Bachelor of Arts in Digital Media Culture and Technology

at Royal Holloway,University of London United Kingdom

Psychology is the study of how people think, react and interact. It is concerned with all aspects of behaviour and the thoughts, feelings and motivations that underlie such behaviour. It is an important subject because it relates to the whole range of human experience, from visual perception to complex social interactions.

Join our three-year course and you will be able to customise your learning in your final year, selecting from a number of optional modules including Consciousness & Cognition, Human Neuropsychology and Criminal and Forensic Psychology.

Royal Holloway's Department of Psychology is among the best-equipped psychology departments in the country where post- and undergraduates may benefit from the department's advanced technology. This includes an on-site magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner for studying brain structure and activity, instruments for recording electrical changes in the brain (EEG) and other cutting-edge facilities to augment your learning.

Follow your passion for psychology, clinical psychology and mental health and you’ll graduate with excellent employability prospects in a variety of different fields. Notable alumni include the leading bioscience innovator Professor Jackie Hunter CBE, founder of the Terrence Higgins Trust Dr Rupert Whitaker, and Dr Christian Jarrett – author of The Rough Guide to Psychology.

• Study the most up-to-date and exciting findings in psychology.
• Learn with internationally recognised experts in their fields.
• Develop psychological research skills and practice how to think critically about research.
• Benefit from the department’s advanced research facilities.
• Customise your degree in your final year, selecting from a number of optional modules.

BA Politics and International Relations looks at political ideas and processes, as well as global issues such as war and security, diplomacy and development.

You will gain a solid foundation in politics, the history of international relations and IR theory, studying subjects such as democracy, decolonisation, democratisation, international organisations, foreign-policy making, human migration and human rights. As you progress through the degree, the flexible nature of the course allows you to specialise in those aspects of domestic politics, political theory and international relations that most interest you.

By combining Politics and International Relations, you will gain an advanced understanding of how individuals, groups and states interact across borders, and how political institutions and ideas differ around the world.  As you progress through your studies, you will engage with important contemporary challenges, including, for example, the recent global economic crisis, changes in the European Union, human migration and the threats posed by terrorists and new communications technologies.

The Department of Politics and International Relations has a strong commitment to high-quality, cutting-edge research, all of which informs our teaching. We are a research community that applies various theories and methods to the study of domestic, transnational, regional and global politics.  We have expertise in African, British, Chinese, European, Middle East, North American and South Asian politics, and our research covers areas such as security, democratisation, youth politics, international diplomacy and political communication, as well as contemporary and radical theories of democracy and power.

• Learn how to approach problems in a rigorous and analytical way.
• Gain a solid foundation in politics, the history of international relations and IR theory.
• Our graduates pursue roles in many sectors including the civil service, public affairs and law.
• Consider contemporary challenges, such as terrorism, climate change and refugees.
• Work placement opportunities at MPs’ offices, NGOs and local government.

In recent years, businesses of all sizes, across all major industry sectors have become project-based. Those projects can now easily span different companies, regions, time zones, and integrate diverse knowledge bases and disciplines. And business, services and governments are looking for teams that can plan, coordinate and control both the output and underlying processes of a project, made up of individuals who can make a powerful contribution to the decision making involved.

On our one-year Project Management MSc you’ll learn how to apply project management principles across a range of disciplines and business sectors, from fashion and film to the charity sector; from the sciences to working in government. We’ll equip you with practical tools and skills, plus an understanding of the academic theories underpinning them, to set you up on your future career path.

We place a strong emphasis on the scientific and technological revolutions underway and the process of technological convergence, which have had a major impact on both the older established engineering industries and the younger electronics, wireless, computer, media and creative industries and internet-based start-ups.

You’ll learn from highly experienced practitioners, including CEOs and senior executives with experience across a range of industries including manufacturing, electronics, finance, media and major consultancies (like PwC and AD Little Inc). These industry connections have informed the content and design of the course, in a way that will not only build on your existing knowledge and experience, but increase your chances of finding employment at a salary level higher than the graduate national average wage in your chosen sector.

The Centre for Professional Studies was founded in 2013, recognising that international industries, firms, organisations and governments are demanding exceptional candidates who have the knowledge base and practical skills to finance, manage and execute processes and projects successfully. It’s our ethos to combine academic excellence with industry related knowledge and expertise.

• Acquire the tools to succeed in today’s workplace, from applied management to financial and leadership skills in order to plan, design, execute and deliver projects on time and on budget
• You’ll gain the practical and academic qualifications to meet demands of employers across competitive global markets, including the industry-recognised PRINCE2 qualification.
• You’ll learn from highly experienced practitioners and senior executives with portfolios covering both complex, multi-disciplinary projects and small, bespoke interventions in niche sectors.

Instagram created new visual cultures, LinkedIn created new employment spheres, and Twitter has changed the way we discuss politics. The creative industries are the UK’s fastest-growing economic sector, worth £71.4 billion a year and making up 5.6% of the work force (Department of Culture, Media & Sport, 2014), and within the creative industries, digital media looks set to grow the fastest over the next few years. Opportunities are everywhere.

