BA (Hons) Advertising and Digital Marketing
Key information
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Typical offer:
Entry requirements -
Fees: See below
Full details -
UCAS code: N595
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Institute code: H36
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Study abroad option
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Work placement option
Find out more
Why choose this course?
- One of only four CIM strategic University UK partners
- A practical, coursework-based degree, focused on real life challenges
- Learn to embrace your creativity and make it commercially viable
The digital age has changed how brands and audiences talk to each other. This course gives you a step up into this creative, innovative field as you learn how to attract and engage an audience.
Nurture your creativity with a variety of engaging and relevant modules. Embrace topics such as content creation, consumer behaviour, advertising planning and the future of marketing.
Discover how theory is applied in the real world as you gain the knowledge, tools and resources needed to appreciate what creative marketing means for modern businesses.
Develop your own strategies for success with a supportive team committed to helping you find your path, assisting you by providing several learning options, one-on-one tutoring, and other resources.
This course sits within the Hertfordshire Business School which maintains strong relationships with professional bodies and business connections. Meet entrepreneurs–in–residence, business ambassadors and industry leaders at networking events or in guest lectures through our Business Academy.
If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you are encouraged to enter the Flare annual competition.
Choose whether to follow previous graduates into a generalist marketing role or a niche creative role. Saatchi & Saatchi and JWT London are just two of many advertising firms employing former students.
Our staff
Your course is guided by an enthusiastic and commercially active team with extensive experience in the sector, textbook authors and contributors.
You’ll also benefit from an academic support team, wellbeing team and personal tutor to help you adjust to the demands of university learning and living.
What's the course about?
Marketing principles remain constant, but the digital age has transformed its execution and you’ll explore marketing delivery using digital tools and systems.
Fine tune your creativity as you learn to appreciate what makes marketing magical, delving deep into the customer experience and how to market on a global basis.
Discover how to captivate your audience with content that attracts and converts. Developing specialist marketing skills, such as branding, search marketing and visual marketing.
Get to grips with real world marketing challenges, such as sustainability and digital effectiveness, through live projects and practical assessments.
Kick-start your career by networking with people who work in the field. Boost your CV with in-demand skills such as communication, creativity, problem solving and storytelling.
There is a direct connection between what you learn in class and certifications you can earn from organisations like Google, Hootsuite, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the CIM.
The first year is the same as BA (Hons) Marketing and allows those with a broad marketing interest to swap at the end of the first year.
Where you'll study
Your teaching is on our modern de Havilland Campus, with our24/7 Learning Resources Centre, offering open and private study spaces. You also get online self-study materials to further support you.
There are dining options, a bar, and a recreational space on campus where you can shoot some pool or play video games. It also houses Hertfordshire Sports Village, which features a gym, swimming pool, coffee shop, and a climbing wall.
Discover the Enterprise Hub, a vibrant destination where local firms and students work and learn in comfort.
The Student Union bar and additional facilities are only a 20 minute walk (or short bus ride) away at our College Lane Campus. Student housing is available at both campuses.
What will I study?
You’ll begin with general marketing modules before becoming more specialised and exploring real world challenges. Each subject has weekly drop-in and review sessions with a personal tutor to help you do well.
Teamwork activities are a key part of your learning, and you'll work on marketing projects, give presentations, and figure out how to solve problems with other people.
In your first year, you get a broad base of marketing knowledge, understanding key concepts and topics. You can switch to BA (Hons) Marketing at the end of this year.
In the second year, you focus on the creative aspects of marketing including digital comms, social and influencer marketing as well as the customer and user experience.
In your final year, you’ll get your teeth into marketing practise through your dissertation, an industry study, or modules such as international advertising.
There are also opportunities to further enrich your personal development through our Go Herts certification program, placements, internships, study-abroad and Future Success team events.
"As a HCM Sales Development Intern at Oracle I supported the development of HCM Sales in the UK and EMEA. This included the creation and analysis of crucial information needed to develop the business and its sales software. I supported campaigns and demand generation activities, which allowed me to have creative input on events and webinars for thousands of customers."
Check out our student blogs

