Top 30
UK university out of 122 institutions
Guardian University Guide 2025
4th
in the UK for student satisfaction for Business and Management
Complete University Guide 2024
Top 15
for teaching quality across Business, Management and Marketing
Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024
Join us at our upcoming Open Afternoon!
Wednesday 11 December
Wednesday 11 December
Our next Open Afternoon is in:
Overview
The BA (Hons) Marketing Top-Up is an exciting degree which is continually reviewed to ensure your course content is up to date, exploring topics such as disruptive technologies, and to reflect changing graduate needs in areas of design, digital skills and creativity.
In the first semester, this one year course will build on your existing marketing knowledge to develop strategic thinking skills through dedicated strategic and global marketing modules. You will also work in an agency environment for a client to produce a plan in response to the client brief.
The second semester offers you the opportunity to undertake a 10-week work placement or study modules in areas such as ethics and entrepreneurship. You will also undertake a consultancy project on a topic of your choice.
On this course you will:
- Complete projects with real-world clients.
- Access industry-standard software including Photoshop, InDesign and Google Analytics.
- Learn from industry-experienced lecturers and guest speakers.
- Be able to participate in marketing and business forums.
- Be able to complete a 10-week work placement.
- Develop valuable soft skills like teamwork, communication and time management.
Accreditation
This BA (Hons) Marketing degree is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). This means that you can earn professionally recognised qualifications alongside your studies and that you will have an automatic exam exemption from some CIM modules at certificate level or diploma level.
Business Forums
The Business Forums are a series of events where invited businesses present real-life marketing issues to students for them to discuss, review and propose solutions for.
These fast-paced sessions follow a 5 x 20 minute block schedule. You will spend 20 minutes networking with refreshments, then listen to a 20-minute guest talk, complete a 20-minute interactive activity, and then attend two 20-minute business consultancy rotations. You will be presented with a business issue or problem to fix and are encouraged to ask probing questions, suggest ideas and discuss possible solutions.
Teaching and Assessment
How you will learn
This course uses a combination of small group lectures, workshops and tutorials with typical class sizes of up to 25 students. You will take part in online discussions, hear from guest speakers and have the opportunity to take part in client visits.
Most of your assessments will focus on live client projects which can be undertaken individually or collaboratively. You may be assessed through client presentations, peer group assessment, reports or creative and technology outlets such as posters, websites, blogs and social media. If you are pursuing professional association qualifications you will also be assessed by through exams.
Francesca Williams
Ashley Beaumont
The Course
What you will study
You will study a selection of core and optional modules in each year. Each module is worth a number of credits and is delivered differently, depending on its content and focus of study.
Modules
Agency Life
Many jobs in the marketing and communications industry require agency experience, especially in growing areas of digital marketing.
This module allows you to set up your own agency and work for a company to solve a marketing problem for them. This could cover anything from website testing to marketing research, branding design to social media.
You will focus on client pitches, staying on budget, working under intense pressure, and exceeding expectations.
Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
In this module, you will learn to raise awareness of the ethical considerations relevant to many business practices and issues, as well as raise awareness of corporate social responsibility.
You will be introduced to the concepts, theories and techniques used to address ethical considerations as you critically discuss current business and government policies relating to corporate social responsibility.
You will reflect on your own moral values, attitudes and behaviour and have some interesting debates and discussions in the lessons.
Assessment
You will be assessed through an interview and a portfolio.
Employee Relations
This module explores a range of topics around the historical and economic relationship between a business and the employee. You will consider topics including the rise of trade unions, resolving conflict, negotiation, and employee relations amongst many others.
Entrepreneurship (Business Start-Up Idea and Plan)
In this heavily practical module, you will work to develop an idea for a new small business.
You will present this to get feedback on improving the business viability and create a one-year persuasive business plan.
Your classes will focus on developing your understanding of the feasibility and viability of each aspect of your business through testing and evaluation.
Assessment
Assessment is by presentation and creation of the business plan.
Entrepreneurship in Action
Build your own business
This module provides an opportunity for you to start-up your own business within a supportive environment by implementing a developed business idea.
It may be that you are already running a part-time business or have a business idea and you would like to try and implement with support and already have a good understanding of business planning.
Activities could involve:
- creating a website
- making sales
- delivering events
- networking
- carrying out in-depth research
- creating social media marketing.
Even if you decide not to continue with the business idea, the knowledge and practical experience gained will equip you with entrepreneurial skills much sought after by employers.
Receive 1-1 mentoring
You will attend weekly 1:1 mentoring with the lecturer and specialist Business HotHouse staff.
Connection with ‘Entrepreneurship’ module
You can take this module alongside the Entrepreneurship module if you would like more guidance in developing an idea and business plan.
In this instance it will be like taking an entrepreneurship placement where your main focus in your final semester is developing and implementing your own business.
Assessment
Assessment is by implementation portfolio and professional discussion on how the idea is/not viable.
Global Branding
You will develop your understanding of global marketing alongside your problem solving and decision-making skills.
You will be able to critically evaluate key issues associated with global marketing within the context of a dynamic cultural environment.
You will appraise global marketing opportunities and threats and make decisions relating to an organisation’s ability to successfully enter and compete in international markets.
The module uses a practical and analytical marketing perspective.
