Please note that this course is not recruiting for September 2024 and January 2025 entry. This course is being reviewed as part of our commitment to continually develop and improve our portfolio of Marketing and Advertising courses. We will update this page once we know if the course will restart.  

Why study MA Advertising at BU? 

  • Develop your knowledge and skills by working on live briefs set by our network of advertising agencies 
  • Develop and enhance your ability to devise, articulate and interrogate ideas 
  • You'll gain an in-depth understanding and the ability to respond to the issues and challenges currently facing the industry 
  • Learn to see strategy as a powerful creative practice 
  • Make contacts and connections with our network of agencies and leading speakers from the industry 
  • Enter the Data & Marketing Association (DMA) Talent Marketing Challenge and attend creative and data workshops held throughout the year. 

Find out more about the content of this course.

Course accreditation

The course offers you the opportunity to achieve the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) Foundation Certificate, the base-level qualification for anyone who wants to work in an IPA member agency. 

It is also accredited by the IDM (Institute of Data and Marketing), entitling you to take the Certificate in Digital Marketing exam and to apply to the summer school in which you'll spend a week in June working (and networking) with agencies. You are also entitled to enter the DMA Talent Marketing Challenge and to attend creative and data workshops held throughout the year. 

Key information

Next start date:

September 2025

Location:

Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus

Duration:

1 year full-time (September start), 16 months full-time (January start), 2 years full-time with optional 30-week placement

Accreditations:

Accredited by the Institute of Data & Marketing (IDM). In association with the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) and aligned to The Advertising Association. A member of The European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA)

Entry requirements:

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2, or equivalent. For more information check out our full entry requirements.

International entry requirements:

If English is not your first language you'll need IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component. For more information see our full entry requirements