Digital Media and Communication

BA (Hons)

Ready to build the skills, knowledge, and industry insight to succeed in today’s digital media and communication landscape?

Location: Aston University, Birmingham

Course type
Full-time
Entry requirements

BBC (standard offer)

BCC (contextual offer)

Duration

4 years with integrated placement year (international students may opt out of the placement year)

UCAS code(s)

P304

Start date

Course overview

Our BA (Hons) Digital Media and Communication course equips you with the knowledge and skills to create, communicate, and collaborate with confidence in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. You will develop critical awareness of the role of digital media in contemporary society and confidence in the responsible and effective use of digital media and communication technologies.

Our course combines academic rigour with practical, experiential learning to ensure you embark on your career with a well-rounded profile of knowledge and skills in digital media and communication. You will learn how to use emergent digital technologies responsibly – and when appropriate – to supplement, rather than replace, your own knowledge and skills.

The course is directly informed by the research expertise of our academic staff and the professional insight of our industry partners. You will learn from our multidisciplinary team of experts in communication, media, and marketing, giving you the freedom to specialise in a range of applications, from creative media to strategic communications to digital marketing.

Robbie Love

“We live in a world of unprecedented digital connectivity and access to information, while the boundaries between physical, digital, and artificial realities become blurred. Studying Digital Media and Communication at Aston University will enable you to thrive in this world by equipping you with the knowledge and skills to create, communicate, and collaborate with confidence in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”

Dr Robbie Love
Senior Lecturer
Programme Director, BA (Hons) Digital Media and Communication

Why Digital Media and Communication?

Experiential learning icon
State-of-the-art facilities
Gain hands-on experience to responsibly harness emerging technologies like generative AI and virtual reality
Remote
Adobe Creative Campus
With full access to the entire Adobe Creative Cloud, you’ll be using Adobe’s industry-standard digital tools to create high-quality work you can be proud of
Triple accredited icon
Includes modules delivered by Aston Business School
Part of an elite group of global business schools that hold the gold standard of ‘triple-crown’ accreditation from AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS
QS World University Rankings
Top 100
Ranked among the top 100 universities worldwide for marketing (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025)
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Strong connections
Our connections to industry and placement opportunities will help you gain the knowledge, experiences, and skills employers are actively looking for

ASTON POWER SKILLS

Built into every undergraduate degree

Gain the skills employers look for worldwide.

AI & Digital

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Inclusive Leadership

Environmental Sustainability


Discover Power Skills

 

Course description

BA (Hons) Digital Media and Communication

Our BA (Hons) Digital Media and Communication degree at Aston University equips you with the knowledge and skills to create, communicate, and collaborate with confidence in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. 

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What we will provide
First-class teaching in the UK’s second-largest city, delivered by a diverse array of staff who will inspire and excite you. You will benefit from applied learning, research-informed teaching and authentic assessment. As a student on this programme, you will be one of the first to know about advancements in topical research by staff across the department, even before it is published.

We are also an Adobe Creative Campus meaning you will have access to top-notch software licenses, including Adobe and Solidworks, commonly used in industry.

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What you will provide
It is important you learn how to adapt a growth mindset to your studies – understanding that intelligence and success come from applying yourself, a willingness to learn and an ambition and drive to excel. 

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What skills we teach
You will develop highly valuable and transferable skills including effective communication, critical media literacy, creative innovation, digital content creation, data analysis, strategic storytelling, digital marketing, entrepreneurship, teamwork, inclusive leadership, evidence-based decision making, personal branding, problem solving, environmental sustainability, and the responsible adoption of emerging digital technologies.

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Placement year
We all know that taking a placement year will boost your employability – it’s what makes Aston University graduates some of the most employable in the country. It’s for this reason that we encourage every student to take one. The placement year gives you the chance to put theory into practice, gain relevant work experience, and develop professional and transferable skills.

The placement year is compulsory for BA (Hons) Digital Media and Communication students. International students can request permission to opt out of the placement year, but we strongly recommend that it is completed where possible.

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Career prospects
As an Aston University Digital Media and Communication graduate, you will be well-placed to meet the demand for professionals skilled in digital media, content creation, and communication strategies, essential for industries increasingly reliant on digital platforms and emergent digital technology, including artificial intelligence.

How you will learn

Our course is designed to provide you with a dynamic and engaging learning experience that prepares you for a successful career beyond graduation. 

