BA Degree in Digital Communications & Social Media

BA (HONS)
Digital Communication & Social Media

UCAS CODE: RU01 – 3 Year Pathway / T700 – 4 Year Pathway

UCAS CODE:
RU01 – 3 Year Pathway
T700 – 4 Year Pathway

Passionate about digital communication and social media? Used by hundreds of millions of people, its impact spans politics, culture and society. Strengthen your digital communication knowledge and practical skills with our new programme, equipping you today for a wide range of careers in the industry tomorrow.

Our BA (Hons) Digital Communication and Social Media programme is designed to give you all the knowledge and skills to compete in the exciting and fast-growing digital media industry.

What we can offer you

In such a dynamic sector, it can be challenging to identify today what digital skills will be needed to succeed tomorrow and that’s why this wide-ranging programme has been developed. It will provide you with an excellent foundation of knowledge, giving you great understanding of digital communication, combined with the scope to then specialise in the areas that interest you the most, from marketing and PR to video production, postgraduate study to journalism or building a personal brand.

This degree combines four core areas:

Theories of communication
Theories of society
Digital media production
Professional skills, specifically those sought by the creative industries and media in general such as PR and marketing

The programme takes an inclusive approach, providing an understanding of the social and cultural impact of social media and digital communication together with robust practical skills.

Combined with a strong theoretical spine, these digital skills are highly flexible and transferable for any workplace or career, whether you wish to become an entrepreneur building your own brand, aspire to work for a large organisation in a digital role or envisage doing further study.

KEY FACTS

TUITION FEES UK/EU – £9,250 / INTERNATIONAL – £14,000 / UNITED STATES – $38,000
DURATION 3 Years (Full-time) / 4 Years (Full-time)
ACCREDITATION Richmond University QAA / Middle States Commission of Higher Education (US)
LOCATION Richmond Hill Campus
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABILITY
UK/EU – £3,085 p.a. / US – up to $23,000 p.a. / International – up to £4,500 p.a.

Top 5 reasons to study this programme:

Gain all the digital skills you will need for any workplace or career, from building your own personal brand to a digital role in a large organisation
Combine breadth of approach with opportunity to specialise in area of digital communication which interests you the most
Benefit from the teaching of our renowned academics and guest lecturers
Gain vital work experience through an internship in a digital role internationally or in London, a hub of the global media communications industry
Develop strong communication skills in small classes within an international environment, alongside students from all over the world

Complete our Enquiry form and find out more

Why Study at Richmond?

Dually-Accredited UK & US Undergraduate and Master’s Degrees
Scholarships that can reduce student debt & Funding available (including SFE +US Government loans)
Flexible American Liberal Arts system, extensive contact hours and mentorship (average 15 hours per week)
Integrated Internships (in the UK and overseas)
Two London campus experiences (in Richmond & Kensington) with available on-campus accommodation, guaranteed for first year

What you will study

All of our students at Richmond graduate with both a UK and US degree, opening up international opportunities. Like our other undergraduate programmes, this BA is based on the American liberal arts tradition, which offers a multi-disciplinary approach. That’s why your first and second year at our Richmond campus will include Scientific Reasoning and Creative Expression, as well as Visual Culture and Advertising Practice.

Choose from a range of electives which offer you the option to specialise: from Public Relations Practice to Sonic Media Production, Animation and Motion to Fashion and Media.

Your journey on this programme will continue in the third and fourth year spent at our campus in vibrant Kensington, as you study such courses as Mass Communications and Society, Creating Digital Images, Coding and Social Research (developing your research skills), providing valuable knowledge essential for any digital campaign.

This programme also has a high practical content as you develop skills in Photojournalism and Web Design, providing an understanding and application of key production processes and professional practices relevant to social media, cultural and communication industries.

Find out more about the Core Curriculum >>

Year one Year two Year three Year four

In your first year, at our Richmond campus, core subject areas will include subjects such as Scientific Reasoning and Creative Expression, as well as Visual Culture and Advertising Practice.

You can then choose from a range of electives which offer you the option to specialise: from Public Relations Practice to Sonic Media Production, Animation and Motion to Fashion and Media.

> Foundations in Photography
> Foundations in Advertising, PR and Media
> Transitions I
> Transitions II
> Quantitative Reasoning
> Scientific Reasoning
> Creative Expression
> Research and Writing I
> Foundations of Sociology

Continuing your studies in the second year at the Richmond campus will include such subjects as Digital Society, Data Analysis for Social Media and Sonic Media Production.

> Introduction to Visual Culture
> Digital Society
> Introduction to Advertising Practice
> Coding, Content and Context I
> Data Analysis for Social Media
> Introduction to Public Relations Practice
> Advertising, PR and the Media
> Sonic Media Production
> History of Fashion
> Research and Writing II

Your journey on this programme will continue in the third spent at our campus in vibrant Kensington, as you study such courses as Mass Communications and Society, Creating Digital Images, Coding and Social Research (developing your research skills), providing valuable knowledge essential for any digital campaign.

