Marketing and Public Relations BA (Hons)

Undergraduate
HNC/HND courses

The BA (Hons) Marketing and Public Relations (PR) degree aims to equip you with the knowledge, competencies and skills that are required to be successful in contemporary marketing and PR industries

Course option

Degree with foundation year

Year of entry

2024-25 2025-26 2026-27

Location

CU Coventry (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

4 years sandwich
3 year - Degree
2 year - HND
1 year - HNC

UCAS codes

N520 / 025N / 095N

Start date

June 2025

How to apply

Book an Open Event

Download a prospectus

Course overview

In recent years, marketing and PR have gained increasing significance with the growth of digital marketing, social media and corporate social responsibility. Working in a marketing environment can be fast-paced, exciting and fun, and touches on all aspects of the business such as branding, positioning, and working towards building a sustainable image.

Recognised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), you will become members of this professional association for the duration of your course. The course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and you will have the opportunity to gain a Level 4 CIM Certificate in Professional Marketing in addition to your degree, subject to additional fees.

Why CU Coventry

We offer a style of education which is flexible and designed to fit around your life, allowing you to benefit from a modern, forward-thinking higher education institution, reinforced by the quality and reputation of Coventry University. We aim to provide career-focused courses, wherever possible, coupled with placement opportunities to help prepare you for the world of work. We are dedicated to making higher education accessible and enjoyable to everyone, so we keep our fees low and made it a policy to cover one module at a time, allowing you to become a specialist in each topic before moving onto the next.

Accreditation and professional recognition

The degree is currently recognised by the following bodies: the CIM and the CIPR for the 2023/2024 intake¹.

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the leading representative body for the PR profession and industry in Europe. For the duration of the whole course, students will have access to benefits offered by the professional body such as learning resources and networking and employment opportunities. Please see the following link for further information: Membership

Chartered Institute of Marketing

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) supports, develops and represents marketers, organisations and the profession all over the world. For the duration of the whole course, students will have access to benefits offered by the professional body such as learning resources and networking and employment opportunities. Please see the following link for further information: Contact us I CIM

What you'll study

This course aims to provide an understanding of best practices in the marketing and PR industries.

Alongside extensive knowledge of significant marketing functions within core business strategies, you will be given the opportunity to learn skills for the marketing sector. Within this course, you will have the opportunity to embark on study trips, as well as mandatory marketing training with local employers and industry experts, subject to additional costs.

Furthermore, you may learn to develop creativity with an entrepreneurial flair and successfully combine innovative ideas with strategic thinking.

Students who successfully complete year one will be eligible for a Higher National Certificate (HNC).

Modules

Marketing Principles - 30 credits

Marketing Communications - 30 credits

Developing key analytical skills, you will learn the quintessential tools for marketing communications. Gaining invaluable insight, you will learn to understand integrated marketing activities and assess the importance of consistency with social and ethical principles, while fulfilling legal and regulatory requirements.

Compulsory

Public Relations in Context - 30 credits

This module focuses on the fundamental context of public relations. You will be introduced to core topics including definitions, history, ethics, corporate social responsibility, and importantly, how PR integrates with other marketing functions. You will also discuss the pros and cons of working for an agency or working in-house, and study good and bad PR practices.

Compulsory

Contemporary Skills for Public Relations - 30 credits

As the world moves further towards instant global communication, the skills needed for successful strategy have evolved. In this module, you will learn PR skills such as copywriting, internal communication and crisis communications for international companies. You will also cover media management, where you will identify and discuss successful strategies in digital media.

Compulsory

As the course progresses, you will build on the knowledge gained in year one to cement a solid foundation of core principles. You will learn about technological systems to successfully develop and implement innovative marketing strategies. The course also introduces relationship management, innovative strategy, enhanced digital marketing practice and effective market segmentation.

Students who successfully complete year two will be eligible for a Higher National Diploma (HND).

