Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - Marketing with Advertising and Public Relations

The BA (Hons) Marketing with Advertising and Public Relations course is designed to equip students with the practical skills and knowledge required to succeed as advertising and PR professionals. It combines core marketing principles with specialised expertise in advertising and public relations, while also developing the personal and professional attributes needed to make an immediate impact in the workplace.

The programme places strong emphasis on employability, sustainability, and the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, simulation, and data analytics. Students gain hands-on experience through working with live clients, enabling them to develop the agility and responsiveness required in a fast-paced and constantly evolving industry.

A key feature of the course is the opportunity to participate in The Link Agency, a student-led, in-house marketing agency. This provides students with real-world experience by working on live projects for clients such as Bullring Shopping Centre, Acorns Children’s Hospice, and Solihull Moors FC.

The curriculum covers fundamental marketing concepts, including consumer behaviour, finance, data analytics, and event management, alongside specialist areas such as digital marketing, personal branding, public relations, reputation management, and crisis communication. This ensures students are well prepared to manage a range of branding and reputational challenges.

Employability and entrepreneurship are central to the programme, with opportunities to undertake a paid professional placement year and gain industry experience with organisations such as Sky, Johnson & Johnson, and Disney. Students may also participate in The Pitch, a national competition organised by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), which allows them to apply their knowledge to real-world marketing challenges.

The course includes an optional professional placement year, enabling students to gain valuable industry experience after their second year. Students are supported in securing placements through the university’s careers services and employer networks, with the option to transfer to the placement version of the course once a suitable role is obtained.