Media and Communication with Foundation Year

Media and Communication is the study of how information, culture and meaning flow through the systems of press, broadcasting, digital platforms and public discourse that shape our understanding of the world. It is a discipline that asks fundamental questions about who controls those systems, whose voices are amplified and whose are silenced, and what the social, political and cultural consequences of different media environments are. These are not abstract questions: they bear directly on how democratic societies function, how identities are formed, and how power is exercised and contested.

At Birmingham City University, this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, widening access to the discipline for students who benefit from additional academic preparation before engaging with the full degree curriculum. You will explore how media is made, who makes it, how it is consumed, and whose interests it serves, developing both critical and practical skills across a range of media contexts. The programme examines journalism, broadcasting, digital media, advertising, public relations and media regulation, developing analytical frameworks alongside an understanding of the professional contexts in which media is produced.

Birmingham's position as a major city with a rich media and creative sector provides relevant professional connections.

Graduates of Media and Communication programmes move into careers in journalism, broadcasting, public relations, marketing, digital content, policy, research, and the creative industries. Many also work in the public and charitable sectors, where communication skills and media literacy are increasingly important. The critical thinking and communication abilities the degree develops are valued across a wide range of professional contexts.

Some graduates pursue postgraduate study in media, journalism, communication, or cultural studies, deepening their specialism or moving into research.