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Media Studies BA (Hons)

This degree course gives you the knowledge and skills to expertly dissect the media and put what you learn into creative or critical practice. 

University of Portsmouth Connected Degree - 3 year course with 4th year placement

Key information

UCAS code:

P300

Typical offer:

112-120 UCAS points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent

See full entry requirements
Study mode and duration
Start date

Showing content for section Overview

Overview

Are you curious about how the media influences the world we live in? Our BA (Hons) Media Studies course is distinguished by its innovative mix of options and will give you a fascinating way to gain a deeper academic understanding of this prime form of communication.

You'll learn how global media reflects, shapes and affects societies and cultures, from news and television to social networks. You’ll also consider how identity is formed through the media, and its representations in contemporary formats and genres, such as social media, the comic book industries, and science. As you progress in your degree, you can create your own learning plan by choosing optional modules, including film production.

You’ll graduate ready to begin your media career in many communicational fields, but you’ll also have creative and transferable skills you can use in any sector.

Course highlights

  • Gain expert insight into popular culture, fan communities, and the latest media tech developments by attending the annual Portsmouth Comic Con – where course lecturers and previous students have been panellists
  • Enhance your studies by learning from a teaching team of widely published media experts and research-active academics
  • Cultivate a well-rounded, futuristic understanding of media from staff expertise in contemporary popular culture genres (including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and animation)
  • Tailor your degree by choosing modules to suit your specialisation
  • Develop filmmaking skills with optional practical film modules from second year
  • Build valuable professional experience and knowledge by taking an optional placement year – either with a company or self-employed
  • Broaden your expertise with the chance to gain industry-recognised accreditations such as ScreenSkills safety training and Adobe Certified Professional (ACP)

100%

of graduates in work or further study

(HESA graduate outcomes survey 2020/21)

Contact information

Admissions

+44 (0) 23 9284 5566

Contact Admissions

Entry requirements

BA (Hons) Media Studies

Typical offers

  • A levels - BBB-BBC
  • UCAS points - 112-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent. (calculate your UCAS points)
  • T-levels - Merit
  • BTECs (Extended Diplomas) - DDM-DMM
  • International Baccalaureate - 25

You may need to have studied specific subjects – find full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept.

English language requirements

  • English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.

See alternative English language qualifications.

We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course.

If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

We look at more than just your grades

While we consider your grades when making an offer, we also carefully look at your circumstances and other factors to assess your potential. These include whether you live and work in the region and your personal and family circumstances which we assess using established data.

Explore more about how we make your offer

Facilities and specialist kit

film industries and creative writing cinema

Eldon Screening Room

Watch cinema from across the globe in our 80-seat lecture theatre, fitted with high-specification audio-visual technology, rich sound systems, and acoustic panelling.

Explore room

A man holding a Sony camcorder

Professional TV and film cameras

Broadcast and film in crystal clarity with our range of industry-level Sony, JVC and Canon cameras.

A close-up of sound faders

Video Editing Suite

Award-winning kit for future award-winning filmmakers. Our suite includes non-linear editing software Avid Media Composer and DaVinci Resolve, and specialist hardware for efficient film editing.

Explore Suite

A hand holding a camera with viewfinder on

Equipment loan stores

Whatever your work, you can borrow computers and professional-standard film, photography, lighting, and performance equipment from our loan stores in the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries. 

Careers and opportunities

The communication, research, writing and critical thinking skills you learn on this media studies degree will be essential for employers within and outside the media industry.

You can also continue your studies at postgraduate level. Many of our graduates pursue Master's and Doctorates, with a number of them taking further teacher training to work in education.

Graduate areas

Previous media studies graduates have gone on to work in areas such as:

  • media research
  • digital specialisms (e.g. website design and creation)
  • public relations and marketing
  • journalism
  • publishing
  • new media development
  • film production
  • film and TV companies

Graduate roles

Job roles our graduates have taken on include:

  • teacher
  • media research assistant
  • marketing assistant
  • production manager
  • sound and vision engineer
  • film/video producer
  • advertising journalist
  • assistant publicist
  • PR and communications officer

Graduate destinations

Some of our alumni have gone on to work for big names such as:

  • BBC
  • Warner Bros
  • Universal Pictures International
  • Mitchells & Butlers
  • Lush Cosmetics

Ongoing careers support

Get experience while you study, with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, and work experience. You can also venture into freelancing, or set up and run your own business with help from the University Startup Team.

Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to help you find your perfect role.

