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Digital Media Design at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2024 - 2025
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

Our MA Digital Media Design is ideal if you want to stay ahead in the rapidly changing field of digital media and web design. This one-of-a-kind course offers you professional development and technical skills combined with academic rigour and scholarly consideration. Why choose this course?

  • On this course we teach you not only how to design and manage digital media, but also how to think critically about it. This unique approach gives you the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in the digital media industry, as well as the critical-thinking skills necessary to stay ahead of the curve.
  • The course will prepare you for a career as a web developer or designer in the competitive arena of digital media, where employers are looking for candidates with a strong foundation in both technical and business skills.
What you will learn We will teach you industry-standard techniques including coding, visual design and prototyping. You will also investigate agile and human-centred design methodologies, as well as gaining a deep understanding of core design concepts like accessibility, usability and user experience. You will gain business acumen important in understanding the practical applications of digital media in the workplace. By the time you graduate, you will have developed your ability to manage design projects and will have built up a portfolio that will impress potential employers. How you will learn You can study this course full- or part-time in the evening so you can manage your studies around other commitments. Highly interactive teaching makes for an engaging learning experience, through formal lectures, seminars, practical workshops and computer lab sessions for hands-on experience. You will be able to tailor your degree to your interests and career goals by focusing on relevant subjects and choosing from a range of option modules. We also offer two interlinked MA Digital Media courses, one which focuses on culture management and one which focuses on management aspects. Highlights
  • The unique combination of technical, management and conceptual skills will increase your chances of working in one of the most rapidly expanding sectors in the UK. The majority of jobs in the sector are located in London and the southeast.
  • We focus on teaching and research in film and media, journalism, arts policy and management, with the Birkbeck Interdisciplinary Research in Media and Culture, the Vasari Research Centre for Art and Technology and the Birkbeck Institute for the Moving Image as focal points of our research culture.
  • We have state-of-the art cinema and exhibition spaces, all housed in a historic building that was a former home to key members of the Bloomsbury Group, including the author Virginia Woolf and the artist Vanessa Bell.
  • Birkbeck was ranked as one of the top four universities in the UK for its Art and Design research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • We offer a number of bursaries for postgraduate students.
Careers and employability The MA Digital Media Design provides technical skills like coding and design, but also essential transferable skills such as:
  • critical thinking
  • problem-solving
  • communication
  • teamwork
  • leadership
  • business acumen.
Graduates of the course will be prepared for careers in web development, multimedia programming, design, project management, education and training. They will be well-positioned for roles such as:
  • web developer
  • project manager
  • digital designer
  • multimedia specialist
  • user researcher
  • digital content manager
  • UX/UI designer.
Top employers of MA Digital Media Design graduates include well-known tech giants like:
  • Google
  • Apple
  • Microsoft
  • Amazon
  • Meta
  • Adobe.
Graduates have also secured jobs as designers and developers with:
  • JP Morgan
  • the NHS
  • the higher education and technology-enhanced learning sectors.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

This course is assessed by coursework only, including the production of digital items, critical evaluations and essays.

How to apply

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) in a related subject. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits, and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners. On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you aim to gain through studying on the programme. Indicate your motivations and interests in learning more about web design, user experience and development in your application.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this programme is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 7.0, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses, foundation programmes and language support services to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £5400 Year 1
Northern Ireland £5400 Year 1
Scotland £5400 Year 1
Wales £5400 Year 1
International £9915 Year 1

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

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
Digital Media Design at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS