Discover how to apply strategic and creative thinking to create unforgettable brand campaigns that shape the future of advertising and communication design.
Our MA in Advertising is a future-facing course designed to blend cutting-edge design with critical industry insights, offering a global perspective of marketing communications and media industries.
It challenges you to consider the industry from a critical perspective, questioning norms and exploring how advertising can be reimagined to support a more inclusive future. Through live projects and hands-on experiences, you will craft innovative strategies that resonate with both established and emerging markets. The course will ensure you develop a greater understanding of your critical positioning within advertising, PR, branding, marketing, and communications to develop the skills and knowledge the industry is looking for.
At the core of the course is a focus on the social and ethical implications of advertising. You’ll explore representation, semiotics, equality, diversity, and sustainability, critically examining the theories and concepts that shape the industry. Through a mix of theoretical exploration and practical application, you’ll be prepared to create content and campaigns that not only captivate audiences but also adhere to ethical standards. This approach ensures that you emerge as a well-rounded professional, ready to make a meaningful impact in the world of advertising.
Why study with us
Advanced technical skills
Develop expertise in various media and methods, creating sophisticated advertising campaigns that reflect your unique voice and style.
Interdisciplinary approach
Collaborate with other postgraduate courses in media and visual communication, enhancing your learning experience in a multidisciplinary environment.
Professional-level resources
Utilise contemporary technology and industry-standard tools, including design studios, media labs, 2D & 3D workshops, licensed specialist software, and a media resource centre. These resources support you in transforming ideas into tangible outcomes.
Ethical and inclusive research
Focus on the social and ethical implications of advertising, emphasising accessibility, diversity, equality, and sustainability.
Professional portfolio development
By the end of the course, create a professional body of work that reflects your interests and prepares you for the industry, enhancing your ability to communicate research and ideas creatively and visually.
Coursedetails
This programme is a one-year course, including 30 weeks of direct teaching time and a 15-week final project. You will need to complete five units and one 60-credit major project (180 credits in total). All units on the course are compulsory and must be passed in order to complete the award. If you study part-time your modules will be split across two years. Full course details, including aims and assessment criteria, will be provided in the course specification upon validation.
Core practice and context in Advertising (60 credits)
This unit launches your master’s study experience at Norwich. You will explore innovative practices and cutting-edge research. You’ll enhance your skills and learn to communicate complex messages through visual media while examining contemporary advertising theories. Research-led projects will immerse you in contemporary advertising techniques, boosting your confidence in both conceptual and practical problem-solving. You’ll experiment with mixed media and materials to convey complex messages while exploring the boundaries of advertising alongside related fields. The unit covers a wide range of topics, including semiotics, professional communication, brand strategies, copywriting, storytelling, and emerging technologies such as AR/VR/AI. Iterative experimentation and critical reflection will refine your practice within broader conceptual and ethical frameworks.
Advanced technical skills in Advertising (20 credits)
This unit focuses on the advanced technical skills essential for idea generation, problem-solving, and practical development in advertising. It emphasises the importance of technical expertise in supporting theoretical and conceptual aspects of ideation and problem-solving. Regular presentations and discussions with peers and staff will foster critical reflection and analysis. The unit covers pitching, social media, marketing, copywriting, content creation, campaign management, visual communication, design strategies, data analytics, SEO & SEM, professional behaviours, semiotics, brand communications, Adobe Suite, and emerging technologies such as AR/VR/AI. Through continuous technical experimentation and practical application, you will enhance your knowledge and broaden your working methods in digital media, data analytics, and multimedia production, ensuring you are well-prepared to tackle real-world challenges and succeed in the dynamic field of advertising.
Dialogue, debate and domain knowledge in Advertising (10 credits)
This unit encourages exploration of leading practices and emerging research within advertising. Reflective analysis and interaction will enhance your understanding of your discipline in socio-economic, political, ethical, and cultural contexts. Research themes include design history and theory, identity and representation, visual language, subjectivity, design psychology, Gestalt psychology, semiotics, aesthetics, globalisation, consumption, and media theory. You will develop a range of research approaches, using discursive interaction to inform your inquiry and push your creative boundaries to inspire new perspectives on advertising.
Professional technical skills in Advertising (20 credits)
Building on the ‘advanced technical skills’ unit, you will refine your technical processes and explore innovative ways to expand your creative capabilities. Topics include pitching, social media, marketing, copywriting, content creation, campaign management, visual communication, design strategies, data analytics, SEO & SEM, professional behaviours, semiotics, brand communications, contemporary media platforms, Adobe Suite, and emerging technologies (AR/VR/AI). A research-led approach will help you utilise current and future-facing techniques within advertising. Individual and group projects will refine your technical skills and enhance your problem-solving abilities, allowing you to fully develop and apply advanced creative thinking in practical contexts.
Advanced critical context in Advertising (10 credits)
This unit enhances your understanding of leading practices and emerging research in advertising. By developing effective research and reflective strategies, you will gain insights into creative communication within socio-economic, political, ethical, and cultural contexts. Building on the ‘dialogue, debate, and domain knowledge’ unit, you will explore themes such as design history, identity and representation, visual language, design psychology, semiotics, globalisation, and media theory. Research-led projects will help you formulate questions relevant to your practice, examining the boundaries between disciplines. Rigorous analysis will deepen your understanding of the critical frameworks underpinning advertising and communication design, positioning yourself as a critically engaged and reflective practitioner.