> Principles of Advertising and PR
> Mass Communications and Society
> Creating Digital Images
> Coding, Content and Context 2
> Social Research
> Video Production
> Photography: Theory and Practice
> Modern Popular Music
> Cultural Theory
> Political Communications
> Celebrity and Fan Culture
> Communications for PR and Advertising
> Celebrities and the Media
> Digital Collaboration
> Feature Writing
> Principles of Marketing

Staying in Kensington for the fourth year, you study such courses as Photojournalism, Animation and Motion, Advanced Digital Video and you will create your own Major Senior Project honing all the skills amassed from all your years of studying.

> Photojournalism
> Web Design
> New Media
> Advertising and PR campaigns
> Senior Project
> Communication Design: Image
> Animation and Motion
> New Media and Visual Power
> Fashion and Media
> World Internship in Communications
> Internship in Communications
> Advanced Digital Video
> From Script to Screen
> Publications Layout
> Media Ethics and Law
> Digital Marketing and Social Media

View the BA Digital Communication & Social Media Programme Specification

PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION

Entry Requirements

Below is information on our entry requirements for both the 3 and 4 year Pathways as well as standard English language entry requirements.

3 Year Pathway 4 Year Pathway English Language Requirements

Deadlines

Spring 2020:

If you require a visa to study in the UK then we strongly suggest that you submit your application and supporting documents to us by 1st November 2019. Applications for spring entry received after this date, may still be considered but this will depend on your individual circumstances.
If you do not require a visa to study in the UK, then we suggest you submit your application and supporting documents by 1st December 2019.

Our Undergraduate Spring start date is Tuesday 7th January 2020.

VISA Information

If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, and are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then you will need to provide evidence of your English language ability. This should be an Academic IELTS test taken within the last two years with a score of at least 5.5 in each element. Majority English speaking countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and USA.
If you do not need a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, but you come from a country where English is not the native language, then we can accept a wider variety of English language tests as evidence of your English proficiency. Please note that tests marked with a * in the chart below are not Secure English Language Tests (SELTS) approved by the Home Office and therefore cannot be used to support your Tier 4 student visa application.

Spring 2020:

If you require a visa to study in the UK then we strongly suggest that you submit your application and supporting documents to us by 1st November 2019. Applications for spring entry received after this date, may still be considered but this will depend on your individual circumstances.
If you do not require a visa to study in the UK, then we suggest you submit your application and supporting documents by 1st December 2019.

Our Undergraduate Spring start date is Tuesday 7th January 2020.

VISA INFO

If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, and are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then you will need to provide evidence of your English language ability. This should be an Academic IELTS test taken within the last two years with a score of at least 5.5 in each element. Majority English speaking countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and USA.
If you do not need a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, but you come from a country where English is not the native language, then we can accept a wider variety of English language tests as evidence of your English proficiency. Please note that tests marked with a * in the chart below are not Secure English Language Tests (SELTS) approved by the Home Office and therefore cannot be used to support your Tier 4 student visa application.

Applicants who are not native speakers of English are required to demonstrate the required level their English Language proficiency indicated below.

IELTS (Academic) – 5.5 with 5.5 in Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing
TOEFL IBT – 72 with 17 Listening, 18 in Reading, 17 Writing, 20 Speaking
Pearson Test of English – 51 with 51 in each component
First, Advanced, Proficiency – taken after January 2015 – 162 overall (no less than 162 in each component)
Cambridge First: Advantage, Proficiency – taken before January 2015
- Cambridge First: Grade B overall (No less than B in any component)
- Cambridge Advanced: Grade C (no less than C in any component)
- Cambridge Proficiency: Level C1 certificate

IELTS Academic, TOEFL IBT and Pearson Test of English qualifications must have been obtained in the last two years.

Other ways to meet our English Language Requirements are listed below.

The European Qualifications listed below if you are UK, EU and EEA Citizen
Nationals from a Majority English Speaking Country* as defined by the UKVI, are not required to provide proof English as Foreign Language proficiency
Completion of an undergraduate programme in the UK

*Majority English-speaking countries are defined as follows: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom and USA.

For details on English Language Entry Requirements, and those qualifications accepted, please visit our How to Apply webpage >>

We’re delighted to offer this new BA programme from September 2020, which provides students with the skills they need to succeed in the dynamic world of digital communication and social media. This flexible, versatile, and rigorous programme seeks to future-proof graduates for the intellectual and professional opportunities offered by new technology.” – Sam Brooker, Programme Leader

Fees & Funding

These are the Undergraduate tuition fees for students starting their programme in the 2019/20 academic year.

