7Dec
Undergraduate This course is not accepting applications for deferred entry.
Goldsmiths, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Open days
Course summary
This is a four-year degree at Goldsmiths. If you successfully achieve the progression requirements of the foundation year, you can continue with the full-time three-year BA (Hons) Media & Communications which brings together media practice and communications theory. It covers a broad spectrum of critical perspectives on the media and will introduce you to a range of contemporary media practices. Why study the BA Media & Communications with Foundation Year (Integrated degree) at Goldsmiths
- There are no formal entrance requirements, you just need to demonstrate a lively interest in the world of the media - so it's an ideal choice if you're returning to education or don't have the qualifications to apply directly to the BA Media & Communications degree.
- You'll develop an understanding of media theory and media practice, and the confidence, skills and creative foundation to thrive at undergraduate level.
- You'll begin to develop production skills in TV and video, radio, video animation and photography, and create small-scale projects where you'll hone your technical and collaboration skills.
- The programme includes a study skills module, where you'll get to develop your academic writing and research skills.
- You'll be taught by highly experienced tutors and technicians in studio settings, using industry-standard facilities.
Modules
Your foundation year counts as the 'Year 0' of the four-year Integrated Degree. It is structured into the following three areas: Learning to Learn (Study Skills) These two-hour weekly sessions are designed to help you develop the skills you will need to thrive in Undergraduate study. They cover aspects of academic practice such as how to: Write for academic purposes Approach an essay question Get organised Read and make notes effectively Cite your source material Compile a bibliography The sessions include access to an academic tutor who is available for one-to-one tutorial sessions. An Introduction to Media and Cultural Theory On this module, you will be introduced to the key traditions and foundational theories of media and cultural studies. These will help you develop an understanding of the relationship between media forms, institutions and our societies. You will also be encouraged to develop critical thinking skills, begin to understand the importance of the relationship between media theory and practice and demonstrate your growing skills in academic writing (with the help of the weekly 'Learning to Learn' sessions). Each week there is a lecture on a particular topic, accompanied by set reading, which you are asked to discuss in more detail in our weekly seminars. The first part of this module introduces you to some of the important key thinkers in media theory and considers elements such as: The relationship between media ownership and control Competing debates around resistance to dominant ideologies, the power of the audience, and the arguable 'effects' of media Questions around the meaning of 'culture' and the history of cultural studies Concepts concerned with the coding and decoding of media texts These are designed to give you a sound basis for moving on to contemporary ideas about the media as you progress through the year. The second part of the module considers the social and cultural dimensions of the media in more detail. We will discuss further: The role of the ‘culture industries’ The relationship between culture and sociological categories of class, race, sexuality and gender Moral panics The study of subcultures Feminist perspectives of soap operas Studies of celebrity Ways of seeing Popular cultural representations of the city Your own experiences and identities will be central to the concepts and ideas you are studying in these sessions. Media practice Media practice gives you the opportunity to create small-scale projects in TV and video, radio, stop motion animation and photography. You will have the opportunity to work through your ideas from conception to finished product, begin to develop production skills, and understand the importance of teamwork and the sharing of ideas. You are taught in groups for TV and video, radio and stop motion animation and individually for photography. These 5-week ‘taster’ modules are taught by highly experienced tutors and technicians in studio settings, and utilise the industry-standard facilities. The pass mark for this foundation year is 50%. However, students must achieve 60% in all sections of the programme to proceed onto the BA Media and Communications. Students achieving between 50%-60% will be awarded the Goldsmiths Foundation Certificate in Media and Communications. Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.
Assessment method
You’ll be assessed by a variety of methods, depending on your module choices. These include coursework assignments such as extended essays, reports, presentations, practice-based projects or essays/logs, group projects and reflective essays, as well as seen and unseen written examinations.
How to apply
29Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- PP39
- Institution code:
- G56
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Foundation
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
There are no qualification requirements for this course.
There are no formal entry requirements, but you should demonstrate an interest in, and aptitude for the subject.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | with a 6.0 in writing and no element lower than 5.5 |
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
To find out more about fees and funding, please check our undergraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office https://www.gold.ac.uk/ug/fees-funding/
Provider information
Goldsmiths, University of London
New Cross
Lewisham
SE14 6NW