Digital Marketing - BA (Hons)
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Our BA Digital Marketing degree is a unique two-year fast-track programme that immerses you in real-world, professional advertising and marketing communications: Digital is the shared digital media experience between brands, users, technologies and trends. Marketing is how marketers add value to their brands and user experiences by fulfilling desires....
- Level Undergraduate
- Study mode Full Time
- Location City Centre
- Award BA (Hons)
- Start date September 2023
- Fees View course fees
- School School of Visual Communication
- Faculty Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
Overview
Our BA Digital Marketing degree is a unique two-year fast-track programme that immerses you in real-world, professional advertising and marketing communications:
- Digital is the shared digital media experience between brands, users, technologies and trends.
- Marketing is how marketers add value to their brands and user experiences by fulfilling desires.
It’s a powerful mix, with industry-driven instruction in the skills you’ll need for the fast-paced digital communications sector.
You’ll be working with Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) certified lecturers and top agency talent to solve creative briefs, launch simulated marketing campaigns and build multiplatform experiences for brands and their customers.
BA Digital Marketing is employment-led, so the course teaches a practice-based, knowledge-applied approach: tutors and industry professionals work with you in classes and assignments to help you grow in your personal and professional development.
What's covered in this course?
You’ll be based in the School of Visual Communication, at the City Centre Campus where you will engage in practical workshops, digital media production, lectures and assignments with your peers, tutors and industry mentors.
As you progress through the course you will build a knowledgeable skillset that gives you proficiency and know-how across disciplines and specialist expertise within them.
Along the way, you’ll build a tangible ‘portfolio of practice’ that showcases your work and proves your professionalism in employment as a team player, and in enterprise as an entrepreneur.
This course aims to answer the creative industry’s calls for savvy digital talent to exploit new opportunities in emerging markets and technologies.
This means you’ll be looking for ways to reimagine trends, build brands, find fame, add value, optimise content, disrupt behaviours and monetise ideas across a range of media, platforms and channels.
To do this you’ll need to understand how it all works, and this BA Digital Marketing course has the answers in a rich combination of options and projects.
Accredited By
This course is accredited by:
The course which is taught by industry professionals has provided me with the most up to date digital marketing skills. We have lots of opportunity to apply our knowledge practically through our projects. Over the last two years, I have a built a professional portfolio that has helped land me my first job at a top marketing agency within two months of finishing the course.
Havana Salmon (graduated 2021)
Why Choose Us?
- 95% of students are satisfied with the teaching on this course (NSS 2022).
- No exams! Coursework assignments building to final project and portfolio of practice.
- Workplace simulation experiences - Project-based, experiential learning with professional mentors, encouraging intrapreneurial and entrepreneurial practices.
- The course is taught by DMI certified and award winning tutors (BAFTA, D&AD, RTS) as well as active practitioners, with a wealth of academic and industry experience.
Similar Courses
Open Days
Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to meet us in person. You'll get the chance to learn about courses in subject talks, chat to students and explore our campus and accommodation. We'll post you a detailed event programme to help plan your day and find your way.
Next Open Day: Saturday 24 June 2023
Entry Requirements
These entry requirements apply for entry in 2023/24.
All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.
We accept a range of qualifications, the most popular of which are detailed below.
