When people ask me what I study at university, it usually sparks a lot of questions. BA (Hons) Content Creation with Marketing is a brand-new degree at Arts University Bournemouth. Heading into my second year (and helping out as a Course Ambassador), I wanted to write an honest reflection on what the experience has been like so far. If you are considering the course, or if you have just arrived at AUB and want to know what to expect, here is how I got here, what we actually do, and what my first year was really like.
Ever since I was younger, I have spent hours watching YouTubers play my favourite games and create entertaining videos. At the time, I did not realise people could make an income from it, let alone use the platform as a full-time career. It definitely made me fascinated by the creator lifestyle, but I did not actually try making videos of my own until I turned 16.
I decided to record a three-part playthrough series of my favourite game, Little Nightmares. I was heavily influenced by creators like LDShadowLady and Jacksepticeye in the style of videos I produced, and I genuinely enjoyed the gameplay alongside the editing process. However, I felt uncomfortable speaking on camera, which is completely natural for a first-time creator.
A few months after uploading the videos, I took them down out of worry that people from my school might find them. I became quite frustrated with myself for letting that fear stop me, especially because content creation was a creative outlet I had wanted to pursue for a long time.
A couple of years later, when I did not get the A-Level results needed for my initial choice of Psychology (or Psychology with Marketing), I went through Clearing on UCAS to see which universities would accept my grades. I spent time scrolling through all the psychology options, but reading through the course descriptions made me pull away from the subject. I realised psychology no longer sounded like something I truly wanted to study. I had no clear idea of what career I would pursue; I had simply picked it because it seemed like the most interesting option among the subjects I knew.
I decided to look up "marketing" in the search bar instead. After some time spent scrolling through the results, I came across Content Creation with Marketing at AUB. It sounded perfect. The course combined marketing with the psychological elements of audience behaviour and consumerism that interested me, while finally allowing me to focus on practical content creation. I applied to the course, got accepted, and have been thoroughly happy with my decision to study here ever since.
Studying on a brand-new course has been such a fascinating experience. In our first year, there were only four of us on the degree, which turned out to be a major benefit. Being in such a small group meant we had a significant amount of one-on-one time with our tutors. We could ask detailed questions and receive personal feedback that made completing our assignments much smoother.
However, if you do join the course and find there are more than four people in your year, there is no need to worry. Even with our small group, we were never just kept to ourselves. We regularly shared classes and collaborated closely with other degrees, primarily BA (Hons) Media, Marketing and Advertising (MMA) and BA (Hons) Creative Direction. It felt like a well-rounded course that brought together multiple creative industries.
For our first major project, a classmate and I teamed up with an MMA student to develop a marketing campaign for the Design and Disability exhibition at the V&A, focusing on boosting engagement and ticket sales. Together, we created a presentation explaining our campaign goals alongside our individual reflective journals. Working with students from another course helped broaden our perspective right from the start.
My favourite project from first year focused on the topic of Animal Welfare: Conservation vs. Captivity. The brief asked us to explore how content communicates meaning and perspective, using animals in captivity as the core theme. We had to create three media outcomes, so I produced two videos and a campaign poster. The goal was to articulate my own point of view while presenting a balanced argument for both sides, ensuring the messaging remained constructive rather than overly controversial.
To gather content, the University took us on a free visit to the Bournemouth Oceanarium. That eliminated any stress about sourcing footage, as we could walk around freely, film the exhibits, take photographs, and speak directly with the staff about daily animal care. Alongside our media, we maintained a Reflective Journal documenting our research, targeting audience personas, and creating empathy maps. Our tutors encouraged us to make these journals visually engaging and stylish rather than a plain document of text, which turned the whole reflection process into a creative portfolio piece.
If I could pass on any advice to someone starting the degree, it would be to work consistently and avoid leaving editing until the final deadline. With creative projects, capturing footage and refining your edits always takes longer than anticipated. Documenting your research and ideas as you go makes writing your final evaluations far easier, while giving you enough time to make adjustments before submission.
Most importantly, do not hesitate to ask your tutors for guidance. There were times when I thought I could work through a problem entirely on my own and ended up getting confused or drifting off track. The tutors are there to support you, and asking for help when you need it makes a massive difference.
Starting a creative degree can definitely feel a bit daunting at first, but first year really gives you the space to experiment, try out different media, and figure out what kind of content you actually enjoy making. It’s an exciting time to join the course, and I hope you enjoy your first year at AUB as much as I did.
