BA (Hons) Communication & Media

Core units

• Academic & Professional Practice: You will build your confidence in both academic and professional skills. This unit will cover the academic skills which will be required at degree level study and you’ll practice them throughout the unit with support from key university services including the library and study skills team. There will also be the opportunity for you to reflect on and develop your own professional skills through interactions with employers, careers services, and online resources. 
• Collaborative Communication Project: The unit focuses on the centrality of communication, both as a process and as a project. Through the collaborative development of a communication solution to a specific communication problem, the unit aims to promote the principles and practices of team-based iterative project work. 
• Media & Current Debates: You will be introduced to a) the important role and responsibilities of the news media within democratic societies and b) the varied nature of reporting of key events, issues, and debates within the contemporary 24/7 news cycle. You will gain an essential level of understanding of what constitutes news and what the work of journalists entails. You will also develop an awareness and appreciation of differing coverage of particular stories by a range of news organisations. 
• Media Work: You will become familiar with a range of profiles and career paths in the communication and media industries and be inspired to reflect on and develop your own professional identity. Through case studies of seminal campaigns, programmes, and artefacts, profiles of ground-breaking personalities, masterclasses from industry professionals, and guest talks from BU staff who have worked or currently work in marketing, PR, media production, journalism, and communications, you will encounter and interact with diverse role models, career trajectories, and types of professional practice. 

Core units

• Adventures in Popular Culture: You'll explore debates about the value of cultural artefacts such as music, film, TV and adverts within contemporary popular culture, and consider theoretical discussions on topics such as gender, race, class, and the environment.
• Introduction to Communication: Theory & Practice: You will explore and critically examine major theories of communication processes from different perspectives, engaging with relevant contemporary issues related to the study of communication. You will then learn how to communicate effectively in the digital age using industry standard software.
• Principles of Marketing & Marketing Communications: Shared with our Marketing Communications degree, in this unit you'll discover marketing and branding theory, contextualising the marketing mix and the techniques of persuasion and research within the media and communications industries.
• Introduction to Journalism: News & Features: You’ll develop professional journalistic skills in news and features, learning to research, interview, and use visual and digital skills. You will develop your own distinct voice, and delivering engaging news stories for a range of audiences.
• Introduction to Storytelling: You’ll develop fundamental creative writing skills by learning the styles and conventions of different genres, and by engaging with the critical reading of scripts, novels, short stories, and poetry. This unit will give you a range of skills, which may include how to ‘perform’ your work as a radio play, how to edit it, and how to support your story with audio effects.
• Media, Culture & Society: This unit analyses the role of the media in society by examining the nature, history, structure, social and cultural roles of print, broadcast and digital media.

Core units

• Media & Audience Research: You will be introduced to the aims, principles and techniques of social, media and marketing research and will be equipped with the skills needed to conduct primary research.
• Media: Messages & Meanings: This unit examines how messages are constructed, conveyed and received over a range of media and by different audiences. You will debate current affairs, analyse media content as a critical consumer, and consider how contemporary issues are framed by traditional and social media.
• Digital Communication: This unit aims to give you a critical overview and practical knowledge of the role played by digital communication in contemporary society, developing your digital skills using industry standard software
• Journalism in Practice: The unit aims to strengthen and expand your professional journalistic skills, including the creation of visual news features in magazine format, audio podcasts, and how to use contemporary media software, apps and platforms to widen the scope of your writing.

Option units (choose two)

• Remix Cultures: Building on Adventures in Popular Culture, in this unit you will be introduced to key concepts which help to explore how media texts inevitably draw upon, borrow from or quote previous texts and practices. Studying a variety of adaptations, remixes, and intertextual popular texts across the media including literature, cinema, television, music and graphic novels, you'll learn about genre, authenticity, and the reception of these texts.
• Global Current Affairs: You will engage with current debates in international and multimedia journalism, while being introduced to major global developments and their impact on news reporting.
• Storytelling For Screen: In this unit you will develop a cinematic literacy through storyboarding ideas, crafting authentic dialogue, and learning to apply sound effects, or score, to create compelling viewing. You will analyse and critically appraise films and scripts and examine cinematic storytelling from a range of perspectives.
• Brands & Digital Branding: In this unit you will be introduced to the building blocks of brands, the theoretical principles of branding, and will also be exposed to theoretical applications in diverse situations and contexts.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Choose either a 4-week or optional 30-week (minimum) placement, giving you the chance to gain experience and make contacts for the future.

