| UCAS code | P300 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Streatham Campus |
| Discipline | Communications |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBC |
| UCAS code | P301 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Streatham Campus |
| Discipline | Communications |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBC |
| UCAS code | P302 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Streatham Campus |
| Discipline | Communications |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBC |
| UCAS code | P303 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Streatham Campus |
| Discipline | Communications |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBC |
Overview
- You will hone practical and professional skills, equipping you to work across the creative industries or anywhere requiring people who understand how media and communications work.
- Study a range of contexts and applications, gaining a thorough grounding in the field.
- Opportunity to experience different ways of learning, with specialist modules that cover everything from the history of communications and professional writing, to language and social interaction, media, and global communications.
- Excellent facilities on campus include our Special Collections relating to world-renowned writers, The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum which is a unique film and popular culture resource and our Digital Humanities Lab. Exeter has also recently been awarded UNESCO City of Literature status.
- Participate in events involving internationally acclaimed authors, actors and filmmakers.
Top 10 for Communications
10th for Communications in the Guardian University Guide 2023
Unique on-site resources: Exeter’s Special Collections archive and the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum
Opportunities for Study Abroad and Employment Experience in the UK or abroad
Multi-faceted degree drawing on strengths in Drama, English, Film & Television Studies and Modern Languages and Cultures
Entry requirements (typical offer)
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| A-Level | ABB | n/a |
| IB | 32/655 | n/a |
| BTEC | DDM | n/a |
| GCSE | C or 4 | English Language |
| Access to HE | 24 L3 Credits at Distinction Grade and 21 L3 credits at Merit Grade. | N/A |
| T-Level | Distinction | n/a |
| Contextual Offer | A-Level: BBC |
Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers. |
| Other accepted qualifications | ||
| English language requirements |
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country. |
|
NB General Studies is not included in any offer.
Grades advertised on each programme webpage are the typical level at which our offers are made and provide information on any specific subjects an applicant will need to have studied in order to be considered for a place on the programme. However, if we receive a large number of applications for the programme we may not be able to make an offer to all those who are predicted to achieve/have achieved grades which are in line with our typical offer. For more information on how applications are assessed and when decisions are released, please see: After you apply
Course content
At each level, students will be able to choose from a portfolio of optional modules, meaning that they will not be restricted to one concept or experience of “Communications” and will, from early on, be able to plot their own route through a wide-ranging and flexible programme.
Year 1 of the programme offers a combination of compulsory modules (covering conceptual and applied approaches to Communications and enabling students to develop their critical and analytical skills) and options. Here, as throughout, students will have opportunity to learn or improve a second or further language via modularity.
60 credits of compulsory modules, 60 credits of optional modules
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CMM1001 | Perspectives on Communications | 30 |
| CMM1002 | Communications Challenges | 30 |
Optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMMS S1 BA SH opt | ||
| AHV1006 | Visual Media | 15 |
| EAS1032 | Approaches to Criticism | 30 |
| EAS1034 | Film Studies: An Introduction | 15 |
| EAS1040 | Academic English | 15 |
| EAS1044 | Imagine This: Prompts for Creative Writing | 15 |
| HUM1001 | Enter the Matrix: Digital Perspectives on the Humanities | 15 |
| MLG1014 | A Nation Remembers: Issues in German Cultural Memory | 15 |
| POL1018 | The Challenges of World Politics in the Twenty-First Century | 15 |
| SML1208 | Language, Culture, and International Relations | 15 |
| THE1076 | Religion in the Modern World | 15 |
In year 2, students will take a “Professional Writing” module, and they will undertake a guided work placement (“Communications in the Workplace” – 15 or 30 credit version).
45 - 60 credits of compulsory modules, 60-75 credits of optional modules for a total of 120 credits
a Choose either the 15 or 30 credit version of Communications in the Workplace – you cannot choose both
CMM2008 is a pre-requisite for taking either CMM3002 Communications Dissertation or CMM3003 Communications Practical Research Project in final year.
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CMM2001 | Communications in the Workplace [See note a above] | 15 |
| CMM2002 | Communications in the Workplace [See note a above] | 30 |
| CMM2008 | Communications Research Methods | 30 |
Optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMMS S2 BA SH opt 2023-4 | ||
| ANT2090 | Sound and Society | 15 |
| EAF2510 | Adaptation: Text, Image, Culture | 30 |
| EAS2090 | Humanities after the Human: Further Adventures in Critical Theory | 30 |
| HUM2004 | Making a Career in Publishing | 15 |
| PHL2125 | Ethics of Emerging Technologies | 15 |
| POL2100 | Political Conflicts in Europe | 15 |
| SML2244 | Multilingualism in Society | 15 |
| SML2246 | Intercultural Communication | 15 |
| SOC2030 | Sociology of Art and Culture | 15 |
| SOC2034 | Gender and Society 1 | 15 |
| SOC2096 | Cyborg Studies | 15 |
| SOC2115 | Deception | 15 |
| SOC2122 | Digital Society | 15 |
| THE2043 | Religious Literacy, Communication and Media | 30 |
| CMM2013 | Introduction to Games Studies | 30 |
| CMM2010 | Professional Writing | 30 |
| CMM2011 | History of Communications | 30 |
| CMM2012 | Communications and the Climate Crisis | 30 |
| CMM2009 | Communications in the 21st Century | 30 |
Typically, any placement year will take place in Year 3. If you are not taking a placement year please see the Final Year modules for year 3.
