Digital Media Design
Entry requirements
A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) in a related subject.
Applications are reviewed on their individual merits, and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.
Months of entry
October
Course content
Our MA Digital Media Design is ideal if you want to stay ahead in the rapidly changing field of digital media and web design. This one-of-a-kind course offers you professional development and technical skills combined with academic rigour and scholarly consideration.
Why choose this course?
- On this course we teach you not only how to design and manage digital media, but also how to think critically about it. This unique approach gives you the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in the digital media industry, as well as the critical-thinking skills necessary to stay ahead of the curve.
- The course will prepare you for a career as a web developer or designer in the competitive arena of digital media, where employers are looking for candidates with a strong foundation in both technical and business skills.
What you will learn
We will teach you industry-standard techniques including coding, visual design and prototyping. You will also investigate agile and human-centred design methodologies, as well as gaining a deep understanding of core design concepts like accessibility, usability and user experience.
You will gain business acumen important in understanding the practical applications of digital media in the workplace. By the time you graduate, you will have developed your ability to manage design projects and will have built up a portfolio that will impress potential employers.
How you will learn
You can study this course full- or part-time in the evening so you can manage your studies around other commitments. Highly interactive teaching makes for an engaging learning experience, through formal lectures, seminars, practical workshops and computer lab sessions for hands-on experience.
You will be able to tailor your degree to your interests and career goals by focusing on relevant subjects and choosing from a range of option modules. This course focuses on digital media design, but we also offer two interlinked MA Digital Media courses, one which focuses on culture management and one which focuses on management aspects. This means that you can broaden your skills further with option modules relating to either management or culture.
Highlights
- The unique combination of technical, management and conceptual skills will increase your chances of working in one of the most rapidly expanding sectors in the UK. The majority of jobs in the sector are located in London and the south-east, with Birkbeck uniquely positioned to take advantage of technology hubs such as East London's 'Silicon Roundabout'.
- We focus on teaching and research in film and media, journalism, arts policy and management, with the Birkbeck Interdisciplinary Research in Media and Culture, the Vasari Research Centre for Art and Technology and the Birkbeck Institute for the Moving Image (BIMI) as focal points of our research culture. BIMI has a rich programme of free screenings and film-related events, and also hosts the annual Essay Film Festival.
- We have state-of-the art cinema and exhibition spaces, all housed in a historic building that was a former home to key members of the Bloomsbury Group, including the author Virginia Woolf and the artist Vanessa Bell.
- Birkbeck was ranked as one of the top four universities in the UK for its Art and Design research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
- We offer a number of bursaries for postgraduate students.
The MA Digital Media Design provides technical skills like coding and design, but also essential transferable skills such as:
- critical thinking
- problem-solving
- communication
- teamwork
- leadership
- business acumen.
Graduates of the course will be prepared for careers in web development, multimedia programming, design, project management, education and training. They will be well-positioned for roles such as:
- web developer
- project manager
- digital designer
- multimedia specialist
- user researcher
- digital content manager
- UX/UI designer.
Top employers of MA Digital Media Design graduates include well-known tech giants like:
- Apple
- Microsoft
- Amazon
- Meta
- Adobe.
Graduates have also secured jobs as designers and developers with:
- JP Morgan
- the NHS
- the higher education and technology-enhanced learning sectors.
We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.
Information for international students
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.
If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.
Qualification, course duration and attendance options
- MA
- full time12 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- part time24 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
Course contact details
- Name
- Student Advice Service
- studentadvice@bbk.ac.uk
- Phone
- +44 (0)20 3907 0700