Overview

Course overview

  • Setting you up for success: Build an understanding of how the cultural, creative and media industries work, the theories behind these sectors, as well as opportunities to apply your learnings in a professional environment.
  • Learn from the experts: Our lecturers and visiting speakers are extremely knowledgeable in their fields, providing teaching that will stretch your educational and critical thinking abilities, and offers excellent opportunities to take on advanced independent research.
  • Multi-aspect teaching: Choose to take the modules that fit with your interests, as well as optional course units from across the School of Arts, Languages and Culture (SALC).
  • Collaborate closely with your lecturers and class mates on a course with a great sense of community.
  • Further your skills and relevant experience by taking on placements or internships with the support of your course mentor.
  • We’ve been ranked as the UK’s top most targeted university by top UK employers (High Fliers Graduate Market Report, 2026) - an excellent place to learn and set yourself up for a successful career.
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Study Cultural and Creative Media Industries at Manchester

Open days

Visit us on an open day: Explore creative industries at Manchester

Are you interested in a career in the creative industries – from media and film to music, fashion and digital content?

At our open days, you will discover what it’s like to study Cultural, Creative and Media Industries at The University of Manchester.

· Explore how we study real-world creative sectors, including film, music, publishing and digital media

· Attend subject talks on how the creative industries work – from production to policy and management

· Meet lecturers with expertise in media, culture and the global creative economy

· Learn how this course prepares you for careers across the creative industries

· Speak to current students about placements, projects and life in Manchester

Book your place at a Humanities open day and start your journey in the creative industries at Manchester

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
Telephone
+44(0)161 509 2871
Email
School/Faculty overview

See: About us

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Course details

Course description

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Study BA Cultural and Creative Media Industries | Animation

What are the cultural, creative & media industries?
The cultural, creative and media industries cover a wide landscape of topics, including:

  • Film and TV
  • Fashion
  • Gaming
  • Publishing
  • Archival industries such as museums, libraries or galleries
  • Performing and visual arts

Studying these topics offers avenues into a range of employment opportunities, and will help prepare you as future cultural leaders, cultural entrepreneurs, policymakers, and researchers.

Why you should study Cultural, Creative & Media Industries at Manchester

BA Cultural, Creative & Media Industries is a uniquely flexible course, covering a broad range of subjects, that allows you to choose to study what really interests you. This course is aimed at those interested in a future career in music, film, TV, theatre or cultural and arts-based industries.

Manchester is the birthplace for many key cultural touchpoints across literature, music, cinema, and sport, so you’ll be studying in a global cultural hotspot. Our location provides access to a range of creative businesses and organisations, such as MediaCityUK (BBC and ITV), the award-winning Whitworth Art Gallery, as well as major music and theatrical venues.

Our excellent links with this wide variety of institutions will help you to network and build relationships within Manchester’s cultural and creative scene.

As part of your studies, you’ll:

  • Gain a critical understanding of the Cultural, Creative & Media industries, both within the UK and from a wider international perspective.
  • Take part in guest lectures where you’ll learn from a wide range of practitioners and creatives with lived professional experience.
  • Have the option to do a placement year, gaining vital skills in time management and research.
  • Boost your employability through placements within the course, gaining work experience and making contacts, while putting the skills you’ve learned into practice.

Aims

If you aspire to have a leadership career in the cultural, creative, and media industries such as music, theatre, film, fashion, GLAM, and publishing, or in policymaking for these sectors, this course will help you to develop a critical understanding of the industries from a national and international perspective.

By enrolling on this course in Manchester, one of the UK's most important cultural hotspots, students will have the opportunity to benefit from its cultural infrastructure, MediaCityUK, the award-winning Whitworth Art Gallery and HOME, to name just a few.

Special features

Manchester: a creative city

Manchester is one of the world's great creative cities. It is the birthplace for many key cultural touchpoints across literature, music, cinema, and sport, to name a few. Our course is designed to give students access to a range of business and organisations within the creative and cultural industries. With organisations such as the BBC and ITV as well as major music and theatrical venues, you will be at the centre of a global cultural hotspot.

Placements

There is the option to take a placement year should wish to do so, working in industry, which might include working in Manchester’s cultural and creative scene, gaining vital skills in time management, research, and networking.

