Media, Communication and Cultural Studies BA Honours

Clearing - How to apply

What is Clearing?

Each year, universities may have spaces left on their courses after the application window has closed in June.

UCAS Clearing is your opportunity to snap up one of these places, even if you didn't apply to the university prior to the June deadline.

It also gives you a second chance to go to university if you didn't get the grades you needed for your firm and insurance offers.

How do I get in touch?

Our Clearing entry requirements may differ from those advertised; contacting our friendly advisers is the best way to find out if you’re eligible for a place.

You can get in touch through live chat or our hotlines. Call us on 0800 073 5050, or if you’re an international student calling from outside the UK, call: +44 191 222 5000.

Not available in Clearing

This course is not available in Clearing 2024.

This means there are no spaces available for Clearing 2024. If you can't find vacancies in your original course or subject area, try exploring other subjects in a related field.

Search our courses in Clearing

Course overview

This three-year Media, Communication and Cultural Studies degree focuses on developing your professional skills. You'll also be encouraged to explore how media influences our culture, societies and identity, so you're ready for a career in the industry. 

Your learning is led by our renowned team of academics who are always exploring new ideas and methods to ensure your degree is of the highest quality. Their research feeds into your learning in areas such as: 

• journalism
• public relations
• marketing and advertising

You will explore the generation, circulation and production of information through media, communication and culture, so that you can find your own area of interest. 

You'll graduate as a highly skilled media professional, ready for a career across a variety of areas through the varied topics studied throughout your degree. 

Download information about this course as a PDF

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions  
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Quality and ranking

Professional accreditation and recognition

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body.

Modules and learning

Modules

The information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Most degrees are divided into stages. Each stage lasts for one academic year, and you'll complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each stage. 

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Optional module availability
Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions

You'll explore the role the media plays in shaping culture, identity and interpersonal communications. You will study modules in areas such as media studies, social and cultural studies, marketing communication and promotional practices and multimedia communication. You will also develop critical skills in media, communication and cultural studies.

Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Media Studies	20
Critical Skills	20
Social and Cultural Studies	20
Marketing Communication & Promotional Practices	20
Multimedia Communication	20
Journalism: Pasts, present and future	20

You'll be introduced to theoretical perspectives on media and culture. You'll learn about the process and practice of researching media and culture.

A wide range of optional modules allow you to focus in more depth on areas of particular interest to you, such as: gender; race; digital media; public relations; journalism and celebrity culture.

Modules

Compulsory modules	Credits
Media Fusions: Creative and Collaborative Projects	20
Intersectional Approaches in Media & Cultural Studies	20
Advertising and Consumption	20
Research Design and Practice	20

You will also choose 40 credits from the following list

Optional modules	Credits
Introduction to Public Relations	20
Race, Culture and Identity	20
Sex, Sexuality and Desire	20
Popular Culture and Speculative Futures	20
Conflict and Crisis Reporting	20
Popular Music and Media	20
Career Development for second year students	20

You have the chance to put the knowledge and skills from Stages 1 and 2 into practice in Stage 3, undertaking a dissertation that focuses on a specific area of media, communication and culture.

A wide range of optional modules allow you to focus in more depth on areas of particular interest to you, such as: gender; race; youth culture; digital media; public relations; political communication; advertising; journalism and magazine publishing; celebrity culture and fashion.

Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Media Research Dissertation	40

Optional Modules	Credits
Introduction to Public Relations	20
Race, Culture and Identity	20
Journalism Practice for Digital Audiences	20
Sex, Sexuality and Desire	20
Conflict and Crisis Reporting	20
Magazine Publishing	20
Youth, Identity and Contemporary Media	20
Fashion, Communication and Culture	20
Global Public Relations	20
Storytelling and Collective Psychology	20
Power, Politics and Communication	20
Music, Politics and Policy	20
Career Development for final year students	20

Information about these graphs

We base these figures and graphs on the most up-to-date information available to us. They are based on the modules chosen by our students in 2023-24.

Teaching time is made up of:

• scheduled learning and teaching activities. These are timetabled activities with a member of staff present.
• structured guided learning. These are activities developed by staff to support engagement with module learning. Students or groups of students undertake these activities without direct staff participation or supervision

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methods

Teaching is through lectures, seminars, and regular one-to-one tutorials.

In Year 3 you undertake a research project that accounts for one third of your time.

Assessment methods

You'll be assessed through a combination of:

• 

  Assessments

• 

  Dissertation or research project

• 

  Essays

• 

  Portfolio submission

• 

  Practical sessions

• 

  Presentations

Skills and experience

Practical skills

You can get involved in Newcastle University's award-winning and highly active student media scene, where you can further build on the skills you've learned as part of your degree, with opportunities to work for The Courier, our weekly newspaper, or join our fast-growing student radio and television stations. You will also have the chance to meet PR industry experts.

Research skills

You'll undertake a Media dissertation in the final year of your degree. This gives you the chance to demonstrate your learned knowledge and develop your techniques and understanding around independent, in-depth research.

