BA (Hons) Communications and Media Studies · RAIULBachelor's degree · 4 years
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Richmond, The American International University in London · Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Communications and Media Studies Bachelor's degree at Richmond, The American International University in London

BA (Hons) Communications and Media Studies at RAIUL. You'll develop knowledge across core theory, research methods and applied practice, alongside specialist options and an independent project.

BA (Hons)
Award
4
Years
Full-time
Study mode
85%
continuation

About this course

Media Studies within BA degree in Communications will focus on the role that television, cinema and new media holds in shaping current society. From the provider’s course page.

BA (Hons) Communications and Media Studies is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at RAIUL, based in Chiswick Park. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.

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
2 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Strong79

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)

Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Excellent85

Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 85% (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.

Year 1 (LEVEL 3) 7 modules
  • Fundamentals of English for Academic Writing and OracyCore
    Module details

    This course is designed to enable students to communicate effectively at university level. Students will be provided with input from a range of texts and audio from cross-cultural materials and practice fundamental research and writing and oracy skills. Students will become more familiar with the academic environment and its conventions through spoken and written production. With exposure to a range of academic texts, talks and digital skills, students will appreciate the role of academic integr

  • Tools for ChangeCore
    Module details

    In this course, students will be introduced to a range of foundational skills to aid in their progression and success at the University and allow them to begin the process of becoming collaborative and independent learners. These skills will be introduced through investigations of social and/or environmental issues in the local area, using group work and report writing. Students will be introduced to, and use, a range of digital platforms as aids to effective communication through professional a

  • Fundamentals of Research and WritingCore
    Module details

    This course concentrates on developing the students' ability to read and think critically, and to read, understand and analyse texts from a range of genres. How do you successfully negotiate a path through a sea of information and then write it up? Using essential information literacy skills to help with guided research, this course develops the ability to produce effective and appropriate academic writing across the curriculum.

  • Fundamentals of SociologyCore
    Module details

    This course provides the foundations of studying societies in a global context. It explores a range of sociological approaches from the micro-level of social identities and interactions to the macro-level of structures and processes. It introduces key theoretical frameworks to consider ways in which societies are maintained and changed, and how central social institutions like family, school, work, and media reinforce and challenge the status quo. Students will learn elements of social research

  • Fundamentals of Visual ThinkingCore
    Module details

    This course provides a grounding in the practice and theory of visual thinking. Through theoretical frameworks such as semiotics, the course explores the changing role of images in society from a range of cultures and contexts: the arts, politics, science, sport, design and technology. Students will consider digital forms of observation and image making through visual analysis and will build on this understanding through photographic practice. The course examines questions concerning curating, c

  • London CulturesOptional
    Module details

    This survey of London's history from the 17th century to the present foregrounds social and cultural history to help students engage with the metropolis as a catalyst for creativity, highlighting its evolving communities and global interconnectedness. Focusing on the lived experience of Londoners, students will examine how they shaped their city and forged new forms of expression related to identities of gender, race, social class and sexuality. Key areas of focus may include popular entertainme

  • Fundamentals of BusinessOptional
    Module details

    This module introduces students to the exciting world of business. It explores what businesses are, why they exist, and how they work. Students learn about different types of businesses, from small local shops to huge global companies. The course also looks at the people involved in businesses, what they do, and the challenges they face. This module students gives students a solid foundation for further study in business and management.

Year 2 (LEVEL 4) 4 modules
  • Introduction to Content CreationCore
    Module details

    This practical course introduces students to key aspects of contemporary media production through the creation of their own podcasts, short film and photographic essay. It focuses on the key skills of photography, audio and visual recording and editing using industry standard hardware and software. Students will learn and develop practical skills offering the opportunity to demonstrate creativity across a range of visual and sonic mediums. They will also be introduced to the history of visual an

  • Introduction to Communications and MediaCore
    Module details

    The course provides a comprehensive introduction to the evolution of mass media and communication in a constantly changing global landscape. Starting by looking at how this has evolved from physical forms such as print and broadcast to digital forms such as different iterations of the internet, social media and the use of AI. This will incorporate both production and consumption of media within industries such as advertising, public relations, journalism, television, film, music and gaming. Impo

  • Introduction to Intercultural CommunicationCore
    Module details

    Reflecting strongly the University's mission of unity in diversity, this course provides theoretical and practical understanding of the role communication plays within and between cultures to build cohesion and/or create division. It provides students with a strong sense of their own complex cultural identities before moving on to teach them the theories underlying the study of International Communication. There will be opportunities for practical applications of these theories in case studies,

  • Academic Research and WritingCore
    Module details

    This course is designed to develop students' critical research and writing skills to be effective in the academic and professional world. It focuses on principles of good scholarship and academic practice that will be required throughout university study.

