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Create engaging content from video to graphics. Manage social media channels and develop strategies and campaigns for brands, using analytics to grow and engage your audience. Build skills as a content creator and excel in a career in social media.
Are you an aspiring content creator? An entrepreneur looking to build your brand? Or do you dream of a career managing social and digital communities for major companies? This course gives you the skills and experience to do it all.
Almost every brand, business and organisation, from Nike to Netflix, recognises the need for a powerful social media presence – and for skilled professionals to manage it. The demand for social media experts, content specialists and digital community managers is increasing year-on-year in this dynamic and ever-evolving industry.
On this Digital Marketing Institute-accredited degree, you’ll learn to grow and engage audiences, create scroll-stopping content from AR lenses and photography to video and livestreams, develop brands and manage relationships, and shape organic and paid strategies and campaigns. You’ll build your own digital communities, develop your own creator channels and work on client projects. You’ll also complete a week-long industry placement and start building your own professional brand.
You’ll graduate with a degree in Social Media Management, an optional qualification in media law, and an Associate Digital Marketing certificate to launch your social media career, whether that’s as an in-house specialist, a freelancer or digital nomad, or an agency owner or entrepreneur.
Get to know Spark, Fashion North and Sportsbyte, our students' award-winning websites for local news, local sport, fashion and arts and entertainment.
On this degree, you’ll learn by doing. You’ll build your own creator channels, grow digital communities, and develop strategies and content for real-world businesses and audiences. You’ll create reports and use digital and social media metrics to analyse and evaluate work that shows real impact. You’ll take part in client projects, working both individually and in teams on live briefs, pitching ideas or putting them into action.
In your first year, you’ll sit one media law exam, ensuring you’re legally safe to publish content. Sometimes, you’ll delve further into ideas and research about how influence and persuasion work on social platforms or how we can optimise the spread of information, and you’ll present your ideas in formats that suit you – whether that’s in writing, video, or in a presentation.
Most teaching happens in practical workshops, supported by one-to-ones, placements and occasionally lectures.
In your final year, you’ll shape your own ‘masterpiece’, a major project that reflects your skills, interests and ambitions as a content creator and social media strategist.
Assessments include practical projects, critical reflections, case studies, essays and presentations. There is also a Media Law exam as part of the NCTJ certificate.
Part-time study
If you study this course on a part-time basis, you will typically complete 40-80 credits in a year, rather than the 120 credits of full-time students. All modules are taught during the daytime, and you will be studying alongside full-time students.
Our typical offer is:
| Qualification | Minimum grade |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma along with one of the following at the required grade: SAT I and SAT II, ACT or Advanced Placement | GPA 3.0 or above and: Sat score of 1100/1600 from SATs AP (Grades 3+ in at least 2 subjects) ACT (score of 26+) |
If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.
If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.
Our admissions policy uses a range of flexible options to support you in studying with us. This may include a reduced offer of up to 16 UCAS tariff points, (or equivalent). Find out if you are eligible.
If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.
The annual, full-time fee is:
*Undergraduate fees are set according to rules from Government in line with forecast inflation. The fee for your first year of study for 2025/26 will be £9,535. You will pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees may increase every year based on the Retail Price Index.
Tuition fees for part-time students are £7,145 per 90 credits. Please note that part-time courses are not available to international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK.
Read more about EU fees and funding 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.
You’ll build the skills to land a job as a social media manager in almost any industry – from fashion and fitness to football and festivals. Or, if you'd rather do your own thing, you’ll learn how to grow an audience, create content that connects, and build a brand you can turn into a career.
Our graduates have gone on to work with brands like Matalan, Tombola, Port of Tyne, Weber Shandwick, and Durham Women’s Football Club – and some have launched their own agencies like Olive and Sonder, or become creators collaborating with the likes of Harrods Beauty, Sephora and Greggs.
Alongside hands-on experience and live client projects, you’ll complete a work placement and build your own professional brand through the employability module. Throughout the course, you'll also have opportunities to take on paid and voluntary social media work, giving you real-world experience, local business connections, and a robust portfolio to showcase your talent.
You’ll graduate with three separate qualifications in social media management, media law, and digital marketing – and a CV that stands out.
From your very first year, you'll be creating content for real audiences. Students have launched successful social media projects like @NEFempowerment, @YorkshireLassInNewcastle, and @BrunchNE1 – which was featured in Living North’s 'One to Follow'. What makes this degree really unique is our focus on content creation skills, from photography to video to graphics, allowing you to explore content-specific roles, stand out from those on social media marketing degrees, and giving you a strong basis to monetise your content skills.
You’ll work with local businesses and organisations on live social media briefs – helping them build campaigns, strategies and content that get results, and helping you build your portfolio.
We’ve partnered with businesses like Adventure Sunderland, Latimers Seafood, Lakes Distillery and North East Interior Designs, which has resulted in further paid work for some of our students.
Outside of your assignments, you’ll also have the chance to take on paid projects through our Sunderland Creatives Agency, as well as numerous paid and voluntary projects from businesses who approach us for your in-demand skills, building your portfolio and network as you go.
In your final year, you’ll take on a week-long placement – wherever you want to go. Whether you’re aiming for an agency, a brand, or a solo path, you’ll be supported by our employability team and Enterprise Hub to make contact with your dream employers. Past placements have included Metro Radio Arena, High Life North and Durham Cricket Club. You'll also develop a personal brand and professional portfolio through your employability module, ready to stand out in the job market – or on your own.
If you’re entrepreneurial, this is your chance to make it happen. You’ll have access to startup support and funding through our Digital Incubator. Students have used their final project assessments to dedicate time to growing their own businesses on social and digital platforms, like Charlotte and Lauren, who launched their loungewear brand Cloud Eleven or Claudia, who used it to start growing client interest for her solo agency Digital NetConnector. Whether you want to freelance, become a full-time creator, or launch your own company, we’ll help you turn your passion into something bigger.
I’m very fortunate to benefit from all the support that the University of Sunderland offers.
The University has so many connections to huge brands and businesses across the UK and worldwide.
My favourite part of the course is exploring the world of PR and learning to write press releases.
