Marketing with Consumer Psychology - BA (Hons)

This course has recently been updated. Please download the course specification for the up to date information.

Recognised by the Chartered Institute of Marketing our BA (Hons) Marketing with Consumer Psychology degree gives you the practice-based skills needed to succeed in the ever-changing discipline of marketing.

This approach not only gives you the marketing knowledge needed but also the personal skills employers demand, allowing you to make an immediate impact upon graduation. This experience is further enhanced by the opportunity to undertake a yearlong placement.

Businesses value marketing more than ever due to its ability to identify opportunities, shape experiences and drive profits. It is an ever-evolving discipline, constantly responding to changes in technology and consumer behaviour.

To be successful in this exciting area not only requires a depth understanding of the core principles, but also relies on having the acumen and practical abilities to apply and adapt this knowledge in a wide variety of scenarios. This in-demand course has been designed to give you the practical and professional skills that employers seek through our practice-based learning approach.

What's covered in the course?

Inspiring our students in all aspects of marketing, we put an emphasis on employability, Employability focused means more than securing a role on graduation, it is an enduring principle that ensures that you have the resources and competencies to maximise all of your future career opportunities. You will receive this through every module and through enhanced experiences such as the opportunity to work in our very own student-led marketing agency. Placements are available, with numerous companies holding our placement students in high regard thanks to their real-world practical skills.

Subject to approval this course is also fully recognised by Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). This helps to ensure content remains fresh, relevant and full of key industry insight to endure you industry-ready the second you graduate. This recognition also ensures you will receive the maximum possible exemptions from the CIM Professional Diploma.

This course is one of five marketing degrees that have been designed to meet the diverse areas of marketing. Your course allows you to understand all of the core principles of marketing with digital communications but it is part of a suite which allows you to switch to another course irrespective of the one you entered on. This allows you to develop additional specialist skills of your choice and career aspirations, alongside the core underpinning market concepts you will need in practice.

Each course in the suite has been designed to:

• Equip students with the ability to apply marketing theory and practice in a variety of business situations.
• Develop key transferable skills that are essential to a career in marketing.
• Meet the accreditation requirements of Chartered Institute of Marketing.
• Provide students with the opportunity to develop specialist marketing skills of their choice.

Why Choose Us?

• This degree course is aligned with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). This means that the course is as professionally relevant and up-to-date as possible, taking into account the very latest developments in the profession.
• On all of our courses you will gain a professional focus and real world experience of marketing, ensuring you are equipped to make an immediate impact in the business world. You have the opportunity to embark on a year-long professional placement as part of your degree course.
• Recognising the global scope of marketing, all our courses have an international focus. This is embedded throughout the curriculum, giving you the opportunity to transform your experience with us into a global one. There are a variety of exciting possibilities open to you, ranging from our successful international travel scholarships scheme, through which you can spend a summer working for a charitable organisation overseas, to one of our many overseas study exchange programmes.
• As a student on one of our undergraduate degrees, you will be able to benefit from our Graduate+ initiative. This three-year award course enables you to gain award levels for all the extra-curricular activities you undertake so that you can stand out from the crowd on graduation.
• Don't meet the entry criteria? Our Foundation Year courses offer a route to a full undergraduate degree at a lower entry tariff.
• You’ll learn from industry experienced staff, and have the chance to network with fantastic guest speakers year-round. Our excellent links with Birmingham businesses mean everything about our course is linked to the constantly evolving marketing sector.
• We teach by using real business scenarios, so you’ll get the chance to draft marketing plans for actual companies, create marketing material and gain practical experience both within the University and with industry contacts.
• We have our own student-run, in-house marketing agency, The Link, where you can sharpen your skills with briefs and projects from leading businesses and organisations, such as Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Serco and Cure Leukaemia.
• You will study in our state-of-the-art City Centre Campus, ideally located for you to take advantage of our links to Birmingham’s business district, one of the largest in the UK.
• All of our team have an open door policy offering drop-in tutorials to make sure you get as much advice as you need, when you need it, to get the most out of your time here. 

Find out more

• Our Facilities
• Our Graduates
• Our Placements
• Our Students
• Our Trips

We accept a range of qualifications, the most popular of which are detailed below.

Essential Requirements

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

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.

This course is aligned to the following organisation:

Chartered Institute of Marketing

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is the leading professional body for marketers worldwide and exists to develop the marketing profession, maintain professional standards and improve the skills of marketing practitioners.

Birmingham City University has joined forces with CIM to give students the opportunity to gain professional qualifications through CIM Graduate Gateway. CIM qualifications are highly sought after by employers, and map alongside our own degrees which ensures we are equipping students with the best opportunities for a successful marketing career.

Your programmes will provide you with specific business knowledge and skills, appropriate to graduate careers in marketing. Our specialist pathways will enable you to reflect on the dynamism and vibrancy of the business environment, enhancing your career prospects in the process.

Alongside gaining marketing skills will be a range of transferable attributes, which will see you become a highly desirable graduate, able to work in a number of different industries.

In addition, you could gain first-hand experience with the Link Marketing Agency, our voluntary, student-led agency which provides you with the chance to work with a wide variety of clients.

You will also have the chance to undertake a work placement, gaining valuable real-life skills in a professional working environment. 

OpportUNIty

OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.

It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.

Welcome to the Birmingham City Business School, home to students from over 70 countries all around the world!

Birmingham City Business School is one of the UK’s largest, most established and most respected business schools. Our programmes are practice based and many have an international focus, which means your course will be entirely relevant to today’s business world. Almost all of our courses, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level, are open to international students.

We also have links with universities across the world, including Europe, the USA, China, India and Malaysia.

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

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our Facilities

We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £340 million on new learning facilities.

The Curzon Building

This course is based at our City Centre Campus – and specifically The Curzon Building, alongside other Social Sciences, Law, Business and English students.

The £63m building offers students a unique social learning space, including a dedicated student hub incorporating student support services, in the heart of Birmingham’s Eastside development.

The Business floors house an extensive number of IT facilities, breakout areas, and specialised rooms. The Marketing Link Agency is designed to replicate a modern marketing firm, allowing students to get real-life experience of working in the marketing sector. There is also the City Trading Room, which features state of the art stock market tracking equipment, keeping you up to date with all the financial comings and goings of the London Stock Exchange and Wall Street.

The Curzon building is also conveniently close to Birmingham’s business and financial centre, allowing for strong links between your studies and the real world.

The Curzon Building also features:

• An impressive new library with access to over 65 million full text items and stunning views of Eastside City Park
• Your Students’ Union which is located in a beautifully restored 19th century pub, The Eagle and Ball
• A modern 300-seat food court with space to study and socialise
• Brand new, accessible IT facilities with full Office365 for all students for free
• Shared facilities with the wider campus including the recently opened Parkside Building and Millennium Point