Media and Creative Industries BA
AAB at A level; graduates earn a median £22,000 three years on.
Typical A level offer
AAB
90% of entrants came with A levels · 95% stay on after year 1 · Warwick course page, Discover Uni
Year 13 · applying
What do you need to get in?
AABtypical A level offer; aab please also see our additional requirements below.
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. Contextual offer: BBB, for applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
Warwick course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
Who actually got in: 90% with A levels, 10% with the IB. 5% arrived with 208 or more UCAS tariff points — roughly A*A*A or better. Based on 40 entrants.
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications4
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| IB | 34 points34 Please also see our additional requirements below. | — |
| BTEC | D*D*DWe welcome applications from students taking BTEC qualifications, either alone or in combination with A levels. Our typical BTEC offers are as follows: BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate plus | — |
| Advanced Highers | AAAA in two Advanced Highers where you have achieved ABB/BBB in three further Highers subjects. AB in two Advanced Highers where you have achieved AAB in three further Highers subjects. | — |
| Access | 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis. Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Di | — |
Years 1–3
What do you study?
4compulsory modules in year 1
Compulsory modules this year: arts & humanities 42% · transversal skills 28% · social & cultural skills 10% · language & communication 7%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Warwick course page · optional modules vary by year
Year 1 · 4 core · 105 credits ≈ 1,050 hours
- Industry Insight and Professional Practice
What you learn (9)
- describe the structure and operation of creative, media and cultural sector organisations
- analyse challenges facing creative and cultural industries and their workforce
- explain features of cultural work and professional practice in creative industries
- describe strategies for sustaining a career in the creative and media industries
- conduct empirical research to gather primary data
- conduct desk research using secondary sources
- collaborate with peers to produce project outputs
- present project work clearly to an audience
- reflect critically on performance to shape future development plans
- Media Lab 1
What you learn (5)
- generate an original idea for a transmedia project from a conceptual brief
- produce technically proficient media work through iterative testing and experimentation
- apply self-directed and collaborative learning strategies to develop media work
- relate own creative output to relevant academic research on form and aesthetics
- present creative work engagingly across multiple media formats
- Media, Creative and Cultural Industries
What you learn (10)
- describe different models used to define creative industries
- explain how cultural consumption theories appear in creative industries
- explain how business models shape creative practice
- describe regulatory and policy frameworks affecting the creative sector
- collect and present evidence on change in creative industries
- analyse political, economic and technological change in creative industries
- debate differing interpretations of creative industry issues
- evaluate strengths and weaknesses of analytical approaches to creative industries
- present findings clearly in spoken form
- present findings clearly in written form
- Thinking Culture and Creativity
What you learn (8)
- describe key periods of artistic and philosophical change in cultural history
- relate philosophical and theoretical ideas to artistic and creative practice
- identify political, social and economic conditions driving cultural transformation
- interpret how societal factors shape radical shifts in culture
- construct theoretical frameworks to support academic argument
- apply theoretical frameworks to plan creative production
- collaborate effectively within a team on creative projects
- apply acquired knowledge creatively in professional contexts
Year 2 · 5 core, 1 optional · 105 credits ≈ 1,050 hours
- Cultures of Engagement
What you learn (7)
- explain the significance of engagement as a shift in communication theory
- analyse communication theories to identify key concepts
- interpret audience and consumer behaviour affecting communication contexts
- conduct primary and secondary research on a chosen topic
- produce critical and interpretative written analysis
- collaborate effectively within a team on a shared project
- apply theoretical and empirical knowledge creatively to practical tasks
- Media and Cultural Management
What you learn (13)
- explain core management principles applied in creative industries
- explain core marketing principles applied in media organisations
- describe how organisational structures shape management practice in creative sectors
- describe how institutional structures influence creative practice in media organisations
- gather relevant data on media and cultural organisations
- analyse organisational culture within media and creative organisations
- present findings on organisational structures and cultures
- evaluate strengths and weaknesses of management models in different scenarios
- debate differing interpretations of management and cultural scenarios
- present learning outcomes through oral communication
- communicate learning outcomes through written work
- collaborate with peers to prepare seminar presentations
- apply problem-solving skills within group work
- Media and Intellectual Property
What you learn (9)
- analyse how regulation shapes creative and production practices
- produce a digital media project that follows legal requirements
- apply good practice guidelines when creating media content
- identify key legal areas affecting the creative and media industries
- describe legal frameworks governing media production practices
- explain the purpose and principles of intellectual property law
- explain the purpose and principles of copyright law
- apply licensing practices appropriate to media projects
- justify the need for licensing within creative industries
- Media Lab 2
What you learn (8)
- produce a distinctive practical output for a transmedia creative project
- integrate theoretical concepts with practical creative work
- apply problem-solving strategies to varied creative contexts
- collaborate effectively within a group to achieve shared outcomes
- accept responsibility for group work outcomes
- develop a specialist skill contributing to a project with minimal guidance
- evaluate personal and project outcomes against expectations
- recommend improvements based on evaluation findings
- Media and Creative Industry: The Workplace
What you learn (9)
- explain how an organisation reaches decisions and builds strategic plans
- describe how different organisational policies interrelate