In the final year, students may take a specialist Communications option or other options relating to Communications but drawn from a range of fields; they will also take either a Communications Dissertation or a Communications Practical Project.
30 credits of compulsory modules, 90 credits of optional modules
Subject to choosing 120 credits for the stage overall, you must:
b You must select either CMM3002 or CMM3003 (you cannot choose more than one module from this group).
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CMM3002 | Communications: Dissertation [See note b above] | 30 |
| CMM3003 | Communications: Practical Research Project [See note b above] | 30 |
Optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMMS SF BA SH opt 2023-4 | ||
| DRA3050 | Creative Industries Management | 30 |
| EAF3513 | British Screens | 30 |
| EAF3515 | Something to See: War and Visual Media | 30 |
| EAS3128 | Writing the Short Film | 30 |
| EAS3191 | Writing for Children and Young Adults | 30 |
| EAS3195 | Acts of Writing: From Decolonisation to Globalisation | 30 |
| EAS3198 | The Death of the Novel | 30 |
| EAS3237 | The Rise of Science | 30 |
| EAS3241 | Harlem and After: African American Literature 1925-present | 30 |
| EAS3408 | Poetry and Politics | 30 |
| HIH3617 | News, Media and Communication | 30 |
| POL3000 | Deadly Words: The Language of Political Violence | 15 |
| SML3009 | Intercultural Communication in a Global World | 15 |
| POL3051 | The Media in Europe | 30 |
| CMM3004 | Social Media and Society | 30 |
Course variants
UCAS code: P301
Our four-year ‘with Study Abroad’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year abroad, studying with one of our many partner universities.
Why Study Abroad?
Living and studying in a different country is an exciting experience that broadens your academic and cultural horizons, as well as giving you the opportunity to widen your circle of friends. Students who have studied abroad demonstrate initiative, independence, motivation and, depending on where they stay, may also have gained a working knowledge of another language – all key qualities that employers are looking for in today’s competitive employment environment.
Where can I Study Abroad?
We have partnership arrangements with many prestigious institutions across the globe. Exactly where you can apply to study will depend on the subjects you are studying at Exeter. For a full list please visit the Study Abroad website.
Does it count towards my degree?
Credit for academic work during your year abroad is arranged by agreement between the University of Exeter and the host institution. These marks are then translated back into your degree at Exeter. If you are Studying Abroad for a semester or full year, your time abroad will count toward your final degree. Please refer to your College Study Abroad co-ordinator for further details.
How does it affect my tuition fee and funding?
For the year that you spend studying abroad you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter, but nothing to your host university – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your Study Abroad year.
UCAS code: P302
Our four-year ‘with Employment Experience’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements within the UK as part of your degree.
Why choose to include Employment Experience?
Undertaking graduate-level work during your degree unlocks a world of experience that allows you to develop essential employability and interpersonal skills that relate to your degree and future career. A work placement will dramatically boost your confidence, enhance your CV and develop graduate level skills and competencies that employers are looking for.
Where will I do my work placement?
The sector you choose to work within is very much your choice as you will be responsible for finding and organising your placement. We will provide plenty of guidance and support during your first and second years which will prepare you to research and apply for placements. Ultimately, the university will give final approval to your placement to make sure you have a valuable experience.
How does it affect my tuition fee and funding?
For your ‘Year In Industry’ you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your year of work placement/s.
Find out more
Visit our website to learn more about employment experience opportunities.
UCAS code: P303
Our four-year ‘with Employment Experience Abroad’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year abroad, carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements as part of your degree.
Why choose to include Employment Experience Abroad?
Spending up to a year living and working in a different country is an exciting experience that broadens your academic and cultural horizons, as well as giving you the opportunity to widen your circle of friends. By carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements abroad you can demonstrate to employers your adaptability, cultural awareness, independence and resourcefulness and, depending on where you stay, may also have gained a working knowledge of another language.
Where will I do my work placement?
The sector and country you choose to work within is very much your choice as you will be responsible for finding and organising your placement. We will provide plenty of guidance and support during your first and second years which will prepare you to research and apply for placements. Ultimately, the university will give final approval to your placement to make sure you have a valuable experience.
