Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: See fees section below
International/EU: £17,155 per year -
How long will I study?
3 / 4 Years
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Where will I study?
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What are the entry requirements?
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What is the UCAS code?
N590
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When do I start?
September 2025
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Placement year available?
Yes
1. Course summary
- Gain a varied skill set across campaign creation, planning, social, PR and branding.
- Use innovative tools to develop integrated marketing communications strategies.
- Complete real-world consultancy projects with leading brands to build your profile.
- Join a supportive community of creatives and entrepreneurs in our award-winning enterprise centre.
Our BA (Hons) Marketing Communications and Advertising degree provides knowledge, skills and real-world experience – meaning you can enter the job market as a creative, resourceful and adaptive marketer. You’ll prepare for a range of advertising and marketing specialisms, such as digital and social media marketing, campaign planning and management, branding, customer insights and entrepreneurship.
Accredited by
The course is accredited by The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) for the purpose of gaining exemptions from units on CIM qualifications. Students may have the opportunity to join The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) as a Studying Member.
Sheffield Business School accreditation
Sheffield Business School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and has been awarded the Business School Impact System label by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD).
Top 10 in the UK
This course is ranked 10th in its subject area in the Guardian University Guide 2024.
Employability
95% of our graduates are in work or further study fifteen months after graduating, with 86% in highly skilled employment or further study (2021/22 Graduate Outcomes Survey).
2. How you learn
Based in the Sheffield Business School, you’ll join a global community where business leaders, researchers and 7,000 students all come together to solve problems and make things better.
You’ll be taught by industry experts, who bring their industry experience and insights from cutting-edge research into the classroom. Through our relationships with leading local and global brands, you’ll have the opportunity to access placements, volunteering programmes, training schemes, internships and work experience.
You learn through:
- On-campus lectures, seminars and tutorials
- Consultancy projects for real-world businesses
- Digital learning platforms
- Industry visits and field trips
- Independent study
- Practice-based learning and group work
- Simulated work environments
- Problem-solving workshops
- Class debates and presentations
We use a wide variety of assessments that respect the diverse ways people learn. These include tests, essays, presentations, project plans and reflective writing.
Key Themes
By applying theory to real world examples, you’ll develop an understanding of contemporary marketing communications that’s underpinned by broader marketing and business principles. You’ll then study specialist modules to learn how to create and manage multimedia marketing communications campaigns.
Topics include integrated marketing communications, digital marketing, and campaign planning and management – as well as media planning, branding, sustainability and customer analysis.
Through these, you’ll develop your creativity, confidence and resilience – becoming a marketer with a valuable specialism in communications and advertising.
Course Support
Throughout your learning journey, you’ll experience a range of dedicated support, such as:
- Access to our unique student support to help with your personal, academic and career development.
- Access to our Skills Centre with one-on-ones, webinars and online resources.
- Industry-specific employability activities such as live projects, learning in simulated environments and networking opportunities.
Course leaders and tutors
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Dr Philip Coombes
Senior Lecturer in MarketingI am currently a Lecturer in Marketing at Sheffield Hallam University and a part time doctoral student at Hull University Business School. My research and teaching i … Read more
Applied learning
We think the best way to learn something is to do it in the real world. That means putting learning into practice through placements, internships and consultancy projects through our global network of leading businesses.
Work Placements
You’ll have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your second and third years. This gives you valuable work experience to prepare you for your future career – and allows you to graduate with an Applied Professional Diploma to add to your CV.
Previous students have worked at local and global brands, such as Disney, Siemens, Rise at Seven and ilk Agency.
You’ll also have summer and winter school opportunities in a variety of locations. Recently these have included France, Germany, Spain and Morocco. You might even be eligible to study abroad for a semester at one of our partner universities in Europe, the US, Australia and beyond.
Live Projects
All students on the course work on live client briefs set by industry experts, creating engaging marketing content that inspires, persuades and influences target audiences.
You’ll develop your skills in these areas by working on consultancy projects, planning and running campaigns, and learning to analyse performance.
Field Trips
Through our marketing society, you’ll have the opportunity to visit leading UK brands and agencies, plus renowned institutions such as the BBC’s MediaCityUK in Manchester and ITV Studio in London.
Networking Opportunities
With the support of our award-winning i-Lab business hub, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with creatives, entrepreneurs and investors across Sheffield. Here, you can form lucrative business networks, brainstorm entrepreneurial ideas and even launch your own venture.
