Media and Communication with Foundation Year

This is a Connected Degree

Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.

Overview

With our BA (Hons) Media and Communication with Foundation Year degree course, you'll dive deep into the inner workings of media: its present and future, its pivotal role in how we communicate and perceive the world, and the networking industries and institutions that structure communication.

Experience the many facets of media communication, from its underpinning theories and marketing functions to hands-on media production. The course has award-winning expert researchers and film producers teaching it, strong industry links in TV, film and journalism, and chances to intern in fascinating areas of the media industries, so you’re always learning the current and best practices in academia and professional practice.

You'll gain a flexible range of specialist skills that will allow you to pursue careers in film and TV production, camera departments, sound recording and post production. You can also sidestep into journalism, scriptwriting, advertising, marketing, or public relations.

Foundation year

If you're new to studying media or don’t meet the required grades for the full degree course, our Foundation Year will bridge that gap. You'll expand your knowledge of media and communication and develop the preparatory skills you'll need for entry into Year 1.

If you have the required grades, you can skip the Foundation Year and start at Year 1.

Course highlights

• Shape your course from second year, choosing optional modules that meet your speciality and career ambitions

• Build your industry experience by taking a one-year placement – either with a company or self-employed

• Familiarise yourself with professional equipment and facilities used widely in media production – including multi-camera television studios, industry-level film and cinematic cameras, and innovative colour correction hardware

• Expand your professional network and knowledge by attending guest lectures by visiting professionals

• Enhance your collaboration and team-working skills by working with students from other courses and schools in the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries

• Demonstrate your technical proficiency to potential employers by achieving industry-recognised Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) qualifications

Careers and opportunities

Media communication is a staple of every industry. When you graduate with a Media and Communication degree, you'll become a vital, versatile asset for any employer and any field.

Graduate areas

You'll be able to work in areas such as:

• post-production

• film and TV directing

• scriptwriting

• marketing

• advertising

• journalism

You can also go into freelancing.

Graduate roles

Job roles you'll be suitable for include:

• PR and communications officer

• social media assistant

• assistant editor

• visual media co-ordinator

• TV researcher

• camera assistant

• first or second assistant director

• sound and vision engineer

• film/video producer

• stills photographer

• production manager

When you finish the course, our Careers and Employability service can help you find a job that puts your skills to work in the industry. After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years as you advance in your career.

Foundation Year
Core modules in this year include:

• Academic Skills (20 credits)
• Introduction to Filmmaking (20 credits)
• Introduction to Production Skills (20 credits)
• Media in Context (20 credits)
• Writing for the Media: Creative Writing (20 credits)
• Writing for the Media: Journalism (20 credits)

There are no optional modules in this year.

Year 1
Core modules in this year include:

• Future Production (20 credits)
• Global Screens (20 credits)
• Introduction to Media Studies (20 credits)
• Post Production - Editing (20 credits)
• Understanding Film Production (20 credits)
• Writing for the Film and Tv Industries (20 credits)

There are no optional modules in this year.

Year 2
Core modules in this year include:

• Film Production Practices (20 credits)
• Finding Form - Fiction (20 credits)
• Media Networks: Exploring Digital Culture (20 credits)

Optional modules in this year include:

• Broadcast Radio and Podcasting (20 credits)
• Comic Book Industries (20 credits)
• Engaged Citizenship Through Interdisciplinary Practice (20 credits)
• Factual Media Production (20 credits)
• Film and Ethics (20 credits)
• Film Curation (20 credits)
• Film Sound Production (20 credits)
• Production: Camera and Editing (20 credits)
• Production: Short Film-Making (20 credits)
• Professional Experience (20 credits)
• Screen Media (20 credits)
• Student Enterprise (20 credits)
• Transmedia Narratives and Strategies (20 credits)

Year 3
Core modules in this year include:

• Professional Industry Skills (20 credits)

Optional modules in this year include:

• Digital Media and Democracy (20 credits)
• Documentary Film-Making (20 credits)
• Film and Media Dissertation (40 credits)
• Finding Form - Fact and Fiction (20 credits)
• Global Journalism and Human Rights (20 credits)
• Independent Creative Project (40 credits)
• Magazines: Print Media in a Digital World (20 credits)
• Marketing Movies (20 credits)
• Media Fan Cultures (20 credits)
• Practical Video Project (40 credits)
• Self Promotion (20 credits)

Placement year (optional)
On this course, you can do an optional work placement year after your 2nd or 3rd year to get valuable experience working in industry. We’ll help you secure a work placement that fits your situation and ambitions. You’ll get mentoring and support throughout the year.

We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

You'll be supported practically and academically throughout each module that you take.

Your practical work will be based on, and assessed, using a concept, research, development and resolution approach. Film and TV practice is reinforced by a project report and peer assessment sheets. This work will support your development in all areas of pre-production, production and post-production.

You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.