Experts in the classroom

In the course, a range of practitioners and creatives from various industries will give guest lectures. These will focus on a variety of matters across the creative and cultural industries.

Teaching and learning

You’ll spend approximately 12 hours per week in studying in university-based settings, learning via a mixture of:

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Workshops
  • Tutorials

As part of the BA Cultural, Creative & Media Industries course, you’ll also gain highly employable skills, such as:

  • Critical thinking
  • Research and market analysis
  • Creative problem solving
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Project management
  • Networking

For every hour of university-based study, you’ll complete another 2-3 hours of independent learning: this time could be spent reading, producing written or creative work, or revising for examinations.

Towards the end of the course, you’ll write a dissertation. This is made up of your own research, giving you the chance to express your views, analyses and enthusiasms.

We encourage students to participate in independent learning outside of their studies. By taking up volunteering, work experience or creating a portfolio, students can build on skills developed throughout the course and add this valuable experience to their CVs.

Coursework and assessment

You’ll be assessed in a variety of formats, including:

  • Presentations
  • Coursework (including research or data collection)
  • A dissertation project in your final year
  • Written examinations

Helpful and detailed feedback will be given for all written and oral work.

Course content for year 1

In your first year, you'll:

  • Learn about historical and contemporary issues in the cultural, creative, and media industries.
  • Understand the micro and macro impact of money, politics, and society within the industry.
  • Analyse how cultural, creative, and media organisations operate and how individuals work within them, both globally and in different areas of the industry.
  • Discover the key theories of cultural production, exploring the different aspects of the creative industries and looking at real world case studies.

Course units for year 1

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
CCMI10011 20 Mandatory
CCMI10022 20 Mandatory
CCMI10031 20 Mandatory
SALC10402 20 Mandatory
DIGI10031 20 Optional
DIGI10062 20 Optional
DRAM10031 20 Optional
HART10051 20 Optional
MCEL10001 10 Optional
MCEL10002 10 Optional
MUSC10512 20 Optional
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Course content for year 2

In your second year of study, you'll:

  • Learn how cultural, creative, and media industries operate from a business perspective.

  • Build a deep understanding of the strategies and entrepreneurial practices these industries use.

  • Become skilled at identifying and explaining complex legal and ethical issues related to using digital technologies, managing intellectual property and copyright, and monetising creative content.
  • Explore issues concerning fairness and equality in the creative fields, and put your critical thinking into practice.

  • Choose a number of more specialist topics to study to fit with what you’re most interested in.

You'll also gain insights into:

  • Product development
  • Making money from creative work
  • Starting your own creative business

  • Working as a freelancer in these industries

Course units for year 2

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
CCMI20011 20 Mandatory
CCMI20021 20 Mandatory
CCMI20032 20 Mandatory
DIGI20052 20 Optional
DIGI20062 20 Optional
DIGI20071 20 Optional
DRAM20041 20 Optional
DRAM21271 20 Optional
HART20432 20 Optional
MUSC20722 20 Optional
MUSC20801 20 Optional
SALC20032 20 Optional
SALC21152 20 Optional
UCIL21331 10 Optional
UCIL24002 10 Optional
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Course content for year 3

In your final year, you'll:

  • Use everything you've learned and practiced so far to work on group and solo projects in real-world situations.
  • Find out how government rules affect creative and cultural industries, especially in areas such as:
    City improvement
    Regional and national growth
    Local and global markets
    Productivity
    People's well-being
  • Develop your professional independence, and your problem solving and project management skills.
  • Combine the theory you’ve learned and the practical experience you’ve had into two major projects: a dissertation and applied project.
  • Alongside the core course units, you’ll have the option to pick additional courses from the School of Arts, Languages, and Cultures: This means you’ll be able to explore subjects from individual art forms and key issues, including the impact of digital technology, sustainability, leadership, freelancing and how to be an entrepreneur.

Course units for year 3

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
CCMI30100 40 Mandatory
CCMI30110 40 Mandatory
CCMI30401 20 Optional
MCEL30051 10 Optional
MCEL30111 10 Optional

Facilities

  • Students can enhance their studies with use of the Whitworth Gallery and Manchester Museum - both have a wide variety of events, exhibits and collections.
  • As well as the cultural assets and study facilities based right on campus, The University of Manchester has one of the largest university libraries in the country.
  • John Rylands Library is another amazing resource based at Deansgate: it holds one of the finest collections of rare books, manuscripts, and archives in the world.