Core units

• Dissertation: You'll undertake original and independent research to produce a dissertation on a topic or problem of your choice, using a communication, humanities or social science approach.
• Media Convergence: This unit will enable you to develop and hone your skills of the creation and promotion of cultural media artifacts on multiple platforms which engage with topics such as intersectionality, inclusivity, and the Sustainability Development Goals, while imitating industry practice to realistic deadlines.

Option units (choose three)

• Celebrity Culture: This unit will introduce you to celebrity as a site of cultural and political power, and equips you with the skills to evaluate the risks and opportunities that celebrity culture poses for contemporary media as a site for democratic debate.
• Advertising: You'll discover how advertising can be used as a strategic marketing communications tool and will gain strategic and tactical skills in developing advertising campaigns and the evaluation techniques and measurements used to assess advertising success.
• Gender & Society: This unit will give you an in depth understanding of key theories and theorists in gender studies, exploring concepts of gender construction and performativity. The unit will provide understandings of femininity, masculinity, non-binary, and trans identities. Drawing on these understandings the unit will explore gender in settings including communication, politics, film, TV, music, and social media.
• Public Relations: This unit introduces the theory and practice of public relations.
• Global Issues: Media, Communication & Crisis: In this unit you will be studying global issues of concern and the complex role of contemporary media in shaping how they are signified, represented and understood by members of the public.
• Media & Trauma: This unit aims to explore critical and cultural responses to traumatic experience and death across a range of media or texts from print and broadcast journalism to filmic and literary representation. The unit will focus on how trauma is interpreted, recorded, represented, constructed and produced across a range of media and in a variety of social, professional and medical contexts.
• Social Journalism: This unit seeks to provide you with the skills and knowledge required to practice an audience-led, collaborative model of journalism aimed at empowering communities and promoting social change. This, it will do by utilising accessible social media platforms.
• Writing, Editing & Publishing: A practical unit which combines study of publishing processes and practices with creative writing.
• Interactive Digital Storytelling: You'll examine the evolution of narrative forms in relation to the development of new (digital) media, especially exploring non-linear and interactive narratives and make critical evaluations of theoretical, critical and creative texts.
• Race, Media & Inequality: This unit will help you develop a critical understanding of historical and contemporary issues and debates on the dynamics of race, ethnicity and culture in media and communication practice and political discourse. You will explore the cultural competencies required to articulate the key issues and advance solutions for a specific industry.
• Social Media Management: This unit will teach you how to critically engage with the principles, frameworks and theories of relevance to social media management. You will formulate a range of different strategic options appropriate to the organisation and marketing environment whilst developing approaches to implementing and managing social media programmes across markets, regions and cultures at strategic and operational levels. 
• Visual & Creative Persuasion: This unit will provide you with an understanding of visual communication strategies and techniques and their role in informing perceptions.
• Media, Sport & Society: This unit will explore the key theories and themes defining sports media and the mediatization of sport. On completion you will be able to critically understand and evaluate the political, economic, and professional forces that shape the production of media-sport and sport more broadly.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

A placement should be a highly rewarding experience for you and the employing company and we do our best to ensure that everyone involved feels that they have got the most that they can from the experience.

