BA (Hons) Business and Marketing

Key information

Why choose this course?

  • Hertfordshire University is one of only four CIM strategic University UK partners
  • Direct correlation between studies and industry certifications
  • A practical, coursework-based degree, focused on real life challenges 

This inspiring course combines the best of business with the magic of marketing by integrating these two powerful disciplines to work together in successful organisations.  

Even though it's important to understand theory well, what really matters is how it can be applied in the real world.  Get the information, tools, and resources you need to understand what successful marketing means for modern businesses of all sizes.  

As a CIM Strategic Partner, the regional CIM Marketing Club is free for all students at Hertfordshire Business School (HBS). 

A caring and friendly university, we pride ourselves on our pastoral support with dedicated teams for student wellbeing, academic support and personal tutors nurturing your potential.    

HBS 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. 

Graduate with a wide range of employment options, whether you want to work agency side, in a marketing department, or in business but with a marketing focus.  

Our Staff 

Your course is guided by an enthusiastic, experienced, and competent team, helping you link theory to reality. We also collaborate with outside organisations to keep things current. 

You 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?

Get the game-changing expertise and insight you need to create, position, and grow a brand. Learn the principles of business and the core marketing expertise you need, a potent combination.  

Discover how successful companies handle key issues like sustainable development and business ethics, how they embrace technology and manage teams.  

Acquire specialist marketing skills including content creation, market research, consumer behaviour, branding and digital marketing with the marketing core in this course. 

There is a direct connection between what you learn in class and certifications you can earn from organisations like Google, Hootsuite, Facebook, LinkedIn, and CIM. 

Develop a host of valuable, sought-after professional skills such as communication, creativity, problem solving, collaboration and analysis to enhance your job prospects. 

Teaching is interactive with role-play, presentations, industry speakers as well as access to industry resources such as podcasts and videos. 

We actively support you in boosting your CV through industry placement, study abroad or internships (including the latest online bite-sized digital experiences).     

Above all, you are mentored and supported to aim high and achieve future personal and professional success.   

One placement student, Aisling Whelan, commented on their enhanced skills: 

"BearingNet is the leading online Bearing and Power Transmission distributor Network. They aim to give their members the ability to trade internationally with access to access over 13 million lines of inventory and to make better informed decisions through innovation with a network of likeminded people. Through a range of marketing tasks, including the creation of external campaigns, the design of two industry magazines and the promotion of virtual events, I have furthered my creative and technical skills. I am so grateful to have secured a graduate role, and I am excited to continue working for such a fantastic company"  

Where you'll study

Your learning experience will happen on our modern de Havilland campus, with self-study materials to support you from our virtual learning platform, StudyNet. 

Hertfordshire Business School is located within a large University campus, at our de Havilland site. You’ll be sharing this campus with others studying business, law, sports, education, and the humanities, as well as the Sports Village, which features a gym, swimming pool, coffee shop, and climbing wall and our Enterprise Hub. 

There are dining options, a bar, and a recreational space on campus where you can shoot some pool or play video games. The Enterprise Hub is a vibrant destination where local firms and students can work and learn in comfort. In addition to open study spaces, our Learning Resources Centre also features private study rooms, and is open 24/7 allowing you to study around your schedule. 

The student union bar and additional facilities are only a 20-minute walk or short bus ride away at our second campus. Student housing is available at both campuses. 

What will I study?

The theory is just the beginning of your education. You get to use what you learn in real-life situations, work with local businesses. Teamwork activities are a big part of your learning, and you'll get to work on projects, give presentations, and figure out how to solve problems with other people.  

In your first year, you get a broad base of marketing and business knowledge, including marketing principles, accounting, economics, and the global business environment  

In the second year, you deepen your critical and analytical skills in marketing as well as explore business ethics, project planning and cross-cultural management.  

In the final year, you develop your strategic thinking and get your teeth into marketing practise through your final project and modules such as global marketing and digital economy.  

