
Digital Media Design (MA)
How can designers, managers, entrepreneurs and scholars keep pace with the rapidly changing field of digital media and web design? Is it possible to learn skills, approaches and methods that facilitate both current production and the anticipation of future developments in digital media? The MA Digital Media Design provides both the technical and conceptual framework required to succeed in the digital environment of today and tomorrow.
This programme is one of the only MA degrees in the UK to combine professional development and technical skills with academic rigour and scholarly consideration. The philosophy of the programme is that the innovative design and management of digital media must go hand in hand with critical thinking about digital media.
The MA Digital Media Design concentrates on industry-standard techniques, introducing you to core development tools and how to use them. You will develop skills in coding, visual design and image manipulation, and an appreciation of user experience through research.
By the end of the course, you will have built connections with companies and industry networks and will have developed project-based portfolios that will greatly facilitate your entry into the job market.
Highlights
- The unique combination of technical, management and conceptual skills will increase your chances of working in one of the most rapidly expanding sectors in the UK. The majority of jobs in the sector are located in London and the southeast, with Birkbeck uniquely positioned to take advantage of technology hubs such as East London's 'Silicon Roundabout'.
- The Department of Film, Media and Cultural Studies focuses on teaching and research in film and media, journalism, arts policy and management, and has the Birkbeck Interdisciplinary Research in Media and Culture, Vasari Research Centre for Art and Technology and the Birkbeck Institute for the Moving Image (BIMI) as focal points of its research culture. BIMI has a rich programme of free screenings and film-related events, and also hosts the annual Essay Film Festival.
- We have a state-of-the art cinema and exhibition spaces, all housed in a historic building that was a former home to key members of the Bloomsbury Group, including the author Virginia Woolf and the artist Vanessa Bell.
- The School of Arts offers a number of bursaries for postgraduate students.
- The School of Arts is an official partner of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. Opportunities for students have included a year’s free membership of the ICA, private views, discounts on all talks and events, free members' screenings and £3 cinema tickets on Tuesdays, up to 25% off ICA Artists' Editions and a monthly e-newsletter.
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Entry Requirements
Entry requirements
A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) in a related subject.
As part of the application process, you are required to complete a two-part admissions exercise asking you to indicate your experience in digital media and to demonstrate your ability to develop a simple web page using HTML.
Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.
On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.
Apply now to secure your place. The earlier you apply, the sooner your application can be considered and you can enrol. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this course is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 7.0, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.
If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.
Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.
Visa requirements
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.
The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:
- Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
- Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa
International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).
For full information, read our visa information for international students page.
Credits and Accredited Prior Learning (APL)
If you have studied at university previously, you may have accumulated credits through the modules you studied. It may be possible to transfer these credits from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution. You should discuss this with the Programme Director when you are making your application.
Find out more about credits and Accredited Prior Learning (APL).
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Fees
Fees
Part-time home students: £4410 pa
Full-time home students: £8820 pa
Part-time international students: £8010 pa
Full-time international students: £16020 paStudents are charged a tuition fee in each year of their programme. Tuition fees for students continuing on their programme in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy.
Government loans are available for eligible full-time and part-time students from the UK.
Find out more about other sources of funding available.
Funding for EU students is changing from August 2021: find out details of these changes.
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Teaching and assessment
Teaching
At Birkbeck, almost all of our courses are taught in the evening and our teaching is designed to support students who are juggling evening study with work and other daytime commitments. We actively encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching, to ensure our students have the best learning experience. In the 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), the government’s system for rating university teaching, Birkbeck was allocated a Silver award.
Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, and practical classes and tutorials. Formal lectures are used in most degree programmes to give an overview of a particular field of study. They aim to provide the stimulus and the starting point for deeper exploration of the subject during your own personal reading. Seminars give you the chance to explore a specific aspect of your subject in depth and to discuss and exchange ideas with fellow students. They typically require preparatory study.
