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This is a four-year version of our popular BA (Hons) Media, Culture and Communication course, with an integrated foundation year. Gain unique insight into cultural theory, mass communication, films, TV genres, and more. Gain skills in critical analysis and build your independent judgement. Build a foundation to launch your career in the media.
This course explores and explains the diverse patterns of media and offers a comprehensive understanding of media power, media use, and the increasing significance of media in contemporary culture and society.
Engage with a mix of critical approaches including cultural studies, communication studies, film studies, and media studies. You'll also study a wide range of related topics including everyday life, popular culture, digital media cultures, cultural representation, and gender and ethnic identities and sexualities.
Throughout your studies, you’ll be guided and supported by our experts. You’ll work with academics at the Centre of Research in Media and Cultural Studies, who are at the forefront of research in the field. You’ll study alongside scriptwriters, film makers, radio producers, and independent film producers. Many of the key books you'll learn from have been written by the staff who teach you.
Gain a range of transferable skills including presentation skills, critical analysis, independent thinking, written and research skills, and the ability to work in groups and on your own. In your final year, you'll put your skills and knowledge into practice in a major independent research project.
In the first year – the foundation year – you'll study five modules. After completion of this foundation year, you'll then move onto the Media, Culture and Communications honours degree course.
Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, group work, and e-learning. We encourage you to develop independent study skills.
As well as assessments that count towards your degree, there are also ongoing assessments for feedback and consolidating your learning. Assessment methods include essays, reports, written coursework, projects, and presentations.
We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.
Entry requirements are provided for guidance only and we may offer you an entrance interview which will help us determine your eligibility for your chosen degree. This enables us to consider making you an offer if you're perhaps a mature student who has been out of education for a period of time, or you've gained significant knowledge and skills through employment rather than traditional education.
1. Normally a minimum of three Level 2 qualifications (NVQ, GCSE, or equivalent), including maths and English language at grade C or above** and a minimum of 40 UCAS Tariff points from Level 3 qualifications (e.g. A or AS Levels, T Levels, BTEC certificates/diplomas, access courses, or equivalent) OR
2. Demonstrable evidence of appropriate knowledge and skills acquired from at least three years of post-school work experience.
If you're unsure of whether you think you might be suitable for the course, please contact us.
**If you've studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade, you'll need to achieve a grade 4 or above. Equivalent alternative qualifications are also accepted, such as Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number.
If English isn't your first language, please see our English language requirements.
The annual fee for this course is £9,250 if you're from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled.
If you're a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student, you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.
Please note, this course isn't available to international students.
Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements, and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.
Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.
This information was correct at the time of publication.
This degree provides an excellent foundation for a wide range of careers in the media. Possible sectors include TV, radio, new media, journalism, marketing, PR, organisational communications, and advertising.
Our students have gained placements or graduate roles with employers such as BBC Radio 1, Capital FM, Channel 4, Heart FM, Metro Radio, Sky TV, BBC Sport, MTV, ITV Studios (Coronation Street), Talk Sport, The Guardian, Jamie Oliver Productions, Lime Pictures, Absolute Radio, BBC Radio 6 Music, I Daniel Blake, BBC World Service, regional newspapers, and PR companies.
You could choose to continue your studies on one of our master's degrees such as MA Radio, Audio and Podcasting or MA Public Relations.
We actively encourage students to gain relevant work experience while at university. During every year of your course, you'll be guided and encouraged to gain meaningful experience that'll fit around your studies.
In Year 2, there's a work placement opportunity with a media organisation such as the BBC, Tyne Tees Television, or one of the region’s production companies. You can also choose to undertake a number of practice modules that involve practical projects.
All students studying on-campus undergraduate media courses can take up a CV-enhancing work placement, a University-led industry initiative, or a professional and business development boot camp. By the term placement, we mean we're offering you a taste of the industry which might last anything from two days to four weeks on a part-time basis.
Many students get involved in Spark Sunderland, a community radio station based at the University. Students are responsible for all news-gathering, programme production, and advertising. Spark has won many awards including four golds at the Student Radio Awards 2012, and holds the Nations and Regions Award for Best Radio Station in the North East.
Work alongside BBC Newcastle Journalists in our mediaHUB, home to student-run websites covering sport, news, entertainment, fashion, and Spark online magazine.
Sunderland's daily newspaper, The Sunderland Echo, has a weekly page called 'On Campus' that is written entirely by students. It’s an opportunity to find and research your own stories, take photographs, meet deadlines, and see your name in print.
Throughout the course, we invite guest speakers to run workshops and masterclasses that allow you to relate your learning to real-life opportunities.