Campus learning

Aston University’s campus is equipped with state-of-the-art learning facilities to ensure you make the most of this course. All of our modules incorporate structured weekly class contact time. Lectures and seminars bridge theoretical input with practical activities, allowing you to develop your understanding in discussion with your tutor and fellow students. Workshops provide hands-on experience with a range of digital technologies under the supervision of your module tutor. At the beginning of your course, you’ll be assigned a personal tutor for individual study guidance, and your module tutors will be available regularly for face-to-face meetings.

Digital learning

Complementing traditional teaching, our virtual learning environment provides digital materials and tools to enable independent study, including video explainers, interactive activities, knowledge checks, assessment guidance, software, and remote tutor support. You’ll have access to the University Library’s extensive collection of over 25,000 academic resources, digital datasets, archives, and media subscriptions. 

Find out more about the Department of Communication and Culture.

What you will learn

Our multidisciplinary team of experts will guide your learning, allowing you to specialise in various areas - from creative media and strategic communications to digital marketing.

First year

You will explore fundamental theories, histories, and debates in digital media and communication. You will analyse discourse and communication, trace the history of media platforms, develop a marketing mindset, and learn to communicate effectively.

Second year

You will deepen your conceptual knowledge and acquire research skills. You will critically evaluate emerging digital technologies, engage with creative industries, and choose from a range of optional specialist modules.

Placement year

The Aston University placement year forms an integral part of your educational journey and gives you the chance to put theory into practice, gain relevant work experience, and develop professional and transferable skills. Our award-winning careers and placements team are on hand to support you through every step of your placement journey.

Final year

You will design and execute an independent project, build a distinctive personal brand, craft persuasive arguments, deliver strategic communication outputs, and choose from a range of optional specialist modules.

Graduation

Discover our student stories

Our students achieve some amazing things during their time with us and after they graduate - whether it's setting up their own businesses, landing competitive graduate schemes, or making real differences within their communities. 

Course objectives

  1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of key concepts and theoretical frameworks in digital media and communication, and critically evaluate how these theories apply to contemporary practices and societal contexts.
  2. Engage in the critical analysis of fields of knowledge, concepts, regulatory frameworks, media texts, and cultural production and consumption practices, deploying theoretical material, concepts, and practical techniques to develop critical media literacy.
  3. Conduct independent research using appropriate methodologies to investigate digital media and communication phenomena, synthesising findings to identify, investigate, and solve real-world problems.
  4. Communicate complex ideas, arguments, problems, and solutions effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences, developing proficiency in communicating verbally, visually, and digitally in professional and everyday contexts.
  5. Critically evaluate and harness emerging technologies and platform affordances, including capacities such as artificial intelligence, for communicative and creative practices, developing enhanced digital and data literacy skills for a digital economy.
  6. Develop and articulate innovative and interdisciplinary ideas in digital media and communication to design, pitch, and implement creative and strategic communications for diverse audiences, applying practical skills in content creation and media production.
  7. Demonstrate transferable skills such as teamwork, collaboration, leadership, problem-solving, data analytics, self-management in complex and unpredictable circumstances, enabling successful transition into graduate employment.

Modules

Modules

Year 1 modules

In your first year you will study the following core modules:

Module Title Credits
Critical Debates in Digital Media 15
Introduction to Discourse Analysis 15
Introduction to Language Study 30
Language and Society 15
Learning in a Digital World 15
Media Histories: Industries to Platforms 15
Marketing Principles 15
Total 120

Year 2 modules

In your second year you will study the following core modules:

Module Title Credits
Digital Media, AI, and Emerging Technologies 15
Investigating Digital Media and Communication 15
Media and Creative Industries 15
Language in the News Media 15
Total 60

You will choose four of the following optional modules:*

Module Title Credits
Bullets, Bombs and Bitcoin: History and Technology since 1900 15
Digital and Social Media Marketing 15
Digital Methods for Social Science and Humanities 15
Influencer Marketing 15
Intercultural Communication  15
Introduction to Corpus Linguistics  15
Literature in Film 15
Media and Society 15
Professional Communication 15

*Availability of any optional modules will be subject to staff availability and a minimum number of students who express an interest in studying the optional modules.

Placement year modules

You will spend your third year on placement. You will be fully supported throughout the process by our award-winning Careers and Placements team.

Placement year

Module Title Credits
Integrated Placement Year 120

Final year modules

In your final year you will study the following core modules:

Module Title Credits
Digital Identity and Personal Branding 15
Digital Media and Communication Project 30
Strategic Storytelling: Power, Persuasion, and Perception 15

You will choose four of the following optional modules:*

Module Title Credits
Creative Writing 15
Digital Fiction 15
Language and Literature in Education 15
Language as Evidence 15
Leadership and Management Communication 15
Multimodal Communication 15
Reinventing the World: Industrial and Technological Transitons 15
Strategic Brand Management 15
Streaming Media 15
Technology and Digital Politics 15

*Availability of any optional modules will be subject to staff availability and a minimum number of students who express an interest in studying the optional modules.

