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.
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.
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
Julia Dane
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 WEARECOLLISIONduring 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.
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