Be the business mind behind great art with this unique and innovative course
Year of entry: 2025/26
W900
Y50
3 years full-time
Develop the leadership and entrepreneurial skills to manage and inspire the creative industries. Combine advanced business knowledge with practical production and insight into film, television, theatre, music and interactive media.
The creative industries are a major UK success story. Together they contribute £110 billion to our economy every year. These industries are always on the look-out for talented graduates with business skills to continue the UK's growth as it develops international partnerships and enters new creative markets across the globe.
Drawing on our expertise and our extensive industry contacts, with teaching that intersects with production-oriented activities, you'll develop the experience required to successfully initiate, drive and manage creative projects and businesses in this exciting area. You can explore your own creative potential - on screen, stage, or in interactive media - while acquiring the knowledge of leadership, marketing, finance and the law that is in high demand in creative sectors.
You'll graduate with the expertise to become a business leader in the creative industries, ready to work with talented actors, writers, directors and designers from around the world.
Learn about industry convergence-the digital coming-together of screen, stage and software which drives Netflix, the Marvel Universe and the live relay of theatre into cinemas.
We regularly host distinguished visiting speakers and masterclasses. We are also home to the Creative Media Labs, a nationally-funded project to develop screen industries, run in association with Screen Yorkshire and the British Film Institute.
We'll introduce you to the creative industries, their culture, technologies and economics, and the policy landscape that supports them. You'll learn how stories work and appeal to audiences across a variety of media, and apply this to the negotiation and management of business and creative issues. You'll investigate creative contexts: how cultural developments, politics, global markets and finance affect the making of films, TV shows, theatre and games.
You'll experience creative production and develop business and technical skills. Drawing on high-profile case studies, you'll explore theories from entrepreneurial leadership, management, and financial, to legal and technical topics.
We'll encourage you to develop your own ideas and engage with business and external organisations through student-led group and individual projects. You'll understand how creativity and entertainment influence our world, and how you might contribute to future of these industries.
There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:
There are opportunities to spend time in industry as part of this course.
Your first year will give you a detailed overview of how the creative industries are structured. Discover the organisational, financial and policy aspects, together with some introductory insights into the creative objectives and practices of our key industrial focuses: film and TV, the stage, and the worlds of games, music and interactive media.
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 will study two option modules. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. You'll also have the opportunity to choose from a range of Music option modules.
The options available to you will confirmed after you begin your course.
You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.
You'll take part in a group project where you'll apply your entrepreneurial and creative expertise and develop your collaboration skills, essential for the creative industries. You’ll specialise with two option modules and take an individual project. You can tailor this project to your own interests, such as writing a business portfolio, developing a screen, stage or interactive project or completing a dissertation. There will be essential sessions on how to design and develop your research, and you'll have one to one supervision with an academic or industry specialist throughout your project.
You will study two option modules. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. You'll also have the opportunity to choose from a range of Music option modules.
The options available to you will confirmed after you begin your course.
You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
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.
Also a member of the Creative Cities network. From digital innovation to media arts York is a meeting point for creativity and ideas.
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £25,800 |
Fees for students starting in the 2025/26 academic year.
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 2025/26 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.
Our teaching, learning and student experience is outstanding, recognised by a Gold rating from the Office for Students in the 2023 national assessment (Teaching Excellence Framework).
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.
We teach you in a variety of formats, from lectures, seminars and workshops, through to problem-based learning sessions where you will work on business and creative challenges. In your third year, there will be one-to-one or Executive Producer style supervision for individual and group projects.
You'll progress rapidly, guided by our experienced academics who will ensure you're in contact with the latest ideas, trends and technologies. You'll be able to meet industry experts through masterclasses and our professional visitors programme. Our staff are always happy to discuss your ideas, and provide support and advice.
You'll also have the opportunity to step outside your degree programme and expand your knowledge with a range of elective modules.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Lectures | 3-6 hours per week |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 4 hours per week |
| Workshops | 26 hours |
| Practicals | 60 hours |
| Film Screening | 6 hours per week (in Semester 1) |
These figures are representative of a typical 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, practice 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 semesters. 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 study in our comprehensively-equipped £30m media complex. Depending on your choice of project and specialism you will have the opportunity to work in:
You will also have access to some of our extensive range of cameras and location recording equipment. You'll be able to join and realise theatre projects with Platform, our student-run drama society. You'll be able to make your own screen projects through FilmLab, our students' own, well-equipped, film society.
You will be based in the School of Arts and Creative Technologies with some additional teaching elsewhere 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 - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.
Assessment methods vary according to modules and include practical exercises, presentations, essays, scripts, project proposals, strategy documents, reports and in some cases production work.
Most modules will have formative assessments which do not count towards your final work but help guide your progression.
In the majority of cases you will assessed individually. The collaborative nature of the creative industries however means that some of your modules will involve group work. In these you will be assessed on work that you have produced as a team, as well as on your individual contribution to the project.
We will equip you to develop a career in a range of creative production areas: screen, stage, games, festivals, public events, and more. You will learn a number of key skills, such as techniques for managing large-scale projects, budgeting and fundraising, distribution and marketing strategies, negotiation methods and you'll acquire knowledge of legal and regulatory issues relating to the creative industries. You'll learn this while exploring your own potential as an entrepreneur, to not only run but initiate new creative work, and find the next business opportunity in still untapped areas of digital media.
We expect graduates of this degree to become the creative entrepreneurs of the future, contributing to Britain’s world-leading reputation for delivering high quality arts and entertainment.
The majority of our graduates move into staff or freelance roles in the film, television, video and interactive media industries. Likely roles include:
Transferable skills developed on the course include:
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| A levels | ABB |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDM |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, M2, M2 |
| European Baccalaureate | 75% overall |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points |
| T levels | We will consider a range of T Level qualifications for entry. Please visit our dedicated T Levels page for a full list of accepted T Levels. |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Scottish Highers - ABBBB Advanced Highers - not required for entry We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications. |
| International foundation programme | Foundation Certificate from our International Pathway College or an appropriate alternative. |
| 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 two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Black Access Programme, 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 one A level grade (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:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, with a minimum of 6 in each component |
| Duolingo | Integrated subscores: 120 overall, with a minimum of 105 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C / Grade 4 |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | B2 Communicator with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478 Main Flight score with 444 in each component |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
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
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