Program Overview

MSc Creative Advertising Strategy

The MSc Creative Advertising Strategy program at Manchester Metropolitan University is designed for individuals who want to develop their creative skills and strategic awareness in the field of advertising. This program prepares students for real-world scenarios, teaching them how to craft attention-grabbing ad campaigns and reach audiences worldwide.

Course Overview

The program is a one-year full-time course, with an optional internship year. It covers various aspects of advertising, including creative advertising strategy, persuasive communication, marketing psychology, and international brand strategy. Students will learn from experienced advertising and marketing experts and have the opportunity to work on live client briefs and participate in creative competitions.

Features and Benefits

• Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) accreditation: This course is CIM accredited, allowing students to work towards a CIM qualification.
• Agency experience: Students will go on 'immersion day' visits to agencies in Manchester to understand how every element of marketing works together.
• Triple accredited: The Business School holds the globally recognized trio of accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA, placing it among the best business schools in the world.
• Work with clients: Students will work on a live client brief as part of their course and have the option to undertake an internship to fully immerse themselves in the world of creative advertising.
• Rise programme: All students are eligible to take part in curricular activities with Rise, which might include volunteering, project work, and certifications.

Year 1

In the first year, students will study several core modules, including:

• Marketing Masters Level Learning: This module teaches critical thinking and advanced study skills necessary for working at the Masters level.
• Creative Advertising Strategy: Students will develop creative strategy for advertising and learn theories of advertising and how these apply in practice.
• Strategy for Digital: This module covers emerging techniques and best practices in digital marketing, teaching students how to create a winning digital communications strategy.
• Persuasive Communication: Students will explore the impact of persuasion in different contexts and examine theories, ethical issues, and writing techniques for different media and readers.
• Live Client Brief: Students will apply their creativity and theoretical knowledge to a real business challenge, learning essential skills for the professional world.
• Marketing Psychology: This module studies psychology and how it relates to consumers, stakeholders, and organizations in both digital and analogue worlds.
• Applied Research Proposal: Students will create an advanced proposal for a research project, identifying and structuring a complex issue to explore in their applied research project.
• Applied Research Project: Students will investigate the issue identified in their proposal and present their conclusions and reflections.

Year 2

Only students who apply for the optional internship route will continue to Year 2, which involves a minimum of 36 weeks of experience in a relevant industry or self-employed option. This period is designed to develop individual competencies and vocationally relevant performance skills through practical experience.

Entry Requirements

• A UK honors degree – at least a 2:2 – or the international equivalent.
• Overseas applicants will require IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in any category, or an equivalent accepted English qualification.

Fees and Funding

• UK and Channel Island students: Full-time fee: £11,500 per year.
• EU and non-EU international students: Full-time fee: £22,500 per year.
• Self-funding international students may be eligible for the International Scholarship worth £5,000 off the tuition fees.

Careers Support and Prospects

The program is designed to prepare students for a career in advertising, with opportunities to build relationships with employers in Manchester and further afield. Graduates have taken on a range of roles, including Account Manager, Premium Search Specialist, Co-founder/Director, and Digital Strategist. The university offers careers support and prospects, including the Future Me program, which helps students explore their career plans, and the Rise program, which provides opportunities to top up skills with hundreds of online short courses.