Essential Requirements
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120 UCAS points |
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| Level 2 qualifications | ||
|---|---|---|
| GCSE | GCSE English Language or English Literature and GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above. If you do not have these or are not undertaking them, we accept other Level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests. | |
| Irish Leaving Certificate (Ordinary Level) | See level 3 entry requirements under Irish Leaving Certificate for full details. | |
| Scottish National 5 | English Language or English Literature and Maths at grade C or above. If you do not have these or are not undertaking them, we accept other Level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests. | |
| Plus one of the following Level 3 (and above) qualifications | ||
| A Level and Advanced VCE |
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| AS and AS VCE | Considered with a maximum of 3 other Level 3 qualifications (AS Levels must be in different subject to A-Levels) to obtain 120 pts | |
| Access to HE Diploma |
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DDM | |
| Foundation Studies (Art and Design, and Art, Design & Media) | Considered with a maximum of 3 other Level 3 qualifications to obtain 120 pts | |
| IBO Certificate in Higher Level |
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| International Baccalaureate Diploma |
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| Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers) | Pass the Irish Leaving Certificate with a minimum of 120 tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects. This must include English Language and Maths taken at either Ordinary Level (minimum grade O1-O4 (or A-C/A1-C3)) or Higher level minimum grade H1/H7 (or A-D / A1-D3 up to and including 2016 | |
| OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma | DDM | |
| Scottish Higher/Advanced Higher |
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| UAL Extended Diploma in Art & Design | Merit overall / 120 UCAS points | |
| Other qualifications | ||
| If you have a qualification that is not listed in the table please refer to our full entry requirements on UCAS. Further guidance on tariff points can be found on the UCAS website. |
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Additional information for EU/International students
| Essential | ||
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Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In addition to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require the qualifications detailed in this table. |
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| EU/Non-EU (International) Qualifications | Requirements | |
| IELTS |
6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in each band. If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course. More information. |
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| International Baccalaureate Diploma (or equivalent, including internationally accredited Foundation courses). | ||
International students who cannot meet the direct entry requirements can begin their degree studies at Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC).
Mature Applicants
Applications from mature students (21+) with alternative qualifications and/or considerable work experience will be considered on their merits.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: BA (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2023
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 2 years
- £11,100 in 2023/24
- Apply via UCAS
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: BA (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2023
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 2 years
- £16,870 in 2023/24
Guidance for UK students
UK students applying for most undergraduate degree courses in the UK will need to apply through UCAS.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.
Applying through UCAS
- Register with UCAS
- Login to UCAS and complete your details
- Select your course and write a personal statement
- Get a reference
- Pay your application fee and submit your application
Guidance for International students
There are three ways to apply:
1) Direct to the University
You will need to complete our International Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form, and submit them together with scan copies of your original academic transcripts and certificates.
2) Through a country representative
Our in-country representatives can help you make your application and apply for a visa. They can also offer advice on travel, living in the UK and studying abroad.
3) Through UCAS
If you are applying for an undergraduate degree or a Higher National Diploma (HND), you can apply through the UK’s Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
You can request a printed form from your school or nearest British Council office. You will be charged for applying through UCAS. Birmingham City University’s UCAS code is B25 BCITY.
Personal statement
UK / EU students are required to submit a personal statement as part of their application for this course.*
The personal statement gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.
Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:
- Course choice - Why does this course appeal? What areas are of particular interest?
- Career plans - If you have a specific career in mind, say how your chosen course will help you pursue this goal.
- Work experience - Mention any work that is relevant to your subject, highlighting the skills and experience gained.
- School or college experience - Highlight skills gained at school/college, eg summer schools or mentoring activities.
- Non-accredited skills or achievement - eg Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise scheme.
You should also mention your future plans – if you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons. Talk about any subjects you’re studying that don’t have a formal assessment and any sponsorships or placements you’ve applied for. And don't be scared to add in details about your social, sports or leisure interests.
Worried about Personal Statements?
If you've got no idea where to start or just want to check you're on the right track, we’ve got expert advice and real examples from our students to help you nail your personal statement. You can even download our ultimate personal statement guide for free.
*Non-EU students are not required to submit a personal statement when applying for this course.
Course in Depth
Year one
Teaching methods may include practical sessions, lectures and group debates, featuring input from both University staff and guest lecturers from industry, providing you with a wide range of practical knowledge and insight.
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 160 credits):
It’s all about you! This Digital Marketing Primer places your own personal and professional development at the centre of the competitive job market. The objective is to give you the understanding and confidence to sell yourself and your ideas to your peers and potential employers.
