This module’s overarching premise is how information is collected, deployed, managed and made meaningful. You will examine how branded communication works by deconstructing the communication process into its component parts, and by exploring the brand as the neuroscience underpinning such a process. Standard theoretical models will be introduced to explain branding as both a creative and strategic process, and examples will be shared on how communicators apply this knowledge in related commercial contexts.

Advertising is the practice of connecting brands with people in interesting and engaging ways to build loyalty, sell products and services and/or change behaviour. This module concentrates on the process of forming a strategy, based on consumer insights, to solve the client problem and define the advertising message. The advertising industry operates in a dynamic environment with both analogue and digital forms and formats continually evolving. You will learn to formulate a creative strategy to inform and inspire effective creative solutions, as well as a communication plan based on knowledge of your target audience and their media use.

This module addresses the need to control the narrative about ourselves and introduce ourselves to chosen creative industry career destinations. In a communication continuum where everyone has a website and an online presence, personal and professional branding can help you make yours stand out from the rest. As with any great brand, it’s a way to stand out from the competition.

In this module, you will develop the common industry practices and both academic and sector lexicon, following exposure to and discussion on current social, economic, political, environmental, technological, cultural and design issues and contexts that have been or are influencing the communications industry. Creative industry professionals need to be future-proofed for the rapidly evolving communication ideas and practices. What is good today is probably redundant tomorrow.

This module concentrates on the creative process from interpreting a brief to developing relevant, appropriate creative solutions that meet the criteria of a given brief. The advertising industry operates in a dynamic environment with both analogue and digital forms and formats continually evolving, and you will learn to formulate creative advertising campaigns and communication plans based on knowledge of the target audience and their media use.

The aim of this course as a whole is to produce industry-ready graduates who are equipped to find work in their chosen sector within the advertising and marketing communications industry. This module is designed to give you a springboard into industry, providing you with the skills required to work effectively in your desired role. It builds on the previous career-oriented modules, Personal Professional Brand and Career Playbook. You will learn to engage with industry professionals via self-directed networking and a visit to a relevant organisation. You will be encouraged to seek an internship or placement, although this is optional.

This module will consist of seminars with postgraduate staff and will support the development of your research, providing opportunities to explore in depth the links between practice and theory. Seminars, group tutorials, peer group presentations and workshops provide opportunities for dialogue and interaction and are used to collectively review work in progress, discuss findings and debate issues.

The Masters project or Dissertation module will provide you with the opportunity to develop a personally relevant topic that demonstrates the research ideas and concepts you have developed throughout the MA course. You will come up with a resolution to your proposal and answer key research questions by demonstrating evidence of advanced conceptual and theoretical capability over an extended period of self-directed study. You will be introduced to combined and alternative approaches in your field of interest.