BA (Hons) Media, Culture and Journalism

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UCAS Code

PP35
Start Date

September
Location

Cardiff
Campus Code

B

Fees

Home students

£9,535*
International students

£15,850*
Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

Overview
Module Overview
Course Highlights
Entry Requirements
Fees and Funding
How to Apply

Take part in today’s biggest media conversations as you explore how the relationship between the media, society and culture shapes who we are.

Career paths

Journalist
TV and film researcher or producer
Distributor
PR and marketing
Teacher
Researcher

Skills taught

Critical analysis
Idea generation and strategy
Presentation and communication
Teamwork and collaboration
Audio-visual recording and editing

Staff stood in front of a red backdrop smiling

Course Highlights

World-leading academics

Gain unparalleled insights from world-leading researchers and renowned industry professionals.

Centre of the industry

Cardiff is at the heart of a dynamic media hub - the perfect place to study media and journalism.

Graduate into a high-level industry career

Work for major film and TV broadcasters, distributors and educational institutions.

Industry connections

Strong industry links provide masterclasses, guest talks, and meaningful work experience opportunities.

Module Overview

Gain a thorough grounding in key themes and professional practices before applying your knowledge to contemporary issues and case studies and developing a major project. Build your practical skills throughout the course and engage in work placements to prepare you for employment.

Year One
Communication Now
Media, Culture and Creative Industries in Wales
Contemporary Popular Television
Understanding Communication in the Creative Industries
Rethinking Media Theory
Audio-Sound Cultures

Year Two
Practical Journalism and Communication Skills
Media, Gender, and Global Diversity
Researching Media, Culture, and Communication
Media Audiences and Fandom
Digital and Social Media
Media, Culture, and Journalism Work Experience

Year Three
Major Project in Media, Culture, and Journalism
International Media
Transmedia and Media Convergence
Curation, Exhibition, and Events

Lay the foundations as you learn key themes through detailed study of the practices and theory of newspapers, cinema, television, the internet, music and other media forms. Take part in all manner of discussions and workshops and develop key communication skills as you learn about innovative media.

Communication Now
Critically explore creative media-making that centres on cutting-edge communications technology, and blend theory and practice to produce scholarly content communicated in creative ways.

Media, Culture and Creative Industries in Wales
Develop a critical awareness of issues underlying the history and development of media, culture and creative industries in Wales.

Contemporary Popular Television
Interrogate TV genres including drama, reality, quiz shows and more, exploring their role in contemporary culture and the factors that influence the landscape.

Understanding Communication in the Creative Industries
Develop a range of academic and professional skills relevant to the creative industries as you engage in debates and work on creative briefs.

Rethinking Media Theory
Explore critical theories of media, covering key themes such as media representation and its effects, audience research, and the political economy of media.

Audio-Sound Cultures
Examine how audio in all its guises communicates meaning and can be used to influence cultures and individuals.

Explore the in-depth relationship between media and audiences, the power of media institutions, the reach of international media and the importance of digital media. We encourage you to get involved in work experience, and specialist training in media research skills is available.

Practical Journalism and Communication Skills
Combine journalism, PR and marketing to develop a mixed media project involving feature writing, podcasts and video, informed by audiences and clients.

Media, Gender, and Global Diversity
Explore issues such as the evolution of feminism and masculinity, queer theory and trans-gender, referencing literature, film and TV, music and the internet.

Researching Media, Culture, and Communication
Get to grips with various methods and approaches to researching the media in preparation for your final-year dissertation.

Media Audiences and Fandom
Explore the many ways in which audiences influence and interact with the media, such as culture and taste, audience and fan creativity, critical reception and more.

Digital and Social Media
Examine technological determinism, datafication and online community, and how these influence contemporary society and culture.

Media, Culture, and Journalism Work Experience
Experience the media industry from the inside, gaining priceless insights and developing a portfolio of work that can help with future employment.

Develop an advanced understanding of key contemporary issues in the media and consolidate your own areas of interest. Demonstrate these in a detailed major project and prepare to enter the industry through further work experience and work on your own portfolio of creative media.

Major Project in Media, Culture, and Journalism
An in-depth research project into a key issue within media, culture and journalism, after which you'll present your findings to a panel.

International Media
Examines how international relations of power are embedded in the production, transmission and negotiation of media information across the globe.

Transmedia and Media Convergence
Explore the rise of transmedia and convergence culture before developing a project proposal for a transmedia experience, showcasing your knowledge of key concepts.

Curation, Exhibition, and Events
Explore various pathways, from local to international, where media is circulated. Address how spaces can serve audiences, deny them access, and act as significant events in individuals’ lives.