Our distance-learning and blended-learning courses and modules are self-directed and we will provide you with interactive learning opportunities and encourage you to collaborate and engage via various learning technologies. These courses involve limited or no face-to-face contact between students and module tutors.
In addition, you will have access to pastoral support via a named Personal Tutor.
Methods of teaching on this course
This course is delivered by leading research academics and industry practitioners in academic seminars, practical workshops and technical sessions in labs.
Contact hours
On our taught courses, you will have scheduled teaching and study sessions each year. Alongside this, you will also undertake assessment activities and independent learning outside of class. Depending on the modules you take, you may also have additional scheduled academic activities, such as tutorials, dissertation supervision, practical classes, visits and fieldtrips.
On our taught courses, the actual amount of time you spend in the classroom and in contact with your lecturers will depend on your course, the option modules you select and when you undertake your final-year project.
On our distance-learning and blended-learning courses, discussion, collaboration and interaction with your lecturers and fellow students are encouraged and enabled through various learning technologies, but you may have limited or no face-to-face contact with your module tutors.
Timetables
Timetables are usually available from September onwards and you can access your personalised timetable via your My Birkbeck Profile online (if you have been invited to enrol).
Indicative class size
Class sizes vary, depending on your course, the module you are undertaking, and the method of teaching. For example, lectures are presented to larger groups, whereas seminars usually consist of small, interactive groups led by a tutor.
Independent learning
On our taught courses, much of your time outside of class will be spent on self-directed, independent learning, including preparing for classes and following up afterwards. This will usually include, but is not limited to, reading books and journal articles, undertaking research, working on coursework and assignments, and preparing for presentations and assessments.
Independent learning is absolutely vital to your success as a student. Everyone is different, and the study time required varies topic by topic, but, as a guide, expect to schedule up to five hours of self-study for each hour of teaching.
On our distance-learning and blended-learning courses, the emphasis is very much on independent, self-directed learning and you will be expected to manage your own learning, with the support of your module tutors and various learning technologies.
Study skills and additional support
Birkbeck offers study and learning support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed. Our Learning Development Service can help you in the following areas:
- academic skills (including planning your workload, research, writing, exam preparation and writing a dissertation)
- written English (including structure, punctuation and grammar)
- numerical skills (basic mathematics and statistics).
Our Disability and Dyslexia Service can support you if you have additional learning needs resulting from a disability or from dyslexia.
Our Counselling Service can support you if you are struggling with emotional or psychological difficulties during your studies.
Our Mental Health Advisory Service can support you if you are experiencing short- or long-term mental health difficulties during your studies.
Assessment
Assessment is an integral part of your university studies and usually consists of a combination of coursework and examinations, although this will vary from course to course - on some of our courses, assessment is entirely by coursework. The methods of assessment on this course are specified below under 'Methods of assessment on this course'. You will need to allow time to complete coursework and prepare for exams.
Where a course has unseen written examinations, these may be held termly, but, on the majority of our courses, exams are usually taken in the Summer term, during May to June. Exams may be held at other times of the year as well. In most cases, exams are held during the day on a weekday - if you have daytime commitments, you will need to make arrangements for daytime attendance - but some exams are held in the evening. Exam timetables are published online.
Methods of assessment on this course
This course is assessed by coursework only, including the production of digital items, critical evaluations and essays.
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Careers and employability
Careers and employability
Graduates can pursue a career in web development, multimedia programming, design, project management, education and training. Possible professions include web developer, project manager, or digital designer. This degree is also useful in becoming a multimedia specialist, teacher, or market researcher.
We offer a comprehensive Careers Service to help you advance your career, while our in-house, professional recruitment consultancy, Birkbeck Talent, works with London’s top employers to help you gain work experience that fits in with your evening studies.
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How to apply
How to apply
You apply directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link. Please note that online application will open in September.
You will need to prove your identity when you apply - read more about suitable forms of identification.
When to apply
You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places on your chosen course and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.
You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.
You will also receive information about subject-specific induction sessions over the summer.
Help and advice with your application
Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.
Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.