Placement year (optional)

After your second or third year, you can complete an optional work placement to gain professional experience and enhance your skills. It's also a great incentive for employers once you graduate.

You can work for a company, organisation or agency, or you can go self-employed and start your own business with fellow students or by yourself.

Whatever you decide – or even if you just want some employability advice – our exclusive Creative Careers team can support you every step of the way.

Creative Careers

Our in-faculty Creative Careers team has extensive recruitment experience and knows the creative sector well, making it easier for students to find placements within the creative industries.

They can guide you through every step of the application process, including:

  • Searching for the ideal job through their database of vacancies
  • Giving tips on how to write an interesting CV that will catch employers' attention, no matter the role
  • Organising mock interviews, so you can hone your technique and familiarise yourself with the recruitment environment
  • Writing your startup business proposal – if you're going down the self-employment route

The team will continue to give you support throughout your placement year.

gemma_cornick

Featured placement

Gemma – Vivid Housing

Gemma – interning as a Communications Coordinator – discusses her role, how she adjusted to the pandemic, and the highlights of her placement experience.

Read Gemma's story

Placement areas

Previous students have done placement in areas such as:

  • Digital marketing
  • Social media

Placement destinations

Previous students have interned at big companies, including:

  • Sky
  • ITV
  • Panasonic
  • NBC Universal
  • Disney
  • St James Place Wealth Management

Modules

Each module on this course is worth a certain number of credits.

In each year, you need to study modules worth a total of 120 credits. For example, four modules worth 20 credits and one module worth 40 credits.

What you’ll study

Core modules

All modules in the year are core.

On this module you will be introduced to the variety and complexity of global media texts, audiences and markets. From animation to webisodes, contemporary cinema to the impact of franchises in games, TV and film, the module will introduce you to the complexity - and enjoyment - of texts from across the globe.


The module is delivered through research specialists explaining the impact of global media, accompanied by directed study guides, readings and screening workshops in our dedicated Screening room. You will be encouraged to offer your thoughts and interpretations of texts through your interaction with each other, and in creating your own academic blog. By the end of the module, you will be confident in exploring global media markets, offering critical analysis of media texts, and in becoming a proficient researcher and communicator of ideas.

You'll explore influential schools of thought for understanding mass media, from the past to the present. Learn how to analyse media texts and understand our media-filled world through case studies and exercises. Guided by experienced lecturers, you’ll sharpen your critical thinking, research, and independent enquiry skills.

By the end, you'll have the essential knowledge and tools to start your journey as a media scholar, ready to explore deeper questions. Let this module set your curiosity ablaze as you explore the power and possibilities of media.

This module is designed to sharpen your analytical skills, enabling you to effectively interpret and critique various elements of narrative screen media such as mise-en-scène, editing, performance, and sound/music.

You will engage in seminars and screening workshops that introduce you to a broad spectrum of conceptual frameworks, shaping the academic analysis of screen media. The topics you explore will be diverse, ranging from authorship, genre, adaptation, to realism and representation. The module also brings interdisciplinary perspectives from literary theory, psychoanalysis, cognitive psychology, and philosophy to enrich your understanding of film and media analysis.

By the end of this module, you'll not only be proficient in analysing screen media but also in articulating your insights and arguments in line with contemporary academic discourse.

You’ll become skilled in finding information, writing academically, referencing, and presenting, all focused on the movie industry. Through group work and real-life examples, you'll use advanced research methods to analyse film production, filmmakers, studios, audiences, and historical influences.

This module will upskill you in finding, understanding, and sharing ideas from different sources.

This experience lays a solid groundwork in research techniques and gives you skills you can use in any study related to film and TV.

You will learn the fundamental concepts and skills required for using a camera, editing, sound, and storytelling.

Collaborating with others on creative projects will help you develop teamwork skills. You will learn to create compelling scenes and stories while considering how to put them together.

Throughout the course, you will be encouraged to reflect on what you have learned and how it can be applied to your future work. Additionally, you will learn how to work safely and effectively on a film set.

By the end of the module, you will have gained valuable knowledge about the filmmaking process and acquired skills that can be useful for future studies or a career in the industry.

The course will cover traditional storytelling techniques through different writing projects. As you progress, you will learn how to create proposals and scripts that meet the industry standards. This will enable you to become a better storyteller.

Additionally, you will learn how to deliver your ideas in an impressive and captivating manner. This will help you manage your time more effectively. By exploring the creative methods used in major films and TV shows, you will gain a profound understanding of the storytelling process.

