BA (Hons) Digital Media · Keele UniversityBachelor's degree · 3 years
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Keele University · Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Digital Media Bachelor's degree at Keele University

BA (Hons) Digital Media at Keele University. Keele's Digital Media BA draws together research and creative practice. You'll develop practical skills in content creation and communication while building a grounding in creative arts theory.

BA (Hons)
Award
3
Years
Full-time
Study mode
85%
in work/study (15m)

About this course

Combine research and creative practice with a Digital Media BA at Keele University. Gain skills in content creation, communication and creative arts. Learn more. From the provider’s course page.

BA (Hons) Digital Media is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Keele University. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.

For Media studies graduates from this provider, 85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, typical earnings around £24,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)

For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Media & Communications, see the sections below.

Course evidence score

The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.

8.2
/ 10
Excellent
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Excellent85

Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Graduate outcomes
In work or further study 15 months after graduating
Excellent85

Stronger evidence Published sample: 2,045. Cohort 2021-22. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 85% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Strong75

Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 75% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Curriculum & modules

Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.

Modules 14 modules
  • Social Media Content CreationCompulsory
    Module details

    Introduces you to creating content for social media. You'll work as a team to respond creatively to an industry brief and devise content in a range of formats that will connect with audiences. You will analyse what makes social media content compelling, exploring contemporary applications from marketing and entertainment to self-expression, art, storytelling, and activism. You'll be introduced to professional practices and standards and develop skills in creative decision making, while developin

  • Understanding and Producing Digital MediaCompulsory
    Module details

    The role of digital media in contemporary politics and society is a hotly debated topic, and one that aspiring digital content producers need to be aware of. This module will allow you to think critically about the challenges and possibilities of a digital world and your place and responsibilities within it, enabling you to think critically and creatively about the social context for digital content production. The module provides a transition to University study by developing foundational study

  • Media IndustriesCompulsory
    Module details

    Introduces you to key tools you can use to analyse the social contexts, cultures, politics, and economics of media industries. From huge corporations to content creators, go behind the scenes to find out how media is produced, funded, regulated, distributed, and made across the globe. You will learn how media ownership, profit, and work are changing, and the role they play in shaping the media that gets made. The module further develops your academic skills needed for success in your degree.

  • Becoming a Cultural CitizenCompulsory
    Module details

    Provides you with the foundational tools and skills you need to develop your student profile. You will learn about the different pathways in your cultural or creative field while developing your own identity as a cultural critic, creative, and citizen. You will explore and map out your personal and professional development goals and plans, ensuring you make the most of your time at university and beyond. You will gain professional skills in communication and team working.

  • Popular Music & PlatformsOptional
    Module details

    Introduces key theoretical and practical aspects of popular music, exploring its socio-cultural context, functions, performers, markets, and scenes. It challenges cultural assumptions about sound and listening, examining popular culture, fandom, and sound recording. You will learn about music dissemination, consumption, and sharing on digital platforms, covering ethics, strategies, methodologies, and realities in today's music world.

  • Storytelling for ChangeCompulsory
    Module details

    Learn how to tell compelling and persuasive multimedia stories about the issues you care about. You will work with other students to analyse what makes multimedia stories impactful, exploring narrative structures, design concepts, storytelling applications, and interactive and transmedia elements. You will develop a nuanced understanding of the dynamics of storytelling across media forms and put this into practice. The module builds your project management skills in preparation for your final ye

  • Researching audiences and usersCompulsory
    Module details

    Understanding media audiences and users is fundamental to analysing how meaning is communicated and negotiated. This module provides you with the concepts and tools you need to understand how audiences interpret and participate in media. You will learn about the methods and approaches media researchers use to find out about audiences' perspectives and experiences while gaining hands-on audience research skills. If you would like to do an independent research project in your final year, this modu

  • Data and DesignCompulsory
    Module details

    Where data comes from and how it is put to work are important questions for today's digital designers and creators. In this module, you will explore the politics and power of 'datafication' and examine its opportunities and challenges. You will then put this knowledge into practice by developing your skills in socially conscious design. You will think about how to design creative digital media products and projects with awareness of the social, economic, and political questions of design justice

  • Pathways with Media: Developing Your ProfileOptional Core
    Module details

    Broadens your knowledge of the variety of career pathways open to you, enabling and enable you to identify, analyse, and showcase your degree skills and experiences effectively. Through completing and reflecting on problem-based tasks relating to different sectors, such as telling the story of a business, or writing a funding proposal to support a film festival, you will build your creative and collaborative skills and learn how to articulate them in ways that will be attractive to employers.