Placements provide a great opportunity to make your first career steps and enhance your employability while you’re completing your studies. You’ll get the opportunity to:

• Put the theory learnt throughout the course into professional practice
• Enhance your study and help you decide on subject options (where appropriate)
• Learn a wide range of skills such as time management, problem solving and team work (all of these are important to succeed in any career)
• Make contacts, as it is not uncommon for our students to be offered permanent positions to return to after graduating
• Gain a real insight into how the industry operates in roles that would be almost impossible to achieve for an outsider
• Many of our students, during their placement, are given responsibilities normally associated with graduate trainees.

You will begin your placement after completion of your second year of study. At this point, you’ll either need to complete a four-week placement (on the three-year version of the course), or a minimum 30-week placement (on four-year version).

The faculty running your course will offer the support of a Placement Coordinator.

Through timetabled sessions and one-to-one appointments, they’ll help support you in your placement search including advice on finding a placement, information and advice on all aspects of job searching and job applications, as well as ensuring your proposed placement meets the requirements of your course.

Our CareersBU service is also available throughout your time at BU, offering services like CV checking and careers fairs to meet employers.

Placement Development Advisors will support you once you have started your sandwich placement – so you will be able to maintain contact with the university throughout.

• IBM
• Converse
• Nike
• Microsoft
• Ascot.

Our students have shared their experiences so you can discover what it's like to undertake a placement year:

• Micaela Sowerby - Back stage at the Brit Awards 

• Chrissie Bishop - Marketing, Events and Social Media intern at MM Company

• Jessica Simms - Communications Assistant at Waitrose

Many BU courses have partner universities around the world, offering opportunities for you to apply to study abroad for between one month and a year of your degree. There are usually no additional tuition fees, and the Turing Scheme at BU can often provide grants to support with travel and living expenses*.

As a student studying BA (Hons) Communication & Media you can apply to study abroad at these international partners:

• United States: Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey
• Czech Republic: Charles University, Prague

Further information can be found here.

*Funding is subject to an annual successful bid and information will be shared with students in the Autumn

AccessBU: AccessBU provides you with the opportunity to tell us about your circumstances that are not always evident in your UCAS application. This widening access initiative also considers relevant criteria such as being in care or if you live in an area with a low participation rate in Higher Education - if you are eligible, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS tariff points below the published tariff.

Apprenticeships: We recognise the transferable knowledge and skills gained through apprenticeships and welcome applications from students with a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deferred entry: We are happy to consider eligible applicants for deferred entry. If you have already submitted your application, please submit your deferral request through our website. 

Direct entry: We welcome applications from students who have previously studied at degree level at other institutions and wish to transfer onto a BU course. Our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedure enables credit awarded from one institution to contribute to a BU award, subject to an application process. Please visit our RPL webpage for more information.

Mature applicants: We recognise that mature applicants may have a wealth of experience rather than formal qualifications, so we’ll consider your application on these merits if included in your application. You’ll need to apply to BU in the usual way through UCAS and you may be invited to an interview to discuss your suitability for the course based on the experience you tell us about in your application.

Flexibility is a quality much sought after by employers. The BA (Hons) Communication & Media course produces flexible and versatile graduates who have developed transferable skills valuable in management, writing and communication industries.

Many students choose BA (Hons) Communication & Media because, while knowing they want to work in the general area of communication, they have not decided precisely which jobs to pursue. In years one and two all students study language, literature, writing, media and society, research methods and the psychology and behaviour of individuals and groups.

In year three, students choose options from professional and academic units. Graduates embark upon a variety of careers including journalism, public relations, publishing, management, training, research and authorship.

We therefore look for applicants who are committed to a career in communication and clear evidence of an interest in literature, communication and media in the personal statement.

IT Skills

Computers are an ever present feature of working life. The University has extensive open access computer facilities, from the library to the Internet cafe. Many of the computers have Internet access and each student has an e-mail address.

The main centres have computer staff to help students with their queries. Certainly familiarity with computers will help. But don't worry; our experience is that new students to BU soon become proficient in handling a PC or a Mac.

