization marketing/communication departments. This is facilitated by placing an emphasis on the enhancement of critical marketing communication skills.

The degree is organised into three levels with specific aims, as follows: Level 4 aims to provide a firm theoretical marketing and communications foundation to support the more advanced communications studies. This first level offers a collection of general knowledge in media, marketing, data analysis and public relations and dedicates valuable time to enhancing one is writing skills specifically for media and marketing communications.

Level 5 aims to deepen students’ specialist knowledge of the course and develop their intellectual and problem-solving skills, as well as their marketing communication skills. This second tier of modules incorporates the latest specialist theory of consumers, media and digital communications and offers student’s insights into the main measurement tools used in advertising and consumer public relations. Level 5 challenges students’ intellectual and specialist skills by asking them to compete in generating feasible integrated communications plans for various organisations. Students learn to research from a considerable number of textbooks and academic journal reading and case study material. Particular attention is given to their future employability, competence and global awareness of media and businesses communications at this level.

Level 6 aims to develop and test independent judgement and critical awareness and to develop an enquiring, analytical and creative approach to learning. Students studying at this level see the broader implications of the theories studied and refine their personal development planning activities. Level 6 modules provide students with an advanced understanding of corporate communications, advanced communication theory, media, and PR and research strategy. Students are taught how to creatively manage communications and media organisations as well as their own development. Upon completion of this course, students will be equipped with highly specialist writing skills and knowledge, which will enable them to pursue communications careers in both the private and public sectors. Students will have a sound understanding of how advertising, marketing communications and public relations apply in small and large organisations worldwide, and will be competent in suggesting ethical and sustainable strategic alternatives to local as well as global organisations. In line with the QAA benchmark statements for business and management courses, the course team have ensured that the course content encompasses the study of organisation, their management and the changing external environment in which they operate.

The University learning outcome that cuts across the entirety of the London Metropolitan University provision, and thus, the BSc (Hons) Advertising, Marketing Communications and Public Relations is:

On completion of this course, students will be able to: demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible professionals in their discipline (ULO)

Thus, upon graduating with an honour’s degree in Advertising, Marketing Communications and Public Relations, students will be able to:

LO1: Have the confidence needed to take leadership decisions in challenging situations (LO1).

LO2: Possess the necessary communication skills that will help them adopt a global and multicultural perspective in their professional context (LO2).

LO3: Be cognisant of the effects of the social and environmental of their decisions and will remain active citizens of the places they live and work (LO3).

LO4: Demonstrate application of creative thinking skills to practical problems, and possess the analytical and organizational skills to translate creative ideas to operational solutions (LO4)

LO5: Understand the structure & and the changing nature of the global advertising marketing communication and public relations industries and the environment in which they operate and their management and more specialised and contemporary issues including entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, sustainability, governance, ethics, diversity and globalisation

LO6: Analyse and critically evaluate theoretical perspectives of marketing, marketing communications, advertising and PR through research skills and identifying and selecting appropriate marketing & Marketing communications outputs

LO7: Possess the necessary communication skills that will help them adopt a global and multicultural perspective in their professional context, and be cognisant of the effects of the social and environmental effects of their decision, and will remain active citizens of the places they live and work.

LO8: Demonstrate application of creative thinking skills to practical problems, and possess the analytical and organizational skills to translate creative ideas to operational solutions

Business and Management November 2019

The Advertising, Marketing Communications and Public Relations course uses a wide variety of assessment methods to test students’ knowledge and abilities.

Students are encouraged to engage in a dialogue through feed forward activities with staff on assessments. The aim is to encourage engagement support & constructive guidance from academic staff. This is to facilitate & to ensure that assessment have an effective developmental impact on student learning and allow the student to reflect on learning.

The assessment methods include:

• Coursework including problem-based communications briefs and case studies are used to help enhance students’ analytical and prescriptive skills.
• Examinations are used to facilitate learning and integration of knowledge.
• Oral presentations, including individual and group based, and are used to enhance key marketing, communications, PR subject skills such as interpersonal, team, time management, and communication skills.
• Essays and report writing; these tools are used to enhance and demonstrate students’ research skills, critical as well as business & academic writing skills.
• Portfolio work; portfolios are used to encourage progressive building of evidence of competence and skills and to facilitate personal reflection on learning.
• Individual research project/dissertation; this portrays students specialist subject knowledge, their in-depth understanding of a marketing communications area, their ability to work independently and draw conclusions based on a vast amount of primary and secondary data.

