Media, Culture and Society

Description

How does the media shape social and cultural life? What is media power and who wields it? How do the creative industries work? How have digital and internet cultures transformed personal and networked interactions? What is the relationship between the media, mass politics and governance? How are consumer cultures changing? Our BA Media, Culture and Society addresses these kinds of pressing contemporary questions and is taught by staff in our Department of Sociology, one of the UKs leading departments for social science and cultural analysis.

In your first year, you take four modules: Introduction to Media, Culture and Society, which offers a critical overview of the emergence and analysis of mass media cultures; Sociology and the Modern World which explores how social scientists have theorised major social changes; Researching Social Life which offers an introduction to different research methods; and Introduction to Film, which provides a grounding in film studies.

We teach through large-group lectures and smaller-group seminars and classes. You contribute in many ways, for example, by analysing set readings, giving presentations or completing research tasks. Some modules have their own websites where you can download powerpoints and podcasts, and contribute to online discussions.

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 11950 Year (Non-EEA)

• English

Course Content

In your first year all your modules are compulsory. For BA Media, Culture and Society your optional modules can be chosen from within our Department of Sociology in your second and third year. There is a great deal of choice for these optional modules due to the extensive range of modules offered by our departments.
With a small number of exceptions, if you successfully complete the first year of your BA, then you are qualified to enter the second year of that course and a range of other courses: for example, if you take economics, politics, philosophy and sociology, then you have a choice of at least nine possible single or joint honours courses at the end of your first year. This means you can change your course, providing you have taken the appropriate pre-requisites and places are available.
During your second and third year you will have 90 credits of compulsory modules and you will take a further 30 credits of optional modules. In your final year you will write a dissertation worth 30 credits as part of your compulsory element.
We operate a credit framework for our awards, which is based on principles widely used across the UK university sector. Each module has a credit rating attached and our standard three-year course consists of 360 credits (120 credits in your first year, and 240 credits across your second and final years).
Please note that module information on our course finder provides a guide to course content and may be subject to review on an annual basis.

Year 1

Introduction to Media, Culture and Society;
Sociology and the Modern World;
Researching Social Life 1; and
Introduction to Film

Year 2

New Media and Contemporary Cultural Change;
Continuity and Controversy in Sociology;
Researching Social Life 2; and
one media studies option

Year 3

Mass Media and Modern Life;
Current Disputes in Sociology;
Research Project; and
one sociology or media option

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

• A-levels: ABB-BBB
• GCSE English: C
• IB: 32-30 points (we consider IB certificates at the Higher Level on a case-by-case basis)
• BTEC qualifications, in relevant disciplines, will be considered on an individual basis, depending on the units studied. The standard required is generally at Distinction level.
• Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 6 level three credits at distinction and the remainder at merit (or above) or achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 45 level three credits at merit (or above).

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall with minimum 5.5 in each component (or equivalent). Different requirements apply for second year entry.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Essex.

Funding

For up-to-date information on funding opportunities at Essex, please visit: www.essex.ac.uk/studentfinance.