Overview
This exciting honours degree in Marketing & Public Relations (PR) aims to equip you with the knowledge, competences and skills that are required to be successful in contemporary marketing and public relations industries. Recognised by and containing content from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), you will become a member of this professional association for the duration of your course.
In recent years marketing and PR has gained increasing significance as organisations look to face local, national and international challenges.
Marketing and PR roles range from identifying customer needs, creating ideas and building and managing a positive brand reputation. This function is required across almost every industry, giving graduates a variety of sectors to work in such as fashion, retail, public sector, professional services, manufacturing and more.
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.
Employability
Dedicated Careers & Employability department who will assist you in finding employmentTop Quality Courses
Taught by industry professionals, awarded by Coventry UniversityNo End of Year Exams
Our modern teaching techniques mean no last-minute cramming and less stressProfessional Recognition
Specific courses contain additional industry recognised qualifications from awarding bodies
Accreditation and Professional Recognition
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. Students achieve both academic and vocational awards (including HNC/HND and Coventry University Honours Degree) and professional recognition from the CIPR. As members of the CIPR, students will have access to benefits offered by the professional body such as networking opportunities, extensive learning resources and improved employment opportunities.
Chartered Institute of Marketing
Students who complete the Marketing & Public Relations HNC will be exempt on an Accredited Prior Learning (APL) basis from the CIM Level 4 Certificate in Professional Marketing modules ‘Marketing’ and ‘Integrated Communications’. They will be required to pass one elective module to obtain the CIM Level 4 Certificate in Professional Marketing qualification. On completion of the BA (Hons) Marketing & Public Relations, students will also be exempted on an APL basis from the CIM Level 6 Diploma in Professional Marketing module ‘Strategic Marketing’. They will be required to pass two modules, ‘Mastering Metrics’ (mandatory), plus one elective module to obtain the CIM Level 6 Diploma in Professional Marketing.
What our students say
My course has helped me to become more attuned to marketing practises everywhere. Because of the modern-day focus, I can notice and apply aspects of what I learn in class to current operating businesses – which is great for what I want to do.
Course information
This course aims to provide an understanding of best practices in the marketing and PR industry.
Alongside extensive knowledge of significant marketing functions within core business strategies, you will be equipped with skills essential for successful entry into 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.
Furthermore, you’ll learn to develop creativity with an entrepreneurial flair and successfully combine innovative ideas with strategic thinking.
Course Specification
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Modules
Coventry University is ranked 15th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2020. CU Coventry is part of the Coventry University Group.
In more detail...
If you are excited at the prospect of making a difference to the way companies interact with customers by creating compelling marketing strategies, our degree will equip you with aligning skills and knowledge to excel in the industry.
Facilities
Located on our Mile Lane campus, you will have access to our Library & Learning Services (LLS), fully equipped seminar rooms and impressive IT suites. Plus, you can take advantage of reading rights in Coventry University’s Lanchester Library, make use of sport centre facilities and receive full membership to Coventry University Students’ Union (CUSU).
Staff
This course has been developed and is taught by practising professionals and industry experts. Our academics bring a wealth of expertise to the classroom with many continuing to undertake research and other projects alongside teaching, meaning our students gain a well-rounded and relevant teaching experience.
Practical Experience
Throughout your studies, you will find that the course is underpinned with practical elements. Each year students can attend and take part in national and international sales and marketing events. In previous years these have included the Scottish Open Sales Competition, the European Sales Competition and the ISM British Excellence in Sales and Marketing Awards.
Placements
At CU Coventry, we put a strong focus on getting our graduates ready to enter the job market. This can be done in a variety of ways—one key element is work placements. With this degree, you are given the opportunity to undertake short and long-term placements in between your second and third year.
Natasza - Becoming A Salesperson
After winning the Scottish Open Sales Competition, Natasza has galvanised her passion for marketing. International opportunities at CU have taken her to inspirational places like Barcelona and she hopes that travel will play an instrumental part of her career.
Discover Natasza's Story- Upon completion of this course, you will receive a qualification awarded by Coventry University.
- You will receive support with applying for short and long-term placements, to gain the experience employers desire, with our in-house Careers & Employability Department.
- You will have the opportunity for multi-campus learning in Coventry, London and Scarborough.
- In order to make higher education accessible to as many people as possible, we keep our tuition fees competitively priced.
- Small tutorial group sessions ensure that you receive the mentoring help and support you need.
- We deliver one module at a time during each block. This means you can dedicate your time to specialise in each subject without the distraction of numerous modules and multiple deadlines.
- Hands-on experience of marketing and PR practices, with entry into international competitions against other universities.
- Leadership and Management: Sales and management resources, ethics and governance, managerial principles, management tools and techniques, development, management and exploitation of information and communication systems.
- International Marketing: Critical appraisal of the theories related to the development of an international marketing and sales strategy, including risk factors, country, cultures and competitors.
- Industry Adaptation: Environmental factors that influence sales and marketing strategies, policies and processes which includes the competitive marketplace, supply chain, technology, legislation, regulation and social factors.
- Research Methods: Critical analysis, reflection, information searching and experimental design in the biological sciences. Data collection, analysis and presentation.
Additional study themes include:
- Innovation and creativity
- Entrepreneurism
- Marketing and PR strategy development
- Marketing and PR practice
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 study year in a related field. Alternatively, part-time study is also available and with our Saturday University programme, this course can be completed in as little as three years. Our teaching methods are varied, offering a number of teaching styles to suit the needs of all our students, so in addition to lectures, we also utilise a blended learning approach, including online aspects, workshops and group work.
