Overview
For those with creative flair, analytical minds and a love of communicating, our Marketing BA can lead to a career in this exciting field.
Marketing is a subject that impacts everyone’s lives, now more so than ever as advancements in digital and social media are opening up new and exciting ways to attract and engage customers anytime, anywhere and any place.
This professionally accredited course is aimed at students with an interest in all areas of sales and marketing from the creative to the analytical – whether that is advertising and brands, consumer behaviour and retailing, or new product development and market research. It provides a solid foundation in general business and management knowledge with a specific focus on marketing, both as business strategy and a function.
Why Coventry University?
An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.
Global ready
An international outlook, with global opportunitiesEmployability
Career-ready graduates, with the skills to succeedTeaching Excellence
Taught by lecturers who are experts in their fieldCourse essentials
A degree which offers you more, at no extra costAccreditation and Professional Recognition
This course is accredited and recognised by the following bodies:
European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD)
As a mark of our quality and international perspective, Coventry Business School is an active member of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS), as well as being signatories to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (UN PRME) initiative. Our experiences and involvement with these organisations will enhance the quality of your educational experience.
Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS)
Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
We are a Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) accredited Study Centre, which means that students who complete the BA Marketing at Coventry University are exempt from the CIM Certificate in Professional Marketing, as well as the first module of the CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing via the Graduate Gateway scheme.
Our Facilities
DigiComm Lab
Designed to build creative minds, the DigiComm Lab is equipped with the latest industry-standard marketing and advertising software and devices to support your creative development.
Business Simulation Suite
Coventry Business School's Business Simulation Suite utilises the latest business simulation software to give students the opportunity to improve their business skills.
Trading Floor
Students have opportunities to practice simulated trading and other finance-related activities using the various types of demo software available in the Trading Floor.
What our students say
I chose this course to gain practical and theoretical knowledge in the professional marketing industry. Lectures are all recorded and are available online, seminars are interactive too. Overall Coventry University is in a great location with lots of places nearby to visit.
Course information
The course aims to develop your awareness and understanding of contemporary marketing and advertising concepts and theories. It is designed to equip you with appropriate analysis tools to investigate a marketing and/or advertising problem and develop appropriate solutions.
One of the major attractions of Marketing is the broad range of practical and transferrable skills you will develop – creative, analytical, interpersonal and communications. For example, the ‘Marketing Management’ module will give hands-on experience of developing marketing plans and strategy, whilst the ‘Applied Advertising’ module involves working in teams to create innovative solutions to an advertising brief and then pitch them to a client.
Course specification
Download PDF
Modules
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
We are ranked as the 15th best University in the United Kingdom
Guardian University Guide 2020
In more detail...
As an accredited Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Centre, you gain key exemptions for professional qualifications with the CIM and also have the option to complete the CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing in the six to nine months following the completion of your degree.
As experienced practitioners our staff have spent time in industry prior to joining academia, in roles such as marketing executives, managers and directors of private and public sector organisations. They bring knowledge of all the latest marketing tools and techniques – like Google analytics and the online content creation tools currently proving popular in digital marketing. Many are recognised both nationally and internationally in their respective fields of specialism, publishing their research in the highest quality academic journals, including Journal of Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research, Psychology and Marketing and Journal of Consumer Behaviour to name but a few.
Combining theory and practice, this course benefits from a focus on practical marketing skills and enables you to fully explore the marketing discipline, choosing from a wide range of optional modules. You will develop cutting-edge skills in marketing and communications research, analysis and planning, working with others to develop advertising campaigns and honing your analytical skills using simulation games, such as the Cesim SIMBrand marketing management game designed to develop your understanding and command of the marketing planning process.
To monitor emerging sector trends and challenges, there is a high degree of practitioner input. Guest speakers from industry are frequently invited to give talks about their experiences, which in recent years, has included speakers from McCann Erickson, ITV Studios, Millward Brown, Marstons and the Mixed Reality Studio among others.
- Chance to spend a year studying abroad – past students have studied in China and Belgium.
- Research-inspired teaching from staff who are active in the areas of branding and guest speakers such as Brandz Global Director and esteemed visiting professors.
- The CIM Graduate Gateway award offers direct entry to top-up to CIM’s Professional Diploma in Marketing (two module exemptions) immediately after your degree or in the three to five years following.
- Use of digital communications lab – the DigiComm Lab. This is equipped with industry-standard software, including Adobe Comp, Adobe Slate, Adobe Voice, Behance, WordPress and social media platforms.
