MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module aims at providing a theoretical and practical understanding of marketing communications in general and at introducing theoretical concepts and well-known strategies, especially in relation to creative strategy, planning and execution. Aspects such as the role of marketing communication tools in influencing brand choices, the effective use of such tools to deliver a promotional message, maximize the target audience reached and increase consumption will be the focus of this module.

Discussion of examples in light of the taught theory gives students substantial understanding of the field and should also help students to apply their knowledge when writing the marketing communications report and producing the marketing communications campaign.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

O'CONCHUIR Mick (SBS)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

MAN1075 Marketing Principles, or an equivalent introductory to Marketing module.

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Introduction to marketing communications (MC) and Integrated MC (IMC)


• Marketing Communications and Advertising Theories


• Marketing Communications Tools


• Creative strategies and brand management


• MC Planning and Campaign tactics


• Digital Marketing and Social Media


• Sustainable and Ethical MC

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Students could do an individual assignment of 1,300 words report instead of the group report, and an individual marketing communications campaign. 

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy for this module is based around the student-centred teaching approach and involves tutor-evaluation. Students are asked to actively participate in-class, their contribution is linked to the exams and the group assignment.

The exam will consist Multiple Choice Questions.

The group assignment is split in two parts; a written report and the associated campaign. Students can use the group assignment as a means of engaging with profit or non-profit organisations or local communities as well.

The exam will be used to evaluate the students’ theoretical knowledge, while the group assignment will assess their ability to link theory and practice.

The summative assessment for this module consists of:

•           Exam - 90 minutes (50%)

•           Group assignment (40%)

•           Group assignment (10%)

Formative assessment and feedback

This module adopts an enquiry based approach to assessment and feedback where resources are provided to students to enable them to identify their own strengths and weaknesses prior to an assessment, and in turn decide their own learning strategies. These resources include:

•           Seminars will be designed to address the preparation process, team management, and other key issues associated with the group project;

•           A detailed marking scheme will be supplied to students to explain the assessment criteria used and the weighting of each criterion; Criteria have been developed in line with the learning outcomes and reflect those;

•           Summative feedback, explaining what students did well and less well, will be published on SurreyLearn once the marking process is completed;

•           The generic feedback, including a statistical breakdown, will also be posted on SurreyLearn so that students can gauge their own performance in relation to the whole cohort’s performance;

Marks will be returned to students within 3 weeks of submission (excluding bank holidays and university closure days), via SurreyLearn. Exam marks may be released later pending ratification at the Board of Examiners.

Module aims

• Provide an in-depth knowledge of the various strategies and tactics constituting integrated marketing communications (IMC)
• Provide a theoretical and practical understanding of the planning, execution, and evaluation of various communication media
• The opportunity to create a TV advertisement and apply theoretical and practical aspects discussed in the lecture and seminars.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The teaching and learning strategy is designed to give students the opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding of various, key concepts underpinning integrated marketing communications. This module adopts a student-centred interaction approach and encourages group work and knowledge spilling. 

The group assignment emphasises the practical element of this module, which is relevant for students who are interested in pursuing a career in marketing or want to gain experience in marketing while on placement. The production of different marketing tools will give students insight into the operational and creative side of marketing, which is relevant for any business management student. Thus, the learning and teaching strategy of this module combines theory and application.  

The teaching and learning methods comprise the delivery of lectures and presentations within the seminar structure. More specifically, lectures are designed to illustrate and explain theoretical concepts and models of integrated marketing communications. The seminars are related to aspects relevant for the group project and to the practical implications of marketing communications. In-between lectures and seminars students will have to study independently.  

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN2094

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.