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Media, Society and Culture BA

3-4 years

Media and society have a complicated relationship. Why is this? It’s an increasingly important question, and one you’ll tackle through in-depth study of the key debates and theories that underpin it.

Media, Society and Culture BA, 3-4 years

Media and society have a complicated relationship. Why is this? It’s an increasingly important question, and one you’ll tackle through in-depth study of the key debates and theories that underpin it.

Start date:

2025

Course information

Typical offer ABB

UK fee £9,250

UCAS code PL33

International fee £19,700

Institute code L34

Taught by Media and Communication

National Student Survey logo

Ranked in the top 20 for subjects aligned to Media and Communication for ‘overall positivity’ in the NSS 2024 (according to Times Higher Education NSS 2023 methodology applied to the NSS 2024 data).

Complete University Guide

Top 15 in the UK for Communication and Media Studies (Complete University Guide 2025)

Course description

Course description

Our BA in Media, Society and Culture is for those with a deep interest in the media but who are also keen to explore wider sociological questions, and who want to develop knowledge and skills relevant to jobs outside, as well as inside, the media arena.

There is no better city than Leicester to explore fundamental sociological concepts such as ethnicity, migration and social class. The University has been at the forefront of media and sociology research, with over 100 years of combined expertise in these subjects. This course has been designed to make the most of that expertise. We are ranked as one of the top 15 places in the UK to study Communication and Media Studies*.

You will learn about a range of interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of media and social issues and will obtain the ability to apply these to contemporary issues and debates. We offer a diverse range of optional modules from both media and sociology, allowing you to tailor your degree to your personal interests.

Our supportive and stimulating learning environment will help you to develop the ability to work independently and will foster skills in critical analysis, communication, research methods, group work and employability.

*The Complete University Guide 2021

  • NB. This course was previously named Media and Society BA

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

  • A/AS-levels: ABB. All subjects accepted. Two AS-levels considered in place of one A-Level
  • EPQ with A-levels: BBB + EPQ at grade B
  • Access to HE Diploma: Pass Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3, including 30 credits at Distinction
  • International Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 30 points overall.
  • BTEC Nationals: Full Diploma with DDM
  • T-Levels: Distinction, Humanities subjects preferred.

Other official national and international qualifications considered from across the world. You can review some of the qualifications we accept on our countries page and English Language equivalencies.

If your qualification or country is not listed, please contact us for more information, including the name and result of the qualification you have studied.

Second Year Entry may be possible with suitable qualifications.

Contextual offers

The University of Leicester is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all applicants from all backgrounds. We make contextual offers to support students who may be impacted by the area they live in, their personal circumstances or who have completed one of our progression programmes. These offers are usually one or two grades lower than the standard entry requirements. To qualify for a contextual offer, you must apply for an eligible course and meet specific criteria – check if you’re eligible.

Selection Process

When considering your application, we will look for evidence that you will be able to fulfil the objectives of the course and achieve the standards required. We will take into account a range of factors including previous exam results.

Applicants are not normally interviewed. If you receive an offer you will be invited to visit the department.

English Language Requirements

IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.

International Qualifications

Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.

Countries list

Fees and funding

Fees and funding

UK Students

Starting in 2025

  • £9,250 in your first year. Tuition fees are subject to government regulations and may change in future years
  • Year Abroad: your fee will be £1,385 for that year

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

International Students

Starting in 2025

  • £19,700 per year
  • Year Abroad: £4,925 which is 25% of the full-time tuition fee

If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.

If you are an EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, you may qualify for the UK fee (subject to criteria).

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

Careers and employability

Careers and employability

We run employability and media production modules as part of our curriculum – e.g. 'The Production of News' and 'Online Journalism: Theory and Practice'.

Our students are encouraged to get involved in the student-run media on campus, including Galaxy - our student magazine, LUST - our student TV station, and LUSH Radio - our student radio station.

We organise external speaker events, industry visit days, career development training and other initiatives in collaboration with local and national media organisations, giving you valuable insights into the professional media world.

In addition, our departmental Careers Tutor can support and advise you on careers matters throughout your time with us.

Graduate destinations

Recent graduates have gone on to work for companies such as:

  • American Express
  • Artavia Advertising
  • BBC
  • City Index
  • E.ON Energy
  • Gogglebox Entertainment
  • HMRC
  • Lloyds Bank
  • Sky Media
  • Transport for London
  • Web Liquid Digital Marketing 

Others have gone on to further study in the following fields:

  • Broadcast Journalism
  • Journalism
  • Marketing
  • Cinema and Television
  • International Relations

Careers and Employability Service


Get career-ready at Leicester with guidance from our award-winning Careers and Employability Service. We're here to give you a lifetime offer of support, even after graduation. Our team of specialist careers advisers and mentors will help you every step of the way. From supporting you with CVs and interviews, to volunteering opportunities and placements, we're here to help you reach your professional goals.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals

We are committed to providing skills and knowledge to help prepare you tackle global challenges. We have mapped our undergraduate degrees for learning which aligns to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This degree includes learning which relates to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

Find out more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Course structure

Year 1

Year 1

By the end of your first year you should have a good grasp of the key facets of the media-society relationship and knowledge of the ways societies develop and change.