There are also opportunities to further enrich your personal development through our GoHerts program, placements, internships, study-abroad and Future Success team event

'My time at the University of Hertfordshire has been life-changing through the life skills I have gained. I recognise the importance of independence, as well as having academic goals. I have grown in confidence and am enjoying my placement working as an Events Assistant at the University.'

Riarna Birdi

BA (Hons) Business and Marketing

Check out our student blogs

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Student Blogs

Sarah - Business

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Alumni Stories

Wai Shan Cheng (Shanice)

Meet Wai Shan Cheng (Shanice) who has gained a wide portfolio of skills since graduating. She is currently a freelance copywriter and entrepreneur.

Read more stories Find out more about this course
Current job roleMarketing Director and Entrepreneur
Year of graduation2003
Course of studyBA(Hons) Marketing
Wai Shan Cheng

Path to success

Shanice feels that her degree from the University of Hertfordshire provided her with the key principles of marketing to put her on the path to success in her career. She feels the most useful element of the course was the experience of working with others to complete group projects, a skill she uses daily in her current business.

After graduating, Shanice gained experience as a Marketing Executive in the Neon Light Manufacturing Company. This role enabled her to build on her current skills as well as exposing her to other key skills like customer handling, product management and trade show knowledge. Shanice feels that gaining this direct marketing experience after graduation has been key to both her inspiration as an entrepreneur, and her career achievements. Following this role, she worked for a pay TV channel for eight years assisting with channel promotion and marketing services.

Entrepreneur

Shanice founded her company, Kiana Handcraft, in early 2015. She had originally started making handmade hair bows and bow ties during her spare time. However, she soon decided  to roll out her products to a wider audience by launching an online shop on Shopify through which she markets and sells her products. Shanice is involved in all aspects of running the company – including monitoring the website, sourcing fabric and materials, accounting, order enquiries and distribution.

In addition to running Kiana Handcraft in her spare time, Shanice joined Panda Group at the start of 2015 as a freelance copywriter. The company offers a full service Brand Design & Marketing Agency. Current clients include Citibank, Disneyland, HSBC, Nielsen, Morgan Stanley and Cathay Pacific. Having proved herself indispensable, Shanice is now their permanent Marketing Director. The role includes seizing new business opportunities, producing cost-effective marketing strategies to clients, and providing detailed costings.

Future goals

In the future Shanice would like to focus on her focus business and work on collaborations: 'I have just started an exciting new collaboration with Kiana Handcraft and the Hong Kong Jockey Club for a crossover promotion with their Swarovski Brooch for Silver Purse Day. My long term goal is to get 5000 likes on Facebook and roll out Kiana Handcraft world-wide.'

Alumni headshot

Alumni Stories

Francesca Francois

Meet Francesca Francois who has had a rich career since graduating. Francesca now works as a Marketing Manager.

Read more stories Find out more about this course
Current job roleMarketing Manager
Year of graduation2010
Course of studyBA(Hons) Marketing and French

University experience

Francesca had a good feeling when she walked around our campus. She visited us three times, just to make sure we were the right choice for her. We certainly were, as Francesca met her husband at Herts, and after twelve years together they married in 2017. She tells us that some of the friends she met at university, she couldn’t live without.

Francesca enjoyed her studies and learnt a lot about working with different types of people. Having the opportunity to learn business, marketing and French within one degree allowed her to fully understand the career she would soon enter. The curriculum interested her, and she welcomed the relevancy of the modules, such as global marketing and corporate social responsibility. Her placement year gave her valuable experience which helped Francesca find employment when she graduated.

Career progression

Francesca has had a rich marketing career. Highlights include working as a marketing manager for Hamleys and her current role as a Europe marketing manager. Francesca says that the key to her successes have been believing in herself and continuously learning. In the future, Francesca would like to set up her own marketing and events company and hopes to offer internships to students at the University of Hertfordshire.