- Opportunities to participate in industry field trips, with past examples taking place at Jaguar Land Rover and Cadbury’s factory and exhibition tour, as well as visiting professional exhibitions, such as the Digital Marketing Show (please note that additional costs may apply).
Placement opportunities with blue chip companies, such as Microsoft, Procter and Gamble, Goldman Sachs and Disney.
Our main study themes are:
- Marketing: Exploring marketing research, consumer behaviour, digital marketing, contemporary marketing issues and marketing strategy.
- Advertising: Analysing current advertisements and creating your own campaigns.
- Business: Study core subjects, such as business organisation and accounting.
- Research: How to conduct both primary and secondary research and put your skills into practice by undertaking an independent and in-depth study of a marketing topic of your choice.
This course is available on a three-year full-time basis or a four-year sandwich basis, where between Years Two and Three there is an opportunity for one year of work experience or study abroad at a partner Institution.
Theory and practice-based lectures and seminars will develop your knowledge of a range of marketing topics, supported by a suite of industry-based software and hardware. Learning and teaching incorporates lectures, seminars, tutorials, presentations, projects, workshops, simulation games and practical Digicomm Lab sessions, where you can use web design software, practice web platforms and blogging techniques to develop your skills in manipulating new media for marketing and advertising applications.
There are opportunities to attend regular guest lectures by marketing professionals from industry and academia. Marketing topics covered by recent guest speakers have included McCann Erickson’s PR Account Director on a day in the life of an advertising agency, and ITV Global Studios’ Marketing Director on working in TV and working towards your dream job.
There are a range of field trips both nationally and internationally. For example, in the past, we have visited China and Leuven University in Belgium. These visits not only help you to bond with your fellow students, but also provide exposure to industry on a global scale and develop your intercultural competencies.
You will regularly get involved in live and simulated cases which bring the subject alive, for example, you could find yourself simulating marketing planning in the international smartphone market.
The Faculty’s Business Futures team can assist you in finding a suitable placement, which will enable you to put your studies into practice, gaining valuable experience of the world of work on a much more significant scale than vacation or part‐time work. Past students have worked for the likes of IBM, L’Oreal, Rolls Royce and Warner Brothers.
In addition, as a student of Coventry Business School, you will have access to a Progress Coach, who will be able to support your academic progress through drop-in sessions or one-to-one meetings.
In the National Student Survey (NSS) 2018, 100% felt staff were good at explaining things and made the subject interesting.
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will could vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include formal examinations, coursework, presentations and portfolio assessment.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes. Assessments may include exams, individual assignments or group work elements.
On successful completion, you will be equipped with the skills to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of: the essential principles and practice of marketing and advertising; how an organisation interacts with its external environment customers and stakeholders.
- Identify and analyse relevant sources of marketing information and research techniques across different contexts and cultures.
- Appreciate current contemporary issues including sustainability, ethics and CSR in marketing and digital marketing.
- Effectively use specialist tools in digital and social media marketing using appropriate software.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the holistic nature of a business organisation, the financial management of organisations and the strategic management and operational aspects of marketing within a business context.
We set out below the typical teaching contact hours that you will receive on this course. Teaching contact hours will vary in different semesters and years of study and may vary due to module selection. In addition to the contact hours below, we offer the opportunity to attend additional optional sessions, including sessions with the Faculty’s progress coaches, or to meet with staff during their advice and feedback hours.
Within your first and second year, you will have 12 contact hours of teaching a week which includes:
- Medium group teaching: 6 hours of seminars or workshops per week
- Large group teaching: 6 hours of lectures each week.
In your final year, if you are undertaking a project/dissertation, there is a greater emphasis placed on independent study and therefore total contact hours may be reduced.
In addition, you will be expected to undertake a significant amount of self-directed reading, studying and revising in your own time each week.
Our diverse student and staff body helps to facilitate a multicultural learning environment and the fundamental nature of this course is international in its outlook, drawing on marketing best practice from around the world.
We have long-running partnerships with KH Leuven in Belgium, School for Higher and Professional Education (SHAPE) in Hong Kong and PSB Academy in Singapore. We run a number of collaborative Online International Learning (OIL) projects on the course, which enables you to work with students across the world on a live project tackling a specific marketing challenge in global virtual and multicultural teams. In the past, students have worked with peers in the USA, South America, India and many European countries undertaking business challenges as part of the international X-Culture competition.
Throughout the course there will be opportunities to visit relevant companies to gain a real life experience of marketing, both at home and abroad. Previous cohorts of students have visited Leuven in Belgium, Dubai and Malaysia to experience other cultures and take part in marketing activities in international teams.
