Successful marketing lies at the heart of commercial success, and professionals with the skills, knowledge, and creativity to deliver powerful national and international marketing campaigns are highly sought after.
BA (Hons) Marketing and Advertising aims to develop graduates who have an understanding of the role of these key functions in business and society, and to be equipped for roles across the full spectrum of an ever-evolving marketing industry, from insight through to action and from both client and agency side, within advertising, branding, and marketing communications. To achieve this, you are encouraged to develop the ability to apply marketing techniques at strategic and operational levels to meet business objectives, and to be creative problem solvers with confidence, business acumen and skills in persuasive communication, presenting, and teamwork.
You will be introduced to the fundamentals of strategic marketing and advertising communications, including buyer behaviour, brand development, the advertising process and creativity, media planning, ethics and responsibility, and global marketing. This degree specifically addresses the rapid growth in digital marketing and the need from industry for new graduates with knowledge of marketing, advertising, and digital awareness and skills.
Subject area is ranked 2nd for student satisfaction in the UK*
Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
Hands-on experience during a professional practice year
Optional year-long study abroad
See marketing in action during optional field trips
Graduates working at Airbus, Amazon, Asos, Bosch, Greene King, Next, and Sky
*Complete University Guide 2025 (out of 87 ranking institutions)
Key aspects of the industry are explored and debated as students move from a general business, marketing, and advertising grounding in year one to more specialist modules in years two and three. The focus is on building marketing and advertising competencies, such as creativity, problem-solving, oral and written presentation, and persuasive communication.
In the first year, you are introduced to the foundations of marketing, advertising and general business, including examining organisational behaviour and understanding business data.
In the second year, the course builds on these foundations exploring concepts and processes such as strategic marketing planning and the application of advertising and marketing. In the final year, modules explore specific areas of marketing, media, branding, and advertising, alongside an independent project where you can choose to focus within the field of advertising and/or marketing.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, contact hours, and our return to face-to-face teaching.
Students can hear from guest speakers who share their industry expertise and professional practice experience. Recent speakers have included Senior Director Marketing Effectiveness at Mars, Advertising Strategist at Spindogs, Account Manager at VCCP, and VP Global Insights & Analytics at McDonalds. We also offer talks and webinars from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
The degree uses a range of assessment types which can assess individual performance and group performance to reflect the variety of learning styles in students. Assessments can include coursework such as written assignments, essays, reports, portfolios, and reflective logs; practical work including presentations, exhibitions, role play, and oral assessments; and exams including in-class tests or written exams.
The course aims to provide timely feedback to students. Feedback is designed to identify areas of strength, weakness, and improvement in a student's work to support learning throughout the degree. Where possible feedback is available electronically. Students have access to one-to-one meetings to receive personalised feedback about their performance.
This programme is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and upon successful completion students are awarded 'advanced standing'. This will enable students to study for CIM qualifications without needing to complete all of the modules. Students can also add an individual award to supplement their degree (note that this incurs some additional cost).
All full-time students on this course have the opportunity to take a year-long professional practice placement after the second year. A Placement Year Fee is payable to the University of Lincoln during this year for students joining in 2025/26 and beyond. Students are expected to cover their own travel, accommodation, and living costs. You don't have to pay tuition fees for this year, but you will need to cover your travel, accommodation, and general living costs.
Students who complete the one-year professional practice placement will be awarded a BA (Hons) Marketing and Advertising (with Professional Practice). Those who choose not to complete a placement will receive a BA (Hons) Marketing and Advertising, or equivalent exit award.
Hear about Gracie's journey, from studying at Lincoln, to how her work placement year has enriched her student experience. From working in communications, to supporting large-scale events and understanding how branding can impact a global business!
Full-time students on this course may have the opportunity to take a year-long International Year Abroad (IYA) between the second and third year, or a study abroad semester in the second year.
