Course summary

Our MA Advertising and Design provides you with an excellent opportunity to develop skills in design and visual communications whilst allowing you to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of practices and principles in marketing and advertising. Taught collaboratively by the School of Design and Leeds University Business School – one of the world’s top 100 business schools – you’ll take a creative approach to solving communication problems in advertising and branding. You’ll develop your own practice, collaborate with other designers and gain an enhanced understanding of how design can convey a brand message, using a range of software and techniques. At the same time, you’ll study advertising research and theory in order to explore the strategic backdrop of brand communications from the blurring of markets to the ways in which digital technology, such as social media and mobile, have changed the relationship between brands and consumers. You’ll mix creativity and innovation with advertising strategy to gain a valuable range of knowledge and skills. Specialist facilities The School of Design recently invested over £4 million in new facilities including new laboratories, exhibition areas and student spaces. You’ll be able to develop your practice in well-equipped studios and purpose-built computer clusters so you can build your skills on both PC and Mac. There’s also a computer-aided design (CAD) suite with access to the latest design software and some of the latest design technology, such as digital printing and laser cutting facilities, and colour analysis/prediction labs. We also have an impressive range of resources you can use for research. We house the M&S Company Archive including documents, advertising, photos, films, clothing and merchandise from throughout Marks & Spencer’s history, offering a fascinating insight into the changing nature of branding and advertising over time.