Options with media studies
Degrees in media studies cover a broad range of subjects from the highly practical to the theoretical. You can develop a variety of skills that are extremely useful in many employment areas. These skills include:
All courses focus on the communication of information across a variety of mediums. Graduates with the ability to communicate information clearly and effectively are beneficial to any organisation.
If your aim is to work directly within the media industry, it is important to build up a portfolio of work, gaining as much experience as possible. Think about contributing to your university paper or other publications. You can also gain experience working for TV production studios, radio outlets, newspapers, PR firms or advertising agencies.
Persistence and motivation are vital due to the popularity of this sector.
The relevance of some of these jobs may depend upon the type of modules or course you have studied. Research each job carefully to find out how it matches with your skills and experience. Many of the practical/technical skills required can be obtained through work experience during your degree or after graduation.
Experience is critical in this field due to its popularity. To gain work experience, contact a radio, television, newspaper, PR or advertising agency to see about opportunities. It may be useful to volunteer in order to get your foot in the door. Part-time and voluntary opportunities may be pursued while on your course during the summer holidays or evenings/weekends. It may also be useful to get involved with your university radio station or publications office.
Think about the type of media/communications you are interested in, as narrowing down your preferences allows you to focus your approach to specific employers. Once you graduate, temporary or introductory posts can help you get started in a particular career area.
Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it’s not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here. Look at your degree... what next? for informed advice on career planning and graduate employment, or login/register with My Prospects to find out what jobs would suit you, a helpful starting point for self-analysis.
Explore types of jobs to find out more about the above options and related jobs.
Media graduates work in a wide range of professions, and success often depends on the motivation and determination of the graduate. If you choose to follow a media/communications career, be mindful that every career path is different. What works for one person may not work for someone else.
Statistics for media graduates demonstrate that this degree can be used to enter a broad range of occupational areas in various sectors. The skills obtained by graduates in media studies are particularly well suited to work with TV production studios, radio outlets, newspapers, PR firms and advertising agencies.
A 2012 HESA survey of 2011 graduates indicates that six months after graduation over 68% of media studies graduates were in full or part-time employment. Of these, 29% found jobs as retail, catering, waiting and bar staff, 18% were in arts, design, culture and sports professions, about 9% had gone into other clerical and secretarial occupations, and 10% were in marketing, sales, and advertising professions.
Various employers from different sectors employ media studies graduates. These employers include:
For insight into employment areas see:
For further information on possibilities in other employment areas, see job sectors.
Statistics are collected every year to show what HE students do immediately after graduation. These can be a useful guide but, in reality, because the data is collected within six months of graduation, many graduates are travelling, waiting to start a course, paying off debts, getting work experience or still deciding what they want to do. For further information about some of the areas of employment commonly entered by graduates of any degree discipline, check out What Do Graduates Do? and your degree...what next?
A 2011 HESA survey of 2010 graduates indicates that six months after graduation around 6% of media studies graduates went on to do further study.
You may choose to pursue further study because it is essential for your career path or highly desirable for entry into your chosen career. Alternatively, you may want to gain more skills and enhance your prospects of breaking into a career area, e.g. public relations or multimedia.
Postgraduate courses in areas such as journalism and teaching are popular with media studies graduates. When deciding what to study, consider your career plan, academic interests and the degree you have taken. However, successful completion does not guarantee entry into any particular area of work but it will enhance your skills and offer more networking opportunities.
These trends show only what previous graduates in your subject did immediately upon graduating. Over the course of their career - the first few years in particular - many others will opt for some form of further study, either part time or full time. If further study interests you, start by thinking about postgraduate study in the UK and search courses and research to identify your options.
For details relating to finance and the application process, look at funding my further study.
