Course specification and structure
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UDMEDFRE - BA Media with French

Course Specification


Validation status Validated
Highest award Bachelor of Arts Level Honours
Possible interim awards
Total credits for course 360
Awarding institution London Metropolitan University
Teaching institutions London Metropolitan University
School School of Computing and Digital Media
Subject Area Creative Technologies and Digital Media
Attendance options
Option Minimum duration Maximum duration
Full-time 3 YEARS  
Part-time Day 4 YEARS  
Course leader  

About the course and its strategy towards teaching and learning and towards blended learning/e-learning

The degree has a growing use of pedagogical innovation as well as utilising traditional teaching methods. The latter includes a mixture of lectures, seminars, and workshops. Within this a combination of whole group, small group, and student-led and tutor-led teaching occurs. This will include face to face teaching and discussion, but there is also an increasing emphasis on the use of blended learning opportunities. Many modules already are paper free, with considerable learning materials and resources being placed on relevant module weblearn/BlackBoard sites, e.g. lecture notes, module handbooks, video links, recorded lectures, podcasts, first hand documents, and blogs. Teaching staff provide electronic feedback, after the electronic submission of formative assessments, and through on-line office hours. A growing number of materials are also available on-line through the University library, including access to journals and e-books.

This is all designed to open up the learning space for students to enable them to access the degree 24/7, improving the student learning experience, whilst increasing cost-effectiveness and efficiency.

An additional and important part of the teaching and learning strategy is the academic research which is carried by teaching staff. This is used to support teaching through the transferring of staff research skills and knowledge to enhance the student learning experience, i.e. the research is effectively feedback to students through teaching.

Staff research specialisms are an essential component of the Media curriculum, with students benefitting from being taught by specialists.

Course aims

The aims of the programme are to:
Establish a sound theoretical and methodological framework for the coherent and systematic exploration of the languages and forms of the mass media and the relationship between production, distribution, reception, and the construction of meaning in the media.
Develop a knowledge and understanding of the media and culture in their historical contexts through the examination of an appropriate range of materials and practices.
Explore the cultural and ideological debates underlying the development of the academic frameworks of media studies, with particular reference to mass media’s negotiations of power, gender, sexuality, race, and class.
Develop in students a confident understanding of their particular interests and abilities and the ways in which these might be directed in relation to contemporary media and cultural concerns and aspirations.

Introduce students to a range of approaches that will enable them to analyse the structures and processes whereby media and popular culture texts and practices are produced and consumed.

Explore and analyse national and international power relations in the mass media.

Provide students with an integrated and thorough understanding of the ways in which social practices and cultural processes inform our consciousness of our affiliations and ourselves.
Introduce students to a range of theoretical approaches focusing on the interconnections between various forms of public and media culture and the structures of individual, everyday lived experience.

Provide language development for those whose interests would be enhanced by improving their foreign language abilities in French.

assist students to develop a range of cognitive, social and language skills relevant to their intellectual, vocational and personal development, with a particular emphasis on employability

Widen access to higher education and to create an enabling environment for non-standard and standard students, thereby promoting equality of opportunity for UK, EU and international students.

Provide opportunities for students to acquire a range of transferable skills that will enable them to engage critically and creatively in contemporary media and popular cultures.

Course learning outcomes

The following learning outcomes incorporate and depend on systematic understanding of the key aspects of the knowledge base of Media with French, including a coherent and detailed knowledge of some specialist areas in depth.

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

  • deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry within Media with French;
  • devise and sustain arguments, and/or to solve problems, using ideas and techniques, some of which are at the forefront of Media with French;
  • describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research, or equivalent advanced scholarship, in Media with French, recognising the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge;
  • manage their own learning, and to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources (for example, refereed research articles and/or original materials appropriate to Media with French;
  • apply the methods and techniques that they have learned to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out projects;
  • critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be incomplete), to make judgements, and to frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution - or identify a range of solutions - to a problem;
  • communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences;
  • exercise initiative and personal responsibility, including decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts;
  • undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature

Principle QAA benchmark statements

Languages, Cultures and Societies
Communication, Media, Film and Cultural Studies

Assessment strategy

The course combines both formative and summative assessment opportunities, embracing a variety of methods including: essays, exams, seminar performance, seminar presentations (both individual and group), portfolios, blogs, policy documents, and book reviews. The majority will be tutor assessed, but a number will be peer-reviewed in seminars.

The strategy is designed to maximise the development of subject specific skills and employability skills appropriate to each level of the degree.

Organised work experience, work based learning, sandwich year or year abroad

All students will complete a work-based learning module at either level 5 or level 6.

