BA (Hons) Media and Communications degree • City, University of London

This course is for 2024/25 entry.

Key information

This BA (Hons) degree is designed for students pursuing a career in Media and Communications. You will gain a critical understanding of today's new media culture including internet platforms, social media, digital advertising and influencer culture, allowing you to develop the skills you need to shape the future of this sector.

Start date

September 2024

UCAS code

P4P3

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years with placement or study abroad year

Institution

City, University of London

Location

Northampton Square

Entry requirements

Below is a list of countries with information on each about which qualifications we accept.

English language requirements

If your first language is not English, we will require evidence of English language proficiency. Minimum requirements are:

IELTS:

6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component

Cambridge ESOL: CPE grade C or above
PTE Academic: 59 overall with a minimum of 59 in each component.

English language programmes

Don’t meet the English language requirements? INTO City, University of London offers English language programmes to help prepare you for study at university. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to degree courses.

Open day

Prospectus

Media and Communications BA (Hons) degree Course overview

At City we have a long history in teaching media-based courses. Our BA Media and Communications provides you with a broad understanding and intensive academic study of today’s new media and communication culture, including social media and promotional media and culture.

Our course allows you to try out, critically evaluate and apply aspects of media production as well as communication, PR and advertising. You will learn the intellectual tools and business savvy necessary to understand the big picture of media and creative industries and the ethical questions that pertain to creatives’ working lives.

Your core modules teach you about digital content creation and the operations of global media industries. In your elective modules you can opt into more specialist and practical elements of media production, advertising and a variety of communication strategies.

Learn how to thrive professionally with a hands-on and intensive study of today's digital media and communication culture.
Boost your employability with our industry-focused modules and an optional integrated professional training year or study abroad.
Take advantage of excellent media internship opportunities thanks to our central London location.

Structure

Course content

In the first year, you will study a broad range of modules from across Media and Communications. This combines practical modules with theory to provide you with a solid grounding before you concentrate more deeply on your chosen focus and electives in your second and third years.

In the second and third years, core modules acquaint you with the critical knowledge to understand effective media and communication forms and distribution channels, how to reach and influence audiences and how the media and creative industries operate. Practical modules instruct you in how to create media (including digital audio/visual works such as adverts, short films and documentaries or podcasts) and effective communication, for example, how to make stylistic decisions based on a client’s brief or an organisation’s strategic goals.

The third year places greater emphasis on your career interests and specialist application. The major project allows you to create an individual project relating to your interests. Alongside this, you can specialise your studies through electives.

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3

Year 1

All of the Year 1 modules listed below are core modules.

Year 2

Year 2 includes six core modules (those indicated by an asterisk below).

Media Economics and Regulation*

This module introduces you to the economic characteristics and regulatory concepts found within media markets. Using case studies, you will apply theoretical insights and analyse and evaluate media production and media forms.
Media Distribution*

This module provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the functions, roles and operations of distribution companies, and how these shape media. You will be able to analyse and apply theoretical insights to a multitude of case studies including your own creative work.
Advertising and Consumer Culture*

This module aims to help you think critically about the purposes and forms of advertising within consumer culture and human beings’ media repertoires. Utilising your new skills, you will apply these insights to create your own adverts.
Media, Theory and Society*

This is a module which examines contemporary debates in media and journalism. By completing this module, you will be made familiar with the long debate about the media’s role within a free society.
Digital Platforms and Media Industries*

This module will acquaint students with the fundamental concepts of digital platforms from an economic, legal, governance and policy perspective.
Working and Managing in the Creative Industries*

This module will help you to become more employable by critically investigating the world of work in the contemporary media and creative industries including the pleasures, issues and challenges that characterise modern, knowledge-based labour.
Public Relations

This practical module introduces you to Public Relations and the planning processes in PR. You will be taught how to create your own strategic campaigns that will be in support of business objectives.
Writing for Screen Media

This practical module develops your skills in writing effectively and targeted to your audience across a range of media and communication formats, from taglines and advertising copy to short treatments and screenplays.
Strategic and Marketing Communication

This module teaches you more advanced communication tools, techniques and strategies to promote your brand, advance your company's goals and deal with special communication issues (e.g. crisis and reputational risk management).
Podcasting
Micro-placements

The micro-placement module is an exciting way to gain professional experience via short summer placements with a wide range of London-based employers. The programme aims to give you real-life exposure to the business environment and enhance your employability skills.

Year 3

Year 3 includes three core modules (those indicated by an asterisk below).