Modules

Digital Marketing - 30 credits

By using real examples of advertising and marketing you’ll explore the essential tools to operate in a digital environment. You will learn how to monitor the effectiveness of a campaign and formulate unique strategies to enhance customer experience, while developing your knowledge of current trends, threats and opportunities in digital marketing.

Compulsory

Entrepreneurial Marketing - 30 credits

An entrepreneurial mindset is essential for the creation of innovative ideas for products and services. This module aims to introduce you to the concept of entrepreneurial marketing which is the process of creating new ideas by adopting the notion of effectuation. You also have the opportunity to practice the use of modern techniques such as targeting, segmentation and positioning.

Compulsory

Innovation in PR - 30 credits

Having the ability to integrate innovation into strategic creation is a skill sought-after by many. We aim to develop your skills in idea creation, innovation and enterprise in PR. Working with your peers, you will seek to develop creative approaches for successful public relations practice, studying famous companies for contemporary and relevant assessments.

Compulsory

Media Relationship Management - 30 credits

Focusing on characteristics of key media relationships, you’ll learn how to establish and maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with media sources. This module aims to highlight the importance of trust and use case studies of companies to critically assess positive and negative media coverage.

Compulsory

We put a strong focus on getting our students ready to enter the job market. With this degree, you are given the opportunity to apply to undertake short- and long-term placements in between your second and third years². While we would like to give you all the information about our placement/study abroad offering here, it is often tailored for each course every year and depending on the length of placement or study abroad opportunities that are secured. Therefore, the placement and study abroad arrangements vary per course and per student². Request further information about going on a placement or study abroad year.

This course offers you the option to apply to undertake a professional placement or study abroad year². If you wish to do so, you can opt to take either module which typically run for a full academic year between years 2 and 3 of your course. You can progress onto the relevant module if you have successfully completed the first two years of the course (i.e., having accumulated 240 credits) and provided that you confirm your interest in undertaking this option before the end of your second year, typically in August.

While the professional placement or study abroad option modules you undertake are non-credit, if successfully completed, these modules will appear on your final academic transcript. In addition, if you complete this year, you will also gain an enhanced degree award title as the additional suffix of “With Professional Placement” if you’ve gone on a work placement and “With Study Abroad” if you’ve gone on a study abroad programme.

Modules

UK Work Placement - 0 credits

International Study/Work Placement - 0 credits

This module² provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved international study/work placement undertaken during your programme. A work/study placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes.

Optional

In your final year of study, you will consolidate your expertise through professional placements and your own, self-defined marketing and PR research project. By the end of the course, you will have gained the skills and proficiency necessary for successful integration into the marketing industry.

Modules

International Marketing and PR - 30 credits

Refining knowledge of successful marketing and PR practices, this module focuses on international trade and the distinctions between multilateral marketing, international marketing and pure exporting. Familiarising yourself with key models and theories, economic and non-economic factors is highly important. Therefore, you’ll also explore topics such as globalisation.

Compulsory

Advanced PR Planning and CSR - 30 credits

Drawing on the knowledge of the previous years, tutor insight and independent research, you’ll explore the advanced practice of PR planning in modern organisations and how Corporate Social Responsibility plays a positive role in the community by considering the environmental and social impact of business decisions. Our tutors will take you through the disciplines of planning and strategy with key considerations, such as behaviour change, target planning, management and structuring of PR teams.

Compulsory

Strategic Marketing Management - 30 credits

Your tutors will teach you core subjects of marketing management, including the building of profitable relationships, creating and delivering brand value and global marketing. Most importantly, you’ll develop the skills and techniques required to create successful marketing strategies and learn how to sustain competitive advantage for contemporary organisations.

Compulsory

Marketing and PR Research Project - 30 credits

You will take charge of delivering a relevant and innovative research project to industry standard. This offers the opportunity to consolidate and showcase the skills and knowledge accumulated throughout the course on a topic of your choosing, incorporating contemporary marketing and PR issues, recommendations and critical reflection on outcomes.

Compulsory

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.

