Digital Media Culture and Technology BA
Program Overview
The Digital Media Culture and Technology (DMCT) BA program at Royal Holloway, University of London, equips students with expertise in digital media practices and cultures, industry-standard production skills, and critical and creative thinking abilities. Through project-based learning and industry involvement, graduates are prepared for successful careers in the flourishing digital media industry. The program offers a broad curriculum, optional modules, and a range of assessment methods to cater to individual interests and career aspirations.
Program Outline
Degree Overview: The Digital Media Culture and Technology (DMCT) BA program at Royal Holloway, University of London, equips students to become experts in the practices and cultures of digital media and to understand their impact on various industries. This innovative degree emphasizes project-based learning and regular industry involvement, providing graduates with the critical and creative skills necessary for success in the flourishing digital media industry.
Objectives:
- Develop expertise in digital media cultures and practices
- Master industry-standard skills in digital media production
- Foster critical and creative thinking skills
- Prepare for a successful career in the digital media industry
Program Description:
DMCT dives into the world of digital media, exploring its influence on social platforms, streaming and viral media, personalization algorithms, gaming, and creative digital content. Students learn to understand the transformative power of digital media and how it reshapes various industries. The program emphasizes industry-standard digital media production skills, preparing graduates to meet the demands of today's digital landscape. Additionally, students develop critical and creative thinking skills, enabling them to navigate the ever-evolving digital media landscape.
Other:
- Offered as a full-time, three-year program.
- Students can choose between two pathways: BA (P300) or BSc (P304).
- The BSc pathway, offered in collaboration with the Department of Computer Science, focuses on the technical aspects of digital media.
- Students can tailor their learning by choosing from a wide range of modules in years two and three, allowing them to pursue their individual interests and career aspirations.
- The program boasts a broad curriculum that prepares students for further studies in media arts or related fields if they choose to pursue a more academic path.
- Digital Storytelling: Explores the history of digital storytelling innovations and equips students with the skills to produce their own innovative digital stories.
- Introduction to Digital Media Theory: Develops students' understanding of digital narratives and cultures with a focus on audiovisual storytelling.
- Introduction to Digital Media Practice: Fosters students' understanding of interactive digital projects and promotes reflection on their significance in the context of digital media culture, history, and theory.
Year 2:
- Digital Media Communications: Equips students with theoretical and practical skills to create content for various digital and social media platforms.
- Digital Aesthetics: Examines the core concepts of the digital age and how modern computer networks, devices, and infrastructure underpin almost all forms of aesthetic, cultural, social, and political life.
- Data Journalism and Visualisation: Explores the aesthetics, function, and politics of 'data' as used in news media through the development of an original creative data journalism and visualization project.
- One elective from the following:
- Creative Interactive Media
- Creative Digital Arts
- Animation and Visual Effects
- Creative Social Media
Year 3:
- Entrepreneurship, Creative Thinking, and Digital Marketing: Provides students with a real-world understanding of working in the digital industries.
- Media Arts Dissertation or Advanced Digital Media Project: Students choose one of these options, pursuing either a substantial original piece of digital media or a written dissertation on a pertinent topic.
Optional Modules:
Students can choose from a variety of optional modules across various years to further personalize their learning experience. These modules cover topics such as film theory, television history, contemporary British cinema, media technologies, and more.
Assessment: Assessment methods in DMCT vary depending on the module and include:
- Assessed blogging
- Short film submissions
- Programming tasks
- PR exercises
- Responding to live briefs
- Essays
- Scripts
- Production papers
- Extended essays
- Written exams
- Assessed coursework
- Portfolio of practical work
Teaching: DMCT utilizes a diverse range of teaching methods, including:
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Small-group tutorials
- Screenings
- Practical workshops
- Live media practice exercises
- Location work
- Use of purpose-built TV studio
- Multimedia and computer labs
- Group work
- Guided independent research and study The program employs a dedicated team of experienced faculty members and guest lecturers from the industry.
Careers: DMCT graduates are prepared for a vast array of career opportunities in the digital media and creative industries. Some potential career paths include:
- TV production
- Directing
- Writing
- Shooting and starring in films
- Software engineering
- PR and brand management
- Games development
- Web design The program's emphasis on project-based learning and industry involvement ensures that graduates are well-equipped with the skills and experience needed to thrive in their chosen careers.
Other:
- The program provides access to 24/7 technical facilities, allowing students to build a portfolio of creative work for their future careers.
- Students benefit from networking opportunities with industry professionals and alumni during lectures and industry events.
- DMCT offers a micro work placement scheme, enabling students to gain valuable real-world experience in the digital media industry.
- Graduates from DMCT have found success in a wide range of media-related fields, demonstrating the program's effectiveness in preparing students for rewarding careers.