Student Blogs
Kamila - A typical day
My typical day
My typical day at university starts with revising materials for the subjects that I will have lectures from on that day. I revisit both recorded lectures and my notes that I gathered from tutorials. This allows me to keep consistency in my learning and allows me to be prepared.
After that, I leave the house and go to the gym. I study on the de Havilland campus, which makes it very convenient for me to combine keeping healthy with studying. The gym is located in the main building. When I am done with working out, I grab a meal at the restaurant, which is only a one-minute walk away. Since I started using the restaurant, I have saved money on food and time on preparing it! I really appreciate the fact that all the facilities are so close to each other which is a massive time saver; I don’t have to make multiple trips. This makes working everything around my university schedule easy.
During the lecture presentations, I follow along on my computer, make notes and try to be active (sometimes it earns you extra points!) After lectures me and my friends use the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) to study together and work on group projects. Sometimes we stay in late and grab a coffee from the LRC café which comes in handy!
Grocery shopping is what usually comes next. I and my flatmates pick up our reusable bags and head towards either ASDA or Aldi, which are about 10 minutes away from the de Havilland Campus. We try to shop for a whole week’s worth of food just once but somehow, we always end up going there every two days ;).
My typical day usually finishes with making popcorn and watching a movie with my friends after I have worked on my individual projects.

Student Blogs
Kamila - Things you should know
Things you need to know before studying Events Management & Marketing at university
Hi! Here are a couple of things worth knowing before you decide to study Events Management & Marketing!
Workload 📚
Don’t fear the joint courses! You won’t be studying twice as much, and you won’t be buried in work! Comparing my course with my friends, who study either only Marketing or only Event Management, I have realised that a joint course brings together the best of both worlds and allows you to have a bigger overview of the matter. What more can you ask for? 😇
Consistency
Consistency is key! There is nothing more important than revising regularly and making sure you have done the required reading for the next lecture. It is the best way to learn and makes exam revision way easier. Having said that, don’t stress over missing a revision session once or twice – we all need rest sometimes!
News 📺
Since it is a subject that is taught within the Business School, you will be needed to follow along with any business news that might be applicable. It will be useful not only during your lectures but also later when writing exams. Many times, exam questions will ask for examples from current world situations. Make reading at least one news channel your daily habit and you’re good to go!
Hands-on experience 🖐
Throughout the course, lecturers will be sending out suitable work opportunities they find. Make sure that you try to get at least one job experience. Choosing to go on a placement year is also a promising idea. Having experience is a huge plus to have on your CV (Curriculum Vitae) and future career prospects! If you’re not sure how to go through the recruitment process, Careers and Employment will help you with that. Just book an appointment!
Overall, I am sure you will have an amazing experience on this course, I certainly have! 😊

Student Blogs
Kamila - Why I chose Herts
Why I chose Herts
When deciding on which university to choose I was thinking about many factors. I tried to consider both academic life and my free time. Academically, I chose Herts because of the amazing Business School. I was convinced that the lecturers will provide me with all the knowledge that I will need when starting my career and I was not wrong. Even during my first work experiences I have references and went back to what I learned in the university multiple times.
I also decided to go to Herts because of its facilities. I have lived on both campuses and used both Learning Resource Centres (LRCs), which turned out to be amazing! They not only have teaching materials but also have quiet zones that will help you study and write your assignments. I am also a health-oriented person and having a gym on both campuses came in handy. I was able to go there straight from my classes saving me time. The food available at the restaurant has also been useful when I forgot to pack lunch or was too busy to make one.
When choosing a university, it was important to me for it to have nightlife. When will you party if not in your early 20s, right 💃?! Fortunately, Herts has an amazing club with many themed parties that will keep you up all night! If you don’t enjoy dancing and just want to grab a drink with your friends, EleHouse is your place to go.
After studying in Herts for three years, I can honestly say these were some of the best experiences of my life. I have made amazing friends for life, grown as a person and received a great education. If I could make the decision again, I would choose Herts without a doubt! 💞

