Media & Communication and Special Educational Needs

Media and communication and special educational needs is an unusual combination, but it reflects a genuine professional and intellectual connection. Communication is central to education at every level, and understanding how media shapes communication, how messages are constructed and received, and how different audiences engage with information is highly relevant to the work of those supporting pupils with special educational needs. Equally, the empathy, patience, and understanding of diverse learning styles that SEN work develops are qualities that enrich your analytical engagement with media and communication.

At Liverpool Hope you will study media and communication, examining the role of media in contemporary society, how digital technologies are reshaping how information is created and consumed, and how media affects public understanding and cultural life. SEN study introduces you to the range of learning differences and disabilities that affect children and young people, the theoretical and legislative frameworks that underpin inclusive education, and the practical strategies that support pupils with diverse needs. The three-year full-time programme includes a sandwich placement year and a year abroad, giving you direct experience in a media, communications, or educational context and the opportunity to develop both strands of your degree in an international setting.

Graduates go on to careers in education and special educational needs support, teaching, media organisations, public health communication, communications roles in health and social care, and community engagement. The combination is particularly relevant for roles in educational media, adaptive technology, or communications work that targets diverse audiences. Many students continue to postgraduate study in education, media, or special educational needs.