  • Promotional CulturesOptional
    Module details

    Why is brand culture so ubiquitous in how we understand ourselves and our society, and the way we live our lives? You'll investigate the histories and politics of marketing, advertising and consumerism, considering how and why promotional culture became such a key component of contemporary economies and societies. You'll think critically about the social and political impacts of brand culture, including environmental harm, exploitation, and inequality. You'll identify, discuss, and critically an

  • Digital Curation and HistoryOptional
    Module details

    Are you interested in learning how to display artefacts online and archive them digitally in order to capture and reveal their historical significance? Taught by historians, digital media specialists, and curators, this module develops your skills in historical interpretation and presentation for public and professional audiences. You'll acquire techniques for collecting, organising, and preserving information; you'll experiment with the best formats for storing and retrieving data; and you'll a

  • Digital Media ProjectCompulsory
    Module details

    Your project is the culmination of everything you've learned on your degree, where you'll have the freedom to develop a project on a topic of your choosing. You can select from two pathways: a research project or professional content creation. On both you'll develop independent project management skills. Guided by an expert supervisor, you'll be supported to communicate your ideas and content to high academic and professional standards, putting into practice what you've learned, showcasing your

  • Technologies and FuturesCompulsory
    Module details

    From smartphones to algorithmic social media feeds to generative AI, new technologies are inextricable from processes of economic, environmental, cultural, and political change. But should we believe claims that a new technology will revolutionise how we live, interact, or work? You'll examine the social impacts of emerging technologies, considering their effects on your own professional and creative practice. You'll think about how technologies could be developed in more ethical, socially benef

  • Memes, trends, and vibes: participatory social media culturesCompulsory
    Module details

    Where do social media trends come from and what can they tell us about the politics and culture of our time? You'll look in-depth at cultures of online participation, where marketers and users interact and contribute to the reproduction and circulation of content that promotes lifestyles and cultivates feelings or 'vibes'.

Year 2 1 modules
  • Professional Experience for MediaOptional Core
    Module details

    Offers you the chance to contribute to the world outside Keele either through completing a work placement, a project for a client (or a series of projects for different clients), or working as a team to deliver a successful festival or event. You will be trained to showcase your creative and collaborative skills and abilities effectively before applying for an opportunity advertised through the module (or you can source your own, subject to it meeting the module's requirements).

Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.

Course in depth

What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.

What you'll study

This course combines research and creative practice, building your skills in content creation, communication and the creative arts. You'll usually start with foundations in media theory, production techniques and how media industries operate. In Year 2, a typical course moves into digital cultures, research methods and practical specialisms such as journalism, PR & advertising, film & TV, social media, games & interactive work, or production portfolio development. By Year 3, you'll undertake specialist options, an industry project or placement, and either a written dissertation or a substantial media artefact that demonstrates your creative and analytical capabilities. Throughout, you'll develop both conceptual understanding and hands-on practice.

Who it's for

This course suits you if you're drawn to how media shapes meaning and culture, and you want to create work yourself rather than simply analyse it. You should be comfortable moving between theory and practice, thinking critically about media forms whilst learning the technical and conceptual tools to produce them. You'll thrive if you're self-directed during your independent project, enjoy collaborative work in workshops and studios, and are curious about how digital platforms are reshaping communication and creative expression. Prior experience in media production isn't essential, though a genuine interest in the field and willingness to experiment are.

Careers & job market

Graduates in Media & Communications find work across broadcasting, digital agencies, content production, public relations, and cultural institutions. Nationally, 90% of graduates from Media & Communications courses are in work or further study within 15 months. Among those working, 60% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing postgraduate study. National earnings data shows starting salaries (15 months post-graduation) typically range from £22,000 to £28,000, rising to £22,525–£31,800 after five years. Your individual trajectory depends on the specialism you pursue and the opportunities you pursue during and after your degree.

University & format

The BA (Hons) Digital Media is a full-time, 3-year degree awarded by Keele University, a university founded in 1949. Teaching is in English. The university holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, meaning your qualification is nationally recognised. Most recent entrants held A-levels or equivalent; the typical UCAS tariff among accepted students fell between 112 and 127 points.

Student satisfaction

How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.

The teaching on my course
93%
Learning opportunities
82%
Assessment and feedback
85%
Academic Support
96%
Organisation and management
72%
Learning resources
85%
Student voice
80%

Share of students responding positively.

Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Applicant information

The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.

Application timelineWhat happens next
  1. 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted

    Your application needs a reference before you can send it.

  2. 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  3. 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

  4. 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline

    18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.

Show 5 later dates
  1. 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens

    Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.

  2. 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers

    Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.

  3. 2027 entryClearing opens

    Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.

