Why study this course?
The Media and Communications (including foundation year) BSc (Hons) degree is the perfect route into higher education if you want to work in media but don’t have the necessary qualifications for an undergraduate degree. This four-year degree will give you the skills and working practices needed to start your career in the exciting and ever-evolving world of media.
More about this course
During your foundation year you’ll learn about digital media and journalism more broadly. By the end of this first year you’ll understand how to critically assess the media. The skills you gain in this preparatory year will prepare you for the subsequent three years of study.
The foundation year on this course is shared with a number of other media-related foundation courses, so you’ll learn alongside students who are interested in different specialisms.
Following your foundation year, you will study the same course content and get the same choice of modules as those who study our Media and Communications BSc (Hons) degree. Should you wish to change your subject specialism following Year 0, there will be flexibility to do so.
As you progress through the course you’ll learn about how media affects society from a cultural and political perspective. The forms of media you’ll be focusing on include the press, television, film, the internet, popular music and social media.
You’ll benefit from tutors who are experienced researchers as well as insights from industry experts. Learning from current media professionals will ensure that you graduate with the skills and techniques widely used in the industry. You’ll also have regular opportunities to visit educational places such as London Film Festival and British Board of Film Classification.
You’ll graduate with a full undergraduate degree with the same title and award as those who studied the traditional three-year course.
Accreditation of Prior Learning
Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course.
Modular structure
The modules listed below are for the academic year 2022/23 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.
Year 0 modules include:
Introduction : Film, TV and Broadcast Media (core, 30 credits)
Introduction: Digital Media (core, 30 credits)
Introduction: Journalism and Writing for the Media (core, 15 credits)
Introduction: Media and Communications (core, 30 credits)
Journalism and Professional Writing (core, 15 credits)
Year 1 modules include:
Digital Work (core, 15 credits)
Introduction to Digital Media (core, 15 credits)
Media Genres (core, 30 credits)
Media Histories (core, 30 credits)
Moving Image and Sound Practice (core, 30 credits)
Year 2 modules include:
Contemporary Television Studies (core, 15 credits)
Researching Media Audiences (core, 15 credits)
Television Studio Practice (core, 15 credits)
Work Based Learning for Media (core, 15 credits)
Crime and the Media (option, 15 credits)
Documentary Photography (option, 15 credits)
Language Module (Arabic, French, Spanish or English) (option, 15 credits)
Language Module (Arabic, French, Spanish or English) (option, 15 credits)
Situation Comedy (option, 15 credits)
Youth Culture and the Media (option, 15 credits)
Year 3 modules include:
Globalisation and the Media (core, 15 credits)
Media and Communication Dissertation (core, 30 credits)
Media, Culture and Identity (core, 30 credits)
Media, Power and Politics (core, 15 credits)
Analysing Popular Music (option, 15 credits)
Digital Video Post-Production (option, 15 credits)
Documentary Filmmaking (option, 15 credits)
Language Module (Arabic, French, Spanish or English) (option, 15 credits)
Language Module (Arabic, French, Spanish or English) (option, 15 credits)
Research in Visual Culture (option, 15 credits)
Where this course can take you
Graduating from this degree could help you work in a variety of roles including public relations, broadcasting, social media, television production, web content management and advertising.
Previous graduates have found employment in news organisations, advertising, digital media, education, market research, media production, public relations and publishing. Graduates can also go on to undertake postgraduate study.
What is a degree with a foundation year?
This is a four-year degree course with a built-in foundation year (Year 0). It’s the perfect route into university if you don’t meet the necessary entry requirements for the standard undergraduate degree. You’ll graduate with a full undergraduate degree with the same title and award as those who studied the three-year course.