We regularly review our modules to provide the best possible teaching and learning experience, incorporating academic developments, student feedback and employer feedback.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any changes to modules at the earliest opportunity by updating our course webpages. 
 
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints may mean it isn’t possible to take some module combinations. The structure of some courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.


 

ASTON POWER SKILLS

Built into every undergraduate degree

Gain the skills employers look for worldwide.
As an Aston student, you will develop expertise in four key areas:

 

AI & Digital

Join the rise of the humans. Don't fear AI, master it and use it for good. Develop digital skills for the future, whatever career you want to pursue.

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Don't follow the rules, rewrite them. Today’s fast-changing world needs original thinkers. Creators. Innovators. Risk takers. So get ready to think smart and reach the next level.

Inclusive Leadership

Make space for every voice to be heard. Be the one who brings people together with a shared vision. Learn to break down barriers and be the leader the future needs.

Environmental Sustainability

It's not game over for our planet. It's game on. Together we can create a greener tomorrow. The world urgently needs graduates who can shape more sustainable and ethical ways of working. The future depends on it.

Entry requirements

  • A Levels

    BBC (standard offer)
    BCC (with EPQ or Core Maths minimum grade B)
    BCC (contextual offer)

  • Contextual offers

    Aston Ready is our contextual offer scheme that could reduce your undergraduate offer by one or two grades. Assessed at the point of application, there are no additional forms to fill in.

Contextual offer criteria

BTEC Extended Diploma – DDM (standard offer)

The University also accepts the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate/BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma and BTEC Level 3 National Diploma/BTEC Level 3 Diploma for entry onto degree programmes, provided that they are studied in combination with other qualifications that are equivalent to three full A2 Levels.

29 points overall in the IB diploma with grades 5,5,4 in 3 higher level subjects.

You must also have Standard Level grade 4 in Mathematics and grade 5 in English Language.

We accept the QAA-recognised Access Diploma which must consist of 45 credits at Level 3.

You must obtain a minimum of 15 credits at distinction and the rest must be at merit or distinction.

Please note that we do not accept the English and Maths components within the Access qualification and you must meet the GCSE entry requirement.

 

The following T Levels are accepted qualifications for this course:

  • Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction - grade D
  • Digital Production, Design and Production - grade D
  • Education and Childcare - grade D
  • Onsite Construction - grade D
  • Building Services Engineering for Construction - grade D
  • Digital Business Services - grade D
  • Digital Support Services - grade D
  • Health - grade D
  • Healthcare Science - grade D
  • Science - grade D
  • Accounting - grade D
  • Finance - grade D
  • Management and administration - grade D
  • Design and development for engineering and manufacturing - grade D 
  • Maintenance, installation and repair for engineering and manufacturing - grade D
  • Legal Services - grade D 

GCSE Maths – grade C/4

GCSE English Language or English Literature – grade C/4

Year 1 entry: We may consider applicants for year 1 entry who are undertaking a first year degree elsewhere. You must meet the GCSEs and A Level (or equivalent) requirements as listed. In order to be considered you will need to submit a UCAS application as we do not accept direct applications and this must include an academic reference.
Year 2 entry: Please note that second year transfers are not part of the standard admissions process and is up to the discretion of the admissions team and tutor. Applications are only considered if there is space on that year of the programme. Typically, applicants for second year entry must meet the GCSEs and A Level (or equivalent) requirements as listed. Alongside this you must have successfully passed (or be expected to pass) your first year with 120 credits on an equivalent programme at another recognised university with very similar module content. The equivalency of the programme is reviewed by the Admissions Tutor and you will be required to provide an official copy of the programme specification of this. In order to be considered you will need to submit a UCAS application as we do not accept direct applications and this must include an academic reference.
Year 3 entry onwards: We will not be able to consider any application for Year 3 or final year. 

International students

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students on many of our undergraduate programmes. Students from over 120 countries choose to study with us every year. Based in the centre of Birmingham, Aston is not only a great place to study, it’s also a great place to live.

Qualifications in your country

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of an English language qualification.

English language requirements

International students can enter at Year 2 of this course having completed an undergraduate year one programme at the required academic level with approved teaching partners ONCAMPUS Aston or NCUK.