How does it affect my tuition fee and funding?
For your ‘Year In Industry’ you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your year of work placement/s.
Is the placement paid?
You will be paid in accordance with the rules of the country you work in and there may be visa restrictions or requirements which you need to consider when applying.
Find out more
Visit our website to learn more about employment experience opportunities.
Fees
Tuition fees for 2024 entry
UK students: £9,250 per year
International students: £23,700 per year
Scholarships
The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students, such as our Global Excellence Scholarships*. Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.
* Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.
Learning and teaching
How will I learn?
The nature of learning at university involves considerable self-guided study and research. You will be taught through a combination of lectures and discussion-based seminars. We also support the development of team-based learning by organising students into study groups, and we make full use of both traditional learning resources and our virtual learning environment. Lecturers and tutors are all available to provide further support in one-to-one consultations.
Most of your work will be done in group and self-directed study: reading or viewing module material, writing essays or preparing for your seminars. Active participation in seminars develops important transferable skills such as good verbal and visual communication and effective interaction with other people. You will also develop a range of professional abilities, such as time management and team working, plus valuable critical, analytical and communication skills.
We are actively engaged in introducing new methods of learning and teaching, including the increasing use of interactive computer-based approaches to learning. Through our virtual learning environment, you can access detailed information about modules, and interact through activities such as discussion forums. You will also have access to online subscription databases and websites, such as Early English Books Online (EEBO), Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO), MLA FirstSearch and JSTOR.
How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed in a variety of ways but primarily through exams and coursework. Coursework includes essays, a dissertation and presentation work. The ratio of formal exam to coursework is on average 40:60. Your first year doesn’t count towards your final degree classification, but you do have to pass it in order to progress.
Other/Extra-curricular opportunities
We provide an exciting range of special lectures and seminars by visiting academics and renowned writers, actors and film directors. In addition to your academic work, the student-run English Society organises book and poetry readings, film screenings and social events, providing an opportunity to meet students who share a love of literature, culture and the arts. Students from the English department are always active on the University student newspapers, radio and TV station and in the University’s drama groups.
Optional modules outside of this course
Each year, if you have optional modules available, you can take up to 30 credits in a subject outside of your course. This can increase your employability and widen your intellectual horizons.
Proficiency in a second subject
If you complete 60 credits of modules in one of the subjects below, you may have the words 'with proficiency in [e.g. Social Data Science]' added to your degree title when you graduate.
- A Foreign Language
- Law
- Social Data Science
- Entrepreneurship
- Leadership
Facilities
Students in the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum
We are exceptionally lucky to have some fantastic facilities and resources on the Streatham Campus.
Special Collections
We have Special Collections relating to writers such as Agatha Christie, Daphne du Maurier, and William Golding, and we integrate these into our teaching so students can share the excitement we have when discovering new insights from manuscripts, letters, and business papers.
The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum
Our unique film and popular culture resource, contains items going back hundreds of years. We regularly take students into its archives and think about the study of literature in relation to visual texts.
Digital Humanities Lab
Digital Humanities is increasingly important in all areas of humanities research, including history, archaeology, literatures and languages. This research space enables the examination, preservation and analysis of historical, literary and visual material. Facilities in the lab include:
- a flagship seminar room equipped with a 4.2-metre video wall, encouraging interactive engagement in a shared display space
- two state-of-the-art photography labs, including provision for the 2D digitisation of heritage material and primary sources
- an audio-visual lab with a recording studio and sound editing suite
- a MakerSpace equipped with 3D scanning and printing equipment
Your future
Professional experience
With practical modules on offer and opportunity to undertake professional placements, a degree in Communications will give you plenty of opportunity to develop your professional portfolio which will give you the skills and experience needed to be successful in your chosen career.
Employer-valued skills this course develops
A Communications degree puts you in a great position to succeed in a range of careers. Oral and written communication is at the heart of our programme and you will learn to present your ideas in a variety of formats. You will also develop strong research and analytical skills and the ability to problem solve and make informed decisions. Through a balance of independent study and teamwork you will learn to manage your time and workload effectively.
Career paths
The programme will include module ‘Communications in the Workplace’, within which students will be encouraged to find work placements with providers in the communications and media sector, or projects which will enable them to carry out communication-related projects. In this module, students will undertake one or two work placements. The module will enable students to develop an understanding of how the skills and knowledge acquired as part of the degree apply to the workplace. Through reflexive practice, they will extend relevant work-based skills and knowledge. Students will have the opportunity to develop an understanding of a business or work environment through practical work and to gain experience in the use of technologies and applications commonly used in organisations.
Example careers
Graduates can expect to go on into roles in the following sectors:
- Advertising
- Digital Media
- Events Organisation
- Film-making
- International Relations
- Journalism
- Marketing
- Public Relations
- Research
- TV Production
