Media, Journalism and Culture (BA)
- Subject area: Journalism, media and culture
- UCAS code: R5V2
- Next intake: September 2025
- Duration: 3 years
- Mode: Full time
Why study this course
Leading the way
Put yourself at the forefront of Journalism and Communications in an internationally recognised and high-ranking school.
Capital connections
Cardiff is thriving; take advantage of growing media and creative industries plus links to BBC Wales and Media Wales, situated next door.
State of the art facilities
Including a specialised onsite library, bright study spaces and six newsrooms.
Multimedia and multisector insight
Beyond media industries and journalism, delve into areas like film, television, social/digital platforms and marketing and PR.
Placement opportunities
Develop the skills, confidence and connections to accelerate your career.
The overall aim of our Media, Journalism and Culture course is to equip you to become a well-informed citizen in a media-saturated society.
Our courses study the many facets of journalism, media, culture and communications, and consider in an era of globalisation and dynamic social change their impact on society, politics and popular culture. They provide you with job-specific skills such as research methods and optionally, journalistic practice as well as much broader transferable skills valuable to a range of sectors.
This degree begins from the assumption that in order to understand modern society, we need to understand the central role that media and the cultural industries play in that society.
While you will be able to take a limited number of more practical modules, the emphasis of the degree is academic and analytical.
You will join a stimulating intellectual environment committed to maximising your potential through personal development and careers events. Many of our experienced lecturers are internationally recognised in their subject areas.
While this course is both challenging and academic in nature, it does NOT provide vocational journalism training.
Subject area: Journalism, media and culture
Entry requirements
We accept a combination of A-levels and other qualifications, as well as equivalent international qualifications subject to entry requirements. Typical offers are as follows:
A level
ABB-BBC
Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.
- Our grade range covers our standard offer and contextual offer. We carefully consider the circumstances in which you've been studying (your contextual data) upon application. Eligible students will be given an offer that is lower than the standard offer (usually the middle or lower end of the advertised grade range).
- Where there is no grade range advertised and/or where there are selection processes in place (like an interview) you may receive additional consideration in the selection process.
Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.
International Baccalaureate
32-30 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects.
Baccalaureate Wales
From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate). The qualification will continue to be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.
Other essential requirements
.You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade B/6 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.
We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.
English language requirements
GCSE
Grade B or grade 6 in GCSE English Language.
IELTS (academic)
At least 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each subskill.
TOEFL iBT
At least 100 overall with a minimum of 20 in each subskill.
PTE Academic
At least 76 overall with a minimum of 62 in all communicative skills.
Trinity ISE II/III
II: Not accepted.
III: at least a Merit in all components.
Other accepted qualifications
Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.
Criminal convictions
You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- access to computers or devices that can store images
- use of internet and communication tools/devices
- curfews
- freedom of movement
- contact with people related to Cardiff University.
Other qualifications from inside the UK
Qualifications from outside the UK
Please see our admissions policies for more information about the application process.
Interview or selection process
No interview process, offer holders will be invited to Applicant Visit days in Feb/March each year.
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.
Learn how we decide your fee status
Fees for home status
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2025/26 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.
Fees for island status
Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Fees for overseas status
Learn more about our tuition fees
Financial support
Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.
Additional costs
Course specific equipment
You will not need any specific equipment.
Accommodation
We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.
Living costs
We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Careers
Career prospects
Our students have an excellent reputation for finding employment after they graduate and find their skills to be helpful in a range of communications and public relations roles.
They benefit from an ability to write copy quickly, effectively and for a specific audience. Our graduates often succeed in business due to their ability to structure a coherent written and verbal argument when pitching their business ideas.
Some of our graduates utilise their newfound knowledge of current affairs and world politics to pursue a career in journalism.
Because our undergraduate degrees do not provide journalism training or a journalistic accreditation, many chose to progress on to our Masters courses, such as broadcast, magazine, news or computational journalism, to gain their practical training. Find out more about careers and employability.
In fact, you will gain skills applicable to a range of modern media driven jobs, recent career pathways and roles have included:
- TV Production – Producer and researcher
- Advertising – Copy writer and campaign manager
- Public Relations – Account manager and writer
- Teaching – Various disciplines
- Journalism – Local reporter and blogger
- Movie Production – Writer and producer
- Publishing – Writer and copy editor
- Communications – Press/communications officer
Studying in Welsh
Next steps
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International
Learn more about our truly global university.
Get in touch
Contact us for help with any questions you have
How to apply
Find out how to apply for this course
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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.