BA (Hons) Digital Media, Culture and Communication Bachelor's degree at the University of York
BA (Hons) Digital Media, Culture and Communication at University of York. Rather than treating media as a single subject, the course draws together the study of culture, communication and technology, giving you a grounding in how digital platforms, networks and content shape everyday life, work and politics.
About this course
BA (Hons) Digital Media, Culture and Communication is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of York. It runs 3 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.
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)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 94% (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 7 modules
- Introduction to Media TechnologiesCore
- Story for Interactive MediaCore
- Living In Digital CulturesCore
- Introduction to Digital CultureCore
- Investigating Social ProblemsCore
- Theorising the Social WorldCore
- Academic IntegrityCore
Module details
Covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York. Defines academic integrity and academic misconduct, explains why and when you should reference source material and other people's work, provides interactive exercises to help you to assess whether you've understood the concepts and provides answers to FAQs and links to useful resources.
Year 2 12 modules
- Societies and the Climate CrisisCore
- Popular Culture, Media and SocietyCore
- Questioning Digital CulturesCore
- Digital Media, Power and Social ChangeCore
- User Experience DesignOptional
- Interactive Media and SocietyOptional
- Disability, Accessibility and Representation in the Creative IndustriesOptional
- Social Interactions and Conversation AnalysisOptional
- Body and SocietyOptional
- Gender Sexualities and InequalitiesOptional
- GUI Media: Aesthetics and Issues of the Digital ScreenOptional
- 3D ModellingOptional
Year 3 13 modules
- Creative ProjectCore40 credits
Module details
Specialist independent study module that will build on existing knowledge and allow students to design and develop research project work.
- AI in SocietyCore
- The Digital SelfOptional
- Business and Innovation in Digital EnterpriseOptional
- Gaming: Industry and CultureOptional
- Speculative DesignOptional
- Object Based MediaOptional
- Crime, Media and CultureOptional
- Talk at WorkOptional
- Morbidity, Culture and CorpsesOptional
- AI and its Application to Creative PracticeOptional
- Global Producing ContextsOptional
- The Future of Story: Storytelling in the Digital AgeOptional
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
The course is structured to move you from grounding to independence. You'll start with core theory, building a vocabulary for analysing media, culture and communication critically, before developing skills in research & methods so you can investigate digital phenomena systematically rather than anecdotally. Alongside this, applied practice gives you hands-on experience of producing and working with digital media content, connecting theoretical study to real production contexts. As you progress, you'll choose from specialist options such as areas of digital culture, communication or media that reflect particular interests, allowing you to shape the degree around your own priorities. The degree culminates in an independent project, where you take ownership of a substantial piece of research or practice from start to finish. Throughout, professional skills are woven in, helping you prepare for work or further study once you graduate.
Who it's for
This course suits people who are curious about how digital life actually works, not just the platforms and apps themselves, but the culture and communication patterns that grow up around them. If you find yourself questioning how social media shapes public debate, how algorithms influence what we see, or how digital tools change the way organisations and communities operate, you'll find plenty to engage with here. It's a good fit for those who enjoy reading and thinking critically as much as making things, since the course moves between theoretical analysis and applied, practical work. You should be comfortable with independent study, particularly as you move towards the final-year independent project, where you'll need to define and drive your own research or practice. Most entrants arrive with A-levels or equivalent, and the typical UCAS tariff among accepted students has been in the 128–143 range, though this reflects what students have held rather than a fixed requirement. Studying at York, you'd be joining a research-intensive Russell Group university with a substantial student community.
Careers & job market
Graduates of Media & Communications courses nationally tend to move into a range of digital, cultural and communication-related roles, though outcomes vary by individual and sector. National Graduate Outcomes data shows that, across Media & Communications courses, 90% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with 60% of working graduates in highly skilled roles or further study. Nationally, starting salaries (measured 15 months after graduation) for this field range from £22,000 to £28,000, though these figures describe the national graduate population for the subject area rather than any guaranteed outcome for a specific university's graduates. Looking further ahead, national LEO data shows earnings of £18,275 to £25,800 after three years and £22,525 to £31,800 after five years for this field. Separately, 85% of students on these courses nationally continue past their first year, either still enrolled or having completed their studies.
University & format
The University of York is a public, Russell Group university founded in 1963, with a total student body of 17,155. It holds a Gold award in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 for teaching quality and is. This BA (Hons) is studied full-time over three years, delivered in English, and carries the UCAS course code L391.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
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.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
Entry & how to get in
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
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 86% |
| another higher-education qualification | 7% |
| a previous degree | 4% |
| a foundation course | 2% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
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.
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.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code L391). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write 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.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results 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.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of York →For students who normally live in England
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.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
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.
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.
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
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in media & communications · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Media & Communications nationally
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.
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.
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.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Media companies
- Agencies
- In-house comms teams
- Broadcasters & charities
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Media & Communications graduates.
Media Operations, VP (Parental Leave Cover)WPP MediaMedia Relations ManagerCommonwealth War Graves CommissionMedia ManagerUS Tech SolutionsMedia Planning and Buying CoordinatorBurberryMedia Sales ExecutiveService ServiceMedia Planner/BuyerDifferent Technologies Pty Ltd.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.
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 9.1 out of 10: NSS 87% · continued 94%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of York
Media, journalism and communications across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around The University of York
739 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
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 University of York from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £26,900 / 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 University of York’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 University of York and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
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Common questions
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What do graduates earn?
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