Minimum entry requirements

Required subjects

English language requirements

Other suitable qualifications

Selection process

 Programme overview

In today’s world, we are all media producers, distributors and consumers alike. In this spirit, our Media Studies programme combines the analysis of media industries, texts, technologies and audiences with hands-on skills in journalism, audiovisual media production, film-making, journalism, professional writing, advertising and public relations. 

• You will develop an in-depth knowledge of the production, distribution and consumption of modern media, including: 
• An understanding of mediated representations and communications and their impact on our lives 
• An understanding of the ways in which people engage with mediated texts and create meaning from them 
• An understanding of production processes and professional practices in the media and cultural industries 
• An awareness of critical theories of media and communication 
• An awareness of the economic forces which frame the media, cultural and creative industries, and the role of such industries in specific areas of contemporary political and cultural life 
• An insight into the constructions of aesthetic judgements 
• A knowledge of the legal and regulatory frameworks which affect media and cultural production, circulation and consumption 
• An understanding of how media shape communities and identities in a globalising world, from youth, sub and fan cultures to nation states 

The degree programme is based on a combination of core and optional modules in media theory and practice. This enables you to follow a degree pathway that matches your interests, whilst ensuring that you are equipped for the particular professional career you wish to pursue. 

Core modules are studied by all students on the  programme. On these modules you gain an insight into key skills, concepts and knowledge which you will draw on throughout your degree and thereafter. 

Optional modules in media theory have a particular focus on the study of different modern media and their social, cultural, political or economic impact. Media practice optional modules enable you to acquire hands-on skills, and allow you to establish the areas of media production that you most enjoy and would like to pursue professionally. 

In year 1 core modules include Media, Communication and Society, a broad introduction to the role of traditional mass media such as television, radio and newspapers in modern life, and Media in the 21st Century, which studies the emergence of new forms of (online) communication such as social networking, Web 2.0, mobile phones and the wider process of media convergence. Re:presenting Difference addresses representations of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, class, age and generation in social life and across different media, and Popular Culture and Everyday Life analyses different forms of modern entertainment, from blockbusters, celebrities, reality TV and popular music to media sports and their consumption. Finally, our first-year Research Methods module introduces students to the methods and techniques of conducting research during and beyond your degree programme. 

In year 2 and year 3 the number of core modules decreases as you can choose from a wide range of options. These modules allow you to develop specific interests in areas such as fans and audiences, media sport, crime and media, popular music, television entertainment, internet cultures, political communication and terrorism, media technologies, media industries, production studies and ethnicity, and globalisation and media. 

You will also further build practical skills by selecting options in various areas of media production.

 Programme structure

You will have the chance to develop your skills and experience in a work environment through the professional placement, which is optional for all of our students. This provides an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills you will have acquired during your first two years of study in a work environment. 

The process of preparing and applying for placement jobs will also significantly enhance your job-seeking skills, which will come into play in your final year when you apply for graduate employment. After graduation, some of our students take up permanent posts with their professional placement employer. 

Our students tend to return to their final year significantly more confident and with enhanced career aspirations and prospects, so you are likely to be more focused, perform better and achieve better results. 

Placements are selected according to your interests, career plans and location preferences. Some of our placements are paid, usually in the region of £12,000– £15,000 per annum. If you choose to take an unpaid placement, you can claim additional financial support and may also work a reduced amount of time. 

Examples of past professional placements undertaken by students on this degree programme include national and international television stations, radio stations, magazines, the record industry, independent film and television production, PR companies, marketing and advertising, social research organisations and educational establishments, as well as across other industry sectors.

 Graduate prospects

Graduates of this programme have successfully embarked on careers in magazine publishing, television production, media management, newspaper journalism, advertising, marketing and public relations, as well as a range of other careers in the public and private sectors.

 Career opportunities

Our degree in Media Studies provides you with a wide choice of future careers. You will study the processes of communication and mediation at the heart of contemporary economic, political, social and cultural transformations, preparing you for careers in many different industries and professions. 

If you aim to pursue a career in the media industry, you will benefit from the programme’s mix of theory, method and practice. It provides the knowledge base, analytical capacity and practical skills to succeed in professional media careers, from film and television production, journalism, broadcasting management and arts administration to advertising, event management and public relations. At the same time, our programme will equip you with essential transferable skills that are applicable in many careers beyond media and communication. 

Having a Media Studies degree from Surrey therefore also opens up possibilities for careers outside the media sector, such as management, teaching, research and a range of governmental, non-governmental and commercial roles.

Teaching

A wide variety of teaching styles supports your learning, with lectures, small tutorial groups, seminars and media production workshops. You will also undertake preparatory and wider reading (books, academic journals and newspapers), view materials (such as films and television programmes) and work on practice assignments.

Assessment

Your progress and the quality of your work are an important focus for us as we seek to ensure that you make the most of your time at Surrey. You will be assessed through a wide range of methods such as essays, seminar presentations, media production projects and exams. This combination of written and practical assessment is designed to demonstrate and develop your analytical, technical and creative strengths.