The university operates a marking and moderation process that are both rigorous and transparent to quality assure that:

• Student work is assessed on a fair basis
• Students are provided with supportive and appropriate feedback
• Academic standards in relation to student work and final awards are maintained.

Where possible work will be marked anonymously. The marking process on the course involves first marker who has responsibility for giving formal feedback and making an initial assessment of the standard and a provisional mark. A sample of student’s work is moderated by an internal 2nd marker. Marks and feedback may be adjusted if necessary. A sample of work is moderated by an external examiner who is independent of the university a subject specialist. External examiners are required to report to the University and to the Chair of the Subject Standards Board that formally confirms the marks. Following the regulatory framework of the marking process, students are unable to appeal your final marks and/or grades on the grounds of academic judgement

The BA (Hons) Advertising, Marketing Communications and Public Relations degree students will be offered advice on how to undertake work experience. Work-based modules are offered at both level 5 and 6 of the programmes. A core level 6 module in collaboration with the Business accelerator allows students to experience consultancy work and pitching to a ‘real businesses. The course has a considerable tangible Alumni network and is visible on online platforms such as: Facebook and LinkedIn. Advertising, Marketing Communications and Public Relations students have the opportunity to interact and work with graduates and practitioners and to be mentored by them. Advertising, marketing communications and public relations professionals and industry experts will be invited as guest speakers during direct learning time when and as appropriate throughout the three years of the programme. External experts will be invited into the university to deliver workshops for students with focus on employability issues or other areas of their expertise

Modules are required to be taken as indicated in the course structure. Where a student is taking no more than 90 credits in an academic year within the maximum permissible time limit, they may be designated as Part Time.

There are no course specific regulations.

Modules are required to be taken as indicated in the course structure.

Reflective learning is embedded throughout the course curriculum. Students are exposed to the concept of reflective learning in level 4, 5, and 6, are able to practice, and develop the skills necessary to be an effective reflective practitioner. Both reflective and personal development planning are central to the students’ academic and career development. Reflective learning is linked through both formative and summative assessment throughout the curriculum and students have the opportunity for formative feedback to guide them in the development of this key skill. Students are also supported in this process through the use of Academic Tutors. During the course of their degree, students are able to build their own personal development, which enables them to reflect on their evolution in terms of skills and knowledge. All the BA (Hons) Advertising, Marketing Communications and Public Relations core modules contribute to this personal development planning through the engagement of students reflecting on own performance and future performance.

The course places a strong emphasis on students’ employability and the development of communications skills takes place through a continuous process of self-development embedded in all core modules. There is an underlying philosophy of linking the acquisition of knowledge to real business/marketing situations and providing as much as real marketing communications experience as possible. Students are placed in the best possible position after graduation to pursue rewarding and successful careers in arears such as Advertising Account executives, PR Account executives, Media planning, Media and PR Officers. The Advertising, Marketing Communications and Public Relations course provides appropriate preparation for students wishing to study marketing communications or public relations at Masters level or to pursue advertising or public relations careers in industry, commerce, the public sector or voluntary sector. Employability is embedded in the course through a core employability module and students are given the opportunity to take additional employability modules to gain credit on work experience.

You may be given the opportunity to gain accreditation from professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).

This course prepares you for a career in one of the many sectors of the marketing and advertising industry, and also makes excellent preparation for postgraduate study.

Our previous graduates have gone on to work at companies such as AOL, Ambient Media Worldwide, JCDecaux and Ogilvy & Mather. Popular roles include copywriter, marketing executive, press officer and PR manager.

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• a minimum of grades CCC in three A levels in academic or business subjects (or a minimum of 96 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg BTEC National, OCR Diploma or Advanced Diploma)
• English Language and Mathematics GCSE at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent)

If you don't have traditional qualifications or can't meet the entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, you may still be able to gain entry by completing our Marketing (including foundation year) BA (Hons).