BA (Hons) Advertising
Course overview
Start date
September 2021
Subject area
Media and Journalism
Attendance
Full-time, 3 years
Full-time, 4 years
Part-time
Learning
On campus, dual delivery
Course summary
The world is filled with advertising. From street billboards to TV catchphrases, from the back of newspapers to the front of football shirts, from internet pop-ups to… well, anywhere with an empty space to fill. It’s a huge, rich part of our everyday life and cultural experience – and it’s changing fast.
At the University of East London, we offer you a unique insight into this exciting, swift-moving world. You’ll learn all about the advertising industry: what it does, how it works and how it’s changing in relation to the world that it shapes and that helps shape it.
You’ll learn about branding, market research techniques and digital media production, and take a detailed look at how today’s consumer society works.
Guided by industry experts, you’ll have the best chance not just to study but also to learn while at work in this ever-expanding industry.
You’ll be involved in work placements and consumer research projects. We’ll give you the chance to study everything from promotional media practices to photography and cultural theory while you also learn the best media and digital production skills.
If you don’t meet the entry requirements for a BA, you can study this course as an ‘extended’, four-year programme. In your first year, you’ll take a foundation year which prepares you for a successful transition to the BA course.
Return to campus: dual delivery
In a Covid-secure environment, enjoy learning on our state-of-the-art campuses and flex between online delivery
Find out more85%
Overall satisfaction
In the 2018 National Student Survey, 85% of our students said they were overall satisfied with the quality of our courses.
Industry experts
You’ll be taught by industry professionals, from planners and strategists to photographers and creatives, and enjoy the opportunity of a work placement or project within the cultural and creative industries.
91%
of graduates in work
An average of 91% of our graduates are in work or further education within 6 months of graduation (DLHE, 2016/17)
Rory O’Neill
Advertising, BA (Hons)
I wouldn't have been able to get where I am today without the amazing guidance and support from my lecturers on the Advertising degree.
Fees and funding
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will be automatically cancelled.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Maintenance Loan
You can apply for a loan to help with living costs such as food, travel and accommodation. How much you can borrow depends on where you live and study, and whether you are currently on welfare benefits. The maximum loan you can apply for is £12,729.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Supplementary Grants
The government also offer the following additional support:
- Parents' Learning Allowance
- Adult Dependants' Grant
- Childcare Grant
- Disabled Students’ Allowance
- All nursing and many allied health students on courses from September 2020 will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year from the government.
For further information visit gov.uk/student-finance or contact Student Finance England.
All students will receive:
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
- Care Leaver and Foyer Bursary - up to £1,500
- Progression Bursary - up to £2,000
- Engagement Bursary - up to £2,000
- Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
- Helena Kennedy Foundation - £1,500
- Going Global – awards range from £300 - £700
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
- Vice Chancellor Scholarship - up to £27,750 over three years
- Dean Scholarship - up to £13,500 over three years
- Civic Engagement Scholarship - £1,000
- EU Scholarship (EU Only) - £1,000
- ELSEF Scholarship - £1,000
- UTC Scholarship - £1,500
- Sports Scholarships - up to £6,000
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the list below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you are a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
You don't need to pay this up front.
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
Tuition fees are subject to annual change. Fees for future years will be published in due course.
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will be automatically cancelled.
Maintenance Loan
Part-time students can access maintenance loans from Student Finance England.
From academic year 2018/19, part-time students can access maintenance loans from Student Finance England.
You can apply for a loan to help with living costs such as food, travel and accommodation.
Part-time students need to study their courses at a rate of at least
25% of an equivalent full-time course in each academic year.
For further information visit gov.uk/student-finance
We appreciate that finance is one of the key considerations when you are applying to university. That's why alongside your Government loan, you can apply for scholarships to help towards your finances. We have invested over £2 million worth of scholarships to financially assist new students, starting in September 2019. If you are awarded a scholarship you don't need to pay it back.
All students will receive:
Ebooks
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the list below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you are a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
Price per 30 credit module.
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
At UEL, we understand that studying in another country is a big financial commitment. If you apply early for an undergraduate, you may be entitled to a scholarship of up to £3,000.You can find out more about the international scholarships here.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) also run an Emergency International Fund to assist international students in hardship.
You can contact our SMART team on 02082233333 or study@uel.ac.uk
As part of the Tier 4 student visa requirements, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) estimate that you will need £1,265* per month to cover your living costs. It includes expenses for accommodation, food and drink, travel within London, text books, entertainment, clothing, toiletries and laundry. Most Tier 4 students are required to show they have sufficient funds to cover the first nine months of the course before they start- a total of £11,385- in addition to the tuition fees. You can find more information about the specific requirements of the Tier 4 student visa here. The amount that you will spend can vary depending on your lifestyle. The UKCISA International Student Calculator can help you plan and manage your money. Please make sure you also factor in the fees for the visa application and immigration health surcharge when budgeting.
* Please note the Immigration Rules are subject to change and this figure is likely to be increased by UKVI year on year. Please therefore check our ISA pages for more information at the time of preparing your visa application.