Global ready
Did you know we help more students travel internationally than any other UK university according to data from the experts in higher education data and analysis, HESA?
In 2016/17, we were able to provide a total of 3,482 experiences abroad that lasted at least five days.
Much of this travel is made possible through our Global Leaders Programme, which enables students to prepare for the challenges of the global employment market, as well as strengthening and developing their broader personal and professional skills.
1st for
international experiences
Sending more students overseas than any other UK uni (HESA 2016/17)
3,482
Student experiences
The number of student trips abroad for at least 5 days in 2016/17
21,000
and counting
The number of students we’ve helped travel internationally so far
12
global programmes
As well as trips, we offer other opportunities like language courses
What our students say
I chose this course to gain practical and theoretical knowledge in the professional marketing industry. Lectures are all recorded and are available online, seminars are interactive too. Overall Coventry University is in a great location with lots of places nearby to visit.
Entry Requirements
What our students say
I chose this course to gain practical and theoretical knowledge in the professional marketing industry. Lectures are all recorded and are available online, seminars are interactive too. Overall Coventry University is in a great location with lots of places nearby to visit.
Tuition Fees
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
For more information, please visit our Finance pages.
Course essentials at no extra cost
We're committed to communicating study costs clearly to make sure you're not faced with having to make any unexpected payments.
This is why our ‘Flying Start’ package provides you with a few course essentials. Your full-time fee for an undergraduate degree will cover the following:
UK field trips
Any mandatory site visits and trips within the United Kingdom.Key material
This can include core textbooks, software and equipment.Laser prints
1,000 A4 sides of black and white laser printing credits per year.Optional year
Pay no tuition fees for optional work placements or study abroad trips.The following are additional costs not included in the fees:
- Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
EU student fees
EU nationals and their family members starting in the 2019/20 academic year remain eligible for the same fees as home students and the same financial support. Financial support comes from Student Finance England, and covers undergraduate and postgraduate study for the duration of their course, providing they meet the residency requirement.
For tuition fee loans
EU nationals must have resided in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for the three years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that three year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
For maintenance loans
EU nationals must have resided in the UK and Islands for the five years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that five year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
What our students say
I chose this course to gain practical and theoretical knowledge in the professional marketing industry. Lectures are all recorded and are available online, seminars are interactive too. Overall Coventry University is in a great location with lots of places nearby to visit.
Career prospects
Our course is one of only a handful in the UK that is accredited by the CIM for a dual award. This means that in the final year of your degree you can also work towards achieving the CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing so can graduate with two qualifications, significantly enhancing your career prospects.
Designed to prepare you for work, it offers lots of opportunities to participate in live cases with clients, work experience (short and long-term as part of a sandwich year) and paid internships. We have strong partnerships with a number of employers, including Coventry Council, Jaguar Land Rover, Millward Brown and the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Field trips are embedded into each year of study, some industry-focused to provide first-hand experiences of marketing in action, others designed to build your professional or interpersonal skills, for example, to encourage team bonding initially and then develop team working skills.
In addition, careers-based modules in digital marketing, brand communications, services marketing and creative advertising and a range of other areas are embedded into the course to help build transferrable skills which will enhance your employability.
You will have the support of our Faculty employment unit, Business Futures, who offer dedicated Personal Employment Tutors who are industry trained, and can call on an extensive network of employers with a wide range of internship opportunities. Business Futures also supports you with workshops and guidance on the various aspects of the employment process such as preparing your CV, interview practice and mock assessment centres. They also host employer events throughout the year, giving you the opportunity to network with employers offering placements, internships and graduate roles in the marketing sector.
Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The University's Careers and Employability team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career."
Where our graduates work
Our graduates have gone on to a range of careers in Marketing, Advertising, PR, Brand management, Marketing Research, Digital Marketing, sales and general management with a wide range of large and small organisations such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, Rolls Royce, Procter and Gamble, Jaguar Land Rover, Silverstone, McCann Erickson, Volkswagen, South African Airlines, Millward Brown, Chime Communications.
What our students say
I chose this course to gain practical and theoretical knowledge in the professional marketing industry. Lectures are all recorded and are available online, seminars are interactive too. Overall Coventry University is in a great location with lots of places nearby to visit.
Disclaimer
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the University. A copy of the 19/20 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the University will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the University.
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase for UK and EU Students is expected to be in line with inflation. For international students, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
*2020/2021 course fees have not yet been determined by the University or government legislation. Once the course fees have been determined, the course web page will be updated to reflect your first year course fee. Please continue to revisit the course web page to identify the fee before you accept an offer of a place on the course and/or before you enrol at the University.
