MEDK4400 Brands, Branding and Marketing: Communication Trends and Strategies Course description

This course encourages students to critically assess and analyse the role brands, branding and marketing communication plays in contemporary society. The course introduces a selection of key concepts and theoretical approaches that are relevant to branding and marketing communication, as well as how the impact on society may be assessed. Topics include the study of brands, branding, campaign development and analysis, marketing strategies, market survey research, campaign ethics and current trends. Drawing on relevant examples from a range of fields (political, educational, nonprofit, commercial, etc.), students are afforded the opportunity to critically engage with actual case studies to determine the effectiveness of a branding and marketing strategy, and then apply these theories and strategies while developing their own campaign.

The course is arranged as an intensive course over two weeks at OsloMet. Dates and other practical details are made available well in advance.

The language of instruction is English.

All exam aids are permitted. However, sources must be stated in accordance with the applicable rules for source references.

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student has

• insight into theoretical knowledge associated with marketing and branding studies
• acquired an ability to critically evaluate relevant academic literature on current branding and marketing trends and strategies across a range of diverse organisations, both in the public and private sector, as well as nationally and internationally
• an understanding of how related theories and strategies affect individuals and communities within and between societies

Skills

The student is able to

• locate and identify relevant material in the media and communication field
• analyse and apply relevant material across a range of examples to assess the effectiveness of the adopted branding and marketing strategies
• independently access necessary literature and available tools to conceptualise and outline analternative or improved branding or marketing strategy based on the needs of the organizationand intended group in society.

General competence

The student can

• understand and assess the strengths and limitations of select brands and campaigns incontemporary society
• conceptualise and outline possible strategies that could be adopted to create, develop, and maintain a brand and/or campaign
• use and evaluate their own strategies and findings to demonstrate the applicability, credibility and potential impact of a suggested campaign in a specific context

Part 1 will be reviewed and graded by internal examiners.

Part 2 will be reviewed and graded by internal and external examiners.

Part 3 will be reviewed and graded by internal examiners.

The language of all teaching and supervision is English, and the students should therefore have a working knowledge of both spoken and written English.

Target group

The course is designed for students who want to learn more about children and young people with special needs in programmes of professional study and fields such as Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Educational and International Studies, and Technology, Art and Design.

Admission

For students at the faculties of Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Educational and International Studies, and Technology, Art and Design:

- Students must have completed at least one year of their undergraduate degree studies in order to be accepted.

For international exchange students:

- Students must have completed at least one year of their undergraduate degree studies at their home institution in order to be accepted.

The course is organised as a full-time programme of study for one semester.

The course has the following content:

· Special education

· Inclusion

· Children and young people with special needs

· Aesthetics

· Ethics

· Physical and psychological health

· Play, development, identity and relations

· Genres, multimodal texts and digital platforms

· Verbal language, aesthetic perceptions and expressions

· Music, drama, puppet play, storytelling and other performances and aesthetic acts

· Aesthetic communication

Grade scale A-F

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner. At least 25% of the exam papers will be assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers.

Nathalie Hyde-Clarke