Kick-start your career in advertising with this award winning, internationally recognized qualification. Written for the industry, by the industry, using live webinars, online forums, expert videos and podcasts, this is the definitive programme for newcomers who are ambitious to move to the next level. It’s a super-concentrated opportunity to gain an overview of the whole industry with just 30 hours of flexible online learning.
Is this qualification for me?
If you have less than a year’s experience in an advertising, marketing or communications role, YES, this qualification is for you!
From recent graduates in their first year to young professionals just starting out or people entering the industry from another profession, everyone is welcome to access the program.
Benefits
- Instead of taking years to gain an essential overview of all areas of advertising – this course will take you on a journey through the entire brand communication process in just 30 hours.
- Gain an appreciation of the creative process, from fostering creativity in your everyday environment to understanding the invaluable role of media.
- Discover the importance of effectiveness to the industry and the development of theories such as those from Les Binet and Peter Field.
- Build on your knowledge of the client and agency roles and the marketing tools available to today’s marketers and agencies while understanding how to perform your role with confidence and expertise.
- Join the 17,000 people who have taken the qualification since 2003.
Learning process
- This qualification is delivered via 30 hours of online learning, delivered in 7 modules which can be accessed and downloaded when it suits you on any browser or device, or via the IPA Learning app.
- Gwyn March is the dedicated tutor for this qualification, available to answer candidate’s queries right up until their exam date.
- This qualification is assessed via a formal 2-hour online exam, 3-hours for non-native English speakers based in non-English speaking countries.
- Candidates will need to answer five short-form essay questions. The passing grade for the final exam is 50%. Candidates who pass will be awarded a digital certificate of completion and 2 MIPA stars towards personal accreditation.
Timing
In 2022, there will be three exam dates. Here are the registration deadlines for each one of them:
| Exam | Booking deadline |
| 25 April 2022 | 26 February 2022 |
| 27 June 2022 | 25 April 2022 |
| 26 September 2022 | 29 July 2022 |
Syllabus
This course is divided into seven modules designed to take candidates on a circular learning journey through the entire brand communications process.
This opening module celebrates the role of creativity in both communications and the wider business community. Exploring the history and evolution of creativity, and its exciting future.
This opening module celebrates the role of creativity in both communications and the wider business community. Exploring the history and evolution of creativity, and its exciting future.
This module has three parts: the first is client focused, including the dynamic role of the marketing director and considering clients’ work and priorities. The second part centres on agency response and interaction, while the third part outlines some of the necessary paperwork and processes.
This module demonstrates the media’s invaluable role as a source of inspiration and enhancer of the creative process. It is approached from a media neutral standpoint and includes relevant theories to illustrate the relevance of different types of media.
The focus of this module is the key theories, techniques and tools at the disposal of today’s marketers and agencies. This includes behavioural economics and the role of memory, the planning cycle and the role of data, and how these theories help brands grow.
This module focuses on the creative development process. From fostering creativity in your everyday environment through to the creative communications development process: from receipt of the client brief to creation of the internal briefs, and to the art of creative feedback.
This module outlines the importance of effectiveness to our industry. It illustrates the ways in which the IPA has been at the vanguard of this drive with the globally renowned IPA Effectiveness Awards and the development of theories such as those from Les Binet and Peter Field.