Postgraduate

Advertising, Branding and Communication MA

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Duration

Location

UCAS code

Fees: per year

Overview
Course detail & modules
Entry requirements
Fees & funding
Study & career progression

Study options

Start date

Overview

Challenge your creativity, be inspired, and create meaningful campaigns that stand out from the crowd with this Masters in Advertising, Branding and Communication (ABC).

It has all the benefits of a Masters in Communication combined with practical skills and industry experience in advertising and branding.

You will develop strategic and creative thinking, advertising tactics, and communication skills, used to create innovative advertising, brand and design campaigns for businesses. You will also work on briefs set by leading companies and be mentored by industry professionals.

Through projects, lectures, group tutorials, industry visits and our own conferences, you will develop an in-depth understanding of professional brand communication and advertising strategy.

Your completed Masters Project or Dissertation will be the greatest outcome and strongest evidence of your achievements and development.

We have a softer version of this course; have a look at our PgDip course before you apply.

View some of our students' recent work.

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Why study Advertising, Branding and Communication with us?

The MA Advertising, Branding and Communications provoked me to develop an attention to detail I'd previously not had as well as a necessary practical approach to succeed in the workplace. It exposed me to the right people with the right skills to help refine my knowledge and approach to becoming a communications professional.

Matt Grange, employee communications manager, HSBC Bank

I am still as enthusiastic today as I first was when I joined the MA programme. Unlike many universities, UWL warmly welcomes newcomers, providing endless engaging events, trips, support, not to mention the mind-blowing workshops! It amazes me that professional instructors, with high credentials are the ultimate example of the word modest!

Laura Bakalka, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, American University in Dubai, UAE

After finishing my undergraduate, instead of pursuing a formal career, I decided to travel. The Masters at UWL helped me move back into the professional world. The course allows students to pursue very diverse research paths in order to develop themselves. It also made me more self aware of my skill set and passions, making me more confident.

Max Oliveira, content strategist and sustainability champion, Cubitt House

The best part of the course is that you can explore topics of your interest and go in-depth with projects that advance your skill set. Finishing the course not only gave me more practical tools, but it also taught me to ask questions that, hopefully, will help me change the world for the better.

Karoline Lundberg, BYBI Design Executive

Get Ahead with Industry Focused Teaching

Graphic advising on-site Macs and PC Labs

Audio student practices in one of UWL's radio studios

The Digital Print Bureau has state of the art workstations, fully colour calibrated professional screens and cutting-edge software.

Course detail & modules

Communication is right at the heart of our lives.

Today, communication systems and tools are increasingly complex, sophisticated and extremely powerful. However, their effectiveness depends on knowing how best to use them creatively and strategically, in a time where sustainable and transparent communication practices are becoming an utmost priority.

Our course seeks to provide a student-centred environment which is continually updated by current industry practice. We are actively committed toward creating engaging and intellectually rich learning experiences so you can leave the programme with a solid understanding of key concepts, methods, theories and practices you can immediately apply to the workplace.

Our MA in ABC could provide you with a competitive edge over those without this higher level of creative and strategic research competencies that are becoming more and more relevant in the creative industries.

You may be fully equipped for rapid career ascension, being able to demonstrate critical analysis, creativity, and complex problem solving. You will be guided so you can provide evidence of originality when it comes to branding solutions, advertising campaigns and communication-related strategies or models.

At the same time your own thoughts and individual initiative will be informed through a thorough design thinking process of Discovery, Definition, Development and Delivery.

The expected contact time is 1.5 days per week throughout the 14 months – but just as in the vertiginous and vibrant ABC sectors, you will be working hard!

Level 7

Compulsory modules

Research for the Creative Industries

This module contains a series of seminars and practical workshops that will engage you with critically analytical tools to interrogate key conceptual frameworks and explore cultural, historical, ethical and methodological perspectives for the fields of advertising, branding and communication.
Branding

On this module, you will examine how information is collected, deployed, managed and made meaningful to brands. Additionally, you will study the development and current theories of information and communication underpinning branding strategies.
Advertising

Advertising explores ways in which information, data, media and communication are applied in the advertising context – for areas such as public relations, online, social media, web, publishing, etc.
We aim to explore the production processes to create communications media in line with our client’s brand values.
Innovation

This module focuses on complex societal problems, innovations and creative approaches to guarantee developments in the area of branding and advertising through design thinking. During this module, you will work on an integrated project that explores a key area through a collaborative and structured brief.
Professional Creative Contexts