Major project (60 credits)
This unit forms the culmination of your master’s study, in which you will design, develop, and execute a major project. By consolidating your specialist knowledge and advanced practices, you will develop a research question, design a viable project to test your hypotheses, and work towards innovative outcomes. These outcomes may involve multiple outputs or a deep focus on a specific aspect of your practice. Throughout this unit, you will deepen your understanding of the historical, theoretical, cultural, technical, and economic contexts surrounding advertising. Indicative fields of study include advertising, PR, branding, marketing, and communications. You will explore challenges related to social and environmental sustainability, and identify relevant industries, audiences, and stakeholders your major project aims to impact. Research-led practice will enhance your ability to synthesise experiments into complex creative outcomes that reflect your chosen pathway and express an original, personal and professional identity.
Learning and teaching
The course is delivered through a variety of engaging learning and teaching methods.
Lectures
Seminars
Tutorials
Technical labs
Independent and group work
Assessment
Our assessment methods will vary based on the unit you choose and provide a comprehensive measure of your learning and progress. These methods may include:
Critically reflective essay
Course work
Presentations
Learning journal
Reflective evaluation
Body of creative work
Reflective research report
Team project evaluation
Major project
Supporting documentation
Real world problem-solving
This course is part of our suite of Master’s in Visual Communication, offering a collaborative framework across various specialisations, including MA Animation, MA Advertising, and MA Illustration. This provides students with opportunities to engage with peers from different disciplines while working on individual assignments. Such collaboration mirrors the professional dynamics in the creative industries today, allowing students to gain valuable experience in interdisciplinary teamwork and real-world problem-solving.
Typical career paths
Our MA in Advertising will equip you with both practical and critical skills, preparing you to compete for roles in advertising, digital, and media agencies, as well as client-side positions. Your creative-strategic expertise will help you become a critically aware and logical-thinking professional, capable of understanding and leading creative innovation through existing and emerging strategies. Your focus on the future, your portfolio, and your final major project will give you a compelling narrative to present to potential employers.
When you graduate, you may be qualified for a broad range of careers.
Creative director
Advertising manager
Copywriter
Account planner
Strategist
Account manager
Brand consultant
Communication consultant
Producer
Design team leader
Content creator and manager
Social media manager
The UK’s creative sector is thriving, contributing £111.7 billion annually to the economy and offering over 2 million jobs.
Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS)
Entry Requirements
Entrants should normally have achieved a BA (Hons) / BSc Degree of 2:1 or above (or its equivalent), in advertising, art or design (such as graphics, photography, film studies), psychology, marketing, business, english, sociology, or philosophy.
Those with industry experience or relevant skills from non-traditional backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including individuals currently employed. If you’re unsure about your eligibility, please contact us for guidance before applying.
English language requirements (International/EU)
If English is not your first language, IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) is required, with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. we also accept other English language qualifications.
International Qualifications
We accept a wide range of qualifications from all over the world.
For information on entry requirements from your country, see our international pages.
Portfolio requirement
When you apply for this course, we will ask you to prepare your portfolio and a written submission. We might also ask you to prepare for an interview. These methods are used to assess your suitability for the course. All three elements should clearly demonstrate your passion for the subject and your individual creativity.
Further information will be provided once you have applied.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year:
Full time: £10,600
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK
(home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Fees for subsequent years
The rules for inflation on fees in subsequent years depend on the type of fee status and level
For Home and overseas postgraduate degree students starting in 2025, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.
Funding your study
Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience. Find out more about scholarships and funding.
Additional costs
Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition. Accommodation, cost of materials, and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees
Tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year will be:
Full time: £24,000
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK
(home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Fees for subsequent years
The rules for inflation on fees in subsequent years depend on the type of fee status and level
For home and overseas postgraduate degree students starting in 2025, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.
Funding your study
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries for international students. To find out more and see if you’re eligible, please visit the scholarships for international students page.
Additional costs
Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition. Accommodation, cost of materials, and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees
Postgraduate applicants can only apply directly by completing the below online application form or emailing the downloadable form to ioadmissions@norwichuni.ac.uk
International students requiring a visa should apply as soon as possible in the year they wish to start. Email our International Team for more information.
Toby Hills Wins Prestigious Papin Prize at HETS 2025
Alumni •
Toby Hills, Senior Technician – Immersive & Virtual Production at Norwich University of the Arts, has been named Best Newcomer and awarded a prestigious Papin Prize during the UK Higher Education Technicians Summit (HETS) 2025 held this week.
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BA Graphic Communication •
Norwich students were awarded a total of five pencils at this year’s D&AD New Blood Awards, which showcase recent graduate work across design, advertising and craft.
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Norwich University of the Arts moves up 25 places in The Complete University Guide
Alumni •
Norwich University of the Arts has been ranked among the UK's top two specialist creative arts universities — and the highest outside London — in the 2026 edition of The Complete University Guide
We are delighted to offer two opportunities to join the University as an East Gallery Fellow – Creative Practice, for twelve months from 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026
Norwich University of the Arts Hosts AHRC in Celebrating Creative Technology Research
Research •
Norwich University of the Arts recently hosted a collaborative event showcasing projects funded by AHRC's Creative Research Capability fund, at its cutting-edge Immersive Visualisation and Simulation Lab (IVSL).
Shape Shift: Reflections on Art in Mental Health Settings
Research •
A groundbreaking new exhibition, Shape Shift: Reflections on Art in Mental Health Settings, created in partnership with Norwich University of the Arts, will open at The Fitzrovia Chapel on Thursday, 13 March 2025.
