Media and Sociology

How are identities constructed through our engagement with media? How do disability, class, ethnicity, gender, religion, nationality, sexuality and other social divisions play key roles in both access to the media and modes of representation within the media? 

Study key themes such as political economy, representation, discourse and identity to understand human behaviour through the lens of media and society. 

Real-world learning 

Practical learning is built into your learning, you will learn how to write for different media platforms, such as journalism, promotional and PR writing, with an emphasis on digital media platforms such as web content writing, blogging and social media.

You’ll also develop your creativity through the planning, design and creation of media projects, learning essential skills in script or treatment writing, digital video and editing. You will bring Sociology to life through work placements, community engagement, an active student society, and fascinating guest speakers and relevant study visits to bring to life the many applications of the subject.

Bringing your subject to life 

What makes a Derby Sociologist? You’ll apply sociology to the world around you, visiting local religious centres, taking sociological walking tours of the city, and going on exciting field trips to bring sociology to life nationally or globally. You will not just study in Derby, you will study Derby City and the County as well as taking national and international perspectives. It is our classroom and our living laboratory!  

Our media modules have a strong focus on understanding the dynamics of the media and communication industries, and you will be encouraged to consider philosophical questions of identity, ethics and responsibility in the context of global citizenship. 

Boost your employability with a placement year

Take an optional placement year to put your skills into practice in a real-world setting. We’ll support you in finding a placement and throughout your time in industry. It’s a great way to gain valuable experience for your CV, build contacts, and explore career options before you graduate.

What is a Joint Honours degree?

A Joint Honours degree offers students the opportunity to study two subjects.

A Joint Honours degree is a great option if:

• You want to study two subjects you’re passionate about
• You’ve got a specific career in mind and want to create a tailored degree to prepare you for the future
• You want to study a new subject alongside one you’re already familiar with

The modules below indicate the range of modules you may study as part of this combination, however prescribed and optional modules will vary depending on whether you choose to study both subjects equally, or choose to major or minor in a subject. To find out exactly which modules you would study as part of your chosen combination please contact jhs@derby.ac.uk.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

Our tutors use a varied approach to teaching which is engaging and interactive. You'll get to hear the latest insights and advice from industry guest speakers and start to build your contacts.

You will learn in a variety of ways, including through: 

• workshops 
• news days 
• work experience/real projects for employers 
• lectures and seminars, including guest lectures from key industry figures
• field trips 
• multimedia presentations 
• online collaboration 
• class debates. 

How you are assessed 

You’ll be assessed through a broad range of methods which allows you to demonstrate your individual strengths and abilities. These include: 

• essays 
• case studies 
• project work 
• group work presentations 
• online discussions 
• creative media projects 
• video essays or short production pieces.

You will be well-suited to roles in:

• Politics
• Content Creation
• Marketing
• Communications and Public Relations
• Social Media
• The wider creative industries
• Law
• Public Administration.

In fact, the research and communication skills you'll graduate with, are transferable to a huge variety of graduate-level jobs.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to

Additional information about your studies

You will typically study your two subjects equally at stage one, before choosing whether you want to major in one subject at stages two and three.

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.