Communications Schools and Programs in The United Kingdom

Communications Studies in The United Kingdom

British universities rarely offer a degree called simply Communications. The subject is taught under titles such as Media and Communication, Public Relations and Media, Media Studies, or Digital Media, Culture and Communication, and at master's level as corporate communications. The titles matter, because they signal the balance between theory, media production and professional practice in public relations or journalism.

This directory lists 24 schools in the United Kingdom that teach communications, four of them in London.

How the degree is organised

In England and Wales the bachelor's degree with honours takes three years of full-time study, and many universities offer a four-year version with an extra year. Examples from schools in this directory:

• Swansea University: Media and Communication BA (Hons), three years (UCAS code P300), or four years with a foundation year, a year abroad or a year in industry
• Swansea University: Public Relations and Media BA (Hons), three years (UCAS code PP23)
• The University of York: Digital Media, Culture and Communication BA, three years (UCAS code L391)
• University of Brighton: Media Studies BA(Hons), three years, or four years with a placement year (UCAS code P300)

In Scotland a degree usually requires four years. Glasgow Caledonian University, the Aberdeen Business School of Robert Gordon University and The University of Edinburgh are the Scottish schools in this directory for the subject.

What students learn

Content depends on the title. Swansea describes its Media and Communication degree as a blend of critical theory and hands-on experience, with optional modules in creative media practice, film studies, digital and social media, fiction writing, journalism and public relations. York's degree is more analytical: the first year has six core modules, among them Introduction to Media Technologies and Living In Digital Cultures, and the third year includes a 40-credit dissertation. The University of Northampton presents its journalism courses as combining practical training in radio, TV, newspaper, magazine and online journalism.

Professional recognition

Communications is not a regulated profession. In public relations, some courses carry recognition from the professional body. Swansea states that its Public Relations and Media programme is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). Robert Gordon University states that the master's level of its MSc Corporate Communications and Public Affairs is approved by the CIPR, and that the approval does not apply to the postgraduate diploma.

Master's degrees

A master's degree is a level 7 qualification. The MSc Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen takes 12 months full time with a September start, or 16 months with a January start, and can be studied part time over three years. It includes a four-week professional industry placement.

Admission and language

Applications for bachelor's degrees go through UCAS, where an applicant can have five choices in total. For courses starting in 2027, the equal consideration date for most undergraduate courses is 13 January 2027, and UCAS notes that many universities continue to accept applications from international students until later in the year.

Universities set their own entry requirements. Typical A-level offers are ABB at York, ABB to BCC for Media and Communication at Swansea, and ABB to BCC at Brighton for 2027 entry. UK ENIC can issue a statement comparing foreign qualifications with UK ones. Teaching is in English: York asks for IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component, Brighton asks for 6.5 overall with 6.0 in writing, and Robert Gordon University asks for 6.5 overall for its MSc. The Student visa requires English equivalent to CEFR level B2 for study at degree level.

Costs and the Student visa

Each university sets its international fees. For entry in September 2027, Swansea charges international students £20,250 for the first year of the Media and Communication BA, and York charges international and EU students £27,800 a year. Robert Gordon University lists £17,250 for international students on the full-time MSc in the 2026-27 academic year.

A Student visa requires a place from a licensed student sponsor. The application costs £558 from outside the UK and can be made at the earliest six months before the course starts. Applicants must show £1,529 per month for courses in London, or £1,171 per month outside London, for up to nine months (gov.uk, checked October 2026).

Where to study communications

The London schools in this directory include London Metropolitan University and Regent's University London. Manchester has Manchester Metropolitan University and Salford Business School. Other universities in the list are Cardiff University, Newcastle University, the University of Leicester, the University of the West of England in Bristol, Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge and the University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham.

After graduation

Graduates work in public relations, journalism, digital media and related fields, and universities build in experience for that reason: a year in industry at Swansea, a placement year at Brighton, an industry placement at Robert Gordon University. International graduates can apply for a Graduate visa after an eligible course; it lasts 18 months for applications made on or after 1 January 2027.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a degree called Communications in the United Kingdom?

Usually the title is more specific, for example Media and Communication or Public Relations and Media at Swansea University, or Digital Media, Culture and Communication at The University of York.

How long does a communications degree take?

Three years full time for a bachelor's degree with honours in England and Wales, or four with a year abroad, a year in industry or a placement year. A master's degree such as the MSc at Robert Gordon University takes 12 months full time from September.

Are communications degrees professionally accredited?

Some are. In public relations, some courses are recognised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, for example the Public Relations and Media BA at Swansea.