BA (Hons) Media Studies
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Arts
- UCAS Course Code
- P300
- Typical Offer
- ABB
- Contextual Offer
- BBC
- Course Length
- 3 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2024
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Why you should choose us
Of graduates go on to work and/or study within 15 months after the course
Course Overview
Our everyday lives are mediated. Everything from connecting with friends and following trends to accessing information and consuming entertainment are increasingly done through media. By studying the professional practices, industry processes and creative opportunities implicated in contemporary media, you can both better understand your place and intervene in this increasingly digitised and global space.
On this Media Studies BA, you’ll be equipped with a wide range of skills, knowledge and theory relevant to media and encouraged to examine their relationship to power. This course has flexibility, so that you also get the chance to use media creatively and for your own empowerment.
In this degree, you’ll work with leading scholars and creative practitioners to explore a range of media sectors, products and texts alongside relevant concepts, theories and approaches. You’ll gain a firm grasp of current debates within the discipline, whilst developing and enhancing the skills involved in producing your own media content.
You’ll explore histories and theories of media, covering a diverse range of audio-visual, print and digital communications, as well as examining their wider social and cultural significance. Meanwhile, in creative practice work you’ll have the opportunity to gain skills in filmmaking, publishing, radio, podcast and digital media production as well as creating promotional materials. You’ll have access to BLOC, UEA’s Television Studio and Media Suite, which hosts state-of-the-art media technologies (editing suites, cameras and sound equipment, a sound studio and digitisation suite) and you’ll also have the chance to gain real-world experience and build industry contacts with an internship. Past students have undertaken placements at local radio stations, television production companies, and the East Anglian Film Archive.
At the beginning of the degree, you’ll become familiar with the key debates in the discipline, gaining a grounding in core media studies approaches and debates. In subsequent years you’ll choose from a wide array of modules, enabling you to specialise in the areas that interest you the most. These range from industry-oriented topics such as creative media work or the business of film and TV to videogames, digital media, popular music, journalism, film genres, publishing, scriptwriting and much more besides. You could even apply to spend a semester studying abroad.
You’ll develop many transferable skills on this degree course, including high-level research and communication skills, team working, leadership, and self-management, all of which are desirable transferable skills that open up a wide variety of careers.
Placement Year and Study Abroad
You’ll have the option to add an international dimension to your studies by applying to spend a semester studying abroad in your second year. For further details, visit the Study Abroad section of our website.
Study and Modules
Structure
In the first year, you’ll be introduced to major debates, theories and thinkers in media studies, providing you with the foundational knowledge needed to progress with confidence into the more specialist modules of years two and three. Modules in this first year introduce you to some of the core characteristics of the media industries, consider the material, social and institutional contexts in which media forms have been produced and explore the technologies and platforms driving digital media. As well as exploring audio-visual and audio formats ranging from television to podcasts, you’ll learn how to analyse and think about media representations. Alongside your journey through these subject areas, you will develop key skills needed to analyse a range of media forms and be encouraged to develop and apply your critical voice as a researcher and writer.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Our world-leading academics employ a range of teaching styles. Alongside the more traditional formats of lectures and seminars, you’ll learn through film and television screenings as well as practical workshops. You’ll have the opportunity to be trained to use production resources and acquire practical skills, while deepening your understanding of how the media content you are interested in is produced. In addition to timetabled lecture and seminar slots, teaching staff hold dedicated office hours where students can seek advice and guidance on a one-to-one basis. You’ll also be assigned an academic adviser who can support you through your studies.
In your first year, you’ll acquire skills vital to independent learning and develop the analytical skills which you will need throughout your course. You will have access to dedicated sessions designed to help you make the most of UEA’s state-of-the-art library facilities. Through these sessions and your academic modules, you’ll develop skills in finding resources and critically assessing sources. You will be given opportunities to practice essay writing and presentation skills as well as working in groups to develop the skills necessary for effective collaboration.
Assessment
Throughout the degree, you’ll be assessed in a variety of ways, from essays to presentations and group work. In the first year, assessment largely focusses on ensuring you have the key critical and analytical skills needed to work more independently in your second year.