Upon completing this module, you will be well-equipped to begin your career as a writer in the film and TV industry.

Core modules

In this module you'll explore both historical and contemporary examples, analysing the various techniques used to control information.

Through diverse case studies, you will observe how propaganda reinforces ideology and capitalism across different forms of media.

By developing your analytical skills, you will gain a better understanding of propaganda's social impact and its relation to power.

This module provides valuable insight into the role played by propaganda in mass-mediated culture and offers tools to question its influence.

You’ll look at how some media stories use more than one platform, like books, films, games, and more. Discover how transmedia has changed over time and how to make your own stories more immersive and interactive. You’ll work with others to create and present your own transmedia project.

This module will help you become a skilled transmedia storyteller, ready for the industry. You’ll also improve your teamwork and research skills by collaborating with others. Most of all, your creativity will bloom as you immerse yourself in the future of interactive storytelling.

Optional modules

You'll grasp the history of broadcasting and the current institutional landscape in the UK and globally.

Analysing pressing issues for production, you'll develop your critical thinking. And understanding the legal, ethical and regulatory environment shaping production and broadcasting will inform your own practice.

Using a rich skillset, you'll produce an actual radio or podcast project.

Join a team of creative students and do a project together. Try new things and see how they can help you.

You’ll also grasp how to use your skills with others. Sometimes you’ll be a leader, sometimes a helper. Talk about your ideas and learn from them. You’ll make something to show what you learned and share it with others.

This module helps you gain new skills and understand other fields. You’ll be a smart and creative person, ready to solve real-world problems.

In this module, you’ll study how film has evolved and look at today’s challenges. These will help you think about creativity from a justice-focused perspective.

This broad approach will give you a clearer view of the ethical guidelines that professionals follow in different fields.

With greater critical understanding and ethical duties, you’ll be equipped to make wise career choices, leading with empathy.

Through a study exchange overseas, you will manage tasks and projects relevant to your course, working independently or collaboratively as part of a team.

The experience enables you to showcase your talents on a global stage while reflecting on your personal growth. With enhanced employability prospects, you return home with a new perspective to inform your practice.

You’ll explore emerging technologies to understand how the internet, social media, and ambient media shape—and are shaped by—human behaviour. Consider expert opinions to spark discussions about online communities and the idea of an ‘information society.’ We’ll show you how to find trustworthy sources online, helping you delve into the participation culture across platforms.

By making your own digital content, you’ll learn about the impact of what people create and share in our always-connected world. Crucially, by taking part, you’ll improve your ability to use different media platforms and develop your creativity, preparing you for jobs in today’s digital-first workplace.

Learn about the influence of TV, movies, ads, online platforms, and newspapers in the US, Canada, and Ireland. Understand how these outlets build a sense of who we are. You’ll develop key research skills to delve into the media’s cultural role.

You’ll get to watch films, listen to lectures, and work on a detailed project. This will help you learn ways to study identity, assess media in context, and create your own studies on how national stories affect our identity.

This module will equip you with the ability to critically evaluate the media’s role in forming national identity and give you the tools to conduct your own research into this complex process.

You will have access to advanced cameras and editing software to create your own projects, collaborate with your peers and review each other's work.

Furthermore, you will learn about industry safety procedures, the relationship between ideas and techniques, and explore your creativity by participating in this filmmaking experience.

This module provides an opportunity to put media theory into practice as you develop and shoot your own narrative project.

You will learn how to manage your time effectively, progress from concept to final edit, and analyse your creative decisions and cinematic storytelling.

This experience is invaluable for anyone looking to plan and produce a film from start to finish.

You’ll choose learning tasks that add up to 60 hours, like internships, volunteering, research, or remote study that match your career plans. Workshops will help you make meaningful goals and think about what you’ve accomplished. Through this, you’ll grow the knowledge, skills, and qualities you need to thrive in the workplace.

By looking at your growth through active participation and reading, you’ll become a perceptive, eager job-seeker who stands out.

You’ll trace the development of film, TV, and digital media, grasping historical impacts and the concept of spectatorship. Look into expert analyses to explore how interactive technologies shape audiences and people. You’ll contextually analyse screen entertainment as an industry, considering economic factors and passive vs active engagement. Through a mix of practical and theoretical work, your projects will showcase your in-depth understanding of the subject. You’ll also evaluate online materials to support your findings.

By the end, you’ll have a well-rounded understanding of screen culture. You can use this to pursue many careers, from media programming to content creation.