This module considers professionalism in the creative industries looking to the past, present and future, to shape your role within the current creative industries landscape.
Study the impact of branding and advertising on people’s lives and gain industry skills through University resources such as 3D modelling, motion graphics, print making, photography, film and research libraries. Receive exposure to London’s world-leading companies through agency and studio visits, and talks by guest speakers.
You may have the opportunity to increase professional engagement by embarking on a mentorship or 80-hour internship.
Masters Project/Dissertation

The Masters project or Dissertation module will provide you with the opportunity to develop a personally relevant topic that demonstrates the research ideas and concepts you have developed throughout the MA course.
You will come up with a resolution to your proposal and answer key research questions by demonstrating evidence of advanced conceptual and theoretical capability over an extended period of self-directed study. You will be introduced to combined and alternative approaches in your field of interest.

Entry requirements

Requirements: UK
Requirements: International

You should have an honours degree (2:2 or above) from a UK university or equivalent. We may also offer you a place based on relevant experience or training, normally from within the work environment. All applications are considered individually.

Find out more about our processes for recognising previous experience.

If you fulfill our entry criteria, you will be either invited to an interview (in person or via video conference) or to complete an extended personal statement form.

In specific cases we may request a portfolio to support applications, providing evidence of problem solving, creative thinking and evidence of your design journey, as well as development and completion of independent projects.

6.5 IELTS or above

You need to meet our English language requirement of 6.5 overall score for IELTS, with a minimum of 5.5 for each of the 4 individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening). Visit our English language requirements page for information on other English language tests we accept.

You also need academic qualifications at the same level as UK applicants. In some countries where teaching is in English, we may accept local qualifications. Check for local equivalents.

We offer pre-sessional English language courses if you do not meet these requirements. Find out more about our English Language courses.

If you fulfill our entry criteria, you will be either invited to an interview (in person or via video conference) or to complete an extended personal statement form.

Fees & funding

Funding: UK
Funding: International

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Additional costs

There are additional costs for this course that are not included in the tuition fees. See the links below to get a better idea of what to expect:

Please note:

Fees for the 2026/27 academic year and onwards may be subject to Government regulation and change.
Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year.
If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.
If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

If you are studying a Masters course you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan, this may help contribute towards your course fees and living costs.

Additional funding is available to some types of students, such as disabled students or those with dependants.

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries, including awards for specific subjects.

Awards for students of film, media and design are also on offer.

View full details, including conditions and eligibility.

Help with funding

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Additional costs

There are additional costs for this course that are not included in the tuition fees. See the links below to get a better idea of what to expect:

Please note:

Fees for the 2026/27 academic year and onwards may be subject to Government regulation and change.
Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year.
If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.
If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

International students - funding your studies

We offer scholarships for international students including International Ambassador Scholarships.

Further information about funding and financial support for international students is available from the UK Council for International Student Affairs.

Financial support for international students

Teaching staff

Study & career progression

A table with papers all over it, being used to plan a project

When you graduate you may be qualified for a broad range of careers. You could work as a:

brand and design manager
marketer
creative director
senior designer
design team leader
art director
advertising manager
account planner
communication consultant
project manager
content creator and manager
client account executive.

You may also choose to study for a PhD, specialising in an area of communications or advertising. Previous and current doctoral research areas include:

design
creative management
film
advertising
literary adaptation
photography.

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LSFMD students’ impress major industry figures

Two UWL MA Advertising, Branding and Communication students had their advertising campaign work recognised by Orange Business.

Bethonie Waring and Kolade Shasi came up with the winning pitch for a course module that connects students with the industry after meeting with the telecommunications company's management team.

It was so interesting to be given a brief directly from industry people rather than by our lecturers. This experience has made me realise I enjoy advertising and am good at it,”

Bethonie Waring, MA Advertising, Branding and Communication student.

Gail Parminter, Senior Lecturer at LSFMD, said:

Working on a live client brief is an essential part of preparing our students for employment. Bethonie and Kolade did well because they worked hard and had a professional attitude – two attributes which are essential in the world of work - and were noticed by the judges.”

Read the full story and other advertising student achievements.

Winning LSFMD students with their prizes from Orange

ARTSFEST

Find out more about the work our students produce and view some of their recent work by visiting our Film, Media and Communication ARTSFEST page.

Find out more

Student life at UWL

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2023 and 2024 - Average of answers to all questions by registered student population. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.

Advertising, Branding and Communication MA

Overview

Why study Advertising, Branding and Communication with us?