Alumni Stories
Bradley Johnson
Meet Bradley Johnson who has gone onto work in Higher Education since graduating.
Read more stories Find out more about this courseCurrent job role | Head of Progression at NCUK - The University Consortium |
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Year of graduation | 2015 / 2019 |
Course of study | BA (Hons) Marketing with Events Management |
MSc Business and Organisational Strategy |

University experience and opportunities
Bradley immersed himself into his studies, taking advantage of all the opportunities his degree had to offer. He says, 'I was able to combine professional qualifications and academic learning, which made my whole experience more practical. In my first year of study, I started as a Marketing Assistant in the Students' Union, which eventually led to me becoming Vice President of the Students' Union in my final year.' He adds, 'Balancing work and studies can be difficult but the professional experience I gained in a practical role while studying was very valuable.'
He speaks fondly of his time as a student at the University and is proud to be an alumnus who continued his professional career here. He says, 'I made great friends on my degree and through the Students' Union, and I've now got friends around the world, because of the wider Alumni community.' He adds, 'I am proud to have been a student at the University and that's the reason I worked there after I graduated. I wouldn't have worked at Herts if I didn't believe it was great.'.
Aspirations for the future
Still incredibly driven, Bradley is looking to study for this PhD in the future and hopes to remain in Higher Education, ideally in a policymaking role. 'Driving education policy in the UK is hugely important because Higher Education is one of our biggest exports in the sector; it does a lot for the civic good, providing facilities, supporting businesses and supporting the economy of the local area. A strong education policy is ultimately good for the country.'
Making time for volunteering
In 2021 Bradley started volunteering with the RNLI, a charity providing 24 hour search and rescue across the UK and Ireland coastlines. Bradley, an All-weather and Inshore lifeboat volunteer crew member, and his fellow crew members are undertaking an ambitions fundraising programme for Skegness RNLI Lifeboat Station with ‘200 for 200’ challenges which runs from 2022 to 2024 to coincide with the 200-year anniversary of the RNLI in 2024.
Bradley says, 'Giving back to my community through volunteering is really important to me. Being able to do something with my free time and potentially making a difference to someone's life is so rewarding. Working from home and remote work has enabled me to take on this amazing opportunity with such a worthwhile charity.'
Find out more about Bradley's RNLI fundraising
Alumni Stories
Ashley Joseph
Meet Ashley Joseph who has combined his social media skills and his passion for football to forge a successful career
Read more stories Find out more about this courseCurrent job role | Digital and Social Media Manager |
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Year of graduation | 2014 |
Course of study | BA(Hons) Marketing and Advertising |

Ashley is currently the Digital and Social Media Manager at the Football Foundation. He manages the Foundation's social media output and digital projects.
Time at Herts
Ashley knew in his final year that he wanted to work in social media and he has combined this with his passion for football. His first opportunity arose with the Middlesex FA back and he hasn't looked back since.When reflecting on his time at the University Ashley feels it played a huge part in his development. ‘My course was great. It covered a wide range of marketing principles which helped make me a more rounded and employable person than many of the other people in my industry.Some of my final year projects where we had the ability to be as creative as possible really helped set me up for some of the things I have encountered in the working world. The fact that the course also offered an optional placement year (which I took up) helped me to secure a job very soon after graduating.’
Words of advice
Ashley is very forthcoming when giving advice for anyone hoping to get into the industry, ‘Use your spare time and summer holidays to get as much practical experience as possible. Internships and placements are invaluable even if it's just a few weeks here and there.’.
And when talking about the social aspect of University life he says, 'Get involved in as much as possible. Societies, clubs, events; just do as much as possible as you'll meet some great people and it will help you become a better more rounded person. '.
What the future holds
Ashley has set his sights high and adds, ‘I want to continue in the football industry and hopefully work my way up to a marketing manager/social media manager role at a big football club. I'd love to work abroad too.’.