BA (Hons) Marketing and Media Communications with Foundation Year

Why study this subject?

Studying marketing and media communications at university offers the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the business world and how it relates to wider economic, social and cultural links. You will learn from industry experienced lecturers and benefit from their guidance as you develop the ability to critically understand key aspects of the subject.

Innovation and creativity are at the heart of what we do, and this degree provides the chance to gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of the marketer and the skills required to research, design, develop and deploy marketing plans at local and global level.

From getting into the mind of the consumer and developing the perfect campaign to capturing public attention and knowing how to measure your success, being able to study and understand the mind of those you are selling to is critical to the success of a business. Our BA (Hons) in Marketing and Media Communications will help give you a comprehensive understanding of the role of marketing in this changing landscape, aligned with a portfolio of practical skills required to make your mark in the business world.

We are a student focused and employer led university which means that you are at the forefront of all that we do. We provide you with a thorough understanding and grounding in marketing and business to ensure you graduate ready for employment or further post-graduate study. Recent graduates have gone to work for Premier League football clubs, Formula 1 racing teams, Disney and Vodafone.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

At BNU we want you to get the most out of your time with us and being workplace ready is something we are proud to offer you. Our Marketing and Media Communications degree is accredited by professional body, the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). This gives you the chance to gain workplace experience, learn about new developments in the industry and apply for membership with an accrediting body.

We pride ourselves on ensuring we offer courses that always match the best industry practices with established and newly emerging thinking in this dynamic sector. This course does just that by developing ongoing relationships with leading organisations, media owners, agencies and research and digital data companies.

Learning from industry experienced academics is the best way to gain an all-round understanding of the subject. Being able to see and hear from those that have worked in the sector is invaluable in helping to you create a working ethos and develop highly relevant skills and knowledge. Being so close to London, the UK’s hub for media and marketing agency world, means we regularly welcome guest speakers and work with businesses on real life projects, helping you to gain the confidence and reassurance that you can apply your skills beyond university.

You are at the centre of what we do, we created this course to help you become young executives who are ready to go out and make an impact on the industry. Our teaching staff see their roles as being coaches and mentors, as well as lecturers.

What will I study?

We want to give you the best of both worlds, a solid theoretical understanding and hands-on experience. Our Marketing and Media Communications degree has been designed to give you ample opportunity to put your education into practise. Companies join us from industry to set live briefs for you to complete, allowing you to directly apply what you have been learning whilst developing your skills through working with a real-life business. Companies we have previously worked with include, Coca Cola, Jack Daniels, Macmillan Cancer Relief and Selfridges.

Digital transformation combined with increasing complexity in data and technology have impacted on the marketing function and understanding the customer is becoming essential to ensure a competitive advantage for any customer focused company and indeed for success if running your own business.

During your foundation year you will have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals needed to progress to undergraduate study. You will study topic areas like, creativity, self-development, responsibility, business studies and inquiry-based learning to provide you with a solid basis for your study of marketing and media communications.

In your first year you will study a broad range of topics including, creative theory and practice, consumer psychology, marketing principles and data insight for business decisions to solidify your understanding of the foundations of business and marketing.

During your second year, you will further your understanding and develop your skills through topics, including, creative content production, strategic marketing, marketing and communications management and customer experience. During this year you will be expected to begin to expand and refine your independent research and study skills in preparation for your final year.

In your final year, the emphasis will be on transitioning you from student to graduate. You will study a number of topics, ranging from international marketing management to consumer brand relationship. You will also undertake either a dissertation on a topic of your choice or a consultancy project, which involves independent research focusing on strategic business issues.

How will I be taught and assessed?

This course is offered as a four-year programme, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate degree.

At Buckinghamshire New University we like to foster an interactive and student-focused teaching style where we blend lectures, workshops, tutorial sessions, independent study and guest speakers to enhance the learning experience.

To work competitively in the graduate world, you will need to a diverse range of skills and abilities, from being able to work independently to being confident with working collaboratively in a group. The structure of the course allows for you to work with other students to deliver small group projects, giving you the chance to improve your leadership, communication and relationship building skills.

Teaching and assessments have been designed to reflect how your work will be assessed in the workplace. Assessment tasks focus on developing crucial research, insight and communication skills, they include:

• individual reports
• presentations
• examinations
• live briefs
• project work

Placements Plus

BNU is a Placements Plus university.  So, whatever degree you do, you can be sure there’ll be plenty of industry-relevant opportunities on offer, to help you get into your chosen field.

We’ll also prepare you for work beforehand, with special skills for work training, further boosting your CV, and building skills employers will value.  In recognition of the value we place on these skills we have incorporated this experience into your study time.

Placements Plus is all about helping you get some valuable experience under your belt while you’re a student, to increase your choices later, and help you get the graduate-level job you want.