We also operate an open-door policy, with additional availability via email and our online learning platform, Moodle.
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.
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, as well as providing an overall percentage grade.
Breakdown of final grade assessment approximately:
- 65% Coursework
- 35% Interactive Assessments
On completion, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate understanding and knowledge of the theoretical, analytical and practical aspects of marketing and PR.
- Understand environmental factors that influence sales and marketing strategies, policies and processes which includes the competitive marketplace, supply chain, technology, legislation, regulation and social factors.
- Sources of market information, analysis and research techniques. You will be introduced to the fundamental tools and techniques to undertake reliable market research activities, including an exploration of the role of an external marketing agency. You will also look at the most readily available sources of market information, as well as a consideration of the theories related to assessing the quality of market research information.
- Critically appraise theories related to the development of an international marketing strategy and the risk factors that need to be considered in the development of a successful strategy, including country, currency, cultural and competitor risk.
- Strategic leadership and management. You will examine the resources and operations in respect of sales and marketing operations within an international business context. You will also put together a critical analysis of strategic leadership theory related to the context of a marketing and PR function, including issues related to ethics and governance. You will also explore methods for workforce management and control, including managerial principles as well as tools and techniques.
Full-time students are expected to attend CU Coventry every day of the week.
The majority of this will be face to face teaching, with the addition of individual and group tutorials and independent/online learning, as well as enhancement activities on Wednesdays.
Classes run daily and students are allocated to either:
Morning - 9am-1pm or
Afternoon - 2pm-6pm
Both morning and afternoon sessions have the addition of Enhancement Wednesdays when students can choose individualised learning activities between 9.30am-1.30pm to support their study, providing time in the afternoon to engage in clubs and societies.
We hold tutorials in small groups every week. These sessions are mandatory and ensure you receive detailed feedback about your work, go into depth on specific topics and have any of your burning questions answered.
Groups are kept at an average of 25-50 students per class. This way, students can take advantage of small numbers to increase contact time with lecturers.
Previous students have had the opportunity to participate in international field trips to Barcelona, Amsterdam and Geneva, as well as getting involved in collaborative online learning projects with international universities, most recently Aalborg University in Denmark.
What our students say
My course has helped me to become more attuned to marketing practises everywhere. Because of the modern-day focus, I can notice and apply aspects of what I learn in class to current operating businesses – which is great for what I want to do.
Entry Requirements
Unconditional offers
We want to recruit the best students to CU Coventry. We assess an applicants' past, current and predicted performance and commitment to the course, and we may feel that it is appropriate to reward consistently high-achieving students with an unconditional offer to CU Coventry. It is a commitment from us with regard to an applicants’ potential as an excellent undergraduate and we hope that this will encourage such applicants to join CU Coventry.
Personal statements and references will also be taken into account and, for some degree courses, an interview will form part of the assessment. Requirements for specific courses differ and not all degree courses will be taking part in the scheme. The unconditional offer will be confirmed once a selected applicant has made CU Coventry their firm choice.
CU Coventry has assessed that you can achieve the required grades and we have demonstrated this belief by making you an offer. This is our commitment to you so then we ask that you reciprocate this commitment by selecting us as your ‘firm’ choice and activating your offer.
We will consider other qualifications for a pre-result unconditional offer if you have an appropriate proven performance at GCSE (or equivalent) level and predicted grades in line with grades that we expect to see at A-level. Other qualifications that we may consider for a pre-result unconditional offer include: The International Baccalaureate Diploma, BTEC Level 3 qualifications, Cambridge Pre-U and combinations of qualifications (e.g. BTECS plus A-levels).
An unconditional offer is what it says it is. So, if you don’t meet your predictions then your place is still guaranteed. However, we would hope and expect that you continue to work hard to make the most of your potential and be best prepared to study at university level.
No, the unconditional offer is only available to those who will take up their place in the year for which they applied.
If you don’t meet the entry requirements for this course, we have a number of programmes which upon successful completion and meeting any additional entry criteria, qualifies you onto a place on this degree course, such as Foundation Years or Access to Higher Education Diplomas.
What our students say
My course has helped me to become more attuned to marketing practises everywhere. Because of the modern-day focus, I can notice and apply aspects of what I learn in class to current operating businesses – which is great for what I want to do.
Tuition Fees
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
Fees & Funding
We price our courses competitively in an attempt to make higher education accessible for a wide range of people. Your tuition fees will cover all of your classes, online tutorials, some of the learning materials and access to our Library & Learning Services.
Each academic year we review our fee structure to ensure we're offering value for money to all our students. The 2020/21 fees are currently under review and will be available in autumn 2019.
Funding
As a full-time or part-time student resident in the UK or EU, you can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees at CU Coventry from Student Finance England.
What our students say
My course has helped me to become more attuned to marketing practises everywhere. Because of the modern-day focus, I can notice and apply aspects of what I learn in class to current operating businesses – which is great for what I want to do.
Career prospects
With an ever-growing demand for marketing professionals in all industries, graduates of a marketing course have an expansive list of career pathways to explore.
Possible career routes include digital marketing, events management, account management and more. While many graduates progress directly into careers in marketing, PR and sales, this course could also lead to a master’s degree and professional qualifications.
Where our graduates work
Graduates from our marketing degree have progressed on to positions including Marketing Coordinator, Account Executive and Graduate Manager.
What our students say
My course has helped me to become more attuned to marketing practises everywhere. Because of the modern-day focus, I can notice and apply aspects of what I learn in class to current operating businesses – which is great for what I want to do.
Disclaimer
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.
