BA (Hons) Media and Communication

Program Overview

Media and Communication

Course Overview

Studying Media and Communication at the University of Winchester will help you develop a strong understanding of the media industries and trends in media culture and communication, providing you with a critical perspective of how global media works and the impact of new digital and AI technologies. We offer employability-led opportunities to develop professional skills and creative practices, including responding to live briefs, developing pitches and participating in client-facing projects.

Course Features

• Strong focus on the convergence of new and more traditional media, including social networks
• Develop as a critical thinker and master the art of how to communicate creatively
• Work Placement module will develop your employability skills and experience in an organisation relevant to your career aspirations
• Access outstanding industry-standard facilities in our Multimedia Centre, including two HD TV studios with green screens, a newsroom, and radio studio

Course Details

Our aim is to shape 'confident learners' by enabling you to develop the skills needed to excel in your studies here and as well as onto further studies or the employment market.

You are taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars, allowing opportunities to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.

In addition to the formally scheduled contact time such as lectures and seminars etc.), you are encouraged to access academic support from staff within the course team and the wide range of services available to you within the University.

Independent Learning

Over the duration of your course, you will be expected to develop independent and critical learning, progressively building confidence and expertise through independent and collaborative research, problem-solving and analysis with the support of staff. You take responsibility for your own learning and are encouraged to make use of the wide range of available learning resources available.

Overall Workload

Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity.

While your actual contact hours may depend on the optional modules you select, the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course.

Year 1 (Level 4): Timetabled Teaching and Learning Activity

• Teaching, learning and assessment: 192 hours
• Independent learning: 1008 hours

Year 2 (Level 5): Timetabled Teaching and Learning Activity

• Teaching, learning and assessment: 192 hours
• Independent learning: 972 hours
• Placement: 36 hours

Year 3 (Level 6): Timetabled Teaching and Learning Activity

• Teaching, learning and assessment: 156 hours
• Independent learning: 1044 hours

*Please note these are indicative hours for the course.

Student learning is based upon a mix of highly innovative teaching strategies which include working to real life project briefs in teams and traditional approaches based around lectures and seminars. There is a strong focus on the convergence of old and new media including social networking.

Location

Taught elements of the course take place on campus in Winchester.

Teaching Hours

All class-based teaching takes places between 9am – 6pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Wednesday afternoons are kept free from timetabled teaching for personal study time and for sports clubs and societies to train, meet and play matches. There may be some occasional learning opportunities (for example, an evening guest lecturer or performance) that take places outside of these hours for which you will be given forewarning.

Assessment

Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.

We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.

Percentage of the Course Assessed by Coursework

The assessment balance between examination and coursework depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessed by different assessment modes is as follows:

Year 1 (Level 4)

• 87% coursework
• 13% written exams
• 0% practical exams

Year 2 (Level 5)

• 100% coursework
• 0% written exams
• 0% practical exams

Year 3 (Level 6)

• 100% coursework
• 0% written exams
• 0% practical exams

*Please note these are indicative percentages and modes for the programme.

Feedback

We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.

Modules

Year 1

• Rise of the New Media (30 Credits)
• Digital Creative Skills (30 Credits)
• Manipulating Media (30 Credits)
• Design Thinking (30 Credits)

Year 2

• Social Media, Branding and Storytelling (30 Credits)
• Exploring Media Research (30 Credits)
• Professional Journeys (30 Credits)
• Optional Modules:
  • Gamification and Advertising (30 Credits)
  • Popular Media and Culture (30 Credits)

Year 3

• Extended Independent Study in Media and Communication (30 Credits)
• Politics, Media and the Climate Crisis (30 Credits)
• Optional Modules:
  • Emerging Technologies (30 Credits)
  • Stardom and Desire (30 Credits)
  • Documentary and Photojournalism (15 Credits)
  • Video Game Worlds (15 Credits)
  • Community Media (15 Credits)
  • Festivals (15 Credits)

Entry Requirements

UK: 104-120 points

Our offers are typically made using UCAS tariff points to allow you to include a range of level 3 qualifications and as a guide, the requirements for this course are equivalent to:

• A-Levels: BCC-BBB from 3 A Levels or equivalent grade combinations (e.g. BBB is comparable to ABC in terms of tariff points)
• BTEC/CTEC: DMM from BTEC or Cambridge Technical (CTEC) qualifications
• International Baccalaureate: To include a minimum of 2 Higher Level certificates at grade H4
• T Level: Merit in a T Level

Additionally, we accept tariff points achieved for many other qualifications, such as the Access to Higher Education Diploma, Scottish Highers, UAL Diploma/Extended Diploma and WJEC Applied Certificate/Diploma, to name a few. We also accept tariff points from smaller level 3 qualifications, up to a maximum of 32, from qualifications like the Extended Project (EP/EPQ), music or dance qualifications. To find out more about UCAS tariff points, including what your qualifications are worth, please visit UCAS.

In addition to level 3 study, the following GCSE’s are required:

• GCSE English Language at grade 4 or C, or higher. Functional Skills at level 2 is accepted as an alternative, however Key Skills qualifications are not. If you hold another qualification, please get in touch and we will advise further.

If you will be over the age of 21 years of age at the beginning of your undergraduate study, you will be considered as a mature student. This means our offer may be different and any work or life experiences you have will be considered together with any qualifications you hold. UCAS have further information about studying as a mature student on their website which may be of interest.

International: If English is not your first language, a formal English language test will most likely be required and you will need to achieve the following:

• IELTS Academic at 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (for year 1 entry)
• We also accept other English language qualifications, such as IELTS Indicator, Pearson PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and TOEFL iBT

Tuition Fees

2025/6 Course Tuition Fees

*(UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland) £9,535 for the 25/26 academic year. Fees for future academic years will be determined in line with our Terms and Conditions. The fee is currently subject to a governmental fee cap for each academic year. It is our policy to charge tuition fees at the level of the cap set by the Government. If the cap set by the Government changes, then we may increase our Fees in line with governmental policy.

*(International) £16,700 for the 25/26 academic year. Fees for future academic years will be determined in line with our Terms and Conditions. We decide the annual level of increase of our Tuition Fees by taking into account a range of factors including the cost of delivering the course and change in governmental funding.

Additional Costs

As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including, lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.

Mandatory

• Disclosure and Barring Service: A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance check may be required if you undertake a placement, volunteering, research or other course related activity where you will have contact with children or vulnerable adults. The requirement for a DBS check will be confirmed by staff as part of the process to approve your placement, research or other activity. The indicative cost is £40.

Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards

We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards page.

Career Prospects

Graduates may go on to work in industries within, or related to, the media such as journalism, media management, social media, public relations, fashion and advertising or in more innovative sectors of the cultural industries. The programme also fosters a key set of flexible skills that are pertinent to a wide range of careers in communication work, HR business, education, management and public service.

The University of Winchester ranks in the top 25 in the UK for graduates in employment or further study according to the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024, HESA.

Pre-approved for a Masters

University of Winchester students studying Bachelor Honours degrees are pre-approved to start a Masters degree at Winchester. To be eligible students must apply by the end of March in their final year and meet the entry requirements of their chosen Masters degree.

Programme Leader

Dr James Williamson is Lecturer in Media and Communication. He is interested in the historical and contemporary imaginary of science and technology across different forms of media, as well as mythic storytelling in utopian, dystopian and apocalyptic narratives.