We are surrounded by advertising, marketing and media campaigns in a hugely competitive world-wide marketplace and these areas form an important commercial function within businesses and organisations. The study of advertising and marketing is an established and important area within business and management studies and the sociology of consumption and consumer culture. This course will investigate key theoretical and substantive debates in the critical study of advertising, marketing and media. You will analyse the advertising industries in Britain, North America and newly emerging economies like India, examine the use of branding and developing brand cultures and examine the wider concept of advertising, marketing and consumption. You will also look at recent developments from actor network theory on market devices. You will be introduced to primary research materials, like market research data. You will explore debates about the historical rise of marketing-orientated businesses and the growth of the advertising agency and broader expansion of marketing-led innovations in economic life. Your dissertation is a key part of the course and will be linked to the new master's thesis award scheme run by CREDOS. This new course brings together expertise from our top-rated Department of Sociology and Essex Business School. Please note that this course is also available on a part-time basis.

Many of our postgraduates go on to successful academic careers, both in the UK and overseas. Others have established careers in non-governmental organisations, local authorities, specialist think tanks, government departments, charities, media production, and market research. Our University is strong across the social sciences so, by studying with us, you gain the opportunity to work with and be taught by world-class scholars. We have strong interdisciplinary links which mean your studies can be informed by a variety of perspectives.