A unique collaboration between the Department of Media Arts and Department of Computer Science, this three-year Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree will introduce you to all the key elements of digital media culture and technology, with a focus on the creative and cultural aspects in your course options for years 2 and 3. It will equip you for an exciting career in this ground-breaking field, giving you the critical and creative skills to excel in media production and an appreciation of the technologies that make it all work. The courses modular structure gives you the flexibility to tailor your studies to your own interests.

We don't just teach surface readings of today's social media, we give you an understanding from the ground up. We will help you to harness the power of digital media cultures and work with the latest, emerging forms of social media. This degree is an innovative collaboration between the Department of Media Arts and Department of Computer Science to enable you to learn from the experts in coding, design and data analytics that form the technical basis of today's digital communications. We put heavy emphasis on project-based learning and regular industry involvement. Our broad curriculum will also prepare you for more advanced study in either media arts of computer science, or related fields if you decide to progress within academia.

• Emphasis on project-based learning.
• Industry involvement from our outstanding networks.
• Use our 24-7 media arts facilities.
• Study how social media works on both aesthetic and technical levels.
• Alternative BA (P300) pathway available wholly taught in the Department of Media Arts.

By combining the study of creative writing with English, you'll become an informed and critical reader as well as a confident and expressive writer - whether specialising as a poet, playwright, or author of fiction.

Studying at one of the UK's most dynamic English departments will challenge you to develop your own critical faculties. Learning to write creatively and critically analyse in tandem, you'll be exposed to a huge variety of literature while you develop your own writing practice. Studying English will allow you to place your writing within a wider cultural context of literature throughout history, considering key texts and acquiring a sound understanding of significant periods, genres, authors and ideas.

Modules are taught by nationally and internationally known scholars, authors, playwrights and poets who are specialists in their fields who write ground-breaking books, talk or write in the national media and appear at literary festivals around the world.  This means the course you take covers the most up-to-date ideas, whether in Creative Writing, Victorian Literature, Shakespearean studies or contemporary literature.

Find your voice as a writer and develop writing techniques, learn how to create, criticise and shape an artistic work: a valuable life skill with uses beyond writing poetry, plays or novels. From journalism and website creation to advertising and academic publishing – you'll be able to use the skills you pick up in character, voice, ambiguity, style and cultural context.

• Writing practice at the heart of your learning experience.
• Taught by high-profile, award-winning writers.
• Create and shape artistic work – ideal skills for a career in media or publishing.
• Choose one of three distinct pathways: fiction, poetry, or playwriting.
• Access to a thriving culture of creative writing.

The creation, transmission and storage of huge volumes of electronic data is one of the defining features of our age. Whilst these technologies bring us untold benefits, they also expose businesses, governments and individuals to repeated threats, such as fraud through data manipulation, deliberate sabotage and blackmail. As a result, businesses, governments and individuals around the world rely on the expertise and innovations of information security specialists, without which global communications systems would grind to a halt.

Want to join this expanding field and learn from the very best? Our flagship Information Security programme was the first of its kind in the world. It is certified by GCHQ, the UK Government Communications Headquarters, and taught by academics and industrial partners in one of the largest and most established Information Security Groups in the world. We are a UK Academic Centre of Excellence for cyber security research, and an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Centre for Doctoral Training in cyber security. We work closely with industry, and much of our curriculum and research is informed and audited by the industry itself. Our teachers are specialists in the field, with backgrounds in computer science, engineering, mathematics, statistics and the social sciences.

Our broad curriculum encompasses cryptography, fraud detection, system security, network security, device security and the study of how security itself should be managed. You will learn about the technical, legal and commercial aspects of the industry and have the chance to complete a supervised dissertation on a topic of your choice. In a typical year you could benefit from lectures and seminars given by as many as 50 different guest speakers. You will also have access to our virtualisation software, for experimenting with network security settings and ideas, as well as to our Penetration Testing Laboratory and industry-sponsored Smart Card Centre.

We offer a friendly, supportive learning environment and you will have a dedicated personal adviser to guide you through your studies. The skills you gain will open up a range of high-level career options and provide a solid foundation if you wish to progress to a PhD. Our graduates are in demand for their cutting-edge grasp of the field as well as their technical expertise and transferrable skills such as data handling, analysis, problem solving and research. The programme can be completed in one year full-time, two years part-time, three to five years through Continuous Professional Development (CPD), or two to four years through distance learning.

• Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills to work at a high level in the information security industry or move into postgraduate research.
• Our strong ties with industry mean we understand the needs of employers and can ensure that you are well prepared to enter the world of work.
• We have a strong track record of helping graduates into successful, high-level careers in a wide range of sectors.
• Our MSc Information Security has been awarded GCHQ- certified status

Our Department of Law and Criminology has a reputation for high quality research and teaching. Whilst studying Law at Royal Holloway you will explore the fundamental principles of justice, equity and equality within the framework of English and European law. This degree is for anyone looking to start a career in law, whether as a barrister or a solicitor, it is also for those who are interested in the legal system and the ways in which laws are made and upheld. You will be equipped with a wide range of transferable skills which are highly sought after by employers in a wide variety of fields.