Modules required for interim awards

See Course Structure

Arrangements for promoting reflective learning and personal development

Every module on this course has embedded within it reflective learning components and personal development planning relevant to the year of study. It will be encouraged in lectures, seminars, and in assessment methods. Students will be directed to reflect on knowledge specific learning, personal and employability skills development. Students will be encouraged to engage positively with all feedback opportunities, be they with tutors or in peer-review situations, and to reflect and learn, resulting in the developing of further learning strategies.

Arrangements on the course for careers education, information and guidance

Career guidance and industry contextualisation is embedded throughout the programme. Visiting lecturers from the media industry will be arranged each year. Alumni lecturers from the media, digital media and communications subject area will also be organised regularly. Staff maintain strong links with the industry and receive requests for candidates for both volunteer or junior positions in the industry which are then passed on to the students.

Further, an annual event is organised, in the department, to provide the student with advice on careers, and CV writing among other activities. This is primarily aimed at third year students, however second year students also attend and avail of this advice. This day long activity involves the involvement of external invited specialists.

Further, the student has the opportunity to access the university careers service.

Other external links providing expertise and experience

Industry professionals are involved in delivering some specialist lectures. In addition, students have the opportunity to attend staff student seminars where papers are delivered by a variety of specialists from the Media and Academia.

Career opportunities

Students on this degree typically enter careers in media-related roles in the corporate and third sectors, including media relations work, public relations work, marketing work and media management roles. Students often pursue further study opportunities at master’s level specialising in either media or marketing roles.

Entry requirements

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

  • a minimum of grades BBC in A levels (or a minimum of 112 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg Advanced Diploma)
  • English Language GCSE at grade C or above (or equivalent)
  • a passion for the media and desire to forge your career in media, marketing, public relations or communications

There are no pre-requisites for languages, and students start at whatever level is appropriate after taking a language level assessment with the Open Language Programme staff.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.

Official use and codes

Approved to run from 2016/17 Specification version 1 Specification status Validated
Original validation date 09 Aug 2016 Last validation date 09 Aug 2016  
Sources of funding FUNDED ENTIRELY BY STUDENT TUITION FEES
JACS codes
Route code MEDFRE

Course Structure

Stage 1 Level 04 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
OFLXX1 French Language Core 15 NORTH SPR NA  
          NORTH AUT NA  
OFLXX2 French Language Core 15 NORTH SPR NA  
          NORTH AUT NA  
SJ4046 Moving Image and Sound Practice Core 30 NORTH AUT+SPR FRI PM
          NORTH AUT+SPR FRI AM
SM4001 Media Genres Core 30 NORTH AUT+SPR MON AM
SM4013 Media Histories Core 30 NORTH SPR+SUM WED PM
          NORTH AUT+SPR TUE AM

Stage 2 Level 05 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
FC5W52 Work Related Learning for Media 1 Core 15        
OFLXX1 French Language Core 15 NORTH SPR NA  
          NORTH AUT NA  
OFLXX2 French Language Core 15 NORTH SPR NA  
          NORTH AUT NA  
SM5011 Television Studies Core 30        
SM5013 Media and Communities Core 30        
SM5051 Crime and the Media Option 15 NORTH SPR THU AM
SM5052 Youth Culture and the Media Option 15 NORTH AUT THU AM
SM5062 Digital Humanities Option 15        
SM5066 Documentary Photography and Photography Journalism Option 15        
SM5068 Researching Media Audiences Option 15 NORTH AUT TUE PM
XK0000 Extension of Knowledge Module Option 15 NORTH SPR NA  
          NORTH AUT NA  

Stage 3 Level 06 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
FC6W52 Work Related Learning for Media 2 Core 15        
OFLXX1 French Language Core 15 NORTH SPR NA  
          NORTH AUT NA  
OFLXX2 French Language Core 15 NORTH SPR NA  
          NORTH AUT NA  
SM6003 Media, Culture and Identity Core 30 NORTH AUT+SPR MON PM
SM6P05 Media and Communication Dissertation Core 30 NORTH AUT+SPR WED PM
SJ6060 Documentary Filmmaking Option 15 NORTH SPR MON AM
SM6052 Media, Power and Politics Option 15 NORTH SPR WED PM
SM6053 Digital Video Post-Production Option 15 NORTH AUT THU AM
SM6054 Analysing Popular Music Option 15 NORTH AUT WED AM
SM6064 Globalisation and the Media Option 15        
SM6065 Situation Comedies Option 15        
XK0000 Extension of Knowledge Module Option 15 NORTH SPR NA  
          NORTH AUT NA