Structure
In the second year, you’ll deepen your knowledge, with modules looking in greater detail at areas such as digital media, exploring different facets of the media industries (such as publishing and the business of film and TV) or developing your media research skills. At this stage in your degree, you have the freedom to begin to specialise in areas that excite you the most, perhaps exploring creative/critical practice through studying documentary or studio production, investigating media’s role in relation to questions of identity, gender and ethnicity or undertaking creative practice work, through documentary, film and video production or scriptwriting. There are also opportunities to engage with radio, sound-based media, television studio work, video and digital media. In this year you’ll also have the opportunity to complete an internship. Previous students have undertaken placements with local radio stations, television production companies and the East Anglian Film Archive among others.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 40)Optional B Modules
(Credits: 60)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
In your second year, you’ll develop as a self-motivated researcher and independent creative thinker. The second year offers a wider range of learning and teaching methods from teacher-led surveys to student-centred practice or scaffolded independent study.
Assessment
In addition to practical and critical skills assessments, by the end of your second year, your assessment will have prepared you for independent research.
Structure
This year allows you to specialise further and develop your research skills in our dissertation module which includes a period of supervised independent study. You may also undertake a media practice project, for which you will be encouraged to undertake creative work (perhaps using film, TV, audio, a magazine or an advertising campaign) in response to an academic problem. Our world-leading academics and practitioners offer optional classes that cover topics ranging from screen distribution and exhibition to science fiction and creative media work.
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 60)Optional B Modules
(Credits: 60)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
In your final year, the focus is on realising your potential as a researcher, independent scholar and creative producer. You will have the opportunity to write a dissertation on a topic of your choice under the supervision of one of our experts. The emphasis in the final year is on taking the skills and you have learned and applying them to topics you are interested in.
Assessment
In the final year, you will also have the opportunity to work closely with an expert supervisor in completing a dissertation on a topic of your own devising.
Entry Requirements
- A Levels
- ABB. If you are taking an EPQ and three A-levels, we may offer you a one grade reduction on our advertised typical offer alongside an A in the EPQ.
- T Levels
- Obtain an overall Pass including a B in the core of the T Level and a Distinction in the Occupational Specialism. Any subject is acceptable.
- BTEC
- Extended Diploma: DDM excluding BTEC Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration. See below for accepted subjects and combinations.
- Contextual Offer
A Level – BBC
BTEC L3 Extended Diploma – DMM
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
- Scottish Highers
- AAABB.
- Scottish Advanced Highers
- BCC. A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
- Irish Leaving Certificate
- 3 subjects at H2, 3 subjects at H3.
- Access to HE Diploma
- Pass the Access to HE Diploma with Distinction in 30 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 15 credits at Level 3.
- International Baccalaureate
- 32 points.
- GCSE
You are required to have Mathematics and English Language at a minimum of Grade C or Grade 4 or above at GCSE.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
- IELTS: 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
- Interviews
Most applicants will not be called for an interview and a decision will be made via UCAS Hub. However, for some applicants an interview will be requested. Where an interview is required, the Admissions Service will contact you directly to arrange a time.
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Intakes
This course is open to UK and International applicants. The annual intake is in September each year.
Additional Information or Requirements
Extended Diploma: DDM.
Diploma: DD plus grade B at A-level.
Extended Certificate: D plus BB at A-level.
If you do not meet the academic requirements for direct entry, you may be interested in one of our Foundation Year programmes such as BA Film and Television Studies with a Foundation Year.
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
We welcome and value a wide range of alternative qualifications. If you have a qualification which is not listed here, or are taking a combination of qualifications, please contact us via Admissions Enquiries.
International Requirements
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. View our International Students pages for specific information about your country.
INTO University of East Anglia
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, INTO UEA offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree:
International Foundation in Business Economics Society and Culture
International Foundation in Humanities and Law
Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of other course-related costs.
How to Apply
Apply for this course through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS), using UCAS Hub.
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information:
Employability
After the Course
You’ll graduate with the skills required to find work in the creative industries, both in the UK and elsewhere in the world. You could enter broadcasting, social media, public relations or a content agency. Alternatively, you could continue your academic passion with postgraduate study at UEA.
Careers
A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.
Examples of careers you could enter include:
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Social media
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Publicity officers
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Radio
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Television production
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Journalism
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Publishing (books, magazines, newspapers)
Discover more on our Careers webpages.