You can also hear first-hand from business leaders and esteemed alumni as they deliver guest masterclasses while having the opportunity to build your profile through work experience and consultancy projects.
We also support you to run local student societies, such as the Marketing Society or join UK-wide networking events such as The Marketing Club.
Competitions
You can build your profile by taking part in competitions, such as The Pitch, delivered by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).
One of our students recently won a competition held by Rise at Seven, securing a graduate job with the agency as a result.
'As part of a competition ran by the marketing society, Rise at Seven provided us with a live client brief which was to create and pitch a digital PR campaign to one of their clients.
'I managed to apply key skills that I'd learnt on my course to my campaign, such as competitor and insight analysis. I also conducted social listening to make sure that my campaign was as current as possible and to listen out for emerging market trends.'
Ella Bradley, BA (Honours) Marketing, Communications and Advertising
3. Future careers
Graduates from this course go on to a wide range of careers in Marketing, both in creative agencies and a variety of communications roles in a broad range of organisations. These roles involve media selection, content creation and development of persuasive messages.
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work at prestigious local and global brands, including:
- Asda
- Bosch
- Deloitte Digital
- Disney
- Formula 1
- Gymshark
- ilk Agency
- JCDecaux
- Mattel
- M&C Saatchi
- Next
- Pretty Little Thing
- Rise at Seven
- Sky
- Vodafone
As an additional benefit, students who graduate with a minimum 2:2 classification will be exempt on an APL (Accreditation of Prior Learning) basis from one module on the CIM level four Certificate in Professional Marketing and one module from the level six Diploma in Professional Marketing.
All degrees which receive CIM accreditation are now also automatically recognised by the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI).
4. Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
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Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn more5. Equipment and facilities
You’ll study in world-class learning facilities, such as specialist labs, design studios, practice facilities, simulation environments, our award-winning enterprise centre and a 24/7 library.
You may also have access to specialist marketing platforms and equipment, such as:
- Marketing intelligence platforms such as Mintel and EuroMonitor
- Design and video editing tools from the Adobe Suite
- Video cameras and recording equipment
- Social media management platforms
- Consumer insight tools
- The World Advertising Research Centre
- Business gamification simulation equipment
- LinkedIn Learning
As part of our campus masterplan, we’re developing a brand new, net-zero-ready building right at the heart of the city centre.
You’ll benefit from dedicated business facilities such as a business lounge, trading floor and languages hub, plus plenty of room to study in social learning spaces, seminar rooms and PC labs – all set in 400 square metres of stunning green space, where you can socialise, eat, relax and study.
Media Gallery
6. Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 112-120
This must include at least 64 points from 2 A Levels or equivalent BTEC qualifications. For example:
- BBC-BBB at A Level
- DDM in BTEC Extended Diploma
- Merit overall from a T level qualification
- A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies
GCSE
- English language or literature at grade C or 4
- Maths at grade D or 3
GCSE equivalents
- Level 2 Literacy or Functional Skills Level 2 English
- Level 2 Numeracy or Functional Skills Level 2 Maths
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.
• Access - an Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 15 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above, from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.
• entry with prior credit - we consider applications for direct entry to the final year from those holding Higher National Diplomas or equivalent qualifications
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
We welcome applications from people of any age. We may be flexible in our normal offer if you can show a commitment to succeed and have the relevant skills and experience. This must show that you will benefit from and finish the course successfully.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Compulsory modules
This module introduces contemporary issues in business management, developing your awareness and understanding of factors affecting people and organisations in an ever-changing world. Teaching sessions will examine contemporary sources and debate current issues.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Ethics and sustainability in business management
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Geopolitics and globalisation
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Changing business cultures and the role of stakeholders
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Smart technology and big data
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Business management research and approaches
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Shifting communication channels
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Economic controversies
This module introduces different types of businesses and organisations, focusing on operations, supply chain and marketing – developing academic literacy, business skills and future aspirations. You’ll work independently, within groups and in a real-world applied project, developing and applying academic and professional behaviours.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Organisational types, scale and span
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Responsible and sustainable practice
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Business functions
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Marketing
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Supply chain
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Operations management
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Excel
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Academic skills and advising
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Employability and entrepreneurial advice
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Applied reflective practice
This module introduces marketing as a discipline, including the foundations of marketing communications and advertising. You’ll learn through research-informed expert teaching and group activities.