Assessment
You will be assessed through creating a brochure.
Global Business Today
This module introduces you to current global issues that we are hearing about in the news today that are vital for business to react to successfully compete and grow.
You will broaden your understanding of the challenges and opportunities businesses face in areas such as:
- international trade after Brexit
- political unrest
- differences in national cultures
- global inequality
- operating sustainably
- and global consumer behaviour.
Assessment
You will be assessed through creating a conference paper and presentation on one global topic of interest.
Marketing Consultancy Project
In this project you will choose a marketing topic to investigate. You could undertake a consultancy project on placement with an employer or during a taught study route at university. If you choose to complete a 10 week placement your project will usually be set in the context of your host organisation. If you choose not to complete a placement you will approach a suitable organisation as a focus for your project, or identify a specific marketing management issue you feel should be investigated.
Strategic Marketing Management
This module explores the role of marketing in strategy formulation and how marketing contributes to business success. You will gain a detailed knowledge of theoretical and practical perspectives of marketing strategy and develop an appropriate strategic marketing plan. You will make informed decisions and develop your ability to think critically about marketing scenarios.
Work Placement (Short)
Many of our students take this opportunity to gain valuable management experience working in an organisation and project work that appeal to you in your future career. The placement is for 10-12 weeks in semester two.
Typically, you would carry out your research dissertation whilst on placement and focus on researching the project areas you are working on and an area the organisation will benefit from the most. This module allows you to gain valuable work experience and enhance your employability which is extremely attractive to employers.
Few other universities offer a professional placement where your research dissertation aligns with your project work.
Assessment
You will be assessed through a learning log submission and an individual presentation.
Facilities
Use industry standard equipment
Learning Resource Centre
The Learning Resource Centre (LRC) contains the library, a café, IT/teaching rooms and the Support and Information Zone (SIZ).
Library
Our campus library holds more than 200,000 books and over 500,000 eBooks.
Work Placements
Gain practical experience
This marketing degree has a strong vocational focus that is enhanced by the work placement programme. Work placements and internships are an optional opportunity to use the skills and knowledge you gain during your studies in the industry.
Work placements give you valuable work experience to add to your CV and help you to prepare for the workplace after you graduate. The combination of placement opportunities available will help you develop employability and enterprise skills so you are ready to thrive after you leave university.
Past students completed placements at companies including:
- Brandwatch
- Hewlett-Packard
- Toyota Motorcars
- TUI.
Industrial placements
You can complete a 10-week placement during your studies.
Most students secure placements in London and the South East, but you could travel overseas. Past students have worked in Bahrain, India, Singapore and Australia.
Many placement students continue to work for the companies they completed placements with after they graduate. Some students are even offered full-time jobs before their results are published.
10-week work placement
You may complete a 10-week work placement at the start of your final semester. This placement is full time, usually unpaid, and will be assessed as a double module for your degree. Your assessment will focus on employability and personal development.
Placements usually begin in mid-January and last until late March each your. You will focus on a management project during your placement. This project is usually concerned with investigating management issues within the placement organisation.
Placement Office
The Business School has a dedicated Placement Office which will work with you and relevant businesses to help you find your best placement match. We ensure that placements are at an appropriate level and suitable for your degree.
You are ultimately responsible for finding your own placement but you can take advantage of the team’s business relationships and opportunities advertised by the placement office. Some businesses reach out to the office to re-advertise their placements each year.
Student
Student
What our employers say
Blue Bell
Careers
Where you could go after your studies
Our marketing graduates are highly employable. Past students have been successful in agency work and client roles.
You could work in:
- Brand management
- Advertising
- Public Relations
- Customer management
- International marketing
- Digital marketing.
After your degree we encourage you to continue your learning with the industry’s professional body: The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). When you graduate you will automatically qualify for exemption on one module on the PG Certificate or Diploma levels of the CIM professional marketing qualifications.
Further Study
You may decide to continue your studies to postgraduate level.
The Business School has a diverse range of postgraduate courses including:
- MSc Digital Marketing
- MSc Neuromarketing
- MBA
- PGCE
- MPhil/PhD Research.
University of Chichester alumni who have completed a full undergraduate degree at the University will receive a 15% discount on their postgraduate fees.
Course Costs
Course Fees 2025/26
UK fee
International fee
For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fee page.
For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.
To find out about any additional costs on this course, please see our Additional Costs page.
Entry Requirements
Typical offer (individual offers may vary):
- Minimum of an HND overall Merit Profile (or equivalent) within aligned underpinning Level 5 qualification.
Contextual offers
We believe everyone deserves an equal opportunity to pursue higher education, regardless of their background.
When we receive your application we consider your personal circumstances and the factors surrounding your achievements to see if you are eligible for a contextual offer. This is an offer with a reduced entry tariff – typically the equivalent of 16 fewer UCAS points (two A-level grades).
Find out more about our contextual offers.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Click the ‘Apply now’ button to go to relevant UCAS page.
Many qualifications have a UCAS Tariff value. The score depends on the qualification, and the grade you achieved.
Head to the UCAS Tariff Points web page where you can find a tariff points calculator that can tell you how much your qualification and grades are worth.
If you have any further questions please email us at admissions@chi.ac.uk.