Aston University provides a range of opportunities for international students to join our community and study on our campus. A key part of our strategy is our relationships with teaching partners, providing multiple pathways to Aston.

Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and, as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career. One of the great things about Aston is our focus on employability. Our close links with businesses, industries and professions make this possible.

Find out more about applying

Post-study work visa

Aston University welcomed the creation of a new Graduate Immigration Route which enables international students to remain in the UK for two years after you complete your studies to find work. This new post-study work visa applies to international students completing full-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Graduate Immigration Route

Fees and scholarships

Course fees

The fees shown below are for September 2025 entry, so may change for September 2026 entry. We will update to September 2026 fees as soon as possible.

UK students
(2025/26)

Annual tuition fees: £9,535*
During placement year: £1,250

International students
(2025/26)

Annual tuition fees: £21,500
During placement year: £2,500

UK students (Home Undergraduate):

The annual tuition fee for the programme commencing in academic year 2025/26 will be £9,535 (subject to the passing of legislation implementing the Government’s policy to increase the maximum tuition fee from £9,250, payable by Home Undergraduate students on full-time courses). The fee for the placement year is £1,250.

International students (Overseas Undergraduate):

The annual tuition fee for the programme commencing in academic year 2025/26 will be £21,500. The fee for the placement year is £2,500.

All students:

The duration of your programme is set out at the top of this course page and you will be responsible for the payment of an annual tuition fee in each of these years. The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually in accordance with its Terms and Conditions and subject at all times to the maximum tuition fee caps set by Government from time to time. This means that your total tuition fee may be higher than stated above, but your total tuition fee will never increase by more than 6% year on year. An increase in fees will allow the University to cover the increased costs of delivering the course and ensure it is able to maintain high standards of education and facilities.

More information on fees

For Home students: Tuition fees for UK/Home students may change in line with government policy.

For International students: The International students fee is a fixed annual fee for the duration of the Programme, except whilst on placement when a placement year fee applies.

Scholarships

At Aston University we are committed to supporting the most talented and hardworking students to achieve their potential by providing a range of scholarships to help lower tuition and living costs.

Explore our scholarships 

Assessment

This course provides a diverse range of assessments, flexibly balancing academic learning with authentic assessment activities that reflect professional practices and encourage intellectual development through experiential learning. Typical forms of assessment on this course include coursework, presentations, exams, practical assessments, simulation tasks, reflective exercises, and micro-credentials.

Career prospects

As an Aston University Digital Media and Communication graduate, you will be well-placed to meet the demand for professionals skilled in digital media, content creation, and communication strategies, essential for industries increasingly reliant on digital platforms and emergent digital technology, including artificial intelligence.

Our students achieve some amazing things during their time with us and after they graduate - whether it's setting up their own businesses, landing competitive graduate schemes, or making real differences within their communities.

Hear from our graduates

Alumni

Be part of our community

Once you have joined us at Aston University, you’ll always be part of our community, even beyond graduation.
 

Frequently asked questions

Why study Digital Media and Communication?

Studying Digital Media and Communication equips you with in-demand skills for a digital world. It provides diverse career opportunities in a range of sectors, combining academic rigour with practical learning to prepare you for life after graduation. 

How will a placement year benefit me?

Whether you choose to study abroad or do a work placement, Aston University’s links with employers and universities around the world mean you will have a wide range of options to boost your employability and explore the world of work.

Our work placements give you the opportunity to apply what you have learnt on your course while gaining valuable professional and paid experience. It can enhance your graduate employment prospects and help you to make more informed career decisions. Around one in five of our placement students are offered graduate jobs by their placement employer.

Find out more

Is Birmingham a good place to study?

Our campus is based in the centre of Birmingham, the youngest major city in Europe and a great place to live, work and study.

  • Great music and entertainment with a vibrant nightlife. Bars, clubs, pubs, live music, festivals, concerts. Whatever your tastes, there's something here for everyone.
  • Fantastic food. Birmingham's diverse community means you can try anything from the famous Balti triangle, the Chinese Quarter, high street chains, halal and vegan food, and Michelin-star dining.
  • World-class shopping. The Bullring and Grand Central is a shopper's paradise. From the world's biggest Primark to luxury brands at the Mailbox.
  • Arts and culture. Museums, galleries, theatres, concerts and Birmingham's art collection is as wide as it is impressive - not to be missed.
  • Green, open spaces. One of the greenest cities in Europe, Birmingham has hundreds of publicly accessible parks and green spaces across the city.
  • Sporting action. Birmingham has some of the most exciting venues for watching or participating in sport in the UK.

Discover Birmingham

 

Register your interest