MA Promotional Media

Year 1

(Award available for year: Master of Arts)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the programme students should have shown evidence of being able to:

• interpret and critically assess evidence about the role of promotional communication in society;
• outline the main debates and theoretical approaches relevant to an understanding of the promotional media and communications industries, particularly as they relate to questions of power, culture, mediation of meaning and issues of the public sphere;
• compare and evaluate explanations of promotional communication as a societal phenomenon, derived from these different theoretical perspectives;
• understand the interactions and connections between different forms of promotional communication including: branding, advertising, marketing and public relations and connect these with the production of meaning and representation;
• critically assess the role of promotional communication in terms of social impacts and questions of ethics;
• examine promotional communications work critically with appropriate reference to the social and cultural contexts in which it was produced and consumed;
• demonstrate knowledge of the historical development of promotional communication in UK society and internationally;
• deconstruct promotional communication materials and analyse them in light of the scholarly approaches covered in the programme;
• demonstrate the ability to present work to a high academic standard, and to respond to demanding briefs within strict deadlines;
• demonstrate additional expertise and an understanding of contemporary research, in one or more designated areas of the field;
• devise and carry out a significant research project on an aspect of promotional communication.

Transferable (key) skills

- the skills necessary to undertake a higher research degree and/or for employment in a higher capacity in industry or area of professional practice;
- evaluating their own achievement and that of others;
- self direction and effective decision making in complex and unpredictable situations;
- independent learning and the ability to work in a way which ensures continuing professional development;
- critically to engage in the development of professional/disciplinary boundaries and norms.

Assessment

- evidencing an ability to conduct independent in-depth enquiry within the discipline;
- demonstrating the ability to apply breadth and/or depth of knowledge to a complex specialist area;
- drawing on a range of perspectives on an area of study;
- evaluating and criticising received opinion;
- making reasoned judgements whilst understanding the limitations on judgements made in the absence of complete data.