Final-year Project (45 credits)*

This module provides the opportunity for you to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you have acquired during your studies at City to produce an original project consistent with a practice related to Media and Communications.
Branding the Self (15 credits)*

This module develops your enterprising knowledge and critical understanding of business opportunities within the cultural and creative industries. It will provide you with a better understanding of what is required to build a freelance entrepreneurial career.
Stardom and Influencer Culture (15 credits)*

This module evaluates the historical, social and technological contexts that led to the emergence of specific kinds of stardom, celebrity and influencer culture. You will gain an understanding of lifestyle branding and influencers as media personalities and marketing vehicles.
Creative Advertising (15 credits)

In this practical module, you will develop your skills in idea generation, creative proposal, pitching and public presentation, design, groupwork, and communicating with clients through execution of a creative project from start to finish.
Social Media Marketing (15 credits)

This module focuses on social media and wider digital marketing and management. It explores the relationship of various digital channels and technologies and how they support overall marketing strategies and campaigns.
User Experience (UX) and Data Analytics (15 credits)

This module introduces the art and science of examining data to support media makers and organisations in their decision making. You will gain digital analytical skills helping you understand the user experience which is needed to succeed in the media industries.
Political Communication

The course introduces you to the role of political communication in the political process, examining various aspects of government information policy and the relation between government, the media and the public.
Media Law

This module offers you the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge and understanding of a specialised area of legal study, media law.
Micro-placement

The micro-placement module is an exciting way to gain professional experience via short summer placements with a wide range of London-based employers. The programme aims to give you real-life exposure to the business environment and enhance your employability skills.
Industry Projects

Using knowledge and skills gained through your degree, you will work in small multi-disciplinary groups on real-life professional level practical projects for employers, choosing between 5 sector streams, such as policy, finance, community, business and arts and culture.

Teaching and assessment

Your modules will be delivered using a combination of:

Lectures
Practical workshops (here you will hone your skills in areas such as camerawork, sound recording and digital editing.)
Interactive sessions
Small seminars
Personal tutorials

Lectures will provide you with commentary and explanation of key content areas. Most modules also offer small seminars and workshops, where you can develop your understanding of key texts and ideas through discussion and debate as well as hone your practical and professional skills.

This versatility of approach will not only facilitate discussion but allow you to generate your own content, with different audiences, forms and functions in mind.

Assessment methods

The programme assesses your knowledge of key concepts and creative practice via a mix of coursework assignments including:

creative portfolios including films and adverts
blogs and podcasts
critical/reflective essays
academic essays
presentations, industry reports, marketing plans
other projects and individual and group assignments.

In media production and other creative projects, you will develop your skills in providing and receiving peer review.

Individual and group project reports and presentations will assess both creative and professional content and your presentation skills.

Fees and funding

Fees for year 2024/25

£9,250

Overseas/EU

£18,410

The tuition fees indicated are for the 2024/25 academic year only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase in the region of 5%.

Funding options

Explore up-to-date information about funding options, available financial support and typical living costs.

Fee waivers are available for this course.
Means tested support is available for 2024/25 entry.

Additional expenses

Some of our degrees may involve additional expenses which are not covered by your tuition fees. Find out more about additional expenses.

Career

Upon graduation, students can enter a broad range of roles including:

Digital content creator
Content marketer
Production coordinator
Communication officer
Marketing and advertising
Social and digital media manager
Events planning
Writing and publishing roles
Human resources
Broadcast and news media
Market researcher
Research (incl. Think Tanks, NGOs, government departments)
Data Analysis
User Experience (UX) researcher
Politics, community organising, fundraising
Sales roles.

How to apply

Applications for degree courses must be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Apply now

You can apply through your school or college using the Apply system, which enables you to submit your application directly to the UCAS website.

You can apply to up to five universities or institutions on the form. The UCAS code for City, University of London is C60.

Please take care to enter the correct course code when applying, particularly for subjects with a Foundation year or with BEng (Hons) and MEng (Hons) or BSc (Hons) and MSci (Hons) options.

UCAS has implemented an 'invisibility of choices' policy so that, on the initial application and while you are receiving decisions, each institution can see only their entry and not those of other institutions you have chosen. This ensures that your application for a course at City is considered solely on your academic and personal qualities.

You should submit your completed application form to UCAS with a £27.50 application fee.

For enquiries about the admissions process at City, please contact our Admissions Office

Complete the Admissions enquiry form

Call: +44 (0)20 7040 8716.

If your enquiry is about admission to a particular course, please use the contact details provided on the course page.

When to apply

Your application for entry in September 2023 should arrive at UCAS between September 2023 and 31 January 2024. Applications that arrive after 31 January 2024 will be considered only at City's discretion.

Contacting UCAS

Website: www.ucas.com

Address: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), Rosehill, New Barn Lane, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 3LZ

Telephone:

from inside the UK 0871 468 0468
from outside the UK +44 (0)871 468 0468

For callers with hearing difficulties:

from inside the UK use the Text Relay service on 18001 0871 468 0468
from outside the UK dial +44 151 494 1260 (text phone) and then ask the operator to dial 0871 468 0468.

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Academics

Your studies are supported by a team of committed and enthusiastic teachers and researchers, experts in their chosen field. On occasion we also work with external professionals to enhance your learning and appreciation of the wider subject.