You will consider the different laws which apply to different legal problems within the legal system. This will enable to understand how the law regulates agreements between individuals and the relationship between the individual and the state. In addition to acquiring invaluable legal skills in research and oral presentation, you will have the opportunity to choose from a range of subjects in fields such as family law, medical law, company law and international law along with criminology options in terrorism, sentencing and penal policy and gender and crime.

Our balanced approach to research and teaching guarantees high quality teaching from subject leaders, cutting edge materials and intellectually challenging debates. You will receive individual attention and flexibility to acquire expertise within a specialist field

• Qualifying Law Degree, as defined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board.
• Understand the key features of English and European law.
• Develop an understanding of doctrines and principles underpinning common law.
• Develop skills to evaluate legal developments, analyse legal texts and develop independent thinking.
• Develop key legal research and communication skills.

We cover all the essentials of application development, from programming to software engineering, databases to web development, computer graphics to robotics, and information security. You will also explore the fundamentals of computing – what computers do, and how efficiently they do it – and learn about a host of advanced technologies, from computer games, digital sound and music, to concurrent and parallel programming, machine learning, bioinformatics, the internet of things, computational finance and more. From the outset you will be experimenting with programming games, robots, Gadgeteer kits, Subversion, JUnit testing, Scrum-based Agile software and more, in our well-equipped laboratories.

We are a highly respected, research-focused department with a friendly approach and award-winning teaching. We offer a short-term summer work placement course and a dedicated personal adviser to guide you through your studies. You will also be welcome to join our thriving Computing Society. We are one of only seven departments in the UK to hold the Athena SWAN bronze award for increasing female participation in computer science.

The course’s modular structure gives you the flexibility to tailor your degree to your interests. We also offer you the opportunity to follow a specialist pathway that matches your career ambitions. At the end of year 1 you will have the option of transferring onto one of these pathways (Artificial Intelligence, Information Security or Distributed & Networked Computing), as well as onto a year-in-industry course, or onto our longer and more advanced integrated masters course. Transferring onto our Software Engineering pathway requires previous programming experience and early permission to take the Software Development course in year 1, rather than Object-oriented Programming.

• A flexible degree structure allows you to keep your options open and follow your study interests and career ambitions.
• You will acquire problem modelling and analysis techniques, as well as knowledge of and practical experience in modern software-development methodologies and techniques.
• You will develop extensive team-work skills, excellent coding skills, good communication skills, and a strong professional ethos.
• You will have access to a very wide range of optional modules, including those highlighted in the specialist pathways.

Our Forensic Psychology Masters degree is jointly delivered by the Department of Law and Criminology and the Department of Psychology.  By choosing this course at Royal Holloway you will be trained in the research-practitioner model for careers either in forensic psychology or applied psychology, and gain transferable skills that provide a valuable basis for careers in a wide range for fields.  

A solid foundation in scientific research methods is developed so that you can design, conduct and analyse empirical psychological research. Teaching will be provided by academics from Psychology, Criminology and Law which will enable you develop skills in integrating concepts and communicating on multidisciplinary levels. You will be trained in qualitative and quantitative methods and in ethical issues relating to research and practice.  

Our balanced approach to research and teaching guarantees high quality teaching from both research and practice-led internal and external professionals, cutting edge materials and intellectually challenging debates. You will receive individual attention to enhance your personal and professional development.

On graduating you will have the foundation level knowledge to work towards becoming a qualified Forensic Psychologist and the understanding of the necessary interrelationship between scientific research and forensic psychological practice.

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society. Successful completion of the course fulfils stage one of the requirements towards Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society and full membership of the Division of Forensic Psychology.

Taking an MA in History at Royal Holloway offers maximum flexibility to tailor your degree to your own areas of interest. Our internationally renowned academics, who are at the forefront of research and methodological innovation, will inspire and challenge you. On graduation you will have a balance of theoretical, conceptual, practical and digital skills, making this degree for those looking to develop a career in areas that involve the professional creation, evaluation and dissemination of knowledge or wish to progress towards a PhD in History. This MA is also suitable for anyone wishing to return to the academic study of history after a break in order to pursue a passion for a historical period, to improve intellectual and communication skills, or to start a new career.

Depending upon your individual interests your customised module can have either a broad, or a more concentrated focus. The modules available cover Gender and Cultural history, British, European and World history, as well as Hellenic studies. Within this flexible MA History Module, you can also opt to take a specific ‘Pathway’ in either ‘Gender History’, ‘Hellenic Studies’, or ‘Histories of Conflict and Violence’ by choosing Optional Modules tailored each one.  You will also take wide-ranging methodology and research skills modules which provide instruction in historical research, concepts and methods alongside developing a range of practical and communications skills that have proved valuable in the job market.

We are one of the largest and liveliest History departments in the UK, yet you will receive our individual attention and become part of our close-knit post graduate community.