Meet the agency! You will take a ‘live’ brief from an advertising agency account manager. The objective is to identify a new audience for an existing client by raising brand awareness through a digital marketing campaign.
Get to know your audience! Your client and your agency need to reach a challenging target market; this module gives you an introduction to audience segmentation through industry theory and professional practice.
You are the media planner! You’ll work with a global brand to build on your market research skills, using your insights to make a difference in the real world.
The module is an opportunity to learn and critically reflect on the skills of collaboration by enabling you to create an interdisciplinary project with students from complementary disciplines. You will be tasked with completing a project over a short development / production period. This project may be set either by an academic or course industry-partner.
Year two
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 180 credits):
Get to know your market! You will receive a brief with the objective of delivering a market research report that helps to better understand the sector, its existing and potential consumers.
You are the digital media executive at an agency! You’ll work on a global entertainment brand, tasked with developing a digital marketing plan. You’ll need to develop an understanding of a new agency planning methodology and employ its techniques in providing digital only recommendations to support all their digital communications.
You are the creative team! You’ll be delivering a digital content marketing plan and some prototype assets to pitch to your client. This is your chance to showcase your digital marketing expertise and you’ll be using the framework recommended by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI).
The module is an opportunity to learn and critically reflect on the skills of collaboration &/or your own professional practice. The module enables you to create either an interdisciplinary project with students from complementary disciplines or your own self-defined project.
The purpose of the module is to enable you to undertake a sustained, in-depth and theoretically informed research project exploring an area that is of personal interest to you. It is important that we can support you appropriately, so you will be guided towards choosing a research topic which is relevant to your discipline and in which your lecturers have expertise. The outcome may take the form of a written dissertation or a practice-based portfolio.
Download course specification
Download nowIn your first year, you will work closely with your marketing colleagues, tutors and industry practitioners to learn new insights and develop your professional approach to digital marketing and advertising projects.
You’ll learn how brands are built, how they reach their audiences and how you can add value and shared experiences to these through strategic and creative user journeys that optimise digital media channels and returns on investment.
In the summer semester, you will collaborate to put your learning into practice. You’ll be working on a brief with an industry partner or client to deliver projects that prove your proficiency in the digital marketing sector. Past collaborations have been with BBC Creative and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
In your second year, you will be challenged to self-direct your digital marketing research and to work autonomously to develop practical skills. This includes immersion in data interpretation, campaign development and creative content marketing.
Your course concludes with you consolidating your own digital marketing expertise through professional practice on a self-defined Final Major Project, which aligns with your individual aspirations. In this, you will choose to write a dissertation or produce a practiced-based portfolio of work that is employment-led.
Learning from industry professionals
Find out more about our inaugural Forward 2020 conference and subsequent events which give students the chance to hear from and network with leaders in the digital marketing industry.
Assessment methods
You'll be assessed in a variety of different ways, including practical project work – both group and individual – in-person presentations, written reports and practical portfolios.
Assessment is embedded into the course, which means your learning experience isn't interrupted by exams; allowing you to concentrate on becoming an effective team member.
Examples of classroom projects
1. Agency: Cake
Cake is a branding and e-commerce agency “founded by retailers for retailers”; they asked BA Digital Marketing students to work on a ‘live’ brief: design a memorable and unique website shopping experience for a top vintage clothing brand.
2. Agency: Givenchy and ghd
These beauty and personal care (BPC) giants worked closely with BA Digital Marketing students to create carefully targeted Social Media campaigns aimed at new Gen Z audiences.
This course is accredited by the following organisation:
Digital Marketing Institute
This BA Digital Marketing course is accredited by the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI). Students who successfully progress to the second year of the course are eligible to complete modules that lead to the industry-recognised award of Certified Digital Marketing Associate.
