Bachelor of Arts (BA)
BA Cultural, Creative and Media Industries
An interdisciplinary study covering a range of industries, and how they function from theoretical perspectives to practice.
- Typical A-level offer: AAB
- Typical contextual A-level offer: BBB
- UK refugee/care-experienced offer: BBC
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: IB 35 points overall with 6,6,5 at Higher Level
Overview
Course overview
- Gain knowledge of how the cultural, creative and media industries operate through theory, research, and applied learning.
- Understand how important contemporary and historical debates and ideas relate to cultural, creative, and media industries around the world.
- Prepare for creative careers and advance the cultural, creative, and media industries through education and professional development.
- Enhance students' academic and intellectual abilities, enabling them to pursue advanced research independently.
- Undertake interdisciplinary learning by choosing to study course units from across the School of Arts, Languages and Culture (SALC).
- The University of Manchester is a world-leading institution, ranked in the top-50 globally across all of Arts and Humanities by Times Higher Education 2025 .
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
- Telephone
- +44(0)161 509 2871
- ug-ahvs@manchester.ac.uk
- School/Faculty overview
-
See: About us
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
A-level
AAB 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.
Native language A levels will be considered if taken in the same sitting as your other A Level subjects.
A-level contextual offer
BBB 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.
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.
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 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each component, or;
An acceptable equivalent qualification.
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 academic School for clarification.
If you need to improve your English language skills to meet the entry requirements for your academic course, the University Centre for Academic English (UCAE) summer pre-sessional courses can help. Check if your academic course offers the option of taking a pre-sessional course on the UCAE page .
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 (previously known as a Tier 4 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
Fees and funding
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
- Find out more from student finance
- Eligible UK students can apply for bursaries and scholarships
- Funding for EU and international students is on our country-specific pages
- Many students work part-time or complete a student internship
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
Course details
Course description
For those who aspire to have a career in the cultural, creative, and media industries, whether in music, film and TV, theatre, fashion, publishing, or in galleries, libraries, archives, or museums (GLAM), this course will help to develop a critical understanding of the industries from a national and global perspective and prepare the next generation of cultural leaders, cultural entrepreneurs, policymakers, and researchers in these sectors. T he Cultural, Creative, and Media Industries (CCMIs) course offers a deep and captivating journey through theory, research, and applied learning.
The Cultural, Creative, and Media Industries (CCMIs) programme offers a profound and captivating journey into the dynamic landscape of music, film, fashion, TV, gaming, publishing, GLAM, and the performing and visual arts. It equips students with the expertise to excel in leadership roles, drive strategic initiatives, influence policies, and promote entrepreneurship within the cultural, creative, and media sectors.
In the first year of study, you'll learn the key theories of cultural production and explore different industries and case studies. In the second year, you'll focus on putting your critical thinking into practice, as well as having the chance to choose specialised topics of interest. In the final year, you’ll combine practice and theory in the form of a major research and a major practical project. Alongside these core course units, there are options to pick additional courses from the School of Arts, Languages, and Cultures, meaning you can explore subjects from individual artforms, as well as key issues, including the impact of digital technology, sustainability, leadership, and how to be an entrepreneur.
There is the option for you to choose to undertake a placement year, gaining industry experience. Both the host organisation and your academic mentor will oversee the placement.
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
Students will learn through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials, spending approximately 12 hours a week in study sessions. For every hour of university study, you will be expected to complete a further 2-3 hours of independent study.
The individual study component could be spent reading, producing written or creative work, and revising for examinations.
Coursework and assessment
Assessment formats will vary according to course unit specification and will include written examinations, presentations, coursework including research or data collection alongside undertaking a dissertation project in your final year.
Course content for year 1
In your first year, you'll learn about historical and contemporary issues in the cultural, creative, and media industries. You'll understand the micro and macro impact of money, politics, and society within the industry. You will also analyse how cultural, creative, and media organisations operate and how individuals work within them, both globally and in different areas of the industry.
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.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/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 | |
Displaying 10 of 11 course units for year 1 | |||
Display all course units for year 1 |
Course content for year 2
In your second year of study, you'll learn about how cultural,creative, and media industries operate from a business perspective. You'll use research to gain a deep understanding of their strategies and entrepreneurial practices. This will include insights into product development, making money from creative work, starting your own creative business, and working as a freelancer in these industries.
With this knowledge, you'll 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. You'll also explore issues concerning fairness and equality in the creative field.
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.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
CCMI20011 | 20 | Mandatory | |
CCMI20021 | 20 | Mandatory | |
CCMI20032 | 20 | Mandatory | |
DIGI20052 | 20 | Optional | |
DIGI20071 | 20 | Optional | |
DRAM20041 | 20 | Optional | |
DRAM21272 | 20 | Optional | |
HART20431 | 20 | Optional | |
MUSC20721 | 20 | Optional | |
MUSC20802 | 20 | Optional | |
Displaying 10 of 13 course units for year 2 | |||
Display all course units for year 2 |
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. You'll assess how government rules affect creative and cultural industries, especially in areas like city improvement, regional and national growth, local and global markets, productivity, and people's well-being.
The course culminates in a written Dissertation. The Dissertation is your individual research, expressing your own views, analyses and enthusiasms, and the end result comprises your unique contribution to the field of creative and cultural industries studies. You will also be ready for a job in the creative industries.
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.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
CCMI30100 | 40 | Mandatory | |
CCMI30110 | 40 | Mandatory | |
CCMI30122 | 20 | Optional | |
CCMI30402 | 20 | Optional | |
MCEL30051 | 10 | Optional | |
MCEL30111 | 10 | Optional |
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
A degree in Creative and Cultural Industries opens up the potential to work in a range of creative industries. It also opens up the opportunity to work in creative jobs in other industries.
Throughout the course, students will learn many useful skills. Key skills include: creative problem-solving, research, project management, market analysis, and entrepreneurship.
A knowledge of the relevant theories in these fields also provides a strong basis for jobs. These jobs are in the many growing creative and cultural industries.
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.