- relate organisational policies to current trends in the creative sector
- complete a short work placement in a creative industry setting
- analyse the operations of a host organisation during placement
- describe professional working practices within a work environment
- identify challenges facing an organisation and its responses to them
- produce a detailed SWOT analysis of a chosen live organisation
- demonstrate professional networking skills in a workplace context
1 optional module
- Screenwriting
What you learn (8)
- identify personal writing style within contemporary UK film context
- evaluate filmmaking and screenwriting practice using film theory
- write a short film script
- write a feature-length film script
- distinguish writing conventions for television from those for film
- describe the stages involved in producing a film
- apply technical skills to shoot video footage
- apply technical skills to edit video footage
Year 3 · 4 core, 1 optional · 90 credits ≈ 900 hours
- Event Production and Creative Producing
What you learn (10)
- describe the function of a creative producer in delivering innovative public projects
- plan an innovative project from concept to completion
- control project timelines and budgets during delivery
- evaluate the outcomes of a completed project
- identify different audience groups for creative productions
- develop strategies to engage varied audiences with a production
- produce a unified media experience across multiple platforms
- apply inclusive and adaptable approaches when selecting production technologies
- evaluate creative practice and content produced in a project
- explain how individual creativity contributes within collaborative teamwork
- Leading for Innovation
What you learn (9)
- explain theoretical models of leadership
- apply leadership models to media and creative industry contexts
- explain theories of innovation and creativity
- apply problem-solving techniques while working within a group
- appraise own strengths and weaknesses as a member of an innovative team
- critique personal learning gained from collaborative project work
- deliver a persuasive professional presentation to an audience
- evaluate own learning outcomes through oral communication
- evaluate own learning outcomes through written communication
- Media and Creative Industries Residency
What you learn (12)
- describe the sector in which an organisation operates
- evaluate likely future developments affecting the sector
- explain an organisation's position within its sector and broader environment
- analyse how cultural, technological and political factors affect an organisation
- reflect on challenges faced by an organisation relevant to a given brief
- assess how an organisation responds to its operational challenges
- undertake practical work experience within a creative or media organisation
- apply client-focused skills to support organisational development
- examine the management practices of a creative organisation
- compare an organisation's management approach with sector norms
- evaluate one's own contribution to understanding an organisation's operations
- demonstrate effective working practices within an organisational or client setting
- Media Lab 3 Major Project
What you learn (12)
- review current research literature in the media field
- identify critical issues within a research area
- formulate relevant research questions
- evaluate available production methods and technologies
- justify the choice of methodological approach
- produce original media content supporting a research concept
- critically evaluate relevant academic literature
- interpret relevant data to support conclusions
- deliver a professional media project meeting a negotiated brief
- apply specialist media software at an industry standard
- operate specialist media hardware at an industry standard
- organise research and production schedules independently
1 optional module
- Transnational Media Ecologies
What you learn (9)
- evaluate political, social and economic issues arising in transnational media contexts
- construct a reasoned argument on media-related issues in spoken and written form
- explain theoretical concepts relevant to transnational media ecologies
- present ideas and analysis to peers using oral, visual and written formats
- collaborate with peers on a group project applying module concepts creatively
- apply ethical considerations when engaging with module material
- reflect critically on one's own positionality within local and global contexts
- compare and evaluate differing theoretical approaches to transnational media ecologies
- situate module content within the wider discipline of sociology
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
After graduating
Where does it lead?
£22,000median pay three years after graduating
Lower quarter£18k
Median£22k
Upper quarter£26k
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 30 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 24, 14, 23
Half of graduates earned between £18,000 and £25,500. Five years on, the median is £29,000. 90% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 65% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 15% left | 95% | 30 |
| In work or study, 15 months on0% studying | 90% | 20 |
| Professional or managerial job | 65% | 20 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £27,000 | 15 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £22,000 | 30 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £29,000 | 30 |
Money
What does it cost?
£10,050a year for UK students, 2027/28 entry
Tuition fee loan — paid straight to the university; repayments start the April after you leave, at 9% of income above the threshold. UK fees are capped by government and rise with inflation; placement and study-abroad years are usually charged at a lower rate.
Warwick fees page · source
About £30,150 in fees over 3 years, covered by a tuition fee loan you repay only when earning above the threshold.
National Student Survey 2025-26
What do students say?
90%agreed the course was good overall (question 26)
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 88% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 20 students answered
Highest: 100% agreed on question 1; lowest: 57% on question 17.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 100% |
| Question 2 | 86% |
| Question 3 | 90% |
| Question 4 | 86% |
| Question 5 | 90% |
| Question 6 | 81% |
| Question 7 | 90% |
| Question 8 | 76% |
| Question 9 | 71% |
| Question 10 | 57% |
| Question 11 | 62% |
| Question 12 | 71% |
| Question 13 | 86% |
| Question 14 | 67% |
| Question 15 | 90% |
| Question 16 | 90% |
| Question 17 | 57% |
| Question 18 | 67% |
| Question 19 | 95% |
| Question 20 | 100% |
| Question 21 | 95% |
| Question 22 | 76% |
| Question 23 | 81% |
| Question 24 | 62% |
| Question 25 | 63% |
| Question 26 | 90% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Warwick’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Warwick is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.