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BA Cultural and Creative Industries

Start date
September
Duration
3 Years
UCAS code
W900
Course Type
Undergraduate, Single Honours
Fees

Annual tuition fees for 2025/26:
£9,535 (UK)
£23,660 (International)
More detail.

Launching in 2025, the BA Cultural and Creative Industries degree at the University of Birmingham will prepare you to lead and innovate in one of the fastest-growing sectors in the UK. Combining theory and practice, your degree covers aspects of business, project management, and leadership skills alongside developing your creativity to know how to deliver dynamic content to audiences.

This industry-focused programme draws on our internationally recognised research and practice-led expertise in theatre, performance, film, creative writing, arts and cultural policy, visual arts, curation, production, and digital media, as well as the legal, business, leadership, and management aspects of these industries.

Modules blend theoretical study with real-world examples to prepare you for future employment as an adaptable, resilient and innovative leader in this sector. Through the programme you can also opt to develop aspects of your own creative practice, ensuring that you understand the demands of producing cultural work with an ability to deliver a variety of cultural projects in areas such as performance, curation and film.

You will have opportunities to network and undertake work placements to foster your professional development through the extensive connections that we have with cultural and creative partners in the region and beyond.

I enrolled on the BBC Apprenticeship Scheme. During this time, I have been on a placement with Full Fat TV, an independent company based in Birmingham and have worked on a variety of factual entertainment shows, from Musical Masterpieces (Sky Arts) to A&E: Crash Scene Emergency (Channel 5). I have achieved two production credits, Production Secretary and Junior Coordinator for The Bad Skin Clinic, Seasons 5 and 6 respectively. I am soon to finish my apprenticeship and I will be ready to continue a career in working in production.

Kirsten, Creative Industries Alumna, 2022

Why study this course?

Our BA Cultural and Creative Industries degree is right for you if:

  • You are excited by the opportunities available globally in the cultural and creative industries – both for your future employment and as a sector that constantly innovates in the ways that it engages with audiences. Be part of that dynamism.

  • You want to learn from and work with industry and academic experts – across research, business and practice.

  • You want to study on our beautiful campus and have access to our range of incredible facilities – including content creation, podcasting and editing studios, performance spaces and iMac labs.

  • You want the opportunity to benefit from our campus cultural venues – such as the Barber Institute, the Bramall Music Building, with its own concert hall, and the Lapworth Museum. 

  • You want to join an amazing array of alumni who are already dynamic leaders in the cultural and creative industries –  such as Gareth Neame, CEO for Carnival Films, Aaron Wright, Head of Performance and Dance at London’s Southbank Centre, Aidan Lang, General Director of Welsh National Opera, Alison Davies, Publicity Director for Penguin Random House, Amanda Ross, CEO of Cactus TV, Azaria Yogendran, Senior Account Executive at ING Media, Caroline Smith, Digital Commissioning Editor at the BBC, Elizabeth (Zeddie) Lawal, Producer and Change Maker, and Funmi Olutoye, Features Producer for ITV

Modules

Please note: You'll take 120 credits of modules in each year of study. The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2025. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event, we'll contact offer-holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

First year

Compulsory modules

  • Introduction to the Cultural and Creative Industries
  • Cultural and Creative Histories
  • Creative Realisation: Crafting Outputs
  • Critical Insights in Arts and Society
  • Introduction to Project Development 

Optional modules 

  • Storytelling for Audiences
  • Introduction to Global Creative Industries

Second year

Compulsory modules

  • The Business of the Cultural and Creative Industries
  • Leadership in the Cultural and Creative Industries

Optional modules - this is an indicative list

  • Texts in Rehearsal
  • Popular Performance
  • British Theatre
  • Engaging Audiences
  • Immersions and Interactivity
  • Inside the Gallery
  • Making Cultures
  • Arts Management in Practice
  • Black Music in Britain
  • Music Festivals
  • Film Genre

Final year

Compulsory module

  • Cultural and Creative Industries Research Project

Optional modules - this is an indicative list

  • Creative Partnerships
  • Professional Skills
  • Experience Design
  • Alexander Technique for Performers
  • Directing
  • C21st British Theatre
  • Gamification
  • Contemporary Practice
  • Music and Globalisation
  • Music and Gender
  • Children’s Film and TV
  • Film and TV Authorship

Fees

The University will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year. If your offer is for 2025 year of entry, we expect that the tuition fee for your first year of study will be £9,535. If Parliament agrees on an increase in tuition fees, the University will increase fees for each year of study normally in line with these changes and will communicate any change in the fees to you without delay. If you are applying for 2026 year of entry, you will be advised of the annual tuition fee closer to the time. Visit our tuition fees page for more information.

Fees for 2025/26 are as follows:

  • UK: £9,535
  • International: £23,660

Eligibility for fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students.

For further information on tuition fees, living costs and available financial support, please see our pages on undergraduate fees and funding.

Tuition fees when studying abroad

For those spending a whole academic year abroad (where available):

  • Students who are classed as UK for fees purposes are required to pay 15% of their normal annual tuition fee
  • Students who are classed as International for fee purposes are required to pay 50% of their normal annual tuition fee

For those studying abroad for just one semester (where available), normal annual tuition fees apply.

Note - Study abroad opportunities vary between courses; please see the course description for details of study abroad options offered.

How To Apply

Standard offer

International Requirements



Number of A levels required:
3
Typical offer:
ABB
General Studies:
Not accepted.

IB Diploma:

6,5,5 in Higher level subjects plus 32 points overall.