You’ll study topics such as:
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What is marketing?
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Marketing, society and stakeholders
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Marketers and their practice
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Marketing environment
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Promotion, advertising and public relations
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Application of theories in real business contexts
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Creativity
This module provides you with the knowledge and insight to lead, develop and engage with a diverse workforce, operating across varied business contexts. You’ll also take part in a simulated international collaboration.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Organisational behaviour and development
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Ethical/legal/business case for equality, diversity and inclusion
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Role of HR and line managers in developing people
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Inclusive working environments
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Employee engagement
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Responsible, inclusive and ethical leadership
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Intercultural management
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Working and studying in other cultures
Compulsory modules
This module develops your creativity and understanding of how to manage integrated marketing communication campaigns. You’ll learn through research-informed teaching, in group activities and from external speakers.
Indicative content:
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Audience profiling and targeting
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Creative marketing communication campaigns
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Campaign design, planning and management
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Integrated marketing communications tactics
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Media planning and scheduling
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Content creation
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Digital skills
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Multimodal semiotics
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Working in an agency
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Industry compliance
This module develops theoretical understanding of performance management in marketing and equips you with practical tools and techniques. You’ll work independently and in groups, actively interpreting and analysing both financial and non-financial performance marketing management information.
You’ll study topics such as:
- Financial and non-financial performance management data
- Internal and external reporting
- Planning and control systems
- Accounting and control tools
- Risk management
- Sources and availability of finance
- Market and environmental analytics
- Marketing metrics
- Market forces and fair trade in a global context
This module gives you the opportunity to enhance your employability attributes within a professional context through an enhanced applied project. You’ll gain work experience on a real-life client brief, developing key skills for successful graduate-level employment.
You’ll apply learning and skills such as:
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Project planning practices
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Applied project methodologies and research tools
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Team building and group work
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Influencing and persuading
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Digital communications in the workplace
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Reflection on practice
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Career research tools
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Professional profiles
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Interviews and CV structure
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Assessment centres
Elective modules
Aims:
This module allows students to gain knowledge, and understand key ideas and theories, relating to how events are used for marketing, and the international experiential marketing industry. Global campaigns will be dissected to allow an appreciation of best practice.
Indicative content:
- The Experiential Marketing industry: size, scale and key companies.
- Understanding the role of the consumer / attendee.
- Exploration of jobs and roles with the Experiential Marketing industry.
- Appreciation of the Experiential Marketing agency, and how campaigns are constructed.
Module summary
Language study will develop your self-confidence, and intercultural skills. It will give you new opportunities for learning and working across cultures. Language skills are highly sought after by employers and give you a real advantage in whatever you hope to do in the future.
You will study your chosen language at the appropriate level based on your existing language ability – please refer to the individual module descriptors for each language and level for further details on the teaching and assessment.
This module is for undergraduate students to study abroad in their second year, Semester 2 (only for courses that offer this option). With this module, you can spend a semester at one of the University’s approved partner institutions worldwide – from Europe to the Americas, Asia Australia or Canada. Study Abroad plays an important role in the University's commitment to an engaging, challenging, and thriving learning culture. It offers opportunities to experience other academic cultures and foster intellectual maturity while enhancing co-curricular skills and students' long-term employability. Study abroad for credit is permitted on existing university-approved courses only. Students are awarded credits and grades at the partner institution, which are converted into Sheffield Hallam credits and grades on return and included in the Sheffield Hallam degree classification. Please check and refer to the webpage “How study abroad works”. You must submit a Learning Agreement outlining the modules you will be taking at the partner institution. The Learning Agreement will be signed off by your academic tutor to ensure that the Learning broadly covers the Learning Outcomes set out in your course curriculum during your study abroad.
This module provides you with a comprehensive business to business experience which demonstrates the sales process within and between organisations. The module combines taught and practical sessions with guest speakers.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Business to business marketing
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Internal sales and marketing interface
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Environmental analysis
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Organisational buyer behaviour
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Inter-organisational relationships
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Negotiation
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Sales management
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Professional presentations
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Personal selling
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Personal reflection
This module develops your understanding of the omni-channel customer experience in today’s digital world. You’ll deepen your knowledge of digital marketing, learning through research-informed teaching from internal and guest experts, group activities and independent research.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Defining customer experience
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Mapping omni-channel (online and offline) customer journeys
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Integrated customer experience
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Managing and evaluating the (digital) customer experience
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Customer satisfaction
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Exploring digital transformation
Optional modules
Module aim:
The aim of this module is to enhance students’ professional development through the completion of and reflection on meaningful work placement(s).