Modules

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year 2

Year 2

In your second year you will have more flexibility to choose the option modules that interest you the most. Over the course of the year you will study the key research methods and approaches used for analysing media content, media organisations and media audiences, and you will gain advanced knowledge of doing social research and studying sociological topics and theories.

Core modules

Option modules

Choose two option modules from:

Then choose two option modules from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year Abroad (optional)

Year Abroad (optional)

We’ll make sure you have everything you need for your future career: not just by awarding you a high quality degree, but also by helping you to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to make your mark in the world as a Citizen of Change. One way you can do this is by opting to take a Year Abroad between Years 2 and 3 of your degree.

Studying abroad is not just for people who are interested in travelling and meeting new people. It is about acquiring life skills that are becoming increasingly significant for a wide range of jobs in our modern globalised society. Whether you go on to a career in the private, public or third sector - or plough your own furrow as an entrepreneur – you will find the experience invaluable.

For more information, including a list of destinations, please visit our Study Abroad website.

Please note

  • A year spent abroad still incurs a tuition fee, but this is much lower than for a normal year at Leicester. See the Fees and Funding tab of this page for details.
  • You may be eligible for a travel grant from Student Finance England.
  • Places are offered on a competitive basis, and eligibility is dependent on your academic performance in Years 1 and 2.
  • Language courses, at beginners or advanced level, are available through our Languages at Leicester scheme.

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Final year

Final year

In your final year, half of your time will be spent studying media and the other half sociology. You'll be able to choose from a wide range of optional modules in these subjects.

You will choose one main piece of work from the following:

Option modules

Choose one Media option module from:

Plus one Media option module from:

Plus one Sociology option module from:

From the following Sociology modules, you will then choose one option module if you selected the Dissertation (Media Studies) or two option modules if you chose to do the Research Project or Real World Research:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Why Leicester?

Talking to guest speakers gave Anant the confidence to pursue his career.

Media and Communication at Leicester

The academic staff in the department have written or edited dozens of books and publish regularly in major national and international journals. Where other people only get to read what our experts think, you will be working directly with them, learning from them in lectures and questioning them in seminars.

Teaching and learning

Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, screenings, various practical activities and assessments, and one-to-one supervision. All teaching is by subject specialists and teaching methods are adapted to suit the aims and objectives of each module.

In your first year you will have additional workshops around study skills, essay writing and preparing for exams. A variety of teaching approaches are employed in the second and third year depending on the modules you take. For example, teaching in film studies incorporates film screenings, group work and student presentations based on detailed research on a chosen film topic. One-to-one teaching is an important feature of the degree. In your third year your dissertation work will be supervised by a subject-specialist. You will be allocated a personal tutor whose job is to provide you with pastoral and academic support throughout the programme.

Modules are assessed by a combination of essays, exams, reviews and presentations. You will complete a 10,000 word dissertation or research project in your third year.

You will have regular meetings with your Personal Tutor to discuss progress in your studies. Your Personal Tutor will also provide a sympathetic ear for all matters of personal concern, whether they be academic, financial, housing, career or social issues.

Independent learning

When not attending lectures, seminars or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. To help with your independent learning, you can access the Library and our social study spaces in halls of residence.

Your contact hours will depend on the option modules you select. You can see details of the contact hours on individual module pages.

Academic support

Our Centre for Academic Achievement provides help in the following areas:

  • study and exam skills
  • academic writing
  • presentations
  • dissertations
  • numerical data skills
  • referencing sources

Our AccessAbility Centre offers support and practical help for students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties, including physical, mental health or mobility difficulties, deafness, or visual impairment.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. PhD research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader. Our teaching is informed by the research we do. You can learn more about our staff by visiting our staff profiles.

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Course Qualification Duration UCAS Code Availability
Course Media, Society and Culture Qualification BA Duration 3 years full-time UCAS Code PL33 Availability How to apply
Course Media, Society and Culture with Year Abroad Qualification BA Duration 4 years full-time UCAS Code PL33 Availability How to apply

Data about this course

student smiling in class

My degree has a wide variety of module choices, which has allowed me to explore and critically analyse different media platforms and texts, from British newspapers to K-Pop.

Brad

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