Bachelor of Applied Science in Global Challenges (Social Cohesion)

at Brunel University London United Kingdom

What is the social and cultural impact of media communications in today’s world? How do communication and information media actually work and what are their importance to our society?

This course enjoys a very close relationship with sociology at Brunel and combines the theoretical elements of sociology with the practical elements of media studies. You’ll focus on all aspects of society: its personal, social and cultural dimensions.

Studying communications and media at Brunel is not just limited to the classroom. You’ll have the opportunity to broaden your mind by going on field trips and joining film sessions, where you’ll learn about cameras lighting and editing. You’ll be able to attend optional company visits, for example IMG studios, where you’ll receive a tour of the studios.

On this course you’ll have the chance to make your own films in groups. You’ll develop your skills in our media services suite which has industry-standard facilities. You’ll be taught about the software Final Cut Pro and how to use different types of Canon cameras. You’ll experiment with different lighting styles and practise sound editing techniques. This practical work will equip you with the skills you’ll need for a media related career or for working in the field of production.

You’ll also be able to take your learning outside the classroom – on field trips and company visits. Previous students have toured the IMG studious right here in Uxbridge.

If you choose to go on a placement, you’ll benefit form Brunel’s contacts and location. Examples of recent student placements have been in advertising, digital marketing and public relations in organisations such as Cartoon Network, IMG Media, Sweet Images and the Walt Disney Company.

Accounting best practice is key to the success and longevity of a business. Accounting data contributes to valuable analysis with which to chart the progress of a business and support pivotal decision-making. This can be particularly useful when projecting future profitability and at what rate it is sustainable based on the current resources available.

The Business and Management (Accounting) BSc course offers hands-on experience using Sage Accounting software, which is widely used in the industry. You will also learn valuable technical skills along the way including numerical methods and how to use statistical software packages such as SPSS and EXCEL. This part of the course does not require A level maths or the overseas equivalent.

The accounting pathway gives students a broad overview of management issues with specialist knowledge of the applications of accountancy to the world of commerce. You will gain the combination of analytical, technical and interpersonal skills required to understand, analyse and address the issues that today’s companies face.

Our Management Enquiry module was created specifically to help you adapt to university study with learning sessions on working in groups, report writing, and time management.

This degree course is accredited by all the professional accountancy bodies in the UK (ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, CIPFA and AIA), and allows you to gain exemptions from some of their professional papers if you wish to further your study with them after you graduate. These accreditations attests to the relevance and rigour of our curriculum. We have particularly good exemptions from ACCA; we hold all nine possible exemptions.  So when you graduate you will be part qualified and will just need to sit final exams and gain some professional experience to qualify as an accountant.  Find out more about all our accreditations and exemptions on our accreditations and exemptions page.

Once you graduate, provided you have passed certain modules, you will be exempt from some of the entry level examinations of these professional accountancy bodies. This is because this degree course already covers some of the content of the examinations you must pass to gain the professional qualifications. The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants has also told us that Brunel graduates have a higher than average pass rate in both the accounting and management streams of their examinations.

There is the option to take a year’s work placement between your second and third year. Previous employers have included Adidas, Microsoft, British Airways, PwC and Nissan. Find out more on our work placement year page.

Brunel University London’s impact on the future wages of its graduates is among the best in the country compared to other universities, according to analysis of government data by The Economist (2017).

All our business degrees include the option of a work placement year between your second and third year.

• In addition to providing the opportunity to put what you’ve learnt in your degree into practice, and to earn some much appreciated money, our students find their work placement experience significantly enhances their career prospects when they come to graduate. In fact many students are offered employment with their work placement company upon graduation. You'll be working in the same capacity as you would when you graduate so it will give you a taste of what's to come, hopefully, including all the challenges and rewards.
• Placements are available at different sized organisations across the public and private sector, so you can choose the type of experience most suited to you. You’ll need to apply for these positions in much the same way as you would a job, so it’ll be useful experience in that respect too.
• The good news is that through our Business Life programme and the University’s Professional Development Centre, you should be well prepared to make the best applications you can.
• Placements tend to last 44 weeks. During your placement, an academic member of staff from Brunel Business School will keep in touch, and your employer will be invited to attend a tutorial day at Brunel with you.

Our Digital Design BSc degree is a modern, hands-on course that combines digital technology and creative design. It has been developed to equip you with the knowledge and practical skills to create, design and develop interactive and engaging digital products, services and experiences, and 2D/3D graphical content.