Studying at one of the University's approved partner institutions is an opportunity to study in a cross-cultural environment with wider cultural experience and can enhance your future employment opportunities. If being taken as an IYA, with many partner institutions supporting internships, it is also possible for students to elect to combine study (minimum one semester equivalent) with work and or a period of volunteering.
Eligible students must have completed their second year of study to a satisfactory standard (normally with an average of a 2:2 or above, dependent upon partner requirements) and successfully completed the application process.
Upon completion of the study period abroad, each student will be required to submit a portfolio including a reflection on the experience of living and studying in a different cultural environment and the skills acquired. Successful completion of the IYA will be reflected in the award title - BA (Hons) Marketing and Advertising (International Study Year).
A Study Abroad Tuition Fee is payable to the University of Lincoln during this year for students joining in 2025/26 and beyond. No extra tuition fee is payable to the host university, but students are expected to cover their own travel, accommodation, and living costs. There may be opportunities for additional funding through scholarships (dependent on availability).
Students may be invited to join optional field trips throughout their studies to see effective marketing in action. Previously, trips have included visits to Jaguar Land Rover, the Museum of Brands, and the World Marketing Summit. These trips may have an additional cost. In addition, there is an optional visit to advertising agencies in New York, which is funded at student's own expense.
I would recommend this course to anyone who is looking for a career in the industry. It is led by fantastic lecturers and it didn’t just open my eyes to the world of advertising and marketing, it also helped to develop my passion for the subject.
Tom Porter
BA (Hons) Marketing and Advertising
Recent Marketing and Advertising graduates have gone on to work in a variety of sectors and roles across the public, charity, private sectors, including advertising agency account management, digital marketing, marketing research and insights, sales, merchandising, and full-service marketing.
Some of our most recent graduates have gone on to work in organisations such as X, Nielsen, Nestle, Mediacom, Centre Parcs, Notts County Football Club, Bosch, Dyson and Joules. Others have equally rewarding roles in marketing agencies such as Krow, Ketchup, The Marketing Practice, Carrington Communications, Rise at Seven, and Moreish. Graduates have also gone onto advertising agencies such as VCCP, Grey, Ogilvy, and McCann.
Lincoln International Business School works with students and organisations to enhance the contribution of business to society. For students, that means developing their business skills and knowledge to improve their career readiness.The University of Lincoln is a member of AACSB, a global nonprofit association connecting educators, students, and businesses to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders.
104 UCAS Tariff points from a minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent qualifications.
International Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma from a minimum of 2 Higher Level subjects.
BTEC Extended Diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit or equivalent.
T Level: Merit
Access to Higher Education Diploma: 45 Level 3 credits with a minimum of 104 UCAS Tariff points.
Applicants will also need at least three GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above, which must include English and Maths. Equivalent Level 2 qualifications may be considered.
The University accepts a wide range of qualifications as the basis for entry and do accept a combination of qualifications which may include A Levels, BTECs, EPQ etc.
We will also consider applicants with extensive and relevant work experience and will give special individual consideration to those who do not meet the standard entry qualifications.
Non UK Qualifications:
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.
International students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page:
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-sessional English and Academic Study Skills courses.
The University of Lincoln's International College also offers university preparation courses for international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements. Upon successful completion, students can progress to Bachelor's study at the University of Lincoln. Please visit https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/internationalcollege/ for more information.
If you would like further information about entry requirements, or would like to discuss whether the qualifications you are currently studying are acceptable, please contact the Admissions team on 01522 886097, or email admissions@lincoln.ac.uk
Going to university is a life-changing step and it's important to understand the costs involved and the funding options available before you start. A full breakdown of the fees associated with this programme can be found on our course fees pages.
For eligible undergraduate students going to university for the first time, scholarships and bursaries are available to help cover costs. To help support students from outside of the UK, we are also delighted to offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
The best way to find out what it is really like to live and learn at Lincoln is to visit us in person. We offer a range of opportunities across the year to help you to get a real feel for what it might be like to study here.