Visual and Internet Communication

On the course students have access to the School's Electronic Publishing Unit, and in the Writing, Editing and Publishing units students are taught how to use the electronic publishing programs for document creation and design. Students also use a statistical package to analyse research data. You may already possess a number of these skills, but if not, we will help you to develop them throughout the course.

Individual and teamwork

You will be expected to work hard both individually and in groups. Self-motivation and the ability to manage your time effectively are important requirements. You should enjoy reading widely. Individual work includes conducting research, writing in a variety of styles, completing assignments and preparing for seminar sessions. We develop your team working abilities on the course by requiring you to work on group presentations. Some of the group work is assessed.

Depending on the professional units selected in the third year you may be required to undertake the following: develop and evaluate a public relations programme; develop, execute and evaluate a training programme; analyse case studies; gather, write and process news articles; write a proposal for a radio or TV programme or a book.

Communication

You should enjoy writing and be prepared to learn how to write in different styles appropriate for different media, for example, news releases, articles, dialogue, short stories and poetry. You should also be interested in using information technology for design and graphics.

The course develops these abilities in the Writing Foundation Skills unit in year one and extends them in the Professional Writing unit in year two. Journalism and Writing, Editing and Publishing options in the final year offer an opportunity to develop these skills further. Verbal skills are important too for talking persuasively to groups and individuals.

Creative thinking and critical analysis

The course draws on perspectives from the humanities and social sciences enabling students to evaluate and practise the many aspects of communication and media. Therefore you need to enjoy analysing a wide range of verbal and visual texts, for example poems, novels, soap operas, news stories and advertisements.

You should be capable of creative and original thinking, with an ability to confidently express your own individual ideas, based on sound reasoning, and present informed opinions. You should develop an awareness of communication issues in the wider social context.

Curiosity and a willingness to evaluate different points of view are vital for undergraduate study, as well as your future career.

Students should, above all, be interested in people. BA (Hons) Communication & Media is about people and how they communicate, whether this is face to face or through the media and literature. Students should be avid readers and enjoy newspapers, television, films and books.

We select candidates for this course by looking at your application; there are usually no interviews or selection activities needed. For that reason, make sure your application really stands out from the crowd, and leave us in no doubt as to why you should be joining BU. You can find some handy hints about filling in your UCAS form on our how to apply web pages.

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

AccessBU gives you the chance to tell us more about you and your life experiences if you haven’t had the same educational opportunities as other applicants. If you are eligible for AccessBU, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS Tariff Points below the published tariff.

Our offer-making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

This course has compulsory elements involving practical production activities. When required, students must complete a health and safety risk assessment to take part in these activities, for their safety and that of others. As part of that assessment students provide information about any conditions or disabilities that might affect their ability to undertake these activities fully or safely. 

If you have such a condition or disability, please let us know as soon as possible. You can contact our Additional Learning Support (ALS) service about this before or after making an application. We will then work with you to identify any support or adjustments you would need. Our ALS team works with the Faculty to seek to put in place reasonable adjustments and health and safety plans.

Exceptionally, it may not be possible to arrange for a student to access these courses without either over-riding their core standards or competencies or creating unacceptable risks to health and safety. If that is the case we will help you explore alternative course choices.

We have recently reviewed this course to take advantage of new approaches to learning and teaching, as well as developments in industry. As the aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, teaching, learning and assessment methods may have changed as a result of the review, you can find the relevant information for your year of entry in the appropriate programme specification.

The broad education this course provides across media means our graduates go on to a wide variety of positions. This includes roles such as:

• Account executive
• Assistant media executive
• Communications officer
• Concept manager
• Digital account executive
• Junior copywriter
• Marketing and communications coordinator
• PR executive.

The skills you learn stand you in good stead for your continuing professional development too – giving you more control over your career direction.

Once you have completed an undergraduate Honours degree, you can further develop your education by studying for a postgraduate degree. Please visit our Postgraduate section for further details about our range of Master’s degrees.

Research degrees

If you are a BU graduate you are eligible for a 20% ‘loyalty’ discount on the published fees for further programmes with us!  

