Marketing: Digital and Social Media Pathway- T Level
Summary
Are you creative, curious, and always scrolling through social media wondering how brands grab attention? If you are smart but looking for a course that offers more than just theory, a T level could be exactly the right choice for you and this one offers the perfect entry point to a vibrant and fast-moving career with great earning potential (and the chance to grab the media spotlight).
The Marketing, Digital and Social Media T level is an exciting two-year course blending real-world industry experience with classroom learning, giving you the skills and confidence to thrive in one of the most dynamic sectors out there. Whether you're interested in social media, advertising, branding, digital content or consumer psychology, this qualification opens doors to careers where no two days are ever the same.
Unlike more traditional routes, the course is hands-on and career-focused. You'll work directly with industry professionals, build your own marketing campaigns, and spend at least 45 days on a high-quality industry placement — gaining experience that puts you miles ahead of the competition. And the great news is that we source that placement for you, making sure it's the best fit for your career aspirations.
From day one, you’ll dive into how brands connect with audiences, influence decisions and grow their business through clever campaigns and powerful messaging. And when you finish? You’ll be ready to step into an exciting job, a higher apprenticeship, or continue studying in a marketing-related degree.
This isn’t just a course. It’s your pathway into the future of marketing — creative, digital, and full of opportunity.
Next course dates
| Start date | Location | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
02 Sep 2026
|
Bispham Campus
|
2 Years
|
Where can this subject lead?
Career progression
One of the best things about marketing is how many directions it can take you. There are multiple roles in the sector itself and a virtually endless choice of industries in which you can work. You might be interested in managing huge social media accounts, working on developing brand strategy, helping companies with their PR. using consumer data to inform future marketing plans, the list goes on and on. Then there's the choice of whether to work in house where you'll have the opportunity to develop a real depth of knowledge about a particular brand or for a marketing agency where you may be juggling multiple projects.
The great thing about T levels is they set you up really well for all the various progression routes. Carrying the same UCAS points as A levels means that if you want to pursue a traditional degree after you've completed your course you can, but, thanks to the extended work placement they offer, you are also ideally placed to follow a degree apprenticeships or secure an entry-level role within the industry. In fact, some of our T level students have been fortunate enough to secure degree apprenticeships with their placement employers, giving them the opportunity to gain an honours degree qualification and earn an income all at the same time.
Next steps at B&FC
We offer a number of Business Management degrees at B&FC and support a number of business-related higher and degree apprenticeships. For more information on these, please visit our Business Degree page or see our Apprentice Vacancies page for more information.
Employment Opportunities
Typical career options and average salaries include:
- Advertising and Media Executive - £19000-£36000
- Digital Marketer - £34,000-£70,000
- Events Manager - £23,000 to £40,000
- Marketing Researcher - £20,000 to £36,000
- Marketing Executive - £23,000 to £50,000
Going directly into employment after completing your T level will mean securing an entry-level role within the industry with a likely starting salary of between £20,000 to £25,000 depending on the size of the organisation and its location with city-centre roles normally offering higher levels of pay.
Key information
Entry Requirements
5 GCSEs grade 4 or above including English and Maths, along with the following:
- A successful interview with a tutor
- The ability to study independently
- A genuine interest in the subject
- Good communication skills
- Hardworking approach towards the industry
Qualification obtained
T Level Technical Qualification in MarketingFees and funding
Courses for learners who are 16-18 years old at the start of their course and resident in the UK are fully funded. You may also be entitled to further financial help to support your studies depending on your personal circumstances. For more details of these, please visit our page on Finance Support for School Leavers.
If you are not a UK resident, we will confirm whether funding is available when we process your application. If not, you may be liable for course fees.
Extra costs and equipment
All students will be expected to provide their own stationery, to include: pens, notepad and an A4 folder. Replacement ID badges will be at a cost of £3 or £8 if incorporated with a bus pass. For photocopying, students are provided with the first 80 black and white free of charge. Any additional copies for black and white are charged at 4p per copy.
An extra curricula calendar will be made available at the start of the academic year. There will be a wide variety of opportunities for participation, however, these are not mandatory. The costs will vary according to activity and will be available to you at sign up.
What will I learn?
Year 1: the Core
In year 1, you will study the following core modules:
- The business environment
- Principles of marketing
- Principles of sales
- Principles of procurement
- Legislation and regulation in marketing, sales and procurement
- Sustainability in business
- Communication in business
- Project management
- Impact of technology on the business environment
- Legislation, regulation and ethics in the business environment
Year 2: Occupational Specialism
In year two you specialise in Digital Marketing comprising the five Performance Outcomes below and 315-hours (45 days) in a marketing related placement:
- Apply research methods
- Assess customers and stakeholders
- Develop and define marketing propositions
- Deliver effective marketing communications
- Analyse and evaluate the delivery and effectiveness of marketing
Essential skills: English and Maths
All school leavers at B&FC are encouraged to continue developing their English and maths skills as higher ability in both these subjects is linked to long-term career success and increased earning potential - irrespective of how well you performed at GCSE. If, however, you achieve a GCSE Grade 3 or less in either subject, you will also have the opportunity to work towards re-sitting these to enhance your paper-based qualifications. This won’t delay your career journey because you will be undertaking this programme of study at the same time as your chosen subject.
Industry placement, field trips and guest speakers
You will complete an industry placement of 315-hours (45 days), in a marketing setting. Our dedicated Placement Coordinator will work with you to find and secure a suitable fit for your career path.
Throughout the course you will benefit from specialist guest speakers and relevant trips/visits.
How will I learn?
You will work both independently and collaboratively with Tutors, Employers, and your peers on typical Marketing tasks including market research, team meetings, presentations, report writing, marketing copy such as press releases and social media posts and copywriting.
Sessions are a combination of theory and practical. Self-study outside of college, is also essential to your success. You will have access to laptops or desktop computers, meeting pods and learning resources are provided through our digital platforms to support your independent study.
We also use a range of on-line apps to support and enhance your studies. Our friendly team of dedicated and experienced staff will also be on hand to support you.
Expert tutors
All tutors involved in the delivery of courses and apprenticeships within the College are approved to teach the subjects and modules they deliver.
Our recruitment process ensures that tutors delivering a given programme are suitably qualified and, where appropriate, possess relevant technical and industrial experience and a familiarity with professional practice. The aim of this is to enrich students’ learning experience, giving them an insight into what working in the industry is really like.
How will I be assessed?
All assessments are set and marked by Pearson, the awarding body for this qualification.
Year 1
The core content, is assessed through a practical ‘Employer-Set Project’ (ESP) in April/May and two exams in June. The ESP tasks include a discussion, presentation, report writing, research and costings. The exams are hand written and cover the full Core content.
Year 2
The specialism, is assessed through a practical time-based project (OSP) in March/April and completion of your work placement. The OSP tasks includes typical tasks of a Marketing Assistant eg Market Research, Content Briefs, Producing Copy eg press releases, social media posts, copywriting, meetings, reports.
You will also be continuously assessed in class with both formal and informal methods to ensure you are well prepared for your final assessments.