Deposits and paying by instalments
International students are required to pay a deposit prior to being issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
Your remaining balance will be paid in five monthly instalments over your first term. The first of these instalments must be paid when completing your enrolment on arrival at UEL. Please follow the payment instructions here.
After the required payment has been made, you will be asked to complete the online International Student Reply Form to confirm your acceptance of our offer and of our terms of admittance and fees policy.
Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements.
Email: international@uel.ac.uk
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
Tuition fees are subject to annual change. Fees for future years will be published in due course.
Entry requirements
- September 2021
-
Degree
112
New UCAS Points
Access to HE Diploma (QAA approved) with 60 credits overall and 45 credits at Level 3
We will also consider the UEL New Beginnings pre-entry course
Level 2 equivalences such as Level 2 Functional Skills in English / Maths, Level 2 Key Skills in Communication / Application of Number and Level 2 Adult Literacy / Adult Numeracy
Please note that some courses require applicants to meet the entry requirements outlined on the course page. Our pre-entry Information Advice and Guidance Team are able to provide further advice on entry requirements and suitability for study.
If you do not meet the academic English language requirements for your course, you may be eligible to enrol onto a pre-sessional English programme. The length of the course will depend on your current level of English and the requirements for your degree programme. We offer a 5-week and an 11-week pre-sessional course. Find out more.
What you'll learn
The course centres on four major areas: how the industry works, digital media production, social and market research techniques and theoretical examinations of culture and consumer society.
You'll explore the advertising business and topics surrounding it, such as branding, promotional communication, cultural theory, media planning, new media, social media and advertising creativity.
Industry experience is at the course’s heart. You’ll take modules designed specifically to bridge advertising theory and practice, giving you the chance to hear from top industry professionals. Recent speakers have represented major international agencies such as Ogilvy and BrandVoice.
Our teaching team includes Abigail Summerfield, who was previously an account director at Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising.
What you'll study and when
We consistently review our courses to ensure we are up-to-date with industry changes and requirements from our graduates. As a result, our modules are subject to change.
- Academic Development (Core)
- Creative Project (Core)
- Ways of Seeing (Core)
- Narrative and Creativity (Core)
- Group Film Project (Core)
- Professional Development: Mental Wealth (Core)
- Narrative 1: Narrative fiction (Core)
- Documentary 1: Documentary and Representation (Core)
- Aesthetics and Technologies 1: Practice as research (Core)
- Media Cultures (Core)
- Professional life: Mental Wealth – Agency 1 (Core)
- Social Media & Branded Content Design (Core)
- Narrative 2: Advanced narrative (Core)
- Documentary 2: Experimental Documentary (Core)
- Employability and Enterprise (Core)
- Professional life: Mental Wealth – Agency 2 (Core)
- Celebrity & Influencer Marketing (Core)
- Digital Research in Practice (Core)
- Final Project Development (Core)
- Final Project Completion (Core)
- Content Design & Execution (Core)
- Self-Branding; Identity & Social Media (Core)
- Aesthetics and Technologies 2: professional practices (Core)
- Professional life: Mental Wealth – Agency 2 (Core)
How you'll be assessed
How you'll learn
We want to equip you properly for the workplace. That’s why we put a strong emphasis on your involvement with live briefs, work placements and consumer research projects.
You’ll have the chance to complete a career development project, with the support of a tutor, and enjoy work placement opportunities. Our students have been placed with top London-based advertising agencies such as DLKW Lowe and First City Advertising, and with international firms like the New York-based Wunderman.
You’ll also gain invaluable experience from projects such as creating a poster campaign or viral ad, presenting an advertising pitch or running a focus group.
You’ll be able to make use of our excellent facilities, including a dedicated advertising suite with the latest multimedia production equipment. You’ll also have extensive access to the best online resources, such as Warc, which offers research and advertising information from the world's leading brands.
Who’ll be guiding you in all this? Your teaching team at UEL, headed by Dr Julia Dane, have published in the areas of advertising theory and practice including The Advertising Handbook (2009) and Promotional Culture and Convergence: Markets, Methods, Media (2013) edited by Helen Powell.
The team also includes industry professionals with expertise in branded content, account planning, digital media strategy, campaign execution and media production techniques. Supportive and dedicated, they’ll offer personal supervision throughout your studies.
Who will teach on this course
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
Your future career
We pride ourselves on teaching such a range of key skills that you’ll find many doors to stimulating future employment open to you after graduation – and not just in advertising. UEL graduates have gone on to succeed in other areas such as market research, marketing and public relations.
That is, in part, down to the contacts you can make during the course. Many students have managed to land jobs after making an impact with employers during their work placements.
UEL advertising graduates have the advantage of enjoying a wealth of industry knowledge together with a deep understanding of consumer culture. So it’s little wonder our graduates are in demand to work in a range of promotional industries.
One recent graduate was taken on by top London agency ArtScience and has been working on social media for TalkTalk’s sponsorship of ‘The X Factor’. Another has been providing marketing expertise for small businesses.
Kahmarl Gordon, who graduated in 2013, established the successful, trend-setting art and popular culture magazine WEARECOLLISION during his time at UEL, which is now sold all around the world. He has also returned to teach on our course, offering his expertise and experience to future entrepreneurs.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.