How you'll learn

There are two main taught options for this course. It is available as a full-time three-year programme or an optional four-year sandwich course, where you undertake a work placement or a study year in a related field².

Our teaching methods are varied, offering several teaching styles so in addition to lectures, we also utilise a blended learning approach, including online aspects, workshops, and group work. You can expect up to 20 hours of learning activities per week of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, online classes and independent learning.

Progression through the modules develops knowledge and skills, including communication (written and oral), study skills, research methods, project management, presentation, and career development. We will also encourage you to consider your employability and/or entrepreneurial development.

Unlike traditional institutions, there are no end-of-year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework and phase tests, which is more reflective of our learning model.

Teaching contact hours

The number of full-time contact hours may vary from module to module; however, on average, it is likely to be around 20 contact hours per week. Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study of approximately 30 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules

The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods, which will vary depending upon the module. The learning outcomes of modules, assignments and projects will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve these learning outcomes, and your final feedback will refer to each outcome and provide an overall percentage grade.

Breakdown of final grade assessment (may be subject to change):

Coursework
Interactive Assessments
Presentations and pitches
Individual projects

The Coventry University Group’s assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

International experience opportunities

Previous students have had the opportunity to participate in international field trips to Barcelona, Prague Amsterdam and Geneva, as well as getting involved in collaborative online learning projects with international universities.

Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability, and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements (and are therefore not guaranteed)².

Fees and funding

2024/25 tuition fees

Student	Full-time	Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man	£7,950 per year	Not available
EU	£7,950 per year with EU Support Bursary £16,800 per year without EU Support Bursary	Not available
International	£16,800 per year	Not available

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement² or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee³ to cover your academic support throughout your placement year. As an indication, students commencing their professional placement in the academic year 2025/26 will pay £1,300.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Fees and funding page and see the university’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our international scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.

How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.

If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.

Facilities

At CU Coventry, you will have the opportunity to benefit from a modern, forward-thinking higher education institution, and upon graduation, get a degree awarded by Coventry University. Our courses are career-focused and wherever possible include opportunities for you to source internships and placements to help boost your employability and prepare you for the world of work. Our Mile Lane campus is close to Coventry City Centre, Coventry Railway Station and bus links.

All our CU Coventry facilities⁴ are located at Mile Lane. Our building has been designed to enable collaboration, creativity and innovation to flourish, and includes (subject to availability):

Indoor and outdoor social spaces, including a café
A library that includes loan laptops, over 115,000 eBooks and a silent study area
Open access IT suites and 83-inch teaching screens
Engineering lab, science lab and a moot courtroom
Student support and careers advice teams

Careers and opportunities

Upon successful completion of this course, you will have had the opportunity to:

Demonstrate your understanding and knowledge of the theoretical, analytical, and practical aspects of marketing and public relations.
Gain insights into the environmental factors that influence sales and marketing strategies, policies, and processes.
Critically appraise theories related to the development of an international marketing strategy.
Explore strategic leadership and management within the context of sales and marketing operations in an international business setting.
Possible career routes include digital marketing, events management, account management and more.

Further study

Successful completion of the degree programme will allow you access to discounted postgraduate studies at Coventry University.

How to apply

BA (Hons) with foundation year

Apply via UCAS

C85

Institution code

View our courses on UCAS

Visit UCAS

UK students

Full-time UK undergraduate students apply through UCAS. Otherwise, you will need to apply to CU directly. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

Apply via UCAS

If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

(+44) 02477 652222

cuc@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form

International students

International codes:
CUCU064

International students should apply to CU directly. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

For further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International pages or Coventry University Group's International hub.

If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

(+44) 02477 652222

internationalenquiries.io@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form

Disclaimers

Coventry University together with Coventry University London, Coventry University Wrocław, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough, and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the University) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

¹Accreditations

The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.

²UK and international opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or international opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be unpaid and/or subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand any visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

³Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) 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 is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

⁴Facilities

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Student Contract

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 current 2024/2025 contract is available on the website. 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.