Why choose the School of Arts and Creative Industries
The course includes a four-week industry work placement in your final year.
Live projects and placement opportunities via our links with media organisations such as Coolr Social Media Agency; Luton Town Football Club’s Media and PR department; Reuters; Bloomberg; and leading UK newspapers.
Regular, exciting opportunities to meet visiting, industry-active professionals, from TV producers and presenters to content creators and top editors.
About the course
By combining the fields of media, marketing and public relations, this course prepares you for a range of roles in the creative industries. Modern media formats are embedded across all units, with a focus on developing practical skills in radio, TV, podcasting, written journalism, digital design and social media content creation. The media units enable you to become an effective and responsible media analyst and communicator while the marketing and PR element of the degree build your skills in PR consultancy and marketing campaign planning.
Facilities and specialist equipment
- Mac-equipped newsroom with radio news booth and transmission gallery
- Industry-standard radio facilities
- Award-winning, Ofcom-licensed radio station, Radio LaB
- In-house TV station, Beds TV
- Digital video-editing suites including Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Location-recording equipment
- Netflix-approved Sony FX6 cameras for broadcast-quality film and television content
- Sony FX3 Cinema Line camera with full-frame sensor and enhanced mobility for easy solo hand-held shooting
- Industry-standard sound and lighting equipment
Industry links
We have partnerships with Coolr Social Media Agency and Luton Town Football Club’s Media and PR department, opening up opportunities for work experience and involvement in live projects. We also have links with media organisations such as Reuters, Bloomberg and leading UK newspapers.
Student experience
Benefit from a four-week industry work placement in your final year where you can put theory into practice in a real-world setting.
Understand the role of the media in contemporary society while developing the skills to become an effective, responsible media analyst and communicator.
Learn the theoretical and practical aspects of marketing and PR, including core elements such as brand management, PR consultancy, campaign planning and corporate communications.
Engage directly with the industry through guest lectures, networking events, workshops and media masterclasses.
Gain personal confidence and the ability to work independently and in teams, initiating and taking responsibility for live projects.
Develop sound practical and academic skills in research; summarising; preparing logical arguments and reports; clear thinking; powers of persuasion; problem solving; and analysis.
with Professional Practice Year
This course has the option to be taken over four years which includes a year placement in industry. Undertaking a year in industry has many benefits. You gain practical experience and build your CV, as well as being a great opportunity to sample a profession and network with potential future employers.
There is no tuition fee for the placement year enabling you to gain an extra year of experience for free.
*Only available to UK/EU students.
with Foundation Year
A Degree with a Foundation Year gives you guaranteed entry to an Undergraduate course.
Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an Undergraduate course, our Degrees with Foundation Year provide a fantastic entry route for you to work towards a degree level qualification.
With our guidance and support you’ll get up to speed within one year, and will be ready to seamlessly progress on to undergraduate study at Bedfordshire.
The Foundation Year provides an opportunity to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy, and will also cover a range of subject specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree.
This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree.
Why study a degree with a Foundation Year?
- Broad-based yet enough depth to give you credible vocational skills
- Coverage of a variety of areas typically delivered by an expert in this area
- Gain an understanding of a subject before choosing which route you wish to specialise in
- Great introduction to further study, and guaranteed progression on to one of our Undergraduate degrees
The degrees offering a Foundation Year provide excellent preparation for your future studies.
During your Foundation Year you will get the opportunity to talk to tutors about your degree study and future career aspirations, and receive guidance on the most appropriate Undergraduate course to help you achieve this; providing you meet the entry requirements and pass the Foundation Year.
Course Leader - Jon Boyle
Jon is a creative, competent and enthusiastic sports journalism lecturer who joined the University of Bedfordshire in May 2014 after five years as course leader of foundation degree journalism at Milton Keynes College.
He started his journalism career as a news reporter for the Leighton Buzzard Observer – covering crime, council news, cinema, music, computer game reviews and features – before progressing to the role of senior reporter at its larger sister newspaper The Milton Keynes Citizen.
Course Leader - Jon Boyle
Jon is a creative, competent and enthusiastic sports journalism lecturer who joined the University of Bedfordshire in May 2014 after five years as course leader of foundation degree journalism at Milton Keynes College.
He started his journalism career as a news reporter for the Leighton Buzzard Observer – covering crime, council news, cinema, music, computer game reviews and features – before progressing to the role of senior reporter at its larger sister newspaper The Milton Keynes Citizen.
Course Leader - Jon Boyle
Jon is a creative, competent and enthusiastic sports journalism lecturer who joined the University of Bedfordshire in May 2014 after five years as course leader of foundation degree journalism at Milton Keynes College.
He started his journalism career as a news reporter for the Leighton Buzzard Observer – covering crime, council news, cinema, music, computer game reviews and features – before progressing to the role of senior reporter at its larger sister newspaper The Milton Keynes Citizen.
What will you study?
Year 1
Introduction to digital marketing and analytics - Explore online communities, social media, influencer marketing and key digital metrics. Consumer behaviour - Study psychological and sociological aspects of consumer behaviour, including multicultural and digital consumers. Writing for media - Learn to research and write news stories, features and creative content for various media platforms. Content creation and post-production - Develop storytelling through audio/video recording, editing and online publishing. Podcasting - Understand podcasting as a medium and movement while producing articulate, idea-driven content.
Year 2
Digital design – Learn to design print and digital layouts using modern publishing tools. Radio, audio and podcasting - Build skills in audio production, podcasting and live/studio broadcasting. Public relations and marketing - Explore PR’s role in brand management and its place in marketing strategy. The creative industries - Discover career paths, entry strategies and essential skills for success in creative fields.
Year 3
Special project – Independently research, design and deliver a final project that showcases your knowledge and understanding of media, marketing and public relations.
Industry work placement – Gain hands-on experience during a four-week placement in a professional media, marketing or PR environment.
How will you be assessed?
Students are assessed in a variety of ways. The majority of units are assessed through coursework portfolios essays presentations or in a few cases exams. Presentations and practice-based activities may be developed as group-work although you will be assessed individually.
At level 4 you are assessed on your understanding of the fundamental concepts and disciplines of which media communications marketing and Public Relations are composed.
At level 5 you are assessed on your ability to apply the basic concepts of the disciplines introduced in level 4 to existing controversies and issues on which there is already a body of research and critical opinion.
At level 6 you will be required to demonstrate independent powers of judgement and you will be expected to show an awareness of the major theories and practices of the disciplines. You will progress from well defined briefs to more open-ended and challenging assessments which culminate in the student initiated level 6 project which hopefully will combine the areas of media marketing and public relations.
Careers
Our graduates now work in communication and PR departments; events management agencies; magazine publishing; journalism; media production including digital media production; and teaching.
Some of our graduates have also continued their studies in fields such as TV production and events management.
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,535 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,535 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,535 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
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