You’ll explore how the media covers topics like environmentalism, immigration, and mental health. By researching, reviewing, and discussing these issues, you’ll use theories to understand urgent, complex debates and sharpen your ability to think ethically.

Looking at past and current real-world controversies, you’ll finish this module ready to make and understand media responsibly.

As a team, you will embark on a journey of entrepreneurship, starting with ideation and ending with the launch of your product or service. You will analyse complex factors influencing a successful launch, conduct thorough research to assess feasibility and gain valuable insights into marketing, manufacturing, and sales strategies.

Working together on pitch presentations, you will discover your strengths as an entrepreneur or team member. This module provides transferable skills essential to thrive in creative industries, whether you plan to launch your own company or seek employment with top organisations. You will develop the mindset and abilities to spot opportunities and act on them, which will benefit your career.

Analyse the artistic, political, and economic aspects of films in postcolonialism and global cinema. Critically examine different themes and the methods filmmakers use. Understanding the evolution of film production, you’ll learn about the impact of technology on movies both locally and internationally. By looking at how films are distributed and marketed, you’ll learn about the impact of global politics on how films are received.

You’ll come to understand international films deeply, developing cultural knowledge.

This understanding will enhance your analytical abilities, which are useful for jobs in film programming, curating, and reviewing.

Optional modules

All modules in the year are optional.

Research from diverse lenses to build a questioning, reflective grasp of celebrity's principles and boundaries. Hone skills in independent thought, analysis, and articulation of ideas. Use presentations to illustrate arguments around the societal role of fame.

In this module, you’ll survey different media—from TV to print—and break down how they portray lifestyle, identity, and consumer habits. Studying these will help you understand the cultural importance of trends in shopping, home decor, and body image. Examine concepts like taste, social class, status, and alienation tied to consumerism, and link them to present-day problems. Choose examples to study in-depth, uncovering the messages behind consumer habits on your own. 

By the end of the module, you will have a solid understanding of the complexities of consumer culture and stronger analytical skills.

This understanding will deepen your insights into media, marketing, and human behaviour, preparing you for careers in fields like advertising and journalism.

With guidance from specialists, you’ll deeply explore your chosen topic. You’ll show how carefully and ethically you can analyse information, using your sources to come up with fresh insights. This module lets you really get into a topic you love, honing your abilities to manage research, write academically, and learn on your own.

Above all, it gives you the chance to create a significant piece of work that showcases your commitment and talent.

Explore popular texts that have sparked dedicated fan bases. You’ll learn theories to grasp why audiences get so engaged. Study the roots of subcultures united by favourite movies, TV shows, and merchandise. Look at research on how fans interact, create communities, and set themselves apart. You’ll also get hands-on experience by joining fan groups online to study and support ideas about our strong connections with media.

With a mix of critical analysis, real-world examples, and practical research, you’ll uncover the social dynamics of fandom.

This module will deepen your understanding of why people become fans and how these communities operate, enriching your knowledge through both study and direct experience.

By analysing global case studies, you’ll assess how journalism prioritises sensational stories over peaceful resolutions during war. You’ll scrutinise the political and societal impacts of media coverage that favours violence and engage in discussions about this bias, forming your well-researched viewpoints.

This module invites you to consider how ethical journalism can transform the way we understand global discord.

Work in groups to plan and use resources well while refining your technical skills. You’ll take on specific roles, such as directing, cinematography, or editing. Use your production knowledge to operate equipment safely to industry standards. The project you finish will show how well you can apply theory to practice. 

This real-world experience will be a standout addition to your portfolio and prepare you for a successful career in film and media. You’ll be better prepared for jobs in commercial production.

Use theory and history to see how literature, film, TV, new media, and journalism present technology, scientists, and science’s place in our world. You’ll learn to tell real science from fiction by evaluating their cultural settings. This will help you see how media shapes our understanding of science.

By looking at many examples and carefully thinking about them, you’ll discover how important it is to communicate science creatively.

You’ll study different animation styles and visual codes and learn how to analyse them. You’ll understand the animation industry, its authors, and national traditions. These will help you see how to use solid facts to support your opinions in academic writing. By looking closely at the art form and its broader themes, you’ll create an in-depth portfolio that shows your critical views.

Finish this module with the skills you need to analyse animations on your own.

You'll create professional materials like a CV, cover letters, and online portfolio to showcase your skills to employers. With 40 hours of work in the film and TV industry, you’ll get important experience and meet people who can help you in your career.

