Key Info
Digital Culture and Communications
Entry Route(s):
Digital Culture and Communications can be taken on both LM002 Bachelor of Arts & LM019 Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences. Subject combinations & course structures can be reviewed on the appropriate programme page.
About You
You want to learn more about media and culture, the individual in society, and to be creative in a challenging world. You are bright, perceptive and curious, good at working on your own but also in a team, keen to express and communicate ideas and opinions. You interested in a wide range of texts – social media, film, video, TV, books, news. You are open to new ideas, and to the power of words and images to inform, influence and convince.
Why study Digital Culture and Communication at UL?
The development of digital and social media has led to profound changes in our cultural practices. Increasingly, our lives are lived through mediated communication, which makes it even more urgent to examine the relationship between culture, media and technology. The pathway in Digital Culture and Communications is designed to address these challenges and to enable graduates to live and work in the digital present and future. Students will undertake modules which enable them to develop media production and media writing and to develop the critical and analytical skills to examine the relationship between communication, technology and culture.
What you will Study
Modules are offered on both Bachelor of Arts (LM002) and BSc. Social Sciences (LM019) - Both are subject to change.
| Year 1 | Semester 1 | Semester 2 | |
|
CS4161 |
Introduction to Digital Media for Arts |
JM4006 |
Social Media and Society |
| Year 2 | Semester 3 | Semester 4 | |
| Students select 2: | Cooperative Education Placement | ||
|
CU4027 |
Visual cultural Studies |
||
|
CS4031 |
Introduction to Digital Media |
||
|
TW4003 |
Introduction to Technical Communication |
||
|
SO4033 |
Sociology of the Media |
||
| Year 3 | Semester 5 | Semester 6 | |
| External Academic Placement |
Students select 2: |
||
|
CU4116 |
Cultural Studies 4: Cultural Theory |
||
|
CU4026 |
How to Read a Film |
||
|
CU4014 |
Analyzing Media discourse |
||
|
TW4006 |
Writing for New Media |
||
| Year 4 | Semester 7 | Semester 8 | |
| Students select 2: | Students select 2: | ||
|
CU4011 |
Comparative Literature: Crime Fiction as Critical Memory |
CU4018 |
European Cinema post 60's |
|
CU4037 |
European Cinema to the 50's |
CU4006 |
Travel Literature |
|
CU4128 |
New Media, Language and Globalisation |
TW4118 |
Content Development and Information Management |
| JM4052 | Media Challenges in the Digital Age |
Entry Requirements
| Additional considerations |
Entry requirements are dependent on your programme of choice. Please click your preferred programme below: For certain subjects, additional special qualifications specific to individual subjects or disciplines may be determined by the respective departments in accordance with Academic Council regulations. Applications are especially welcome from Mature Students. Mature applicants must apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February. QQI Entry Certain QQI Awards are acceptable in fulfilling admission requirements for both LM002 and LM019. More information on the UL Admissions QQI page including a full list of modules. |
|---|---|
| Non-EU Entry Requirements |
Filters |
How to Apply
| Where are you applying from? | How to Apply |
|---|---|
| Ireland | Irish students must apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found here. |
| The UK | Students who have completed their A-Levels can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website. |
| The EU | EU Students can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website. |
| Non-EU country | If you are outside of the EU, you can apply for this degree here. |
Fees and Funding
Student course fees are broken into three components - Student contribution, Student Levy and Tuition Fees.
A number of illustrative examples of fees for this course based on the current fee levels have been set out in the tables below.
An explanation of the components, how to determine status and the criteria involved is provided below the examples as is a list of possible scholarships and funding available.