Disability support

Disabled students make up over 19% of University of Manchester students, and we are proud to offer an accessible and inclusive service via our Disability Advisory and Support Service . This support and advice is also available to prospective students , parents and supporters.

Careers

Career opportunities

Cultural, Creative and Media Industries opens up the potential to work in a range of industries, including:

  • Public sector
  • Media organisations
  • Publishing
  • Cultural institutes
  • Art galleries
  • Museums
  • Charities
  • Education sector
  • Research
  • Policy

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .

Entry requirements

A-level

AAB including one essay based subject.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, any offer will be based on three A Levels, and any additional A Levels won’t be included in your offer. Any offer will normally be based on three A Levels taken in the same sitting and based on your qualification portfolio. Your offer will stipulate which subjects and the grades required.

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

Duration of A-level study

If you have studied an advanced curriculum, where the examinations are spread over three years or more, please contact the academic School/Department for clarification on acceptability prior to applying. For some courses, offer will normally be based on three A Levels taken in the same sitting (normally within a two-year period).

A-level contextual offer

BBB including one essay based subject.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, any offer will be based on three A Levels, and any additional A Levels won’t be included in your offer. Any offer will normally be based on three A Levels taken in the same sitting and based on your qualification portfolio. Your offer will stipulate which subjects and the grades required.

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

Contextual offers are available for applicants who:

  • live in the UK and will be under the age of 21 on 1 September of the year they will start their course; and
  • live in an area of disadvantage or with low progression into higher education; and
  • have attended a UK school or college for their GCSEs or A-levels (or equivalent qualifications) that has performed below the national average over multiple years.

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

UK refugee/care-experienced offer

BBC including one essay based subject.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

UK refugee/care-experienced offers are available for applicants who:

  • have been looked after in care for more than three months; or
  • have been granted refugee status by the UK government or have been issued a UK visa under one of the Ukrainian schemes (Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme or Ukraine Extension Scheme).

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

International Baccalaureate

35 points overall. 6,6,5 in Higher Level subjects

Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the admissions team prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.

GCSE/IGCSE

Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade 6 or B in GCSE/IGCSE English Language and 4 or C in Mathematics. GCSE/IGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/IGCSE English Language.

Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of  our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications  or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the admissions team in your academic School/Department for clarification.

Other entry requirements

Other entry requirements exist for this course. You may view these by selecting from the list below.

English language requirements

All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:

  • GCSE/iGCSE English Language grade B/6, or;
  • IELTS Academic or IELTS UKVI 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each sub-test, or;
  • An acceptable equivalent qualification.

Please note we accept in-person IELTS tests taken in official IELTS test centres only. You should review our English Language requirements page for a list of acceptable IELTS tests.

If you hold English as a second language iGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of  our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications  or achieve a higher grade in your iGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School/Department for clarification.

The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires that every student requiring a visa to study in the UK must show evidence of a minimum level of English Language (common European Framework (CEFR B2 level) to be granted a Student Route visa to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

In addition, our academic Schools/Departments may require applicants to demonstrate English proficiency above the B2 level. Further information about our English Language policy, including a list of some of the English Language qualifications we accept, can be found  here .

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Fees and funding

Fees

Fees for entry in 2027 have not yet been set. For entry in 2026 the tuition fees were £9,790 per annum for home students, and are expected to increase slightly for 2027 entry.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

Learn more about student finance options for UK students .

Learn more about f ees and finance for international students .

As an international student you may be eligible for our Global Futures Scholarships . This is open to students starting their studies in September 2026.

Application and selection

How to apply

Apply through UCAS .

Home-schooled applicants

If you have followed a non-standard educational route and have been, for example, educated at home, your application will be considered against the standard entry criteria of the course to which you applied. You will be required to demonstrate that you meet the academic entry requirements as specified for the course. We will also require a reference which should be written by somebody who knows you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education. Please refer to UCAS for further information: UCAS reference guidelines

How your application is considered

Applications are considered on the basis of an assessment of past and predicted academic achievements, the academic reference and personal statement.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.