Communication, Media and Culture and International Relations (joint honours)
BA (Hons), BSc (Hons)
Explore how states and societies interact globally, developing insight into diplomacy, power and international affairs.
Key facts
- Duration
- Full time: 3 years
- Part time: up to 6 years
- Starts
- September 2027
- Level
- Undergraduate
- UCAS code
- PL32
- Location
- Headington
- School
- School of Social Sciences
- School of Education, Humanities and Languages
About this course
Our joint honours course lets you explore your interests in Communication, Media, and Culture and International Relations while building a solid foundation in both subjects. You’ll gain a range of personal and professional skills that will serve as a springboard for your future career. This programme is structured to progressively build your knowledge and skills, enabling you to become an autonomous and effective learner.
Communication, Media and Culture examines the interpersonal connections between individuals, groups, and corporations. It explores how they construct their identities using new media and social interaction, along with methods such as persuasion, propaganda, journalism, and branding. International Relations provides you with the opportunity to develop your understanding and knowledge of world politics, focusing on issues such as nationalism, global justice, security, migration and climate change.
We are Top 10 in the UK: Communication, Media and Culture and International Relations is ranked 8th in the Guardian Media and Film Studies subject league ranking 2025.
Study abroad
You may be able to go on a European or international study exchange while you are at Brookes. Most exchanges take place in the second year. Although we will help as much as we can with your plans, ultimately you are responsible for organising and funding this study abroad.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| UCAS tariff points | 112 |
| Contextual offer tariff points | 88 |
| A-level | BBC |
| BTEC Extended Diploma | DMM |
| International Baccalaureate | 27 |
Applications are also welcomed for consideration from applicants with European qualifications, international qualifications or recognised foundation courses. For advice on eligibility please contact Admissions: admissions@brookes.ac.uk
If you don’t achieve the required tariff points you can apply to join a foundation course.
Fees and funding
Fees
| Fee types | 2026/27 | 2027/28 |
|---|---|---|
| Home full-time | £9,790 | £10,050 |
| Home part-time | £1,220 per single module | £1,255 per single module |
| International full-time | £17,250 | £18,500 |
Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.
For further information please see our tuition fees FAQs.
Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page.
Questions about fees?
Learning and assessment
In your first year, you’ll gain a key understanding of communications, digital culture and the media. You’ll also develop your critical, analytical and specialist writing skills. You’ll get to explore a broad range of ideologies and political systems, gaining skills to help you succeed in securing a career after graduation.
In your second year, you might explore power dynamics in society or gender and race in the media. You can also develop practical expertise by building a website, or filming and broadcasting a news bulletin. You’ll explore the great issues of international relations. The optional work placement can give you experience in the working world and enhance your job prospects.
In your final year, you’ll have the freedom to focus on what you care about most, including your dissertation. You’ll also be able to gain applicable experience in areas like branding, journalism and podcasting. You can investigate how ethics and power are related in world politics or learn about violence and terrorism.
You’ll learn in a supportive and stimulating environment. You’ll be part of a close-knit programme where you’ll know everyone and get lots of support from both teaching staff and fellow students. Participation and discussion are important features of the course that promote individual creativity and effective collaborative learning.
Most modules combine lectures and seminar-style discussion based on weekly readings. You'll have the chance to discuss and challenge a wide variety of critical views and perspectives in your seminars.
| Contact hours | Total workload | Timetabled |
|---|---|---|
| about 7 hrs a week | 1,200 hrs a year | Mon–Fri, 09:00–18:00 |
Assessment
Your assessments will be diverse, and will support different learning styles - you’ll have a real opportunity to showcase your strengths.
You might write a blog, create a video diary or give a presentation. You’ll be able to write essays, literature reviews or position papers. You will also have opportunities to produce short presentations and work in groups.
The assessments are designed to help you develop your confidence in using a wide range of skills, preparing you well for your future career.
Field trips
You have the opportunity to join field trips on selected modules in your third year, such as Ethics, Power and World Politics, and Managing Global Issues.
Information from Discover Uni
Full-time study
Part-time study
Careers
As you study, you’ll develop highly transferable skills and competencies in the areas that employers care about.
These include:
- critical thinking
- creative problem solving
- written, spoken and visual communication, in a variety of media and styles
- intercultural and interpersonal understanding
- research and analysis
- working independently and collaboratively.
You’ll graduate able to analyse issues, express your ideas, inform and influence others, and respond to challenges – critical skills for the 21st century workplace.
Our graduates go on to work in diverse areas like:
- NGOs and charities
- Social work
- Publishing
- Public relations
- Marketing
- Teaching
- Media and journalism
- The civil service.
Many pursue postgraduate study, often here at Oxford Brookes.
How to apply
Our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, so module availability and course structures may vary from what is listed here. On rare occasions, we may also need to make updates to our course programmes after publication; for full details, please visit our changes to programmes page (opens in a new tab)