Intro

This exciting new course gives you a thorough grounding in the music business and media. It offers you the opportunity to develop a range of skills and experiences, preparing you for a career in these fast-growing, rapidly changing and closely connected industries.

The teaching team comprises research-active lecturers and industry-experienced staff. Visiting professionals from the media and music industries join forces with leading academics and researchers to play an influential part in the delivery of the course material.

All modules take an applied approach where theory and practice are combined. The degree can be tailored to your specific interests, or you can experiment with different subjects and practices. The choice is yours.

Brighton is one of the most important centres for the creative industries in Britain. You’re also an hour’s train ride from London, a global centre in both the media and music industries.

Both cities offer opportunities for you to develop your learning when you undergo a four-week second year placement and a 10-week final-year live project as part of your studies. These will give you a vital edge in the job market on graduation.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code W392

Full-time 3 years

Clearing 2019

Places are available on this course to start in 2019.

01273 644000

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Course content

Why study with us? 

  • You will graduate ready to take on a wide variety of roles across the music industry, from PR to A&R.
  • The subject matter is a fascinating and ever-evolving mix – you will examine how the music and media industries intersect, investigating the social, cultural, economic, political and technological changes associated with their development.
  • Our dedicated placements team organise excellent work placements and you’ll work on live industry projects.
  • A variety of modules mean you can choose a path through your degree that suits your interests and expertise.
  • Brighton is a fast-growing creative media hub and home to a thriving music scene.
  • The course team are experts in their field who are passionate about sharing their knowledge with a new generation of media and music professionals.
Crowd at a rock concert with the act on stage in front of them

 

Year 1

In your first year you will study methods of understanding and theorising the media and music industries. You will also examine the social, cultural, economic, political and technological changes associated with their development.

Modules

  • Popular Music: Histories and Context
  • Music, Technology, and Everyday Life
  • Critical Approaches to Media 1 and 2

Options*

  • Video Production 1
  • Photographic Practice 1
  • Producing and Consuming Social Media
  • Business, Creative and Digital Industries and Innovation
  • Creative Industries and Promotional Cultures
  • Media and Popular Culture

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

 

Year 2

In your second year you will focus on an industry placement as well as looking at research methods for live projects, which will equip you with the knowledge and skills to execute independent research.

Modules

  • Research Methods for Live Projects
  • Media Project Management
  • Popular Music Industries
  • Media Placement

Options*

  • Introduction to Creative Leadership
  • Video Production 2
  • Photographic Practice 2
  • Social Media Applications in Activism, Business and Life
  • Digital Fabrication Methods
  • Brands and Branding
  • Community Radio
  • Media and Public Relations
  • Journalism

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

 

Final year

You will work in creative partnership with music innovation labs and gain practical understanding of digital media marketing as well as conceptual knowledge of the celebrity economy. With the university’s support you will undertake a live project and go into industry and complete an independent research project.

Modules

  • Music Innovation: Design and Development
  • Live Project

Options*

  • Audiovisual Professional Practice
  • Celebrity Media
  • Sustainability and Innovation in Digital Culture
  • Digital Media Marketing and Innovation
  • Inclusive Media Practice

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

 

Meet the team

Staff who teach on the course include: 

Iestyn George, senior lecturer, is a journalist, who previously worked as an editor at NME, GQ and Golf Punk. He was marketing manager of the Manic Street Preachers between 1999 and 2003.

Podcast: listen to Iestyn talk about his work in journalism and marketing, why he believes media is the most important subject to study at university and the future of magazines.

Paula Hearsum, lecturer and researcher in media studies, with specialisms in popular music and journalism. Paula worked as a music journalist and continues to write for the wider press. She maintains a relationship between academia and media practice, developing innovative industry-relevant courses and national online educational resources. Her research has focused on the mediation of popular musicians' deaths as way to consider dominant social discourses and narratives.

Dr Eleftherios Zenerian lectures and researches in media, with special interests in digital technologies and music practice. His research interests include popular music, gender and popular culture, digital media, the sociology of work, and social and cultural theory.

Professor Kelly Snook, music producer and technologist working at the intersection of the arts, science, and technology. Kelly formerly worked as a Lunar Program Scientist at NASA. 

Dr Stephen Mallinder, singer and musician who was a founding member of Cabaret Voltaire.

 

Kelly Snook profile picture

Professor Kelly Snook

Careers

We aim to develop versatile and creative music business innovators and leaders and our graduates will be well-equipped to enter careers in the media and creative industries.

Our media students often secure full-time jobs following their industry placements and live projects.

The University of Brighton’s media alumni have gone into fields such as marketing, PR, social media and production, working for organisations including the BBC, Channel 4, Ricochet, Universal Pictures, EMI and Vogue.

 

 Image of a live recording light outside a recording studio

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBC–CCC (112–96 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DMM–MMM. You will be considered if your predicted grades fall within this range, but any offer will be made based on assessment of portfolio and interview.

International Baccalaureate
28 points.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 24 credits at merit or above.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
At least three subjects including English language and mathematics or a science.

Foundation degree/HND
May enable you to start the course in year 2 or year 3, subject to a review of your experience and portfolio. 

Foundation diploma
A foundation diploma is not a requirement for entry – it is just one of a range of qualifications (for example, A level, BTEC or Access Diploma etc) that is accepted for admission to the course.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. 

International requirements

International requirements by country
 
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Fees

Course fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 14,460 GBP

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2019–20.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with us for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly. You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location

Local area

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy - as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus. Subjects taught here include architecture, business, computing, construction, engineering, geography, product design, law and pharmacy.

On campus you will find professional-standard facilities including a flight simulator, trading room, design and digital media suites and specialist research laboratories, alongside the library, student centre, a nursery, fitness facilities and Students’ Union. There are excellent public transport links.

The Big Build
A major transformation of our Moulsecoomb campus began in summer 2018. By the time the Big Build is complete, there’ll be new halls of residence, academic building, and Students’ Union and fitness facilities – all created with sustainability, inclusivity and community in mind.

As the development grows it will provide many exciting learning opportunities for our students, ranging from live projects, placements and internships with the companies involved to guest lectures and site visits. Find out more...

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The Big Build

Accommodation

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Looking for clearing accommodation? Accommodation is available, we can help you find your home from home.

All eligible students applying for 2020 are guaranteed an offer of university-managed accommodation.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
  • Moulsecoomb campus is linked to Varley Park and Moulsecoomb Place halls
    • Varley Park offers a mix of room and catering options. Varley Park is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.
    • Moulsecoomb Place halls are all catered and are located right on campus.

Unihomes and unilets
Unihomes and unilets are student houses that we let to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option can work particularly well when you’re balancing learning with placements and other commitments. We have unihomes and unilet properties at locations across the city.

Starting in 2019 and looking for accommodation advice? Find out more about our accommodation options.

Private renting
There's plenty of support if you opt for private rented accommodation. This is an option which offers choice and flexibility – enabling you to choose where you live and who with. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards. Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Modern accommodation at nearby Varley Halls

Modern accommodation at nearby Varley Halls

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Students eating at the Hub

Students eating at the Hub

Maps

house Accommodation
campus University building

Moulsecoomb campus map

Stay in touch

Book your open day place

Ask a question about this course

 

Statistics

These charts give an indication of how much time you will spend on different activities at each level of the course, and an indication of the balance of assessment by coursework, and written and practical exams. For courses with option modules, actual proportions will depend on the modules you choose.

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked above). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Overall workload

Assessments

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats enable you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Unistats data on their website.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They are updated following course changes, and give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course.

Programme specification

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