Marketing Communications BA(Hons)

In your first year, you'll delve into the fundamentals of marketing communications theory and practice.  

You'll learn core marketing principles and explore how to reach a brand’s audience in an engaging way, while meeting business objectives. You’ll develop an essential toolbox of methods to gather audience insights and put those skills into practice by designing innovative marketing campaigns. You’ll gain practical skills in planning, pitching, strategy, copywriting and problem-solving to equip you for working in the marketing communications industry. 

Modules

Writing Studio 

This module is all about understanding the mechanics of impactful writing. Collaborating with students from across the School of Communication, you will examine how language shapes the experiences of audiences across different platforms. 

Then, through practical tasks and workshops, you will develop tools and techniques that will build your confidence in writing with clarity, empathy, and purpose, helping you to craft engaging and persuasive stories for a wide range of different channels and contexts – from news and social media to websites and apps. 

Creative Problem Solving 

Commercial businesses and non-profit organisations need solutions for all kinds of problems and challenges - from improving everyday products and services to dealing with the impact of new technologies, the climate emergency, diversity and social justice.  

During this module you will gain hands-on experience of creative problem-solving tools and techniques, learning how to collect information, discover insights, define problems and generate ideas to address problems in innovative ways. 

Marketing Essentials 

Marketing starts with asking the right questions, and in this introductory module you’ll consider a range of fundamental questions: why is marketing the innovative heartbeat of leading companies? How can marketing influence consumer behaviour? What is brand identity and why does it matter to consumers?  

Through industry-aligned briefs and workshops you will learn about the blend of art and science underpinning the marketing process and will consider the important environmental and ethical concerns facing the industry.  

Marketing Communications 

Building on the knowledge you gained in Marketing Essentials, in this module you will learn how to develop a marketing communications plan and the tools and techniques to make that plan impactful; advertising, PR, content and influencer marketing.  

You’ll explore case studies on different types of marketing communications and then create a plan for your own integrated communications campaign – placing audience needs and issues of diversity at the centre of your work. 

Agency Life 

Whether it’s a big budget TV ad or an eye-catching social media campaign, brilliant outcomes require collaboration between art directors, copywriters, strategists, producers and more – plus, clients willing to part with their budgets. 

Through a series of practical workshop, you will learn about the structure and workings of agencies; how long-term professional success relies on being able to reflect on your own practice, manage interpersonal relationships, undertake interdisciplinary collaboration and communicate effectively with both colleagues and clients. 

Strategy in the Age of AI  

Since AI has arrived in the creative industries, tools and frameworks for strategizing and planning advertising campaigns have shifted. In this module  

you'll delve into the strategic aspects of the creative process, exploring the research and insights underpinning campaign planning and decision-making. You'll also learn how to leverage AI appropriately and ethically through lectures, seminar discussions on case studies and practical workshops. 

Your second year will involve a deep dive into aspects of creating effective marketing campaigns and understanding how consumers behave in different environments and in response to different brands, channels and media. You'll engage in debates about the ecological, ethical and social impact of marketing and the shifting expectations of consumers. You'll also learn how innovation can play a meaningful role in tackling some of these issues by taking on industry-aligned challenges and projects. 

Modules

Social Media and Digital Cultures 

Social media and digital platforms shape culture, identity, and communication. In this module, you'll learn to leverage each platform's unique features and possibilities to support your campaign objectives. Through lectures and case studies, you will examine how platforms influence everyday life, creative expression, and public debate, focusing on issues of algorithmic power, online communities and digital activism.  

Working both individually and in groups, you will be challenged to design digital-first tactics or campaigns, building a portfolio that demonstrates your ability to connect cultural insight with strategic platform use. Adobe sessions will help you prototype your ideas visually, while guest talks and lectures will explore how social and emerging media are reshaping the industry. 

Creating Brands 

This module explores the role of brands in business and society, introducing their key components — from values, positioning, and personality to tone of voice and visual identity. 

You will develop the practical brand design and production skills that bring brands to life: branding tools, methods, and frameworks to identify cultural tensions and opportunities, and strategies for compelling brand-building.  

Alongside understanding how brands create value for businesses, you will discover how brands support innovation and drive change by challenging industry norms and engaging with social, environmental, and ethical issues. 

Behaviour Change for Good 

Understanding human behaviour is crucial in the world of marketing. In this module, you will delve into psychology and behavioural research, learning how to gain insights, and using behaviour change frameworks to inform your ideas for tackling important social and environmental issues.  

Through a combination of lectures, practical workshops and tutorials, you will explore different research methods such as focus groups, interviews and observation to gain insights that can be used to inform a strategy or communication design intervention -- while also examining the moral and ethical considerations relating to behavioural research and the use of psychological techniques in communication and design. 

Campaigns 

How do global campaigns connect across markets and major channels? In this module, you will be introduced to the nuts and bolts of brand campaigns, learning about the unique features of different types of markets and services.  

Through responding to industry-aligned briefs, you'll collaborate with your peers to put the tools and tactics you've learned into practice to generate a portfolio of brand campaigns. 

Digital Marketing Consultancy  

Working collaboratively and simulating a digital marketing consultancy, you will apply your marketing knowledge in industry-aligned scenarios. You’ll take on a clear role within the team to achieve a shared outcome for your ‘client’, mentored by your tutors to build your professionalism in preparation for your future career.  

You can choose to take an optional professional placement after your second year on a three-year programme, or after your third year if you’re studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year. 

You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the Employability team. 

Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying. 

How you’ll study during your professional placement 

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks. 

You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation. 

Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth. 