BTEC qualifications:

  • BTEC Extended Diploma: DDD.
  • BTEC Diploma: DD plus B at A-level.
  • BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D, plus AB at A-level.

Other qualifications are considered - learn more about entry requirements.

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

International Students

We welcome applications from international students and invite you to join our vibrant community of over 4500 international students who represent 150 different countries. We accept a range of qualifications, our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

 

Support

You will have access to a comprehensive support system to help you make the transition to higher education when you start at Birmingham. 

Personal tutors – You will be assigned your own personal tutor who will get to know you as you progress through your studies. They will provide academic support and advice to enable you to make the most of your time here at Birmingham.

Wellbeing Officers –You will also have access to dedicated wellbeing officers who provide professional support, advice and guidance to students across a range of issues. They can meet with you to discuss extensions, disabilities, reasonable adjustments, extenuating circumstances, or to talk through any problems you might be experiencing, and help you access wider support on campus and beyond if you need it.

Our Academic Skills Centre helps you to become a more effective and independent learner through a range of high-quality support services. The centre offers workshops on a range of topics, such as note-taking, reading, academic writing and presentation skills.

The Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) provides guidance on writing essays and dissertations if you need it. You can receive individual support from an academic writing advisor and meet with postgraduate tutors who specialise in particular subjects too.

Our Student Experience Team will help you get the most out of your academic experience. They offer research opportunities, study skills support, and help you prepare for your post-university career. They also organise social events, including trips.

Teaching staff

Students at the University of Birmingham are taught by a mixture of professors, senior lecturers, lecturers and doctoral researchers, thereby receiving a rich diversity of academic knowledge and experience. Many of our teaching staff have published important works about their areas of expertise, whilst others have taught at international institutions and can offer unique perspectives of their subjects.

You can find out more about the members of staff (including their qualifications, publication history and specific areas of interest) in their academic profiles linked below.

 

Contact Hours

All Birmingham degrees are set within a credit framework designed to measure your academic achievements. We expect all students to accumulate 120 credits in each full year of study which is equivalent to 40 hours of learning a week. Learning is considered to include contact learning (lectures and seminars), private study, revision and assessment.

For this programme, those 40 hours are estimated to be broken down and split into lectures, seminars and other guided teaching opportunities and then independent study. This is a general rule across the entire academic year and may change week by week.

  • Year 1: 20% Lectures, seminars or similar and 80% Independent study
  • Year 2: 20% Lectures, seminars or similar and 80% Independent study
  • Year 3: 15% Lectures, seminars or similar and 85% Independent study

Assessment Methods

Assessments - you will be assessed in a variety of ways to help you transition to a new style of learning. At the beginning of each module, you will be given information on how and when you will be assessed. Assessments methods will vary with each module and could include:

  • coursework, such as essays
  • group and individual presentations
  • and exams

Feedback - you will receive feedback on each assessment within three weeks, so you can learn from each assignment. You will also be given feedback on any exams that you take. If you should fail an exam, we will ensure that particularly detailed feedback is provided to help you prepare for future exams.

Do you want to become a leader, producer and innovator in the Cultural and Creative Industries? Our degree programme prepares you with business-focused, creative and leadership skills to succeed in this fast-moving and dynamic sector.

The programme will equip you with the knowledge and skills to develop and sustain a meaningful career in the global cultural and creative industries. The course offers a unique blend of the study of the cultural and creative industries in terms of investigating their current trends, policy frameworks, and business models, with creative and artistic opportunities that will prepare you for future employment as a creative and cultural leader, director, executive, imagineer, educator, facilitator, and/or producer.

Recognising the vital role of entrepreneurship and innovation in the sector, graduates develop a range of transferable skills to thrive in the rapidly evolving creative and cultural landscape, including being a confident, flexible leader and communicator, and a culturally sensitive and ethical collaborator, with a resilient and creative approach to problem-solving and teamwork.

Developing your career

The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report. Our Careers Network are here to offer you tailored, expert advice on your career plans and support you with finding and applying for jobs, internships and further study. There are hundreds of events to help you meet potential employers and learn more about the breadth of opportunities and career sectors available to you.

Support will be offered to you covering the whole job application process, including CVs, LinkedIn, application forms, interviews and assessment centres.  You can also email our experienced Careers Advisors and College Teams to review your applications or answer any careers related question, alongside our on campus and online 1:1 appointments.

We have a number of exclusive work experience programmes such as our B-Experienced programme, which will give you professional experience to set you apart in the graduate market. We also offer work experience bursaries, which allow you to apply for funding to support you during any unpaid internships in the UK and rest of the world.

First years can take part in The Birmingham Project, with themes including celebrating arts and culture and shaping a global society. There’s also a successful Mentoring Programme, where you can gain access to experienced Mentors who can empower, inspire and inform you about their experiences.  As a University of Birmingham student you will also be given access to LinkedIn Learning giving free access to real world training courses to kick-start your careers.

If you want to earn money WorkLink advertises convenient part-time job opportunities on campus to fit round your studies.  

Extra-curricular activities

To enhance your career prospects even further, you may want to engage in extra-curricular activities to broaden your skills and your network of contacts. The Birmingham Award is the University of Birmingham’s employability programme, supporting you to develop and recognise the attributes you gain through extra-curricular activities. The award is supported by graduate employers and offers you an opportunity to showcase participation in activities outside of your degree programme.’

There are 300+ student groups and volunteering opportunities offered by the Guild of Students (our Students’ Union) so you’re bound to find activities that you want to be involved in whilst meeting friends who share your interests.