From programming to storytelling, our degree provides you with hands-on experience with the latest technologies.
Year of entry: 2021/22
WG24
Y50
3 years full-time (plus optional placement year)
AAB (full entry requirements)
September 2021 (term dates)
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Interactive media has permeated almost every aspect of our lives.
Mobile apps, websites, games and social media have transformed the way we work, play, learn and interact with each other. But this is just the beginning. With new interactive technologies like virtual and augmented reality on the horizon, we are only just beginning to understand the huge potential of interactive media to transform and enhance our lives.
Our Interactive Media BSc will give you the power to create the new types of interactive media content that are transforming our society and culture. The unique multidisciplinary degree brings together technical, creative and socio-cultural perspectives on interactive media. You will be supported to develop your creativity, to acquire technical skills needed in the production of interactive media, and to have the ability to analyse and assess the impact of interactive media upon individuals and society as a whole.
The degree combines creativity with technical work, user experience design with computer programming, and human-computer interaction with critical contextual analysis of digital culture and society. You will gain hands-on experience of the latest digital technologies, study the theory and practice behind mediated interaction, and learn to assess the cultural implications of contemporary media developments. You may have the opportunity to find and secure a placement year in industry between years two and three of your course. Upon completion, you will be a well-rounded professional, attractive to a huge range of employers, from entertainment to finance, from technology development to design, from industry to academia.
The Department of Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media supports the Made in Creative UK campaign.
The Interactive Media degree offers an ideal grounding for those wishing to work in the digital media industries, which increasingly require people to work with technology from a creative perspective. This is the course that will create the next generation of interactive media stars.Charles Cecil MBE, Co-founder of Revolution Software
Innovation in interactive media requires an understanding of the field from technical, creative and socio-cultural perspectives. In the words of Steve Jobs, "technology alone is not enough — it is technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the result that makes our heart sing". As a student on the Interactive Media BSc, you will gain a comprehensive skillset that combines programming and engineering, design and art, and media and cultural studies.
You'll learn how to understand and create interactive media software, content and products for a variety of platforms and uses including:
The course is strongly academically based but also gives you the freedom to develop your own practical ideas from the first year onwards, as you create a portfolio to show to your future employers. You will have access to superb technical facilities, be surrounded by students studying closely interrelated degrees in media technology and production, and be taught by lecturers who are world-leading researchers in interactive media. You will also benefit from our excellent links with industry, through masterclasses, internships and employment opportunities.
There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:
You'll learn the fundamental principles of software programming for media systems, how to create audio and visual assets and the nature of interactive storytelling. You'll explore the historical development and social and cultural impact of interactive digital media, ranging from video games to social networks and the Internet of Things.
You'll develop digital media programming and production skills, solve problems with computers using algorithmic abstractions and computational models, and turn your ideas into prototypes. You'll take on a creative project idea of your choice, and advance your ability to critically analyse interactive media systems.
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
You'll continue to enhance your programming, media production, design and critical analysis skills and learn to combine them to create games, virtual environments, responsive websites and cross-platform mobile apps. You will also learn user-experience design techniques for understanding how users interact with interactive media. Your group project will develop essential team working skills, and you'll complete the entire process of interactive media development from concept creation to evaluation. At the end of the academic year, we'll support you in finding interactive media industry placements.
A major part of your third year is devoted to your final project, which allows you to develop an idea in depth and demonstrate all the skills and knowledge you've gathered during the course. You'll advance your knowledge of key business issues including financial, legal, ethical aspects as well as marketing, and you'll learn to develop business plans for your ideas.
Current option module topics cover issues such as how digital technology changes and defines us as individuals, as social beings and as humans, and understanding cutting edge technologies like VR and haptics. You can learn about mobile computing, and how to create native mobile applications, as well as understanding key video game theory concepts and game development.
Please note, modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
Create your own portfolio to show to prospective employers
Learn to create 3D virtual worlds, tell stories, create experiences
Study theory and practice, programming and engineering, design and art, media and cultural studies
The fees and funding figures below are for 2021/22 entry. If you take a year abroad or year in industry you'll pay a reduced rate of fees for that year
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £18,350 |
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2021/22 throughout the year.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
“Students from all backgrounds achieve consistently outstanding outcomes”
The TEF Panel, Office for Students, June 2018
Our Gold Teaching Excellence Framework award demonstrates our commitment to the delivery of consistently outstanding teaching and learning for our students.
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
Impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)
We hope to deliver this course as advertised for 2021/22 entry, but it’s unclear when we’ll be able to return to a normal timetable. For an idea of how this course might be affected, see our changes for 2020/21 entry.
York's BSc in Interactive Media is taught by academics at the cutting edge of research that also have hands-on industry experience. You'll learn through a mixture of lectures, small-group seminars, practicals, one-to-one tutorials and masterclasses with visiting industry leaders.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Lectures | 5 hours per week |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 2-4 hours per week |
| Practicals | 7-8 hours per week |
| Film Screening | 0-2 hours per week |
These figures are based on an average student in an average week. Your contact hours will vary throughout the year due to your module choices, non-compulsory classes, exam periods and changes to scheduled activities.
Outside your timetabled hours, you'll study independently. This may include preparation for classes, follow-up work, wider reading, practise completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during term time. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
You will be based in the Department of Theatre, Film, Television, and Interactive Media on Campus East.
Most of your contact hours will be in Theatre, Film, Television, and Interactive Media with some additional teaching on Campus East.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
You'll complete several different kinds of written and practical assignments, including: exams, written essays, technical reports, computer programs and media examples.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exams | 25% | 0% | 0% |
| Coursework | 75% | 100% | 100% |
The figures above are based on data from 2016/17.
Our graduates enter the professional world using their wide range of technical, design and analytic skills gained from the degree. The interactive media sector is one of the fastest growing areas of the economy and this degree combines rigorous academic work with the development of practical skills for you to succeed in this competitive industry. You will be equipped for roles such as web/AR/VR development, user interface and experience design, games design and development, project management, digital content production and marketing, and further academic research. Employers of our graduates include EON Reality, Scott Logic, Netsells, the Open Data Institute, and FTI Consulting.
Hear what our graduates have to say about the programme.
Studying Interactive Media was one of the main reasons I got my placement - the combination of technical skills and creative thinking was exactly what they were looking for. University definitely helped with my organisation and communication skills, and I have also used and built upon my practical knowledge of creative programming, UX design and even games development.Rebecca, BSc Interactive MediaRead more on what our students say about us.
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAB |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 36 credits at Distinction and 9 credits at Merit or higher |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDD |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, D3, M2 |
| European Baccalaureate | 80% overall |
| International Baccalaureate | 35 points |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to three A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve C or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
| Core Maths | If you achieve B or higher in Core Maths, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C |
| C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
| Duolingo | 110 overall, with a minimum of 100 in each component |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Get in touch if you have any questions
Department of Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media
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