What I found most valuable was the ability to learn directly from lecturers who are leaders in their field.
One of the reasons I chose to come to Surrey was because the degree programme was very highly ranked within the university league tables for my discipline.
In a digital and globalising age, how are media changing? How do such developments relate to the role of popular music, television, film, magazines and other forms of culture in contemporary individual and social life? In what ways do media and culture connect to broader social trends, norms and divisions?
This is an innovative and challenging degree programme that offers the chance to investigate the role of media and culture in the contemporary social world.
During the twentieth century, media such as television, radio, cinema and newspapers became central to everyday life. The generation of new digital and mobile forms of communication – from multichannel interactive television and the iPod to Facebook and Twitter – is further transforming the cultural fabric of daily life in twenty-first-century societies.
Your study covers digital, online and mobile media technologies, as well as the evolution of established forms of communication, including broadcast and print media. You also consider a range of high and popular forms of culture, from pop music and youth cultural styles to more elite forms of art.
You combine this specialist examination of media and culture with a broader sociological appreciation of the way that contemporary societies work, including core social theory and methods modules and a rich and varied set of options covering different aspects of social life.
On completing this degree, you will have a rigorous grounding in social science and an up-to-date understanding of contemporary media and culture, applicable to a wide range of careers, including in media, research, public relations, marketing and beyond.
Our degree programme offers an analysis of the relationships between media, culture and society, covering a range of contemporary media forms, including television, radio, print media, cinema, popular music, advertising, the internet and mobile communications. You benefit from the opportunity to combine this particular focus upon contemporary media and culture with a thorough grounding in social theory and invaluable hands-on training in the use of qualitative and quantitative methods.
Year 1 combines an introduction to the study of media and popular culture with modules in sociological theory and research methods.
Core modules:
In Year 2, you study media and culture through the core modules Media, Power and Control, and Analysing Media. You also extend your understanding of social theory and methods. You are then able to specialise by choosing four options from a wide range of modules covering different areas of media and culture, as well as the broader study of contemporary societies.
Core modules:
Optional modules:
You have the chance to develop your skills and experience in a work environment through our Professional Training placement year, which is optional for all of our students during their third year. This provides an opportunity to apply all the knowledge and skills you have acquired during your first two years of study in a work environment.
In Year 3, the dissertation enables you to conduct an in-depth research project on a topic of your choice. You also choose five specialist options from an extensive and varied list which currently includes the study of popular music, youth cultures, fans, cultural industries, globalisation and media, and media and crime, alongside a range of modules from across the discipline of sociology, which offers you the opportunity to focus upon topics such as deviance, sexuality, ethnicity, education, work, childhood and health.
Core modules:
Optional modules:
You have the chance to develop your skills and experience in a work environment through the Professional Training placement year, which is optional for all of our students during their third year. This provides an opportunity to apply all the knowledge and skills you have acquired during your first two years of study in a work environment. Placement 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. After graduation, many of our students take up permanent posts with their professional placement employer. Examples of past professional placements undertaken by students within the Department of Sociology include radio stations, record companies, marketing companies, public relations, computer companies, social research organisations and educational establishments.
The process of preparing and applying for placement jobs also significantly enhances your job-seeking skills, which come into play in your final year and beyond when you apply for graduate employment. After graduation, many 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 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 within the Department of Sociology include radio stations, record companies, marketing companies, public relations, computer companies, social research organisations and educational establishments.
Teaching is oriented towards the development of your practical and analytical skills, as well as theoretical awareness and understanding. You develop sophisticated skills in the use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods as a means to analyse media, culture and society. You benefit from a range of teaching methods including small group tutorials and workshops, as well as lectures, classes and occasional screenings. The programme also utilises online module guides, a virtual notice board and student discussion facilities.
Most modules are assessed by a combination of coursework and examinations, but some are entirely coursework-based. Examples of coursework include essays, projects and exercises related to media analysis or other kinds of social research. Each module in the first year must be passed satisfactorily in order to enter the second year. Your final degree result is based on assessment during the second year and the final year.
The Media, Culture and Society degree programme prepares you for the wide range of careers which require the ability to analyse complex issues and to reach sound conclusions. As a graduate of our degree, you have excellent analytical and research skills, are numerate and able to communicate well. You have also gained a particular understanding of the media industries, something which will provide a valuable initial grounding if you wish to move towards media-related careers.
If you have completed the Professional Training year, you are liable to be viewed particularly favourably by employers, having skills and experience that graduates of courses elsewhere may not. About a quarter of students in the Department of Sociology go on to postgraduate study.
Our degree programme prepares you for the wide range of careers which require the ability to analyse complex issues and to reach sound conclusions. You gain an understanding of media and related industries which provides you with valuable grounding if you wish to move towards media, research, PR or marketing-related careers.
Find out more about the Department of Sociology.
Come to one of our Open Days, when you can tour the campus, speak to students and academic staff, see our student accommodation and ask as many questions as you like. In the meantime, order a personal prospectus – tailored to only include the subjects that interest you.
GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade C or above (or equivalent).
Offers are normally made in terms of grades. Suitable candidates will be invited to an Applicant Day. During the visit to the University the candidate can find out more about the programme and meet staff and students.
Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each sub-skill (or equivalent).
We offer intensive English language pre-sessional courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.
| Award | Course Length | Professional Training | UCAS code | KIS code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSc (Hons) | 3 years | LP34 | View KIS data set | |
| BSc (Hons) | 4 years | LP3I | View KIS data set |
We offer a range of bursaries, scholarships and other financial support.
See course information for students applying to start in September 2013.
Phone: +44 (0)1483 681 681
