Develop messages that resonate and persuade

Communication Science: Marketing Communications

How can communication shape human behaviour? How can modern marketing and PR strategies build strong brands and corporate reputations?

In this specialisation, you will develop expertise in marketing and organisational communication that goes beyond traditional approaches to marketing and corporate communication. You will learn how to design effective communication campaigns, but also how to strategically use communication to encourage socially responsible behaviour among both consumers and organisations. The knowledge and skills you gain will make you a communication specialist who understands and knows how to influence consumers, employees, policymakers and the general public.

Here you will find an overview of the master's year per specialisation.

The start date for Communication Science is 1 September.

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Communication Science has three different specialisations

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1st year

The programme

The Master’s programme in Communication Science: Marketing Communications offers strong theoretical depth on social issues and equips you to apply this knowledge directly in professional practice.

In the first semester, you follow the courses ‘Marketing Communication and the Consumer ‘and ‘Public Relations’. Alongside these courses, you also complete two method courses that focus on innovative approaches of collecting and analysing data. Additionally, you will follow Impact with Marketing Communication, a course designed to help you apply scientific research to real-world communication challenges.

In the second semester, you choose two elective courses to broaden your knowledge or dive deeper into specific topics. The electives include Communication Technology in Organizations, Branding and Design, Social Marketing, Storytelling: The Persuasive Power of Narratives, Privacy, Self-Disclosure and Big Data, and Social Robotics.

You will also start your Master’s thesis in the second semester. One of your lecturers (each a leading expert in their field) will supervise you in your research on the latest developments in communication and media.

Core Courses

Marketing Communication and the Consumer
Public Relations
Impact with Marketing Communication
Research Methods in Communication Science
Computational Analysis of Digital Communication
Master’s Thesis in Communication Science

Subjects highlighted

Marketing Communication and the Consumer

This course explores key developments in contemporary marketing communication. How do you build a strong brand in a rapidly evolving media landscape? How can communication effectively influence attitudes and behaviour?

The course centres on four core themes: knowing how marketing communications work, how to shape the message (content) and through which channels (media planning). It also takes a critical look at the ethical side: is it responsible to encourage consumers to buy products at a time when sustainability is increasingly important?

Bridging theory and practice, you will develop a comprehensive marketing communication strategy for a real client and pitch your proposal to the company. In this way, you gain valuable insight into how marketing communication operates in professional practice.

Public Relations

In Public Relations, you examine the dynamics and impact of communication between organisations, news media, and the public. Media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have intensified and accelerated interactions between organisations and their audiences.

These developments create opportunities, for example, to communicate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives more effectively, but also significant risks, such as reputational crises that can escalate rapidly through social media.

Which strategies are most effective in today’s digital communication environment? During the workgroups, you apply theory to realistic cases. You will design a PR strategy for an organisation in crisis or develop a CSR programme that strengthens stakeholder relationships.

Consult the Study Guide for more information.

At Communication Science at VU, you will be taught by lecturers and researchers from a wide range of academic backgrounds. While they specialize in Communication Science, many also bring expertise from social psychology, media psychology, political science, and text, film and literary studies. Teaching and research are closely intertwined, ensuring that your education is directly informed by the latest academic insights.

In each specialization, you will take one project course during the first semester: Impact with Marketing Communications. In this course, you are challenged to tackle societal issues by conducting research for a company or organization that is facing a communication problem. Based on a thorough scientific analysis, you present a concrete recommendation or intervention to the organization.

For stakeholders, this proves to be very useful: in previous years, many of these recommendations have been directly adopted and implemented in practice. Through these practical assignments, you gain practical experience during your Communication Science degree and develop a clear understanding of the types of challenges organizations commonly face.

You will also work on company-provided real-life cases in other courses.Throughout the CS: Marketing Communications programme, you will have the opportunity to strengthen both your professional skills and your network.

After completing a Master’s in Communication Science, you could pursue a career as a strategist at a marketing or advertising agency, or work as a communication consultant for organizations in the private sector, non-profit sector, or government.

Discover your future prospects

Communication Science: Marketing Communications

Interdisciplinary

Impact with Marketing Communications

Change your future with the study of Communication Science: Marketing Communications

Change your future with the study of Communication Science: Marketing Communications

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