Course Overview

You will analyse how our identities, aspirations, beliefs and values are shaped by aspects of our everyday life that we often take for granted. To give you the tools to understand and interpret the messages, images, signs and symbols of contemporary media culture, you will study a wide range of media including advertising, digital and social media, film, news, television and popular music.

In your first year, you'll gain an introduction to studying media and culture critically and will have the opportunity to examine historical and contemporary issues and debates. You'll begin your degree covering themes including Key Debates in Media and Cultural Studies; Media Lives; Identity; Representation; Protest and Marginal Cultures.

Part One Media and Culture Studies is complemented by other first year courses offered by the Department, such as Sociology, and Gender and Women's Studies. You can also take courses offered by other departments.

In your second year, you'll take two compulsory courses: Critical Cultural Theory and Researching Media and Culture. You will have an exciting opportunity to study abroad in your second year as part of our excellent exchange programme with Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

In your final year, you must complete an independent research Dissertation, where staff will support you on a topic of your choice. In addition to these core subjects, you'll be able to select from a vast range of optional modules, including Consumer Culture and Advertising; Information Society and Virtual Cultures.

Career opportunities

We are proud that our graduates are very successful in gaining employment, particularly in the media and creative sectors.

Skills such as critical analysis and comprehension, research, presentation and writing, can lead to many avenues of employment - from journalism and marketing to arts administration.

Our graduates have also gone on to further academic or vocational study in media-related careers, such as television production, or teaching.