BA/ BA (Hons) Media and Communications

• Learn real-world skills from experienced media and communications professionals and combine that with rigorous academic skills which will be of value to you throughout your career.
• We keep our student numbers lower than many other universities; therefor our staff can better get to know your interests, strengths and areas for development. You will find you build good collaborative relationships with students working in a range of other subjects.
• Build the confidence to stand on your own business feet with our Creative Entrepreneurship modules.

What media and communications knowledge and skills will you need for the many roles that require them in the fast-moving world of work? You will study theories of media and communications and debate the role of media in economics, politics and society. You will look at the role of publicity, propaganda and social campaigning, and you will learn about the artistic and creative digital work that shapes the societies we live in.

You will also put this theoretical understanding into action, although this is not a dedicated production course, it does have a production strand that focuses on video, audio and online content creation. You will develop your writing, management and team skills needed to produce imaginative and creative work of a high standard. During your degree you will be meeting and learning from media professionals in the fields of media and communication. In addition, you will be working with carefully selected external clients on media and communication projects.

The course is designed to build your creative, critical and research skills year on year, as well as your ability to put ideas into writing and practice. Creative Entrepreneurship is a vital part of Years Three and Four. You will learn skills and approaches that will enhance your business-sense and employability. Many of our students have gone on to create their own successful companies and we have an in-house Business Innovation Zone (BIZ to help you get your enterprise up and running.

You can opt to study for an honours degree over four years or an ordinary degree over three years. You will complete a range of modules each year as outlined.

Year One

• Media and Communications Industries
• Studying Media and Communications
• Media Analysis
• Digital Content Creation
• Media Production: Skills and Techniques
• Media Production: Video Project

Year Two

• Disruption in Media and Cultural Industries
• Popular Media Cultures
• Media Client Project
• Media Campaigning
• Media Production: Digital Storytelling
• Media Production: Online Journalism

Year Three

• Media, Politics & Society
• Independent Research Project
• Persuasive Communication
• Creative Entrepreneurship: Media and Film
• plus two options

Year Four

• Modernity on Screen
• Industry-based Learning
• Dissertation
• plus two options

Year Three and Four options may include:

• Communicating in Organisational Settings
• Communication, Arts and Activism
• Experiential Learning Placement
• Film Festivals
• Global Journalism
• Photography and Visual Culture
• Photography Practice
• Playwriting/Playwriting 2
• Political Communication
• Popular Music
• Radio and Audio Media
• Reputation Issues and Crisis Management
• Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror
• Scotland on Screen
• Screenwriting
• International PR
• Student Initiated Module
• Television Drama
• The American West in Popular Culture
• The Video Essay
• Video Production
• The Only Way is Ethics

The modules listed here are correct at time of posting (April 2021) but may differ slightly to those offered in 2022. Please check back here for any updates.

You will learn through lectures, seminars, individual work and group work. The assessment strategy uses a range of methods to support your academic and professional development. These include: essays, reports, presentations, online discussions/postings, exams, reflective diaries, e-portfolios and content production for different media such as video, photography, website, blogs, posts and tweets.

Below you can read about Teaching and Learning Activities and Assessment Activities. We believe this will give you a good indication of what the course will be like, but the exact balance of activities may differ depending on the academic year and on the modules you choose.

Teaching and learning activities

Our Teaching and Learning Activities are focused on building your confidence, developing your problem-solving skills and preparing you for a successful career. Here you can read about how much time you should expect to spend undertaking these activities for this course along with a general description of the activity for all courses.

Teaching

You are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and in some cases practical workshops or laboratories. Seminars enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.

• Year One: 13%
• Year Two: 13%
• Year Three: 14%
• Year Four: 9%

Independent Learning

When not attending lectures, seminars, practicals or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the Learning Resource Centre, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for examinations. You independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities, including the Learning Resource Centre and the Hub.

• Year One: 87%
• Year Two: 87%
• Year Three: 86%
• Year Four: 91%

Placement

Courses with placements give you the opportunity to put what you are learning into practice and to observe and work with a wide range of individuals and groups of people in diverse settings. Some courses offer placement opportunities in the UK and overseas.

• Year One: 0%
• Year Two: 0%
• Year Three: 0%
• Year Four: 0%

Assessment Activities

Assessment Activities provide you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject and receive feedback on your performance. Here you can read about how much of your final mark is based on each type of formal assessment for this course along with a general description of the activity for all courses.

Exams

Assessment by written examinations normally takes place at the end of each module or semester, but they may also happen during modules.

• Year One: 0%
• Year Two: 01%
• Year Three: 0%
• Year Four: 0%

Coursework

Coursework assessments take place in a variety of ways, including assignments, essays, reports, portfolios, project output and your level 4 Honours project. We aim to provide you with feedback on your assessment within 20 working days of the submission date.

• Year One: 68%
• Year Two: 48%
• Year Three: 100%
• Year Four: 89%

Practical

Practical assessments can include oral presentations, performance, practical skills assessment, costume design and construction, film making, lab work or clinical practical skills depending on the nature of the course.

• Year One: 32%
• Year Two: 42%
• Year Three: 0%
• Year Four: 11%

NB This data is based on activity undertaken by students during academic year 2018/9. Updates will be made shortly.  

Work-based learning opportunities will help you build your theoretical studies into invaluable real-world skills.

In Year Three you have the opportunity (subject to availability) to study for one semester at a university overseas. For more information, see Exchanges and Study Abroad.

On December 24th 2020, the UK Government announced that as an outcome of Brexit negotiations, the United Kingdom would not be seeking to participate in the Erasmus+ successor programme.

From 2022/23 Queen Margaret University will no longer operate under the Erasmus+ scheme. Over the coming year we will be working with new and existing partners on study abroad and exchange opportunities for the 2022/23 academic year and beyond.

This course will equip you with skills in media content creation, research, writing and communication, as well as team work and management skills. These are important for a wide range of roles such as content creation, client liaison and creative entrepreneurship. You could work in the media industries, arts management, the cultural and creative sectors or communications industries. In addition, companies in a wider range of fields are constantly looking for fresh content; they want to tell their own stories and communicate compellingly through the media with their potential customers.

Scottish Higher: Standard - BBBB, Minimum - BBCC

A Level: BCC

Irish Leaving Certificate: H2 H2 H3 H3

International Baccalaureate: 28 points

International: IELTS of 6.0 with no element lower than 5.5

Required subjects: English or Media Studies preferred at Higher/A level or equivalent. English required and Maths preferred at Nat 5/GCSE.

Mature/Access: Related Access course, see: www.qmu.ac.uk/college-qualifications. We welcome applications from mature students with other relevant qualifications and/or experience.

Direct Entry:

Year Two

• HNC/HND in a related subject with B/CB in the graded unit
• Scottish Higher: BC at Advanced Higher in relevant subjects plus BB at Higher
• A Level: BBB in relevant subjects

Year Three

• HND in a related subject with CB in the graded units

For details of related HNC and HND courses, see: www.qmu.ac.uk/college-qualifications

N/A

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For more information, please see ‘How we teach and how you’ll learn’.

QMU. For more information, please see ‘External Review’ section on the ‘How we teach and how you’ll learn’ page.