Employability
Enhancing your employability skills
Workplace simulations and industry standard projects are key pillars in the course content. In addition you’ll be working closely with professional practitioners, top agencies and prestigious clients to develop and deliver your assignments.
You’ll meet and be encouraged to network with visiting specialist lecturers and industry experts and keynote speakers on and off the campus, these professionals frequently work with you and your fellow students as mentors.
Towards the end of your studies, you’ll complete a final major project and this may lead you to working directly with a client. This self-directed professional contact will give you the experience, confidence and freedom to put into action all you’ve learned during your studies. It will also give you a proven track record of professional activity and a portfolio of work to showcase your abilities.
On top of this course specific experience you’ll gain, the University has introduced the BCU Graduate+ programme, which is an extra-curricular awards framework that is designed to augment the subject-based skills that you develop through your programme with broader employability skills and techniques that will enhance your employment options when you leave university. The key components of the award are:
- A personalised approach for each and every student.
- A range of activities that helps you to build Continuing Professional Development points towards completion of your award.
Allied with this course-specific experience you will also have access to a range of support staff and services from the University’s careers service, who can help with:
- Reviewing CVs, covering letters and application forms
- Career planning and decision making
- Preparing for interviews and assessment centres
- Developing portfolios
- Networking with employers
- Advice about self-employment and entrepreneurship
Workplace Simulation
In the summer semester of your first year, you will collaborate with your student peers to put your learning into practice. You’ll be working on a brief with an industry partner to deliver projects that prove your proficiency in the digital marketing sector. This provides an industry-engagement experience, which simulates the workplace; what it is like to work professionally and deal with clients. You will attend regular milestone reviews to keep clients fully informed of your progress.
Past clients have included the BBC and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Graduate stories
David Kenning
Digital Marketing Executive at Sandwell College
“I would strongly recommend joining this course. The course provides an immense level of insight into Digital Marketing, practical experience in assignments and amazing teaching staff who provide years of expertise in this field."
International
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here.
- Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
- Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country.
- Learn where to find financial support for your studies.
Facilities & Staff
Our visual communication degrees are housed in the state of the art £62 million Parkside Building, part of our City Centre Campus.
We offer extensive studio and workshop space and cutting-edge equipment such as Vicon 3D (an external tracking motion capture facility) and Gypsy (an exoskeleton-based motion capture system). Both of these systems extend the possibility for production of 3D animation and films.
You will enjoy access to our Hollywood standard MILO unit. We were the first School of Visual Communication in Europe to offer MILO motion capture technology, now one of only two owned by Universities in Europe.
We offer cutting-edge provision such as digital print centres and Sonny Ross became the first student on the Visual Communication course to master the art of the RISO machine. He has since used this to produce many successful RISO publications including “Rojo & Baxter” which has been a success at various zine and book fairs across the country.
The Parkside Building also offers:
- exhibition space
- digital and analogue photographic facilities and studios
- dark rooms
Our staff
Chaka Jones
Course Leader, Digital Marketing
With over 12 years’ qualified experience in digital, Chaka’s career spans major high street and online department stores within the designer accessories market including Fiorelli, John Lewis, Debenhams and ASOS. Prior to becoming an academic in 2017, Chaka was the Web and Digital Manager for Higher Education provider GSM London.
More about ChakaMike Villiers-Stuart
Senior Lecturer and Course Leader MA/MSc Future Media
Mike has spent 30 years making creative marketing and advertising content for big brands like Centrica, global media giants like the BBC and international advertising agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi. Along the way, Mike’s work has won prestigious awards like BAFTA, D&AD Gold and RTS while launching digital channels for international...
More about MikeAbhilasha Thaker
Visiting Lecturer
Abhi is a social media consultant and visiting lecturer at BCU. She has over ten years’ experience working in industry both B2B and B2C, agency and client side. Abhi is Facebook Certified and specialises in social media strategy, paid advertising on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and is responsible for implementing campaigns for...
More about Abhilasha