EU Students with Free fees status in receipt of a SUSI grant
| HEA pays | Tuition Fees | €2,558 |
| SUSI pays | Student contribution | €3,000 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €96 |
| €5,654 |
EU Students with Free fees status not in receipt of a grant
| HEA pays | Tuition Fees | €2,558 |
| Student pays | Student contribution | €3,000 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €96 |
| €5,654 |
Students with EU fee status not in receipt of a grant
| Student pays | Tuition Fees | €2,558 |
| Student pays | Student contribution | €3,000 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €96 |
| €5,654 |
Non-EU Students
| Student pays | Tuition Fees | €12,704 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €96 |
| €12,800 |
Student course fees are comprised of three components:
Student Contribution
Annual charge set by the government for all full-time third level students. All students are liable unless they have been approved for a grant by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please refer to https://www.studentfinance.ie to determine your eligibility for a grant and for instructions on how to apply. The curent student contribution is set at €3000.
Student Levy
All students are liable to pay the Student Levy of €96. Please note the Student Levy is not covered by the SUSI Grant.
Tuition Fees
These are based on Residency, Citizenship, Course requirements.
Review the three groups of criteria to determine your fee status as follows
-
Residency
- You must have been living in an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course
-
Citizenship
- You must be a citizen of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland or have official refugee status
-
Course Requirements
(all must be met)
- You must be a first time full-time undergraduate (Exceptions are provided for students who hold a Level 6 or Level 7 qualification and are progressing to a Level 8 course in the same general area of study).
- You must be undertaking a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 year’s duration
- You cannot be undertaking a repeat year of study at the same level unless evidence of exceptional circumstances eg serious illness is provided (in which case this condition may be waived)
Depending on how you meet these criteria your status will be one of the following -
- Free Fee Status: You satisfy all three categories (1, 2 and 3) and therefore are eligible for the Higher Education Authority’s Free Fees scheme.
- EU Fee Status: You satisfy the citizenship and/or residency criteria but fail to satisfy the course requirements and are liable to EU fees
- Non EU Fee Status: You do not meet either the citizenship or residency criteria and are therefore liable to Non EU fees.
More information about fees can be found on the Finance website
These scholarships are available for all courses
| Title | Award | Scholarships Available |
|---|---|---|
| All Ireland Scholarships - sponsored by J.P. McManus | €6,750 | 125 |
| Cooperative Education Award | 1 medal per faculty | |
| Elaine Fagan Scholarship | €5,000 | 5 |
| Financial Aid Fund | ||
| Higher Education Grants & VEC Grants | ||
| Paddy Dooley Rowing Scholarship | €2,500 | |
| Plassey Campus Centre Scholarship Programme | ||
| Provincial GAA Bursaries Scheme | €750 | |
| Stuart Mangan Scholarship | ||
| The Michael Hillery and Jacinta O’Brien Athletics Scholarship | Various benefits equating to over €7,000 in value | |
| UL Sports Scholarships | Varies depending on level of Scholarship | Multiple |
Your Future Career
Digital Culture and Communications graduates find work in a wide range of careers including:
- Communications and public relations
- eCommerce and ePublishing
- Technical Writing and editing
- Print and electronic media journalism
- Media production
- Media research and analysis
- Advertising and marketing
- Research and teaching at third level
- Development and research in voluntary organisations
Follow-On Study:
Anna Henderson
A Day in the Life Of……… A Digital Marketing and Web Executive at the Bar of Ireland
When choosing a course, I knew I wanted to go down the communications/social media route as it was something I always had an interest in. English was always been one of my favourite subjects throughout school so this course at UL perfectly combined the two. I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do after college and I knew by doing this course I could work in a number of different industries. I’ve gone from working in the media industry to working in the law industry so the course offers plenty of opportunities.
In my current workplace, there is no “typical” day which is an aspect I love. My role centres around internal communications in the organisation, updating websites, working on marketing materials and running the social media accounts. The English element of the degree has helped massively with my writing ability for my job. Whether it’s blog posts, website copy or social media posts, when you’re creating content that is going to be read by a large audience you need to make sure it’s interesting, coherent and grammatically correct! The course also gave me the option to take several digital communications modules that equipped me with practical skills such technical writing, Photoshop, and working with WordPress.
A mandatory element of my course was Co-Op Education where I worked for six months in a media communications agency. I was lucky enough to be employed full-time in the same company after graduating before moving into my current role.