  4. 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  5. 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

Contextual offersPublished by this provider

Contextual Offer Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.

PlacementPublished placement option

Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.

Open daysOpen Days

See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.

Entry & how to get in

Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent90% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 112 - 127 pointsThe most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students. This is what entrants had, not a stated requirement.
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check Keele University's official course page for the current offer.

Who gets in

What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.

UCAS tariff of entrants

Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.

Qualifications held on entry

QualificationShare
A-levels or equivalent90%
another higher-education qualification10%

Entry & your chances

An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.

Offer-based entry

Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.

Will you get in? Plot your grades

Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.

Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.

Add your grades to see where you land

Your points will drop onto the distribution above, with an honest above / within / below read.

Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.

How to apply

Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.

Apply by13 January 2027, 18:00 UK timefor this course
Typical gradesBBBA-level equivalent admitted students held
UCAS codeP301quote this on your application
  1. 1
    Register on UCAS Hub

    Create your UCAS application and add this course (code P301). One application covers up to five choices.

  2. 2
    Write your personal statement

    A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.

  3. 3
    Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time

    UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.

  4. 4
    Reply to your offers

    When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.

  5. 5
    Results day & confirmation

    On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.

💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask Keele University whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.

Fees & funding

What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.

Tuition per year

Homeup to £9,790 / yr
Internationalset by the university

Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.

Check fees at Keele University →

For students who normally live in England

illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
£9,790tuition used per year, illustrative full-time England fee-cap scenario
illustrative borrowing over 3 years

2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.

Starting on or after 1 January 2027?

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.

Paying for it

  • Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
  • Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
  • Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
  • Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.

England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.

Funding matched to this course

Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for

All Keele University funding →
No verified named award is shown for this provider yet.

That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.

We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.

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Still deciding what to study?

StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.

Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check

Careers & earnings

What Media & Communications graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.

Graduate earnings: this course

WhenMedianTypical rangeGraduates
15 months after£24,500£22,000 – £28,0002045
3 years after£21,000£17,500 – £25,00030
5 years after£24,000£19,000 – £31,00035

Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 2,045. Cohort 2021-22.

Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course

85%
in work or further study 15 months on
75%
continue past their first year
  1. 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
  2. 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in media & communications · 2–5 yrs
  3. 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
  4. 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs

How pay grows: this course vs Media & Communications nationally

Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£24,500
£22,000 – £28,000
After 3 years LEO
£21,000
£18,275 – £25,800
After 5 years LEO
£24,000
£22,525 – £31,800
national rangethis course’s medianaxis £17,000 – £33,000

National figures for Media & Communications graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.

Work out your pay

Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.

What happened to 100 students?

Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.

85 of 100

were in work or further study

15 months after graduation

80% working10% working and studying0% in further study

Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 2,045. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.

Value compared with similar courses

How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Media & Communications courses at the same study level.

This course £24,000Peer median £26,500Middle 50% £24,000–£30,000
24th percentile

Compared with 541 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.

Job market & outlook

How Media & Communications graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.

90%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Media & Communications courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes
60%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled
85%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuation

How AI is changing the work

AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.

What AI takes off your plate

  • Routine information gathering
  • First-draft writing and summaries
  • Standard analysis and admin
  • Repetitive processing tasks

More human than ever

  • Judgement and original thinking
  • Working with and leading people
  • Owning and sense-checking AI output
  • Ethics and accountability

The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.

Roles & employers

Where Media & Communications graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.

Where they work

  • Media companies
  • Agencies
  • In-house comms teams
  • Broadcasters & charities

Is this course right for you?

The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.

💷

Student finance

For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.

📈

Where graduates go

85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.

🎯

Your entry chances

Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.

Official-data snapshot

Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.2 out of 10: NSS 84.7% · in work or study 85% · continued 75%.

Who studies here and in this subject?

Provider- and UK subject-level context.

Keele University

All students13,680
International8.5%
Aged 25+29%

Media, journalism and communications across the UK

Students47,255
Aged 25+18.5%

HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.

Local crime-data context

A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.

Around Keele University

88 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.

Violent Crime 35Anti Social Behaviour 18Burglary 9Public Order 8Other Theft 5

Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.

Is Media & Communications right for you?

Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.

International students

What applying to Keele University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.

Tuition fees

International tuition is set per course by Keele University; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.

English language

Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.

Student visa

You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.

Scholarships & funding

Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Keele University’s funding pages.

Living costs

Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.

Working while you study

A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.

Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Keele University and gov.uk before you apply.

Common questions

Entry is offer-based and set by the university. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 112 - 127 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
Set by Keele University. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
For Media studies graduates from this provider, 85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, typical earnings around £24,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
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