Fees featured above are inclusive of Fall 19/Spring 20 academic year only. Undergraduate Tuition Fees for the Fall 20/Spring 21 academic year are different to those above. Please see our dedicated Tuition fee page for more details.

For more information visit our Tuition Fees & Funding webpage >>

UK/EU SCHOLARSHIPS

INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS

US SCHOLARSHIPS

Download our Undergraduate prospectus

DOWNLOAD

Careers

Career services
The University offers personal development seminars, leadership opportunities and access to work experience, volunteering and internships. There is also a dedicated, personalised service for assistance with CV writing, interview preparation tips and much more. Throughout your studies, you will have the opportunity to build links with industry experts and Richmond alumni, connecting you to a vast and influential worldwide network.

Peer mentoring
Every year a group of committed and involved students volunteer to become peer mentors, working closely with the faculty and helping to guide first year seminars. The scheme benefits both parties; the new students are able to talk to someone who knows what they are going through, and the mentors improve their personal and communication skills while enhancing their CV.

Peer tutoring
We also like to encourage peer tutoring. Students who have excelled in a subject and have received a recommendation from a professor are able to tutor other students. The peer tutoring service is free for students.

Internships Career Support Study Abroad After you Graduate

Richmond offers all undergraduates the opportunity to take an eight/nine week, full-time work placement (subject to grade and reference requirements being met), which provides credits towards their degree.

Our Internship team has a strong network with London and overseas based companies and works closely with various agencies specialising in worldwide placements.

Other benefits of our internship programme include:

Gaining valuable experience, with full supervision and regular feedback, which will enhance your employability and help you stand out from other graduates
Improving your communication and presentation skills, and developing your critical thinking and creativity
Acquiring first-hand industry knowledge that you would not learn anywhere else
Learning about your chosen role, and ensuring it’s the right career path for you
Networking opportunities, and the chance to gain personal references for your Curriculum Vitae (CV or résumé) and examples for your portfolio
Having the opportunity to prove yourself, grow in confidence and gain a sense of achievement that will give you renewed focus when you return to your studies

We offer career support and advice through our Careers & Internships Office that will assist and guide you in your study choices to make sure you stand out from the crowd when you graduate.

Through internships you will gain business acumen, beneficial work experiences and transferable skills which will give you a competitive advantage in a fast-paced working environment.

Work while you study across 5 continents through our partners Connect123 and CRCC Asia with destinations in Spain, Argentina, South Africa, China, Japan, Vietnam and Australia.

All students at Richmond University have the opportunity to study abroad.

You can either study at one of our campuses for a semester to a year or study overseas at any of our partner locations across the world giving you an unique experience.

Career paths for Digital Communication & Social Media graduates

Digital Communication
Social Media
Public Relations
Media
Marketing
Advertising
Media Production
Web Design

Richmond Hill Campus

How to apply

You apply one of three ways, either apply directly through us, apply through UCAS and for our US students, via the Common Application ($50.00).

In order to submit your application you will need the following information

Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments
The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
A personal statement – this can either be emailed as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online
An electronic copy of your in process or completed high school (secondary school) transcript and graduation certificate

When to apply
We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you are completing your undergraduate programme of study. In this case you will be offered a place that is conditional on successfully completing a specified qualification and English language qualification if applicable.

If you would like your application to be considered for a Richmond bursary, an early application is strongly recommended.

Application process
Admission is by interview unless you live outside the UK when we may interview you via Skype or by telephone. We may also determine your suitability on the basis of their application and qualifications alone.

APPLY NOW

Contact Us

Location

Richmond Hill Campus
Queen’s Road
Richmond-upon-Thames
TW10 6JP
United Kingdom

+44 (0) 208 332 8200 (Main Switchboard)

	UK/EU	International	United States
Undergraduate Programmes	£9,250	£14,750	$38,000
RIASA (Leeds and London)	£23,000*	£26,000	£26,000
Visiting Students (Semester)	£4,625	£7,356
Part-time Undergraduate	£4,625

What we can offer you

KEY FACTS

Top 5 reasons to study this programme:

What you will study

Entry Requirements

Deadlines

VISA Information

VISA INFO

Fees & Funding

Fall 19/Spring 20 Undergraduate Programme Fees

Careers

How to apply

Contact Us

Location

Discover Richmond

Faculties & Research

Policies

Quick Links

What we can offer you

Top 5 reasons to study this programme:

What you will study

Entry Requirements

Deadlines

VISA Information

VISA INFO

Fees & Funding

Fall 19/Spring 20 Undergraduate Programme Fees

Careers

How to apply

Contact Us

Location

Discover Richmond

Faculties & Research

Policies

Quick Links

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