Digital Marketing – Bachelor of Communication

The Bachelor of Communication (Digital Marketing) is the only degree in New Zealand that combines business, marketing strategy, and creative visual and verbal communication skills.

Where you can study

Auckland campus
Distance and online
Wellington campus
Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

International students

International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.

Definition of New Zealand citizens and residents

Open to international students on campus in New Zealand

Specialise in Digital Marketing for your Bachelor of Communication at Massey

Combine your love of technology and creativity with the Bachelor of Communication (Digital Marketing).

Employers increasingly need communicators who have an in-depth understanding of the digital world and how to communicate effectively via digital platforms. Massey University’s Bachelor of Communication (BC) in digital marketing will give you these skills.

What will you learn?

You will learn about all forms of digital media, digital branding and how to produce effective digital material, including social media. You’ll be able to apply marketing theory to digital marketing situations, develop a digital strategy and apply it effectively. How the industry applies ethical standards to their online presence is an area of intense debate. You’ll learn about ethical issues in digital marketing and developments in this area.

Real world and relevant to employers

The digital marketing major has a strong practical element, involving case-based projects and regular guest speakers from the industry. There is also a communication internship course available for BC students with good grades.

This brings your learning to life, gives you a taste of working life and helps you make connections with potential employers.

This degree was developed in consultation with employers, so your learning will be highly relevant across a wide range of sectors.

Unique variety in your study - just like the working world

Massey’s Bachelor of Communication is the only communication degree in New Zealand that requires you to take courses in both business and arts. You’ll graduate as a well-rounded, innovative communication specialist who is sought-after by employers.

85% of Massey University Bachelor of Communication graduates are employed within six months of graduation. These graduates are employed across 20 different industry categories with more than 280 different job titles. 84% of our graduates believe that their BC studies were relevant to their present work.

A Bachelor of Communication in Digital Marketing is a good fit if you:

  • enjoy connecting with people
  • are interested in digital technologies
  • enjoy expressing yourself through writing and online media.

Planning information

Full-time study in your first year comprises eight 15-credit courses, for a total of 120 credits. We recommend studying 60 credits per semester. You may also wish to take some courses at summer school but ensure you include those that are required for the next level of courses.

Although you are asked to nominate your BC major and minor when enrolling, please be aware that you can change these once you are enrolled.

No course can be credited to a major and a minor.

This major

Completing a major is compulsory. The Digital Marketing major requires 120 credits including at least 60 credits at 200 level and 60 credits at 300 level.

Minors

Completing a minor is compulsory.

Minors increase the breadth of your degree. They give you extra knowledge, attributes and capabilities.

The Digital Marketing major is from the Massey Business School. That means you can choose a minor from the list of majors the College of Humanities and Social Sciences offers:

  • Expressive Arts
  • International Languages
  • Linguistics
  • Media Studies, or
  • composite Expressive Arts/Media Studies.
A Digital Marketing minor (for students who are studying a different degree)

If you are not studying a Bachelor of Communication and wish to complete a minor in Digital Marketing see the Bachelor of Communication regulations for requirements.

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Undergraduate Degrees, Undergraduate Diplomas, Undergraduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Graduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Courses you can enrol in

Course planning key

Prerequisites
Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
Corequisites
Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
Restrictions
Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.

Core courses for the Bachelor of Communication

As well as the specialisation courses listed below, this qualification has core courses that you will need to complete.

Bachelor of Communication core courses

Digital Marketing courses

Compulsory courses

Choose 90 credits from
Course code: 154250 Digital Media: Theory and Practice 15 credits

An exploration of the social, cultural, economic and technological transformations brought about by contemporary digital and networked media. Students will develop critical digital media literacies and learn to produce digital media.

View full course details
Course code: 156231 Strategic Marketing Management 15 credits

A study of the decisions required to allocate and manage marketing resources in a competitive business environment.

Prerequisites: 115116 or 156200

View full course details
Course code: 156235 Social Media and Digital Marketing 15 credits

A study of the impact, application and evaluation of new digital media marketing strategies and techniques.

Prerequisites: 115116 or 115104 or 156200 or 75 credits for non-Business students

View full course details
Course code: 156237 Marketing Communication and Advertising 15 credits

A study of advertising and other forms of marketing communication, including key theories of marketing communication, elements of the communication mix, and effective campaign design.

Prerequisites: 115116 or 156200

View full course details
Course code: 156334 Marketing Consultancy Project 15 credits

A client driven marketing planning course that integrates marketing concepts and methods across the curriculum.

Prerequisites: 156231 and any 1562xx course

View full course details
Course code: 156341 Branding 15 credits

A critical examination of brands and issues in branding and their relevance to business and society.

Prerequisites: 156231 and plus either 156232, or both 156235 and 156237

View full course details
Choose 30 credits from
Course code: 156338 International Marketing 15 credits

A critical examination of issues in international marketing and their relevance to business and society.

Prerequisites: 156231 plus either 156232, or both 156235 and 156237

View full course details
Course code: 156339 Omni-Channel Retail Marketing 15 credits

A critical examination of marketing in an omni-channel retail environment.

Prerequisites: 156231 or 2902xx

View full course details
Course code: 219311 Communication Internship 15 credits

This course provides students with a period of workplace experience with knowledge of communication concepts and terminology gained throughout their degree, in a series of analytical assessments.

Prerequisites: 2192xx or 1562xx and Appraisal Required

View full course details

Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

Specific requirements

There are no specific entry requirements for this qualification, outside of university admission regulations.

English language requirements

To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Can't meet the entry requirements?

If you need to do a course before you start your qualification, there may be options for you in Summer School.

Fees and scholarships

Fees, student loans and free fees scheme

Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.

There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.

Already know which courses you're going to choose?

You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.

Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme

You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.

The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.

Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.

Fees disclaimer

This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.

Careers and job opportunities

Your skills will be in demand

Communication roles have grown hugely in the last few years - to a point where they are recognised by most companies as highly strategic and at the heart of a successful business. This rapidly expanding area of professional work features a wide variety of jobs and exciting opportunities.

When you graduate with the digital marketing major there are many options for employment – you could take your new-found skills to become an organisation’s digital specialist, or you could become part of a marketing or digital communication agency team. Some examples of roles in this area are:

  • Digital marketing coordinator
  • Digital marketing manager
  • Digital strategist
  • Digital channels advisor
  • Search engine optimisation manager
  • Social/content marketing manager

International students

New Zealand is a great place to study. Massey University’s reputation is supported by our international rankings, accreditations and associations. We are rated five star plus by the QS World University Rankings.

Massey University has small class sizes, and our lecturers and staff are friendly and approachable.

As an international student, there are entry requirements that will apply to you. We recommend that you apply at least three months before your anticipated start date so your application can be processed in time. There are additional steps you will need to take. These include obtaining a visa and travel bookings if your study is to be in New Zealand.

Accreditations and rankings

Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC)

Massey’s Bachelor of Communication is the only degree outside the Americas and the Middle East to be recognised by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC).

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Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Massey Business School is rated in the top 5% of global business colleges by AACSB International.

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QS Ranking - Business Management Studies

Massey University is ranked by QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) as one of the top 350 universities for business and management.

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QS Ranking - Communication and Media

Massey is ranked by QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) as one of the top 100 universities for communication and media studies. QS is an organisation that ranks universities worldwide in various topics.

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ShanghaiRanking - Communication

Communication at Massey is ranked #1 in New Zealand, and 76th in the world, by ShanghaiRanking.

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ShanghaiRanking – Business Administration

Massey University is ranked #2 in New Zealand for business administration by ShanghaiRanking.

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