Digital Media and Communications BA Honours

Program Overview

Digital Media and Communications BA Honours

Course Overview

This course will develop the transferable skills required in the creative and cultural industries, in digital design, technology, creative copywriting, content creation and accounts management. You will gain an understanding of theory and debates in digital media and communications. And you will develop critical thinking to enable you to examine and respond to trends in networked and digital media and communications. It will provide you with opportunities to use data analysis tools and present data. You will understand social media strategies and content management tools and approaches in the creative and cultural industries.

About Your Course

This course combines the use and critical analysis of the strengths, limitations, affordances and biases of established, evolving and emerging technologies such as computer aided design, computer generated images and text and artificial intelligence. The course is innovative and fully integrates theory with practice, enhances industry links, and focuses on transferable employability skills within digital media industries.

Modules

Year 1

• Communication Skills (30 credits) - Compulsory This module develops your abilities in industry-relevant communication tasks or assets related to illustration or graphic design or fashion communication and styling or advertising, public relations and branding or digital media.
• Creative Media and Cultures (30 credits) - Compulsory This module introduces you to the position of illustration, design, brands, and media in contemporary society and issues of equality and responsible production and consumption.
• Creative Workshops (30 credits) - Compulsory This module introduces you to design disciplines, such as design thinking, life drawing, digital design, moving image, video editing, photography, design for print, and styling.
• Innovative Projects (30 credits) - Compulsory This module encourages innovation through the exploration of design methods and cultivate conceptual thinking and creative confidence.

Year 2

• Digital Research and Creative Practice (30 credits) - Compulsory This module introduces you to a range of methods and techniques of research in the fields of digital media and communications.
• Immersive Storytelling (30 credits) - Compulsory This module enables you to produce immersive, critical, story-led, memory creating, and experience-driven content for social media and the metaverse.
• UX/UI Design for Web and Mobile (30 credits) - Compulsory This module explores how user experience design (UX) and user interface design (UI) create deeper levels of engagement.
• Digital Content Creation (30 credits) - Optional This module introduces best practice for each aspect of the content creation process and invites you to consider how creative choices associated with areas such as cinematography, layout, colour and typography underpins the success of your work.
• Work Placement in the Creative Industries (30 credits) - Optional This module establishes an in-depth understanding of the evolving creative industries and their specialist sectors.

Year 3

• Major Project (30 credits) - Compulsory This module enables you to demonstrate research and creative skills developed in other parts of the programme in one major piece of work.
• New Technologies and Innovation (30 credits) - Compulsory This module teaches you the creative application of digital technologies, frameworks and practical media production skills required to prepare you for a career in creative technology.
• Social Design (30 credits) - Compulsory This module focuses on design for social innovation, the role of citizen designers as changemakers, and examines the rise of academic debate in the areas of social design, sustainable design, inclusive design, ethical design, and design futures.
• Social Media Management (30 credits) - Compulsory The module provides you with a comprehensive understanding of the diverse social media networks and technologies used in the capture, design, production and management of digital content.

Teaching and Learning

Our learning and teaching strategy are built on the idea that students learn best when they are actively engaged with the learning. Modules contain activities in seminars, workshops and laboratory sessions that enable students to participate, discuss and question their learning and develop their practical skills.

Facilities and Support

Our Sheppard Library has over 1000 study areas with and 600 computer spaces, with some areas open 24 hours a day. We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health, and disability support.

Careers

This course will prepare you for a range of careers in digital media production and communications. In particular, the degree fully prepares graduates to pursue four career trajectories after graduation: content creator, digital designer, creative technologist, and accounts manager.

Entry Requirements

• Qualifications
  • UCAS points: 112 UCAS Tariff points
  • A Levels: BBC
  • BTEC: DMM
  • Access requirements: Overall pass: must include 45 credits at level 3, of which all 45 must be at Merit or higher
• International Students
  • We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the accepted qualifications on your country's support page.

Fees

• UK Students
  • Full-time: £9,535*
  • Part-time: £79 per taught credit
• International Students
  • Full-time students: £16,600
  • Part-time students: £138 per taught credit

*Depending on the duration of your study, your tuition fees for subsequent academic years may be subject to further inflationary increases (most recently, the UK government has suggested that increases may be linked to the All-Items Retail Prices Index – RPIX) in line with any additional rise in the tuition fee cap set by the UK government.

Program Outline

Digital Media and Communications BA Honours 2024 | Middlesex University

Degree Overview:

This program is designed to meet the skills and demands of the evolving creative industries. It combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills, focusing on areas such as new media, video production, website design, culture, and more. The program emphasizes the production of creative works of a professional, industry-standard, and high-quality finish. Upon completion of the program, you will have acquired a broad range of creative skills, including:

• Visual communication skills for print and online
• Knowledge to deploy social media platforms appropriate to audiences
• Adaptability to new technologies and software
• HTML programming
• Writing for screen and multiple online platforms
• Understanding different ways of campaigning and promotion using social media platforms
• Competence in media production
• Content management, dissemination, and campaigning
Graduates of this program are highly sought after in the fields of social media, marketing, e-commerce, and content production.

Outline:

Year 1:

• Introduction to Digital Media (four compulsory modules)

Year 2:

• One optional module
• Three compulsory modules

Year 3:

• Individual project
• Dissertation
• Two compulsory modules
• One optional module

Compulsory modules:

• Digital Media and Society
• Content Strategy
• Digital Design
• Immersive Storytelling
• Digital Research and Creative Practice
• Independent Project
• Social Design
• New Technologies and Innovation
• Social Media Management
• Leadership in The Creative Industries
• Culture, Consumption and Identity in the Digital Age

Optional modules:

• Video and Motion Design
• UX/UI Design for Web and Mobile
• Global Communications
• Creative Industries Work Placement

Assessment:

The program comprises formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments offer developmental feedback, while summative assessments contribute to final marks. The program uses various assessment methods, including essays, reports, portfolios, final year projects, presentations, and practical sessions.

Teaching:

The program utilizes interactive and practice-based learning methods. Teaching takes place in small seminar groups of 25 students. The program combines lectures, seminars, practical workshops, online activities, tutorials, and external visits. The program also offers practical experience through access to industry-standard software and resources, including the Adobe Creative Suite, Kit Hub, and specialized facilities.

Careers:

The Digital Media and Communications BA Honours program prepares graduates for fulfilling careers in the creative industries. Potential career paths include:

• Social Media Analyst
• Social Media Strategist
• Social Media Manager
• Account Director
• Accounts Creative
• Marketing Officer
• Content Marketing Officer
• Curator
• Digital Account Manager
• Digital Community Manager
• Digital Content Management
• Digital Coordinator
• Digital Director
• Digital Loyalty
• Digital Marketing
• E-commerce Support
• E-commerce Analyst
• Events / Exhibitions Production Manager
• Media Officer
• Online Content Management
• Web Content Developer
• Production Manager
• Search Engine Optimization Consulting
• User Experience Analyst
• Video and Blogging Community Management

Other:

The program features a personalized approach to admissions, offering fair and aspirational offers. The program welcomes students from the UK and international applicants. The program also offers optional placements and projects through MDXworks, connecting students with over 1000 industry partners and big-name employers in London and globally.

UK students1 Full-time students: £9,250 Part-time students: £77 per taught credit International students2 Full-time students: £16,600 Part-time students: £138 per taught credit