Depending on your qualifications and experiences, you can choose to undertake a MRes or PhD level research degree. Bournemouth University has a strong communication & media research foundation within our Department of Communication & Journalism and our Department of Media Production and through a number of research centres, which explores theory, education and professional practice. 

Visit our postgraduate research courses for further details about research degree options with the Faculty of Media & Communication and the funding options available. 

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Our fees commitment means your tuition fees are fixed and your fee will be the same for each year of your course
• Materials for laboratory and mandatory field-based teaching activity
• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
• Free software download to your personal device of Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus while you are studying, as well as access to applications provided on AppsAnywhere, subject to licensing and compatibility restrictions 
• Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
• Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies
• Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website 
• Travel costs for optional field trps, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (where applicable)
• Travel costs to and from the university campus. An annual bus pass is included in your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased seperately
• Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) if this is part of your course of study. Placement year funding information can be found on our website.
• You will need to meet the cost of any Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if required by your placement setting, including any Post Office verification changes.
• Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study
• SportBU membership.

Whie all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribition is required,

If you need to repeat one or more units during your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full-time fee.

Dr Jaron Murphy is an award-winning journalist with extensive international experience, mostly in senior editorial, production and management roles. His professional achievements include national awards for courageous investigative and hard news journalism. In 2018, Dr Murphy appeared on the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) list of most respected journalists following research by Cardiff University which asked journalists working in the UK and Ireland “which living journalist they felt most embodies the values of journalism that they respect and adhere to”.

Among several academic qualifications with distinction, Dr Murphy holds a DPhil in English Language and Literature from the University of Oxford.

Megan has taught on BA (Hons) Communication and Media, and more broadly in the Faculty of Media and Communication, for several years. Her research focuses on narratives around politics, gender and identity in literature and popular culture, topics which also underpin much of her teaching. As Course Leader, Megan's primary aim is to create an environment which is supportive, engaging, challenging, and fun for the students in equal measure.

Gloria has taught in the higher education sector for several years at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Her research focuses on media and migrants, community radio, and digital storytelling. Her doctoral research explored the evolution of British Asian Radio in England. Gloria is a community radio practitioner; she hosts a weekly radio show on Southampton’s community radio station Unity101FM. She is an experienced print and broadcast journalist and has worked for international media. Gloria’s background underpins her teaching for this degree. As a Programme team member, Gloria is passionate about fostering a positive and diverse student experience.

Phil's passion and expertise lies in the intersection of technology and education. His current research projects involve working with disadvantaged communities to teach media and digital skills, and this work is something he is always keen to involve his students in. His teaching approach is one of transparency and approachability. Phil believes in the unique proposition of BA Communication and Media and always prioritizes the development of students who creative and adaptable thinkers.

Amy is a researcher in women in political leadership, gender stereotypes, feminism, and representation. Her PhD explored women's responses to women in political leadership and provided new insights into the gendered dimensions of leadership, political communication, and women’s representation in the political sphere. She is currently working on publications exploring responses to women political leaders at times of crisis, and the representation of American First Ladies in magazines. Amy is an experienced teacher and had taught units across a number of departments at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. She is passionate about student centred teaching and encourages discussion and debate in her classes.

Dan Hogan gained a degree in English Literature. After university he became a journalist and found Shakespeare’s revenge tragedies useful for being a reporter. He had to cover all aspects of human life—whether it be a train disaster, crossbow killer on the rampage, or an American football match. His happiest times in journalism were spent working as a freelance for TV, radio, and newspapers—ranging from The Guardian to The Sun. He specialised in writing intimate profiles of people and fun stories. These included:

• A project to build houses for otters
• A 90-year-old who swims in the sea 365 days a year—even during freezing mid-winter
• A teenager who ate a mattress in a protest at being put behind bars. The headline was: “Russ gets a taste for jail.”

Dan has a passion for creative writing. His post-graduate research has involved him visiting the second most remote island on the planet.

The table below indicates the latest changes to this course.