You will be introduced to creative technologies and motion design. You’ll learn about UX design and development for the web, digital graphic design and video production. You'll also study digital photography, 3D design and 3D animation. You will then progress to skills in the design and development of more complex digital artefacts for current and future mobile, web and IoT applications involving 3D design and animation, media aesthetics, motion graphics and immersive mixed reality. In your final year, you can choose from modules in digital experiences and creative technology design with additional options in advanced animation and advanced digital graphics and motion design.

Professional and transferable skills required for working in the creative digital industries are developed throughout each year of the course.

Our modern, industry standard digital media facilities include a green screen and post-production studio, motion capture, sound and photography studios, 4K digital cinema cameras, and a dedicated render farm. You'll have independent access to exclusive PC and Mac computing workshops and benefit from the latest industry standard specialist software for graphic design and image/video editing, 3D animation, digital compositing and rich interactive content creation. There's also the opportunity for you to use our immersive virtual environment laboratory. This includes an immersive dome (planetarium) set up for Brunel by the National Space Centre in Leicester, and is one of only a few in the UK!   

There are guest lectures covering lots of different digital media topics and the visiting lecturers provide industry insight and advice on how to structure your portfolio and showreels. Speakers include creative and design directors, user experience designers, 3D graphic supervisors, as well as mobile and web developers.

Visits are arranged to design agencies, TV and photography studios, and post-production houses. There’s also the opportunity to go to conferences and this is your chance to build networks with key industry experts. In addition, you have the advantage of Brunel’s close location to London for trips to exhibitions celebrating the creative industries.

The course can be studied full-time over three years, or four years with a placement year. We encourage the placement year option. This time in industry helps you to further prepare for the world of work and you’ll have a year’s worth of invaluable professional experience when you graduate. If you decide to go on a digital media placement year, you will have the opportunity of working in the ever-growing creative industries.

The end-of-year highlight is the BrunelDigital degree show hosted on Brunel’s one London campus. Exhibiting your creative work at this event is a great way for you to connect with leading creative technologists and showcase your talent.

Brunel’s digital design course is fully accredited and industry recognised by ScreenSkills, the industry-led skills body for the UK’s screen-based industries. It carries the ScreenSkills Select quality mark which indicates that it is best suited to prepare you for a career in the screen industries. An added benefit as a student on this ScreenSkills endorsed course, is that you're eligible to apply for a Royal Television Society (RTS) bursary.   

The digital media courses at Brunel are the only ScreenSkills-accredited degree programmes in London and the South East.

Do you want to work in an industry which creates moments of temporary escapism on stage or on screen for captivated audiences? If so, the Film Production and Theatre BA at Brunel is the course for you. You will be able to combine your love for the theatre with your passion for films and turn your creativity into a fantastic fulfilling career.

Your degree will give you a thorough understanding of film by combining the production with the theory of visual digital media. Delve into practical film and video-making, scriptwriting, filming and editing, whilst honing your critical analysis and research skills to develop a comprehensive understanding of how the film and TV industries work.

As well as learning film production skills you will also have the opportunity study a wide variety of theatre-related specialisms ranging from acting, applied drama, digital performance, directing, musical theatre, physical theatre and playwriting. This course will prepare you to pursue a wide range of careers in the theatre and entertainment industries and beyond.

The course will allow you to bring your ideas, thoughts and inspirations to the screen. By using the fantastic editing suites with up-to-date production software including Avid with accredited training facilities for Final Cut Pro 10 you will be able to bring your creations to life.

During your degree, you will be able to immerse yourself in one of the cultural capitals of the world. Being so close to London will give you easy access to the city’s rich and diverse culture and theatre events. You will have the opportunity to go on theatre visits and take part in workshops with cutting edge theatre companies as part of your course. Past theatre trips have included productions in the West End, The Barbican, The National Theatre, Royal Court, Sadler’s Wells and many others.

As well as enhancing your learning by attending screenings at the British Film Institute, the Institute of Contemporary Arts and other cinemas across the capital, you will also be eligible to enter our annual Brunel University Film Festival (BUFF) with categories including Best Fiction, Best Non-Fiction and Best Overall Film. This will allow you put what you have learnt into practice.

Learn with confidence knowing that you are taught by cutting edge academics and industry specialists who are some of the best in the UK. You’ll benefit from their in-depth knowledge and passion for what they teach as well as their first-hand experience of what it takes to break into the film and theatre industries. Many have published work in the field, so some of the books on your reading list may be written by those teaching you.

Gain an insight into life after your studies by putting your learning into practice by opting for a one-year work placement. You will graduate with valuable work experience to enhance your employment prospects and will be able to develop an understanding the working world within the film or theatre industry. We have excellent links with a wide range of notable external organisations, so you will have the opportunity to apply for high quality placements across London.

Previous students have undertaken placement at many prestigious venues including The Pinewood Group, Fremantle Media, Objective Productions, Mousetrap Theatre Company, Finsborough Theatre, Grieg City Academy and the Unicorn Theatre.

You will graduate with the confidence to be a creative and imaginative cultural producer with solid knowledge of film and theatre processes and practical experience which will put you in good stead for your future career.

The Business Computing (Social Media) BSc course looks at the ways that social media has transformed how we connect and how we do business in the 21st century. You’ll study how the internet has rapidly evolved to accommodate services and technologies which can be used by companies as commercial tools. In your final year, we’ll take a closer look at applications integral to supporting business such as Skype, Facebook and Twitter.

Through a mixture of theory and real-world practice, you’ll learn how to assess organisational problems and apply solutions. We’ll teach you how to determine a dynamic mix of processes, which allow information delivery systems and users to carry out business effectively and efficiently. You’ll come to intuitively understand how an organisation’s information systems need to adapt to the changes and developments n atural to growth and progress.

Our course is designed for flexibility, so if you’re not sure which route you want to go down, you can select modules and specialise gradually during your time with us. You can transfer between Computer Science and Business Computing up to the start of Level 2, then should you wish, you can choose a specialism up to the start of Level 3.

We know that when you graduate, you’ll be working on large projects. That’s why one third of each year of our programmes is project-based. On Levels 1 and 2, you’ll build a software solution in a team, and in your final year you’ll carry out an individual project. You’ll also have the opportunity to showcase your projects at the annual  Made in Brunel (Software Innovation) event, with awards presented by the likes of Cisco, Sky and Xerox.

As part of your degree course, you’ll have the chance to take a year-long work placement between your second year and third year. We’ll support you in finding that all-important paid professional experience, in the UK or abroad. The feedback we’ve received is that those who have taken a placement are much more likely to find a job for which their degree was a formal requirement as it gives you a competitive advantage. Recent graduates have gone on to work for well-known names such as Accenture, Toshiba, Microsoft, British Airways, O2, and Barclays.

Our programmes are accredited by the British Computer Society, the Chartered Institute for IT, for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional (CITP).  The accreditation also allows you to apply for professional membership of the BCS after you have successfully completed your degree. 

The department has been awarded an Athena SWAN Bronze, recognising our dedication to the advancement of gender equality in STEM subjects. We now have an ongoing three-year action plan to further implement strategies and improve our practices. As part of this endeavour, Brunel’s  Women in Engineering and Computing mentoring scheme provides our female students with invaluable help and support from the industry.

The Brunel Economics and Management BSc offers students interested in careers in management a detailed understanding of how economies and corporations function. 

You’ll examine how resources are allocated in response to consumer demand, business objectives and government policy, and how incentives are aligned between shareholders, managers and employees.

Specifically, your economics studies will give you a broad understanding of the production, distribution and capital formation activities within which organisations operate, while your management specialisation will focus on the coordination and use of materials and labour to achieve defined goals.

You’ll also study econometrics and develop sought-after skills in data modelling, and get training in analytical packages widely used by business and financial institutions such as SAS, EViews, Bloomberg, Reuters and STATA.

We offer two study options. You can choose three years full-time or four years full-time with a one-year professional placement between years two and three that will give you the chance to apply the theoretical principles you’ve learned to a working environment.

This degree is accredited the ACCA, which means you’ll gain exemptions from certain professional qualifying exams should you decide to study further to become a chartered accountant.

In a world of integrating global markets, the expertise you’ll get from your Brunel degree in how corporate entities are organised and managed will make you a preferred job candidate to employers in business, finance and government.

The Education BA at Brunel offers you the opportunity to combine the study of education with professional practice to give you a pathway into a range of education professions and postgraduate professional study including teacher education.

Whether you are looking to explore education related fields – such as counselling, educational psychology, social services, local authority work, social work, administration and education management – or you already know you want to teach, Brunel’s Education BA will give you a strong foundation from which to build.

The course will equip you with a broad and balanced view of educational theory, policy and practice within a range of educational contexts. You will also have numerous opportunities to develop a range of transferable skills such as critical reflection, systematic analysis, communication, collaboration, presentation and writing skills.

When it comes to professional practice, the Education BA includes three integrated work placements to give you the opportunity to explore different educational settings. To help you manage your time, you can do your placement experience weekly or in a block over the holidays.

If it’s teaching experience you’re seeking, Brunel’s network of partner schools is diverse and well-established which means you can gain highly valued teaching experience in vibrant multi-cultural schools where you will be fully supported by a work placement mentor as well as a Brunel tutor.

The Brunel Finance and Accounting MSc gives graduates interested in pursuing careers in financial management or accountancy the opportunity to develop their knowledge of accounting and finance to international levels.

Along with sharpening your quantitative and problem-solving skills, you’ll study the theory of finance, corporate governance, valuation, international accounting standards, risk assessment and financial statement analysis.

Importantly, you’ll develop your ability to interpret complex financial and numerical data and to critically evaluate and deliver midterm and long-term strategic solutions. 

Throughout the course you’ll have access to a variety of professional databases used in business and finance including Datastream, Bloomberg, Bank Scope, Osiris, Reuters 3000 Xtra and Thomson One Banker.

You can choose to study one year full-time, two years full-time with a year's work placement or 16 months full-time with a 6-12 week work placement.

This programme is accredited by ACCA and CIMA.

With growing globalisation and the convergence of international accounting practices, the demand for job candidates with the advanced, specialised skills needed to keep ahead of changing regulation is on the rise. Your Brunel MSc will pave the way for careers across the financial sector.

Learn what role the media plays in shaping our society and influencing peoples’ thoughts and behaviours by studying our exciting Sociology (Media) BSc.  

By adding media studies to your study of sociology, you’ll be able to explore and specialise in areas such as the social impact of new media, the internet and other information and communications technologies, media discourse, media policy and regulation.

The first year is designed to offer you a solid base in theoretical and methodological innovations in sociology and media. You will explore the similarities and differences in the methodologies used in sociology, media, and communications. The focus of study is upon all aspects of societal relations: it’s personal, social and cultural dimensions.

As you progress through the course, you will be able to choose modules you are interested in to actively shape and apply your learning to the issues you wish to interrogate. In your third year, you’ll work on a dissertation focusing on an area of interest of your choice. Your dissertation can be a theoretical or practical dissertation, so you can work to your own strengths.

Depending on the modules you choose, you may have the option go on fieldtrips where you will be able to apply your learning to current issues and broaden your theoretical imagination. Previous fieldtrips have included: Barbican; British Board of Film Classification; London Migration Museum; Museum of Comedy; Museum of London; regeneration areas (e.g. Spitalfields, Smithfield); and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

As you’ll be taught and supported by academics who are not only experts in their field but are actively engaged in research, you’ll develop skills that can be applied from the classroom to the workplace. They know the industry inside out, so you know you are learning from experienced professionals who will bring their unique insights into the classroom and will ensure your learning is up-to-date.

Gain an insight into life after your studies by putting your learning into practice by opting for a one-year work placement or two short placements for six months at a time. You will graduate with valuable work experience to enhance your employment prospects and will be able to develop an understanding the working world. We have excellent links with a wide range of notable external organisations, so you will have the opportunity to apply for high quality placements across London.

Some of our sociology and media students have undertaken placements in a variety of companies including the political research unit at the Conservative Party Campaign HQ, the Ministry of Justice, the Home Office, the Prince’s Trust, the Crime Statistics Unit at the Home Office, Citizens Advice Bureau and the Department of Work and Pensions.

This is a broad-based degree which will enable and encourage you to specialise in areas which particularly fascinate you. As a graduate of this dynamic degree, you will leave us with various transferable skills that are key to the contemporary employment market. 

If you follow the news and keep up-to-date on what’s happening in the world, you will know that the challenge of keeping people and nations secure is a focus and a priority across the globe. What does the future hold for keeping us safe, and how are solutions concluded?

Everyone wants to feel secure. Whether it is the security of our borders, our food and water supplies, our data or our homes, securing the safety of our resources and ourselves has never posed as big a challenge as it does today.

Alongside the core spine of your Global Challenges degree, you will take an in-depth look at issues such as climate change, sustainable development, migration, terrorism, inequality and poverty and how they affect the world we live in, this pathway will give you a greater understanding of security issues, whether they’re on the ground, in space or in cyberspace.

Your studies are structured into three levels which reflect the depth and breadth of the subject: integrated, applied and advanced security. The integrated security modules in your first year will introduce you to four themes including security, intelligence, reasoning and influence. In your second year you move on to look at applied security issues to help integrate your knowledge into new topics of war and crime, space and risk. Then, in your final year, you go on to look at more advanced security themes like threats and government.

As part of your course, you will also investigate some of the measures adopted in crisis management including the security implications of militarisation. This interesting course will take you on a journey through variety of subjects including military studies, criminology, sociology, politics and war.

Throughout your course you will build your ability to work in a team as you build skills in project management, presenting and team pitches. A third year Enterprise Project will help to bring all these skills together as you work on a group project with a real organisation.

You have the option to apply for an internship at the end of your first year and can take a one-year placement between years two and three, giving you valuable work experience and a step ahead for your career when you graduate.