A list of Creative Courses in the UK for aspiring advertising students
A list of Creative Courses for aspiring advertising students
Working in the realm of the creative industry can often feel like an emotional rollercoaster regardless of your artistic path, whether you are a dancer, writer, illustrator, actor, or filmmaker. There will be days when you ace your creative streak, while others will pass by trying to figure out that perfect concept/ frame or moment. My short journey in this industry taught me two fundamental truths.
1. Creativity is highly subjective, and there’s no complete right or wrong; rarely does anyone strike perfection in their maiden attempt.
2. There is always room for personal growth and improvement
Reflecting on the concepts I used to generate to the ones I come up with now, I can definitely discern growth and development over the years. That’s the pliability of art, it enhances with practice and experience. Personally, I was lucky enough to have amazing mentors who guided me even when I stumbled. ( Nirzary, Nidhi, and Mimiksha; being one of them) That’s precisely what one needs to improve in a creative field.
As August draws to a close, a lot of people have reached out to me about creative courses that they could opt for, mentorship, and insights into the advertising industry in the UK.
So, based on my experiences and knowledge, I decided to list down a few purely creative programs that you could look into if you wish to apply. ( Please note that I am a copywriter working in the advertising sector, so my knowledge of film-making and pure design courses may be limited. However, you can still reach out to me if you have questions. ) Keep in mind that courses and faculty can change over time, so speaking with current students or recent graduates can provide valuable, up-to-date information about the program's strengths and areas for improvement.
So, let us begin with the course I pursued.
M.A / B.A in Creative Advertising Falmouth:
https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/creative-advertising
Falmouth is a small town nestled in the county of Cornwall, England. Reachable by an 8.5-hour bus or 5-hour train journey from London. The course is creatively driven and is a portfolio program that takes you through different departments and modules of advertising. If you wish to explore careers as an art director, copywriter, or creative strategist you can definitely look into it. The students pursuing this course get to exhibit and compete for D&AD awards. Towards the end of your programme, you will have a compilation of briefs ( a portfolio/ book ) based on which you could apply for jobs in the advertising sector.
MA / BA in Creative Advertising Lincoln:
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/course/aadaadub/
Lincoln is yet another town located in England. It takes about 5 hours to reach Lincoln by bus from London. I couldn’t find any direct trains to the place, however, you can always ask the uni or check their page for more travel information. The course structure at Lincoln is quite similar to Falmouth; nurturing creativity in the advertising sector. On completing your programme you will have a portfolio book much like Falmouth University. Another similarity is the fact that they exhibit at D&AD. I haven’t personally studied at Lincoln, but it's known for its teaching faculty. After my interaction with Andrew Bolton; one of the former professors at Lincoln uni, I can confirm the same. His feedback on my work helped me navigate my creative block.
UAL, University of Arts London: MA/BA in Advertising https://www.arts.ac.uk/subjects/journalism-pr-media-and-publishing/postgraduate/ma-advertising-lcc
University of Arts London is a highly reputed university. Their program gives you an all-rounded approach to advertising. From creative advertising to digital culture, it will train you for it all.
I am not certain if the course gets to be exhibited for D&AD, you might have to ask the university about it. One perk about studying at UAL is the fact that you would be in close proximity to major advertising agencies, so it’s easier for you to get crits or meet people from the industry. If you wish to explore careers in digital media, client servicing and creative sectors, you can definitely look into the course.
MSc in Creative Advertising Napier University: https://www.napier.ac.uk/courses/msc-creative-advertising-postgraduate-fulltime
Napier University nestled in the picturesque landscapes of Scotland offers a program that draws familiarity to that of Falmouth or Lincoln. The course runs you through different aspects of advertising and provides you hands-on training with live briefs. They exhibit at the D&AD awards as well. Notably, the cost of tuition and living expenses may lean towards the more affordable side, given the university's location in Scotland, rather than England.
MSc in Creative Advertising Strategy Manchester Metropolitan University https://www.mmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/course/msc-creative-advertising-strategy
Manchester is another big city in England and has a lot of advertising industries. This course has a paid placement scheme that you can opt for at the end of your course and will run you through different sectors of advertising. I haven’t personally spoken to anyone pursuing this course so I have knowledge limited to what the course offers and the various awards they let their students participate in. You can definitely reach out to the university and alumni in order to get more information about the same.
These are some of the majority of creatively inclined programs I personally know about; however, you can also take a look at the MA in Advertising and Marketing at the University of Leeds, MA in Advertising at Bournemouth University etc. If you wish to apply to schools outside the UK, you can also take a look at Miami Ad School. They offer a portfolio as well as masters programs across Europe and the USA. As I mentioned, all these programs are purely creative or have a creative aspect to them. If you wish to get into PR / Marketing / Digital advertising you might want to take a look at marketing or PR programmes. Hope this helped, feel free to reach out if you have more questions!
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