This module is a great chance to create your own personal brand. You’ll analyse what film studios and production companies are looking for, so you can customise your skills and stand out from the crowd.

By the end, you’ll have a collection of work and materials that fit your goals in the film and screen world. Use your creativity to take control of where your career is headed.

You'll examine how comedy interacts with culture, society and industry, comparing scholarly perspectives and blending primary and secondary research, to articulate your ideas in writing.

Preparing you to apply insights to your own work, this module offers invaluable tools to think deeply about the art of comedy.

Optional modules

During this module, you'll spend 6 months working on your own business venture, then 3 months gaining industry experience. This opportunity allows you to apply what you've learned in a practical setting while exploring different career options. You'll also have the chance to develop professional relationships and expand your network.

Assess your personal strengths and weaknesses to set goals for the future. Throughout the module, you'll demonstrate increasing independence while still valuing the support of others. Gain a broader understanding of the world through real-world experiences and insights. Additionally, you'll earn valuable credits for your CV and enhance your skill set.

By the end of this module, you'll graduate with the practical experience that employers are seeking.

This experience lets you learn firsthand how to set up and run a small business. You’ll absorb professional practices and business situations that matter to your entrepreneurial goals. Make important connections while working independently within set rules. Think deeply about your strengths, weaknesses, criteria for success, and future plans.

This opportunity is useful for your career. It lets you use what you’ve learnt in your degree in the real world and helps you understand your capabilities.

After finishing this placement and the related assessments, you’ll get more credits for your sandwich degree. This practical experience is a valuable step in developing an entrepreneurial way of thinking.

You’ll spend 24–48 weeks at a chosen company, learning from professionals and helping out with actual projects. Gain confidence, knowledge, and skills by taking on more responsibility with gradually less help. As you progress, you’ll make professional connections and think about how you’re doing. Take in what you learn about how industries and businesses work.

This placement is an ideal chance to grow in your career. By using what you’ve learnt in a workplace, you’ll understand more about your own strengths, what you need to work on, and your plans after you graduate.

After this placement and the related assessments, you’ll get extra credits for your sandwich degree. This practical experience is a valuable part of your education.

Undertake specialised assignments to demonstrate your abilities. Reflect on how global creative culture has expanded your perspective. Identify new transferable skills to empower your continued educational and professional journey.

Examining international contexts, you'll critically assess activities relevant to your field, gaining fresh insights into communication theory and practice worldwide.

In an overseas environment, you'll complete assignments independently, sharpening skills transferable to future studies and careers. Upon returning, thoughtful reflection will reveal your personal growth, as you process new worldviews and cross-cultural competencies.

Changes to course content

We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

How you're assessed

You’ll be assessed through:

  • essays
  • presentations
  • video productions
  • programme proposal/pitch
  • reviews and features
  • reports
  • dissertation/project
  • portfolios
  • coursework exercises

You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.

You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

Teaching

Teaching activities on this course include:

  • workshops
  • seminars
  • lectures

You can access all teaching resources on Moodle, our virtual learning environment, from anywhere with a Web connection.

For more about the teaching activities for specific modules, see the module list above.

How you'll spend your time

One of the main differences between school or college and university is how much control you have over your learning.

We use a blended learning approach to teaching, which means you’ll take part in both face-to-face and online activities during your studies.  As well as attending your timetabled classes you'll study independently in your free time, supported by staff and our virtual learning environment, Moodle.

A typical week

We recommend you spend at least 35 hours a week studying for your media studies degree. In your first year, you’ll be in timetabled teaching activities such as workshops, lectures and seminars for about 15 hours a week. The rest of the time you’ll do independent study such as research, reading, coursework and project work, alone or in a group with others from your course. You'll probably do more independent study and have less scheduled teaching in years 2 and 3, but this depends on which options you choose.

Most timetabled teaching takes place during the day, Monday to Friday. You may occasionally need to go to University and course events in the evenings and at weekends. There’s usually no teaching on Wednesday afternoons.

Term dates

The academic year runs from September to June. There are breaks at Christmas and Easter.

See term dates

Supporting you

The amount of timetabled teaching you'll get on your degree might be less than what you're used to at school or college, but you'll also get support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed. You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:

Types of support

Your personal tutor helps you make the transition to independent study and gives you academic and personal support throughout your time at university.

You'll have regular contact with your personal tutor in learning activities or scheduled meetings. You can also make an appointment with them if you need extra support.