Course Highlights

How you’ll learn

This course is about thinking critically. As such, you’ll spend lots of time engaging in debates, seminars, and workshops. Established professionals regularly visit to deliver masterclasses and live briefs, helping you become ‘industry-ready’. It’s not just about absorbing knowledge. It’s about developing your unique perspective and exploring topics that interest you. We’ll assess this in various ways including essays, individual and group presentations, blogs, portfolios, video essays, interviews, podcasts and live briefs. There are also practical modules where you’ll use state-of-the-art equipment.

Teaching staff

Our teaching staff bring a unique blend of academic excellence and practical experience. Some are actively involved in research, contributing to key literature within media and journalism research, meaning your learning is always as relevant as possible. Other staff have professional roles within the industry, including journalists who work with the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 and researchers at production companies. Their connections with the industry bridge the gap between your learning and the real world, enabling excellent work experience opportunities and regular visits from industry professionals who provide insights into the media world.

Placements and work experience

Work experience is embedded within the course, as you regularly work on live projects and develop professional skills. We also invite local organisations and media organisations to The Atrium where you can engage with them. Work placements in your second year will give you the chance to make an impact and see how the industry operates. Typical work experience includes working on marketing campaigns for productions such as His Dark Materials or working with renowned public relations companies. Our course staff and careers teams can support you in sourcing a meaningful placement.

Facilities

Based at the heart of Cardiff’s creative scene at our Cardiff campus, you’re perfectly placed to immerse yourself in the media industry. You’ll have full access to state-of-the-art media facilities and equipment, and industry-standard software such as Adobe. You’ll also use audio recording equipment for podcasts and mobile journalism, our radio and TV production studios, and the virtual production studio. In your third year, you’ll showcase your professional skills by running a community cinema event in our full-size cinema on campus. We also make use of the classroom at Bad Wolf Studios, with some classes taught there.

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

As a Media, Culture and Journalism graduate, you’ll be sought-after in the job market thanks to your in-depth subject knowledge and strong analytical skills. These are highly valued across the media industries, as well as in PR, education, marketing and events management, and the heritage, tourism and leisure sectors. You’ll also receive ALBERT training, which means you can develop media productions in an environmentally sustainable way - highly prized in today’s market. Whether you have a clear job role in mind or are still exploring your options, this course has the diversity and flexibility to help you achieve your ambitions.

Careers support

As well as developing your academic skills, the course prepares you for a fulfilling career within media, journalism and a range of related industries. Regular interaction with established professionals through placement, live projects and guest masterclasses give you real insights into the industry and what it takes to thrive. We also build professional practice into most modules so you’re constantly developing the skills employers want. Our staff use their industry knowledge to help you identify your strengths and interests and pursue goals in those areas. Our dedicated careers team also helps you source opportunities and prepare for applications.

Industry partners

Our diverse course aims to provide you with opportunities in a vast range of media roles and pathways. We partner with all manner of organisations within the industry so you can explore these different routes. These include production companies such as the BBC and Bad Wolf. We also work closely with IJPR, one of Europe’s most important TV PR agencies, as well as local communities, radio stations, and charities, giving you the chance to make an impact with these organisations.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

UCAS Points: 104 (or above)

Typical qualification requirements:

A Level: BCC (this is equivalent to 104 UCAS tariff points).
Welsh BACC: Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C/B in the Skills Challenge Certificate and BC - CC at A Level (this is equivalent to 104 UCAS tariff points).
BTEC: BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit (this is equivalent to 112 UCAS tariff points).
Access to HE: Pass the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 104 UCAS tariff points

Additional requirements include:

The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances

How to apply

International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.

English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 72 overall and a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.

If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

Contextual Admissions Policy

Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Fee

£9,535

per year*

International Full-time Fee

£15,850

per year*

Further Information

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

Fees and Funding Scholarships and Bursaries Cost of Living Support

Additional costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

* Obligatory

Students may be required to travel to work experience opportunities and/or need suitable workplace attire.

Cost: Variable

Students may need to pay for travel of optional field trips.

Cost: Variable

How to apply

All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS. You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time.)

Advanced entry

If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.

International admissions

International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.

Media Loans

You can hire a range of equipment, for your assignments and practical work, for free from our Media Loans facility.

Media Loans

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

I HAVE REALLY ENJOYED THE COURSE. I HAVE LEARNT VARIOUS WAYS TO RESEARCH, AS WELL DEVELOPING A NEW KNOWLEDGE ON FILM.

Charlotte Brownhill

Media, Culture and Journalism student

I’VE REALISED HOW IMPORTANT SOCIAL MEDIA IS IN JOURNALISM IN TODAY’S DIGITAL WORLD AND I’VE EVEN BEEN INSPIRED TO WRITE A BLOG!

Charlotte Brownhill

Media, Culture and Journalism student

Life at USW

Halls are a big part of your student experience and there’s accommodation at all three of our locations. If you don’t want to live near the campus, there are great transport links to keep you connected.