Media and Communication with Foundation Year

Media and communication is the study of how information, stories, and ideas are produced, distributed, and received through the many channels that make up contemporary media, from film and television to digital platforms, advertising, and social media. It is a discipline that asks both how media texts are made and what they do in the world, combining creative practice with critical analysis and developing graduates who can both produce media and think rigorously about its cultural, economic, and political dimensions. Understanding how media influences society and culture is essential for anyone who wants to work in the media industries or to understand the information environments in which we all now live.

At York St John University this four-year programme includes a foundation year, a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement experience, making it a comprehensive and professionally grounded education in media and communication. The foundation year provides a supported transition into degree-level study, while the sandwich year and placements connect your academic learning to professional media practice. You will study film, television, digital media, and advertising, developing both creative and analytical skills and engaging with the varied world of media in all its contemporary forms.

The year abroad gives you an international perspective on media industries and cultures that enriches both your critical understanding and your professional outlook.

Graduates from media and communication programmes work in television and film production, journalism, advertising and marketing, public relations, digital content creation, social media management, broadcasting, and a wide range of other roles in the creative and media industries. The combination of creative practice and critical thinking that the course develops is valued across the sector, and the placement and sandwich year experience gives you professional skills and contacts before you graduate. Further study at postgraduate level in media studies, journalism, communication, or film and television is available for those who wish to specialise.