In addition to the support you get from your personal tutor, you’ll also have access to a Faculty student support advisor. They can give you confidential, impartial advice on anything to do with your studies and personal wellbeing and refer you to specialist support services.

If you need support with software and equipment or you want to learn additional skills (including skills not covered on your course), our creative skills tutors provide free workshops, activities and one-on-one tutorials. Skills you can learn include life drawing, film camera operation and video production.

You'll have help from a team of faculty academic skills tutors. They can help you improve and develop your academic skills and support you in any area of your study.

They can help with:

  • improving your academic writing (for example, essays, reports, dissertations)
  • delivering presentations (including observing and filming presentations)
  • understanding and using assignment feedback
  • managing your time and workload
  • revision and exam techniques

Computing support staff are always available to give technical support in the Faculty's computer suites during normal working hours. There's also some support available from 5.00pm to midnight at busy times of the year.

As well as support from faculty staff and your personal tutor, you can use the University's Academic Skills Unit (ASK).

ASK provides one-to-one support in areas such as:

  • academic writing
  • note taking
  • time management
  • critical thinking
  • presentation skills
  • referencing
  • working in groups
  • revision, memory and exam techniques

If you require extra support because of a disability or additional learning need our specialist team can help you.

They'll help you to

  • discuss and agree on reasonable adjustments
  • liaise with other University services and facilities, such as the library
  • access specialist study skills and strategies tutors, and assistive technology tutors, on a 1-to-1 basis or in groups
  • liaise with external services

Our online Learning Well mini-course will help you plan for managing the challenges of learning and student life, so you can fulfil your potential and have a great student experience.

You can get personal, emotional and mental health support from our Student Wellbeing Service, in person and online. This includes 1–2–1 support as well as courses and workshops that help you better manage stress, anxiety or depression.

Library staff are available in person or by email, phone, or online chat to help you make the most of the University’s library resources. You can also request one-to-one appointments and get support from a librarian who specialises in your subject area.

The library is open 24 hours a day, every day, in term time.

If English isn't your first language, you can do one of our English language courses to improve your written and spoken English language skills before starting your degree. Once you're here, you can take part in our free In-Sessional English (ISE) programme to improve your English further.

​Course costs and funding

Tuition fees

  • UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £9,250 per year (may be subject to annual increase)
  • EU students – £9,250 a year (including Transition Scholarship – may be subject to annual increase)
  • International students – £17,200 per year (subject to annual increase)

Funding your studies

Find out how to fund your studies, including the scholarships and bursaries you could get. You can also find more about tuition fees and living costs, including what your tuition fees cover.

Applying from outside the UK? Find out about funding options for international students.

Tuition fees terms and conditions

Additional course costs

These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending.

Costs breakdown

Our accommodation section shows your accommodation options and highlights how much it costs to live in Portsmouth.

You’ll study up to 6 modules a year. You may have to read several recommended books or textbooks for each module.

You can borrow most of these from the Library. If you buy these, they may cost up to £60 each.

We recommend that you budget £75 a year for photocopying, memory sticks, DVDs and CDs, printing charges, binding and specialist printing.

If your final year includes a major project, there could be cost for transport or accommodation related to your research activities. The amount will depend on the project you choose.

If you take a placement year or study abroad year, tuition fees for that year are as follows:

  • UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £1,385 a year (may be subject to annual increase)
  • EU students – £1,385 a year, including Transition Scholarship (may be subject to annual increase)
  • International students – £2,875  a year (subject to annual increase)

You may need to buy items such as DVDs and MiniDV tapes to use on practical units, which cost approximately £20–£30.

You’ll need to cover the material costs for individual project work, which usually costs £50–£100.

Apply

How to apply

To start this course in 2024, apply through UCAS. You'll need:

  • the UCAS course code – P300
  • our institution code – P80

 Apply now through UCAS

 

If you'd prefer to apply directly, use our online application form.

You can also sign up to an Open Day to:

  • Tour our campus, facilities and halls of residence
  • Speak with lecturers and chat with our students 
  • Get information about where to live, how to fund your studies and which clubs and societies to join

If you're new to the application process, read our guide on applying for an undergraduate course.

Applying from outside the UK

As an international student you'll apply using the same process as UK students, but you’ll need to consider a few extra things. 

You can get an agent to help with your application. Check your country page for details of agents in your region.

Find out what additional information you need in our international students section

If you don't meet the English language requirements for this course yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Admissions terms and conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.