Advertising and Design MA
Year of entry 2023
- Start date
- September 2023
- Delivery type
- On campus
- Duration
- 12 months full time
- Entry requirements
- A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons)
Full entry requirements - English language requirements
- IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component
- UK fees
- £14,500 (total)
- International fees
- £27,500 (total)
Course overview
Our MA Advertising and Design provides you with an excellent opportunity to develop skills in design and visual communications whilst allowing you to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of practices and principles in marketing and advertising.
Taught collaboratively by the School of Design and Leeds University Business School – one of the world’s top 100 business schools – you’ll take a creative approach to solving communication problems in advertising and branding. You’ll develop your own practice, collaborate with other designers and gain an enhanced understanding of how design can convey a brand message, using a range of software and techniques.
At the same time, you’ll study advertising research and theory in order to explore the strategic backdrop of brand communications from the blurring of markets to the ways in which digital technology, such as social media and mobile, have changed the relationship between brands and consumers.
You’ll mix creativity and innovation with advertising strategy to gain a valuable range of knowledge and skills.
Specialist facilities
The School of Design recently invested over £4 million in new facilities including new laboratories, exhibition areas and student spaces. You’ll be able to develop your practice in well-equipped studios and purpose-built computer clusters so you can build your skills on both PC and Mac. There’s also a computer-aided design (CAD) suite with access to the latest design software and some of the latest design technology, such as digital printing and laser cutting facilities, and colour analysis/prediction labs.
We also have an impressive range of resources you can use for research. We house the M&S Company Archive including documents, advertising, photos, films, clothing and merchandise from throughout Marks & Spencer’s history, offering a fascinating insight into the changing nature of branding and advertising over time.
Course details
You’ll begin to develop your understanding of advertising principles from the start of the programme, when you’ll study consumer behaviour and explore how brands can adopt these different theories to inform their marketing strategies.
Focusing on contemporary issues, you’ll look at the process of strategic marketing communications and how strategic marketing works on the global stage. At the same time, you’ll study practical design modules where you’ll learn to visualise creative communications ideas and consider how compelling text within an advertising concept can influence consumers. You will also have the chance to present your ideas in our feedback sessions which simulate the professional environment of client pitches and presentations.
In Semester 2 you’ll build on this foundation by exploring integrated communication, developing creative concepts that can work for a range of different media outlets, as well as the broader aspects of campaign planning, print, radio and TV ad production and the ethics of advertising campaigns.
You’ll think about reach, frequency and the often complex question of return on investment and even choose from specialist modules on topics such as social media, sales promotion, brand management and direct marketing.
At the end of the programme you’ll submit a substantial project that demonstrates the knowledge and skills that you’ve gained. You can either complete a dissertation – an independent research project on a related topic of your choice – or develop a communication campaign concept of your own.
The Programme Leader for this course is Dr Francisco Queiroz.
Course structure
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.
Year 1 compulsory modules
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Integrated Communication | 30 |
| Effective Creative Communication | 30 |
| Consumer Behaviour | 15 |
| Marketing Communications | 10 |
| Advertising and Media Planning | 15 |
| Global Strategic Marketing | 15 |
Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Creative Direction | 35 |
| Dissertation - Advertising and Design | 35 |
| Brand Management | 15 |
| Sales Promotion and Sponsorship | 15 |
| Social Media Marketing | 15 |
| Digital and Interactive Marketing | 15 |
Learning and teaching
We use a range of teaching methods that reflects the diversity of the programme, including lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical sessions, online learning and group sessions. Independent study is also an important element of this degree, since it allows you to develop your skills as well as your design specialisms.
On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
Assessment
You’ll also be assessed by a variety of methods. Obviously these will include your own creative work as you develop campaign concepts in your taught design modules, but also presentations, reflective logs, reports, group projects and written assignments
Applying
Entry requirements
You’ll need a bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) or equivalent qualification in art or design (such as graphics, photography, film studies), psychology, marketing, business, English, sociology, or philosophy.
You’ll be required to submit a portfolio of recent practical work, and to explain your interest in the course in response to the questions provided in the supporting statement of your application.
Applicants with degrees in other subjects may be considered on an individual basis. In exceptional circumstances we may also consider people who do not have a degree, but do have relevant work experience.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component . For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.
Improve your English
International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.
This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Marketing (6 weeks) and Language for Business: Marketing (10 weeks).
We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional.
You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.
How to apply
Application deadline:
We operate a staged admissions process for our courses, with selection deadlines throughout the year.
If you do not receive an offer, or a notification that your application has been unsuccessful at a particular stage in the process, your application will be carried forward to be considered at the next stage.
Please see our How to Apply page for full details and the application timeline for the staged admissions process.
The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.
If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.
Documents and information you’ll need
- A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts, or a partial transcript if you’re still studying (including an official English translation if necessary)
- A personal statement in response to the questions asked in the supporting statement section of the application form, which explains why you wish to study this particular course and your future career plans
- Evidence of your English language qualifications, if English is not your first language
- An electronic link or pdf to your digital portfolio. The portfolio will demonstrate research, idea development and presentation of final concepts for each project. If any group work is included, the candidate must clearly state this and indicate what their individual role in the project was.
- Applicants from non-design backgrounds must also have a portfolio – this can include a variety of materials which you feel best demonstrates your creative ability
Watch a video giving advice on your application
Next steps
Applicants may be invited to attend an interview with the programme manager either by phone, Skype or in person.
The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures receives very large numbers of high-quality applications and regrets that it cannot make offers to all of its applicants. Some particularly popular schools may have to reject many that hold the necessary academic qualifications.
Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.
Admissions policy
University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2024
This course is taught by
School of Design
Leeds University Business School
Contact us
Postgraduate Administrator
Email: PGT-Admissions-Design@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:
Fees
UK: £14,500 (total)
International: £27,500 (total)
For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.
Read more about paying fees and charges.
Additional cost information
Computers and digital equipment
To ensure you can make the most of your studies at Leeds, you’ll need to make sure your laptop meets the system requirements for your course.
Depending on your circumstances you can benefit from a laptop loan or further support from our Financial Assistance Fund.
There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.
Scholarships and financial support
If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more at Masters funding overview.
Career opportunities
This programme will equip you with the knowledge and skills to succeed in a dynamic and expanding sector.
You’ll be a confident strategist, planner, account executive or creative advertiser or designer who also understands the relationship between advertising, brand development and consumers. In addition, you’ll have important skills such as oral and written communication, presentations, research, analysis and commercial awareness.
We’ve designed the programme to prepare you for a range of opportunities working in the creative industries, traditional advertising and design agencies, digital and social media. Alternatively, you may want to explore different elements of advertising and design at PhD level.
Students from this programme have successfully gained employment at both traditional and non-traditional advertising agencies all over the world, and in a wide variety of roles including brand management, marketing and more.
Careers support
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more about Careers support.