In your final year, you'll sharpen your critical and creative thinking as you build a professional portfolio that showcases your skills and individual voice. You'll have the chance to embark on an entrepreneurial project to help hone and challenge your creative process and practice. And you'll get the opportunity to top up your BA with a professional qualification from the Chartered Institute of Marketing – the most recognised marketing professional body in the world. 

Supported by tutors, you’ll tackle industry-aligned briefs and may enter global competitions such as CIM Pitch, Creative Conscience, D&AD New Blood and AKQA Future Lions. 

Modules

Major Project - Development

You’ll research, plan and develop a self-initiated final year project based on a brand or topic of your choice.  

Demonstrating engagement with contemporary industry trends, debates and conversations, you will conduct a combination of secondary and primary research to identify findings or insights that can be used to inform your creative practice.  

Through masterclasses, seminars and workshops, you will study research methods that are relevant to your discipline and chosen theme. With formative feedback from your project supervisors throughout, you will learn to shape your ideas and research findings into a clear and focused proposal of work. 

Advanced Campaigns 

Simulating the pace of a real creative department in a marketing agency, this module challenges you create a series of campaigns in response to industry-aligned briefs which have previous included clients like Greenpeace, Trainline, Adidas and Walkers. 

You will develop your skills and knowledge through group discussion and a range of practical workshops: you could either be researching a brand background with your team, interpreting market research, writing a creative brief, brainstorming early ideas or practising your client pitch. 

With the help of dedicated Adobe software sessions, you will learn to edit videos, record sound, design posters, or create interactive mock-ups such as landing pages for brands or mobile apps – and gain in-depth feedback from tutors on your work. 

Major Project - Showcase 

Placing your critical thinking and creative practice centre stage, you will create a thoroughly researched major project that establishes you as an expert in a chosen theme or sector.  

Through 1-to-1 sessions with your tutor, you will define and plan the appropriate project outcomes which will demonstrate how you have interpreted your research creatively.  

With the help of academic support sessions, you will also produce an accompanying written critical evaluation or rationale alongside your practical outcomes and prepare your work for public showcase whether in-person or online. 

Industry Portfolio 

This module will enable you to develop a unique graduate portfolio demonstrating your experience, projects and skills to potential employers in an engaging, compelling and portable format. 

You may work on industry-recognised competition briefs such as CIM Pitch, Creative Conscience, D&AD New Blood and AKQA Future Lions. You will also be supported by the university’s Employability team on the basic tools and skills needed to turn your passion project into a sustainable business.

Why study an Integrated Foundation Year route? 

If you’re taking on a new subject that you haven’t studied in depth before, have been out of education for a while or have a non-standard educational background then an Integrated Foundation Year degree may be the right choice for you. It is a four-year degree with an Integrated Foundation Year to start, which allows you to explore the primary elements of your subject before progressing on to the remaining three years of the BA(Hons) degree. 

What you'll study in your Foundation year

If you choose this pathway, you'll study five core modules in your Foundation year. These are all designed to help you explore the foundational elements of your subject. You'll gain relevant technical skills, learn to experiment and take risks, develop an understanding of professional practice, have opportunities to work across disciplines and collaborate with other students on live project briefs. 

Modules

Explore

You'll begin your foundation year by working collaboratively with others to explore themes of the future. You'll take risks, experiment through play and be supported to break through barriers.

Technique

You'll take subject-specific workshops and develop essential technical and practical skills in your area of study. You'll also enhance your analytical and organisational abilities.

Apply

You'll work with your peer group to think beyond discipline by addressing a societal or global issue. You'll then showcase your work to your peers and deliver and accompanying evaluation of your process.

Industry

You'll enhance your creative and practical skills in your subject specialism by responding to typical industry briefs, underpinned by focused research and experiments. You'll also gain industry insights through guest lectures and workshops.

Launch

You'll develop your unique identity in your specialism through the production of a self-initiated body of work. Your final project will be the bridge to your next year, fully supported by evaluative reviews and critical analysis of the work you have created.

After the Foundation year, you progress into Year One of the full three-year degree, equipped with a deeper knowledge of your subject, a clear understanding of your strengths, and develop a practical and technical skillset and the confidence to excel in your chosen subject. 

If you apply for and enrol onto a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year, you’ll have the option to switch onto a five-year version including a placement year. That means you’ll complete the first three years of your course before completing a placement in industry in your fourth year and returning to Falmouth for the fifth year of your programme. 

The Integrated Foundation Year pathway for this course is new for entry year 2023 and subject to validation.

As a studio-based course, this Marketing Communications degree is constructed around the marketing agency. You'll learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical workshops, supervised studio time and group or individual tutorials. You'll also gain invaluable insights through lectures and masterclasses delivered by industry-leading guest speakers. You may also wish to take advantage of optional study trips offered throughout your degree.

At Falmouth, we use a 'digitally enhanced learning & teaching' approach. Your experience will always be predominantly in-person, including seminars, tutorials and studio teaching, with some, more targeted elements, being online either live (synchronous) or pre-recorded (asynchronous). You can read more here.

You'll be assessed with practical exams and coursework.

Assessment methods

We use a variety of assessment strategies over the course of this degree including:

• Portfolios of practical work 
• Presentations 
• Essays 
• Written or verbal reports 
• Major research project 
• Peer group assessment 
• Foundation year assessments are 100% coursework based

Your summative (final) assessments occur at the end of each module, usually at the end of the study block. However, you may have interim formative assessments part way through a module as well. These assessments help ensure that you remain on track with your work.

You'll receive continuous feedback on all your work throughout the year. This will be delivered through tutorials and while you're working in the studio. At the end of a module, you'll receive detailed written feedback and will have the chance to discuss this with your assessor.