Hugh Wrigley, 24 years old and from Hertfordshire is studying BA Marketing with Advertising Management at Leeds Business School. 

• Course: BA (Hons) Marketing with Advertising Management

Tell us a bit about yourself and what drew you to marketing.

I’d always been really interested in marketing and had always been fascinated with the power of adverts. 

I wanted to learn more about why adverts did what they did, and why they had such an effect on me, so the advertising element really drew me to the subject. Same with the marketing side of things; I’d always been really intrigued to learn about how everything worked. I also had a feeling I could be quite good if I tried, so wanted to give it a go!

What made you choose Leeds Beckett?

First and foremost, the course. As the core course was marketing it was instantly attractive, but it was the additional focus on advertising that really drew me in. After looking at the core and optional modules, I was really impressed with the variety and relevance of the options and knew that the degree was right for me. I also knew first hand how good it was to be a student in Leeds, so it ticked all the boxes really. 

Has any specific aspect of the course or modules stood out in particular and why?

The Media Planning Project module really stood out for me. I thought the way it was delivered, the relevance and practical applications post-completion made it really stand out. It was set on a real brief from a marketing agency in Leeds, so it gave a real taste of what a career in Media Planning could be like. As well as this, by essentially completing a live brief, it means that I’ve now got piece of work I can show to potential employers which gives me a real advantage in interviews. 

The work also directly linked to a module, Advertising Strategy, that we’d completed in the previous term and I found that being able to use my own work to justify decisions in another piece was super beneficial to my learning, as well as my confidence going forward. 

What has been your favourite thing about your time studying at Leeds Beckett?

I think for me, the best thing about studying at Leeds Beckett has been being able to take myself wherever I want to go. The course provides so many options, so I’ve been able to dictate exactly what I want to learn and ready myself for my future career. There are also so many opportunities and great benefits outside of the course. The careers department, who really take care of you especially when it comes to looking for internship and graduate applications, and the extra learning opportunities, such as talks from local business leaders and company representatives, really add a lot of extra value to a great experience. 

What advice would you give someone thinking about studying this course?

Just take every opportunity you can; really sink you teeth into your course, go to the talks from business leaders, build a relationship with the course tutors. The course is tailored to make you a fantastic marketer when it comes to graduating, so if you really commit to the learning, you’ll not only be in a great position when it comes to starting a career in the field, you’ll probably have a really great time along the way.