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Media and Communication with Foundation Year

Entry requirements


A level

D,E,E-E,E,E

48-56 points to include 1 A level. Year 1 entry: BBB-BBC points to include a minimum of 2 A levels.

48-58 Tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma. Year 1 entry: 112-122 Tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma.

Cambridge Pre-U score of 32-36. Year 1 entry: Cambridge Pre-U score of 48-50.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

3 GCSEs at grade C or above to include English and Mathematics/3 GCSEs at grade 4 or above to include English and Mathematics.

48-56 UCAS Tariff points to include 1 Higher Level subject. Year 1 entry: 25 points from the IB Diploma, to include 3 Higher Level subjects.

48-56 tariff points to include a Higher Level subject. Year 1 entry: H3 H3 H3 H3 H4 - H3 H3 H3 H3 H3 .

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MM-MP

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

D*-D

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MPP-PPP

Year 1 entry: DDM-DMM

48-56 Tariff points. Year 1 entry: 112-120 Tariff points.

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

T Level

P-M

Pass (D or E in the core) Year 1 entry: Merit

UCAS Tariff

48-56

48-56 points to include 1 A level, or equivalent. Year 1 entry: 112-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent.

48-56 points from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate including 1 A level, plus the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate. Year 1 entry: 112-120 points from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate including 1 A level, plus the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

5 years | Sandwich | 2024

Subjects

Media production

Media and communication studies

**This is a Connected Degree**

Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.

**Overview**

With our BA (Hons) Media and Communication with Foundation Year degree course, you'll dive deep into the inner workings of media: its present and future, its pivotal role in how we communicate and perceive the world, and the networking industries and institutions that structure communication.

Experience the many facets of media communication, from its underpinning theories and marketing functions to hands-on media production. The course has award-winning expert researchers and film producers teaching it, strong industry links in TV, film and journalism, and chances to intern in fascinating areas of the media industries, so you’re always learning the current and best practices in academia and professional practice.

You'll gain a flexible range of specialist skills that will allow you to pursue careers in film and TV production, camera departments, sound recording and post production. You can also sidestep into journalism, scriptwriting, advertising, marketing, or public relations.

**Foundation year**

If you're new to studying media or don’t meet the required grades for the full degree course, our Foundation Year will bridge that gap. You'll expand your knowledge of media and communication and develop the preparatory skills you'll need for entry into Year 1.

If you have the required grades, you can skip the Foundation Year and start at Year 1.

**Course highlights**

- Shape your course from second year, choosing optional modules that meet your speciality and career ambitions

- Build your industry experience by taking a one-year placement – either with a company or self-employed

- Familiarise yourself with professional equipment and facilities used widely in media production – including multi-camera television studios, industry-level film and cinematic cameras, and innovative colour correction hardware

- Expand your professional network and knowledge by attending guest lectures by visiting professionals

- Enhance your collaboration and team-working skills by working with students from other courses and schools in the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries

- Demonstrate your technical proficiency to potential employers by achieving industry-recognised Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) qualifications

**Careers and opportunities**

Media communication is a staple of every industry. When you graduate with a Media and Communication degree, you'll become a vital, versatile asset for any employer and any field.

Graduate areas

You'll be able to work in areas such as:

- post-production

- film and TV directing

- scriptwriting

- marketing

- advertising

- journalism

You can also go into freelancing.

Graduate roles

Job roles you'll be suitable for include:

- PR and communications officer

- social media assistant

- assistant editor

- visual media co-ordinator

- TV researcher

- camera assistant

- first or second assistant director

- sound and vision engineer

- film/video producer

- stills photographer

- production manager

When you finish the course, our Careers and Employability service can help you find a job that puts your skills to work in the industry. After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years as you advance in your career.

Modules

Foundation Year
Core modules in this year include:
- Introduction to Film-Making
- Writing for the Media
- Academic Skills
- Media in Context

There are no optional modules in this year.

Year 1
Core modules in this year include:
- Future Production
- Global Cinema
- Introduction to Media Studies
- Post Production - Editing
- Television Production Practices
- Writing For the Film and TV Industries

There are no optional modules in this year.

Year 2
Core modules in this year include:
- Film Production Practices
- Finding Form - Fiction
- Media Networks: Exploring Digital Culture

Optional modules in this year include:
- Broadcast Radio and Podcasting
- Comic Book Industries
- Engaged Citizenship Through Interdisciplinary Practice
- Factual Media Production
- Film and Ethics
- Film Sound Production
- Film, Media and Communication Study Exchange
- Modern Foreign Language
- Production: Camera and Editing
- Production: Short Film-Making
- Professional Experience
- Screen Media
- Student Enterprise
- Transmedia Narratives and Strategies

Placement year (optional)
On this course, you can do an optional work placement year between your 2nd and 3rd years to get valuable experience working in industry. We’ll help you secure a work placement that fits your situation and ambitions. You’ll get mentoring and support throughout the year.

Year 3
Core modules in this year include:
- Professional Industry Skills

Optional modules in this year include:
- Documentary Film-Making
- Digital Media and Democracy
- Fan Fiction
- Film and Media Dissertation
- Global Journalism and Human Rights
- Individual Creative Project
- Magazines: Print Media in a Digital World
- Marketing Movies
- Media Fan Cultures
- Practical Video Project
- Self Promotion

We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

Assessment methods

You'll be supported practically and academically throughout each module that you take.

Your practical work will be based on, and assessed, using a concept, research, development and resolution approach. Film and TV practice is reinforced by a project report and peer assessment sheets. This work will support your development in all areas of pre-production, production and post-production.

You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£9,250
per year
International
£17,200
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Portsmouth

Department:

Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

73%
Media production
73%
Media and communication studies

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Media studies

Teaching and learning

80%
Staff make the subject interesting
83%
Staff are good at explaining things
75%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
67%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

79%
Library resources
89%
IT resources
73%
Course specific equipment and facilities
71%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

88%
UK students
12%
International students
60%
Male students
40%
Female students
82%
2:1 or above
12%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Media studies

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£20,000
high
Average annual salary
99%
high
Employed or in further education
43%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

24%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
17%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
12%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Media studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£16k

£16k

£23k

£23k

£26k

£26k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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