You will also learn from our expert staff who are at the forefront of the discipline. Our staff's research themes include:

• media and cultural theory
• digital communication and cultures
• feminism, post-colonialism and neoliberalism
• media, journalism and popular culture
• intimacy, sexuality, family, childhood and education
• public relations, advertising and promotional culture
• media ethics

Opportunities

Study abroad

Experience life in another country by choosing to study abroad as part of your degree. You’ll be encouraged to embrace fun and challenging experiences, make connections with new communities and graduate as a globally aware professional, ready for your future.

You can choose the student exchange module in your second year. This will allow you to spend the first semester of second year on a student exchange. 

Students wishing to spend a year abroad as part of their degree can do so in consultation with, and at the discretion of the Degree Programme Director. This is mutually exclusive with the option in Stage 2 for a semester abroad, and is also subject to a threshold of at least 60% in the overall Stage 1 average.

Find out more about study abroad

Work placement

Get career ready with a work placement and leave as a confident professional in your field. You can apply to spend 9 to 12 months working in any organisation in the world, and receive University support from our dedicated team to secure your dream placement. Work placements take place between stages 2 and 3.

You'll gain first-hand experience of working in the sector, putting your learning into practice and developing your professional expertise.

If you choose to take a work placement, it will extend your degree by a year. Your degree title will show you have achieved the placement year.  Placements are subject to availability.

Find out more about work placements.

Facilities and environment

Facilities

As a student of Media, Journalism and Film Practice at Newcastle University, you will join a vibrant community in the School of Arts and Cultures' Media, Culture, Heritage department. 

You will be based in the Armstrong Building and Film@CultureLab, right at the heart of our city-centre campus. You'll be close to all of Newcastle University's amenities, as well as being just a five-minute walk to Newcastle's main street, Northumberland Street. 

You'll have access to:

• professional-standard video and audio equipment, studio space and AV-editing facilities
• specialist computing facilities, including industry-standard software, such as Adobe Creative Suite
• a mobile studio suite

Support

You'll have the support of an academic member of staff as a personal tutor throughout your degree to help with academic and personal issues.

You will also benefit from the expert knowledge and skills of our dedicated team of technicians based in Culture Lab.

Peer mentors will help you in your first year. They are fellow students who can help you settle in and answer any questions you have when starting university.

Your future

Graduates from our Media, Communication and Cultural Studies degree have gone on to work in media-focused roles across a range of industries for organisations such as:

• The Financial Times
• Buzzfeed
• Pickle Jar Communications
• Royal Bank of Scotland
• St James's Place Wealth Management
• Northern Powergrid
• Daily Mail

Careers in public relations, journalism, media planning, social media management and content creation, broadcasting and advertising are the most popular choices for graduates. Our courses focus on the communication of information across a broad range of subjects from the highly practical to the theoretical, so you'll be beneficial to any organisation.

You will develop a variety of skills that are extremely useful for employment, such as critical analysis, research, teamwork, flexibility, a creative and independent approach to tasks and the ability to work to a brief and meet deadlines.

Make a difference

Sorry, you need JavaScript to view this video

Careers support

A portfolio of work is crucial if you wish to work in the media industry, and we've plenty of opportunities for you to develop this. We have an award-winning student newspaper, university radio and television stations, as well as links with local media outlets.

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Tuition fees and scholarships

Tuition fees for 2025 entry (per year)

The 2025 home fees have not yet been confirmed (see ‘Home Fee Students’ information below).

Qualification: BA Honours
Home students full time 3 years	Tuition fees (per year) Not set
International students full time 3 years	Tuition fees (per year) 23800

Home Fee Students

Home students starting in 2024 entry
£9,250 is the maximum fee that we are currently permitted to charge for home fee-paying students. This is set by the UK government.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Home students starting in 2025 entry

In November 2024 the government increased the maximum fee level to £9,535 for 2025/26. It is expected that Parliament will approve the Government’s proposed increase in January and we intend to confirm our Home fees at this higher level following this.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

 

Read more about fees and funding

International Fee Students

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Read more about fees and funding

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our undergraduate scholarship page for more information.

Year abroad and additional costs

For programmes where you can spend a year on a work placement or studying abroad, you will receive a significant fee reduction for that year. 

Some of our degrees involve additional costs which are not covered by your tuition fees.

Scholarships

Find out more about:

• scholarships for UK, EU and international students
• Student Loans and Government financial support for UK and EU students

How to apply

Apply through UCAS

To apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle University, you must use the online application system managed by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). All UK schools and colleges, and a small number of EU and international establishments, are registered with UCAS. You will need:

• the UCAS name and institution codes for Newcastle University (NEWC/N21)
• the UCAS code for the course you want to apply for
• the UCAS 'buzzword' for your school or college

If you are applying independently, or are applying from a school or college which is not registered to manage applications, you will still use the Apply system. You will not need a buzzword.

Apply through UCAS

Apply through an agent

International students often apply to us through an agent. Have a look at our recommended agents and get in touch with them.

Visit our International pages