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 degree focuses on the role television, cinema and new media play in shaping current society. You'll usually begin with foundations in media theories, audiences and representation, alongside practical production skills in camera, audio and editing. Year 1 also covers how broadcasting, publishing and digital platforms operate as businesses. As you progress, you'll typically move to digital cultures, social media and platforms, with options to specialise in streams such as Journalism, PR & advertising, Film & TV, Social media, Games & interactive, or Production portfolio. In your final year, you'll usually undertake specialist options, an industry project or placement with a media organisation, and a dissertation or major production piece.

Who it's for

You're drawn to how stories, images and digital platforms influence culture and behaviour. You think critically about what you watch and read, and want to understand the mechanisms behind media production and distribution. You're comfortable with both analytical writing and hands-on creative work. Studying media studies will suit you if you enjoy debate, can articulate complex ideas clearly, and want to explore a subject that connects theory to real-world industry practice.

Careers & job market

Nationally, 90% of Media and Communications graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 60% are in highly skilled roles or undertaking further study. Starting salaries typically fall between £22,000 and £28,000 annually; after five years, graduates earn between £22,525 and £31,800. These figures reflect the national Labour Force Survey for the field, not individual university outcomes.

University & format

Richmond, The American International University in London is a private university located in Chiswick Park. The BA (Hons) Communications and Media Studies is a 4-year full-time degree taught in English. The university is a recognised UK degree-awarding body and holds Bronze in the Office for Students' Teaching Excellence Framework (2023).

Student satisfaction

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

The teaching on my course
77%
Learning opportunities
73%
Assessment and feedback
91%
Academic Support
92%
Organisation and management
71%
Learning resources
78%
Student voice
73%

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.

Entry & how to get in

Typical offer (from the provider)The university’s course page lists a typical A-level offer of BBC. Always check the provider for the current offer and subject requirements.
Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent45% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 96 - 111 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 RAIUL'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 equivalent45%
Other40%
another higher-education qualification10%
a Baccalaureate5%

Entry & your chances

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

Accessible entry

Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.

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 gradesBCCA-level equivalent admitted students held
  1. 1
    Register on UCAS Hub

    Create your UCAS application and add this course. 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 RAIUL 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

Home£9,250 / yr
International£17,500 / yr

Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).

Check fees at RAIUL →

For students who normally live in England

illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
£9,250tuition used per year, published course home fee
illustrative borrowing over 4 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 RAIUL 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.

StudyKit · free

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 outcomes, 15 months on: this course

85%
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
£22,000 – £28,000
After 3 years LEO
£18,275 – £25,800
After 5 years LEO
£22,525 – £31,800
national rangeaxis £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

continued or completed

continued into the next year or completed their qualification

Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Published threshold met. Sample size is not included in this snapshot. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.

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

Published home tuition is £9,250/year for this course. 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.

🎯

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 79.3% · continued 85%.

Who studies here and in this subject?

Provider- and UK subject-level context.

Richmond, The American International University in London

All students1,165
International87.1%
Aged 25+16.3%

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 Chiswick Park

1,670 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.

Anti Social Behaviour 408Violent Crime 367Vehicle Crime 242Shoplifting 182Other Theft 141

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 RAIUL from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.

Tuition fees

International tuition is £17,500 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). 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 RAIUL’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 RAIUL and gov.uk before you apply.

Common questions

Entry is historically accessible, accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 96 - 111 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 RAIUL. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
See the career and earnings data for Media & Communications below (national Graduate Outcomes / LEO figures).
The published home tuition is £9,250 per year for this course. 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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