A career in media and communications is fast-paced, rewarding and exciting, embracing the latest technologies and world events along the way. There's no better place to study media and communications than in the UK, which is home to some of the largest media and news organisations such as the BBC. If you study for a media-related degree in the UK, you will have the option to focus on a number of topics that cover production, photo editing, linguistics, TV and radio, cultural studies, journalism and audio manipulation. Many media and communications graduates go on to have successful careers in the areas of radio, TV, film, copywriting, marketing, SEO and research. Having a media degree means that you will be equipped with the tools you need for a job in almost any sector of the creative communications sector. Here are some courses and institutions you should consider for media-related studies in the UK.
1. Take a joint-honours degree in media and communications at the University of Sussex
If you decide to study for a media and communications degree at the University of Sussex, you'll enhance your field of study by drawing on the subjects of history, politics, anthropology, cultural studies and sociology. So whatever you're interested in, you can tailor your degree to your passion. In Sussex's English and Media Studies BA (Hons) degree, for example, you can explore how literature and the media shape our culture and society. At Sussex, you can examine the relationship between literary work and other cultural forms, and analyse different media. You'll also be taught by researchers who produce documentaries, films and books. You can tailor your studies according to your interests and will be taught to produce your own critical and creative response to the world. A forward-thinking curriculum allows you to study 1,000 years of literature in new and progressive ways. We encourage you to experiment with writing and understand its ability to transform the world we live in.
If you study Sociology with Media Studies BA, you'll explore the nature of the social worlds we live in on a deeper level and the role of the media in them. You’ll learn from experts who influence debates on topics ranging from gender inequality to the role of media in our cultural and social worlds. You’ll explore sociological and media theories, and develop research skills. Outside the classroom, you’ll gain hands-on experience through research placements and student media projects.
At the postgraduate level, you'll find media is one of the focus of many of our interdisciplinary Master programmes jointly delivered by our School of Media, Arts and Humanities such as MA Media Practice for Development and Social Change. This unique course focuses on media as tools for global social and political change. You'll study social media, citizen journalism, activist media, participatory media and specialised broadcast media, and how these are successfully used to inform and engage audiences outside established channels of communication for issues such as social inequality, human rights, gender issues and environmental change. Another postgraduate course you'll also be able to study for is an MSc in Computing with Digital Media which focuses on the creation and distribution of digital content.
89% of University of Sussex students went into employment or further study within six months of graduating with a degree from the department of media and film. As a media student, you'll gain a range of academic, practical and personal skills including research, presentations, writing and creative thinking skills. If you are an undergraduate, the Media and Communications BA provides you with the flexibility to develop practice-based skills in photography, film, digital media and sound, while the university's MA courses provide advanced intellectual study and an opportunity for you to enhance your research skills, allowing you to focus on a specific area of media and develop an extended project that showcases your expertise.
2. Study for an MSc in Media Management at the University of Stirling
As the first course of its kind in the UK, the MSc in Media Management at the University of Stirling offers students excellent preparation skills for meeting the challenges posed by unprecedented changes and increased competition in the media industries. The course is constantly evolving in order to keep up with the rapidly changing global media landscape.
As a student, you’ll benefit from being taught by highly qualified, international-standard tutors, and will graduate with strong management skills and an analytical perspective on the media industry. You’ll also develop a firm understanding of the evolving regulatory and policy environment in which the media operates. The course provides a theoretical and case-study-based foundation in media economics, finance and business strategy – with advanced study in contemporary media, cultural theories and training in appropriate research methodologies.
You'll investigate culture's extensive links with the media industry, and draw on a range of related disciplines that range from media studies and economics, to marketing and business studies. You’ll also benefit from field trips, including a visit to the state-of-the-art broadcast facilities at BBC Pacific Quay, the V&A Dundee and CodeBase Stirling.
There will also be the opportunity to hear from industry professionals. For example, in 2021, the course showcased speakers from all parts of the media industry and creative sectors, including the editor of the Sunday National, the former editor of The Scotsman, head of business for Multiplatform Productions, BBC Scotland, and the director and independent creative producer for LeithLate. Guest lectures have also been delivered from policymakers from the British Council, Ofcom and PACT. On core modules in 2021, Stirling students had the opportunity to deliver projects for real-world media sector clients including a film festival based in Calgary, a book publisher based in Vancouver, a female empowerment-focused podcasting company based in Los Angeles, and an entrepreneurial web app developer based in Ontario.
The University of Stirling is a QS Top 500 University with 5 Stars for teaching, employability, research, internationalisation, facilities and inclusiveness (QS Stars University Ratings 2021). It also ranks Top 10 in the UK for postgraduate student experience (PTES 2021). You'll find a thriving student community at Stirling, with more than 120 nationalities represented on campus. The University of Stirling's media and communications courses consistently rank among the best in the UK, with the university being in the top 10 for communications and media in the UK (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022), and top 20 in the UK for media and film studies (The Guardian University Guide 2022).
Stirling’s media and communications courses provide a balance between practical training and critical thinking. This means that students are prepared for a career in journalism, digital media, broadcasting and public relations.
If you are looking to start a career in media and communications, the UK is one of the best places to study for your degree. At the University of Sussex and University of Stirling, there are multiple courses on offer depending on your interests and passions. If you have more than one interest, you also have the option to combine courses and study a hybrid of media studies and another subject, such as English, or sociology, if you want a joint-honours degree. You'll also learn how to embrace new technologies that employers find desirable, and will expand your network by learning how to interview, write about people and develop your social skills.
For more information, you can visit the University of Sussex and University of Stirling websites.
University of Sussex: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/
University of Stirling: https://www.stir.ac.uk/
