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BA (Hons) Mass Communications (Top-Up) Full-time

Top-up your existing qualification to a full honours degree. This course combines critical study of media and communication with practical creative production. Examine contemporary communication debates and produce industry-ready content.

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UCAS codeP391
Duration1 year
Fee (UK)£9,790
Fee (Int)£17,500
LocationOn campus

Course summary

Throughout this course, you'll develop critical and practical skills in media and communication. You'll explore contemporary debates in culture, global media, and popular media.

In the first semester, you'll develop your ability to:

  • Analyse media texts
  • Explore communication practices
  • Learn global media systems
  • Understand the cultural forces that shape contemporary media.

Then, you'll apply these ideas through creative project work. This might include a short-form film, a podcast, or creating promotional media.

In the second semester, you'll apply these ideas through practical and project-based work. You'll develop a short-form film project of around 15 minutes. This means taking your project from initial idea to final execution. It also includes supporting your short-film with appropriate promotional materials. Other popular media forms will also be explored. This could include developing a podcast or related media output on a topic of your choice.

When you graduate, you'll have advanced critical knowledge of media and communication. You'll have developed practical skills in:

  • Content creation
  • Production planning
  • Project management
  • The development of audio, video and promotional media.
Why Sunderland for Film and Media

What you'll study

Many of our courses include a range of modules you can choose from. Some options may only be available if you’ve already studied specific modules. If you’re not sure what you need before picking a module, your course leader can help.

Undergraduate module credits should total 120 credits per academic year. If optional modules are available, choose an amount that totals 120 credits.

How you'll learn

We use a variety of teaching methods. These include lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. Practical sessions are a key part of this course. They include guidance in Adobe creative software such as Premiere Pro, Audition, and After Effects.

Assessment is varied across the year. Semester 1 focuses on reports, essays, presentations and selected audio, video or creative outputs. Semester 2 is assessed by production files and portfolios of audio and video work.

By the end of the course, you'll have developed key skills. These include:

  • Advanced research
  • Writing
  • Project management
  • Production
  • Communication skills

These skills are relevant to careers including media, communications and creative industries. Transferable skills are also useful for journalism, public relations and digital content. This course prepares you for progressing to postgraduate study.

Entry requirements

Fees and finance support

UK£9,790
International£17,500

Undergraduate fees are set according to rules from Government in line with forecast inflation. If you're a Home fee-paying student, the fee for your first year of study for 2026/27 will be £9,790. You'll pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees may increase every year based on the Retail Price Index.

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See all course tuition fees.

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UK students

Disclaimer

We want to make sure you have clear and accurate information about our courses. Our website always shows the latest updates. If you’ve applied and you're offered a place, we’ll contact you in writing if anything important changes.

For more information, view our programme specifications. These include course content, learning outcomes, and the skills you'll gain.