A work placement will provide students with opportunities to experience the realities of professional employment and experience how their course can be applied within their chosen industry setting. The placement will:
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Allow student to apply the skills, theories and behaviours relevant and in addition to their course
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Enable students to enhance their interpersonal skills in demand by graduate employers – communication, problem solving, creativity, resilience, team work etc.
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Grow their student network and relationship building skills.
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Provide student with insights into the industry and sector in which their placement occurs
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Help student make informed graduate careers choices.
Indicative Content:
In this module students undertake a sandwich placement (min 24 weeks / min 21 hours per week) which is integrated, assessed and aligned to their studies.
Their personal Placement Academic Supervisor (PAS) will be their key point of contact during their placement and will encourage and support students to reflect on their experience, learning and contribution to the organisation they work for.
To demonstrate gains in professional development, students will be required to share their progress, learning and achievements with their Placement Academic Supervisor and reflect on these for the summative piece of work.
Compulsory modules
This module critiques the role of branding, advertising and corporate communications in the context of contemporary global marketing practice – learning through research-informed teaching, group activities, independent research and external speakers. You’ll build your knowledge of marketing campaign creation and management, appreciating the role of branding as a strategic, creative and targeted marketing activity.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Advertising strategies
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Audience and industry insights
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Brand identity, equity, positioning and strategy
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Brand narratives and storytelling
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Brand communications
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Corporate communications
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Creative marketing communications
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Current and future trends
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Ethics in marketing
This module applies your knowledge of contemporary marketing, developing critical and analytical research skills to inform decision-making in a real-life setting. You’ll develop an individual consultancy project with others in small groups – based on a live consultancy brief or your own venture – exploring relevant theories in large group sessions.
You’ll apply learning and skills such as:
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Consultancy research
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Entrepreneurial projects
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Project design and management
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Identifying discipline-relevant frameworks and concepts
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Research methods, including ethics
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Business report writing
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Personal and professional reflection
This module enables you to critically evaluate how organisations develop and implement their strategies in a diverse, digital and global environment. We’ll look through the lens of real-life case studies that bring to life how organisations create their strategies, including applied environmental analysis in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Strategy process and its influencers in a global and digital environment
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Strategy development
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Complex organisational and environmental circumstances
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Risk analysis and mitigation
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Responsible and ethical decision making
Elective modules
This module explores the relationship between psychology and marketing, building on previous knowledge of marketing, branding and customers to give you a rich understanding of consumer insight. You’ll learn through a combination of lectures, small group sessions and tutorials.
You’ll study topics such as:
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The self, identity and gender
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Attitudes, behaviour and emotions
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Fear appeals
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Memory and storytelling
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Persuasion and social influence
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Happiness and experiential consumption
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Culture, subculture and stereotypes
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Colour psychology
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Psychology of brands
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Symbolic consumption
This module focuses on leadership as a process of influencing and interacting with others to achieve organisational goals – analysing approaches to address issues in the changing landscape of leadership. You’ll develop an understanding of contemporary issues through interactions and discussions to inform your future leadership roles.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Leadership as a process of influence
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Classical leadership
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Strategic leadership and change
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Leadership and culture
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Leadership ethics
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Team leadership
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Cross-cultural leadership
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Authentic leadership
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Leadership learning and development
This module examines global marketing opportunities and how marketing strategies need to be developed to reflect specific market contexts. Learning from research-informed teaching, group activities and external speakers, you’ll apply the analytical and business skills to the global marketing decision-making process.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Trends and issues in global markets
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Culture and consumer behaviour
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International market research
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International market selection and segmentation
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International market entry strategies
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International marketing mix decisions and management
8. Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students on full-time undergraduate courses in 2025/26 is £9,535 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year). These fees are regulated by the UK government and therefore subject to change in future years.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,155 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year)
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Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Sheffield Business School (PDF, 255.6KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
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Come to an open day
Visit us to learn more about our gold-rated teaching and why we were awarded the highest possible rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.