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Digital Media: Production MA

London, Bloomsbury

The Digital Media: Production MA route combines cultural and media theories and creative practices in digital media production, allowing students to critically engage with key debates and develop specific techniques in digital media production. Different from degrees focused on technical mastery or marketing/advertising, this course is designed to support students to become reflective, critical practitioners capable of producing socially relevant and compelling works, as well as creative modes of enquiry, in response to a rapidly changing digital landscape.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£14,200
£7,100
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£39,200
£19,600
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

Applicants with a 2:1 from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, in a media or design specialism (e.g. Media Studies, Digital Design, Digital Media Arts, Interactive/Digital Media, Game Design) will be considered. Applicants with a 2:2, in a relevant subject, plus at least 2 year's work experience in the fields of media, interactive design or cultural industries, and a relevant design portfolio may be considered. Applicants with a non-relevant subject will not be considered.

The English language level for this course is: Level 3

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

This course is suitable for international students on a Student visa – study must be full-time, face-to-face, starting September.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Students will engage with digital media and cultural studies theories and creative practices in fields such as animation, interactive media development (e.g., VR/XR), game design and making, and storytelling. The degree interweaves critical theory and creative practice, and the studio-based structure of the Media Production Studio facilities at the UCL Knowledge Lab equips students to produce theoretically informed digital media artefacts.

Who this course is for

This course will interest students who seek to become critically informed digital media makers. It is suited to those interested in combining theoretical knowledge and creative skills in digital media, know (or are open to learn) coding, and are considering a career in the creative and cultural sectors or further postgraduate study.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

The Digital Media: Production MA will equip students to become reflective, critical media production practitioners, capable of progressing to further postgraduate research or a broad range of careers in creative and cultural sectors across culture and the creative industries. It does not provide professional/vocational training of the kind the industry itself offers, but rather a critically informed expressive exploration of media production in different digital media formats, focusing on use cases behind the creation of digital artefacts rather than on 'how' to use such tools.

The Digital Media MA at UCL Institute of Education (IOE) is one of the longest-established Media MAs in the UK. It is based at the UCL Knowledge Lab, a leading interdisciplinary centre whose mission includes researching digital media and developing digital technologies. The IOE is one of the world's leading centres for education and related areas of social science. For the twelfth year in succession IOE has been ranked as the world's leading university for Education (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025).

Students will have an opportunity to attend a variety of academic events at the Lab and meet internationally known scholars and guests. The Knowledge Lab building also hosts our Media Production Studio, with computer suites, a performance space and sound recording facilities.

The course team belongs to the ReMAP research centre (Research in Media Arts and Play), with a track record of funded research in the digital media arts, we offer students a chance to learn from direct research experience.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

The Digital Media: Production MA will equip students to become reflective, critical media production practitioners, capable of progressing to further postgraduate research or a broad range of careers in creative and cultural sectors across culture and the creative industries.

Former students have progressed to a range of different roles, such as further academic activities (i.e., PhDs, lecturer posts), employment in game and digital media companies (e.g., artists, game designers, producers) or independent visual artists. Companies where our graduates have worked include Jaja Finance, Lenovo or Pixability.

Employability

Graduates will acquire critical and creative skills to engage with and produce digital media, such as digital games, interactive experiences, and animations. More than learning how to create media products, graduates develop a good grasp of how media is produced and circulate, becoming a dynamic professional ready to progress to a range of different roles in different sectors, from further academic and/or artistic activity to employment in media industries.

Networking

Students can make use of our experienced team at UCL Careers to find the right path to ensure success in their future careers. 

Teaching and learning

The course will be delivered through theory-based lectures, theoretical and practical seminars and workshops, which lays foundation for the independent learning moments, through which students develop and consolidate their learning. Such methods support students' progression towards becoming critically informed, independent creative practitioners.

Students are assessed by a mixture of practical creative work, written critical reflection, in-person oral presentations and written and audiovisual essays.

Study time is made up by teaching and learning events, including lectures, seminars, workshops and independent learning (self-directed study).

As a guide, a 30-credit module is recommended to equal to 300 study hours, and on average it entails 30 hours in the classroom, plus 270 hours of independent learning, including reading, watching, playing and engaging with recommended materials, independently developing skills, and working on assignments.

During term 1, when doing the two compulsory modules, a full-time student can typically expect around 6-8 contact hours per teaching week, plus at least 20 hours of independent study, for self-directed study, readings, completing set tasks and working on their media production skills.

During term 2, when students take two optional modules, they might expect around 5-10 contact hours per teaching week, plus around 10-18 hours of independent study per module. Students start working on their dissertation during term 2, and during term 3 they will continue and write up their dissertation research, keeping regular contact with their dissertation supervisor (5 supervision hours in total) until July. Following supervisors' feedback in late July, students work independently until the dissertation submission in late August.

Modules

The degree includes two compulsory modules, Digital Media Theory, and Digital Media Enquiry (30 credits each during Autumn Term); two optional modules, chosen among 3D Animation, Digital Game Design and Digital Storytelling and Education (30 credits each, during Spring Term); and a practice-based Dissertation (60 credits, across Spring, Summer and Late Summer Term).

Students will follow one module per term over 2 years. This includes:

  • two compulsory modules, Digital Media Theory, and Digital Media Enquiry (30 credits each, one of these taken in each Autumn term)
  • two optional modules, chosen among 3D Animation, Digital Game Design and Digital Storytelling and Education (30 credits each, one of these taken in each Spring term)
  • and in year 2 a Practice-based Dissertation (60 credits) starting in the Spring term

There is also an option for students to complete the MA over a period of time, between 2 and 5 years.

Compulsory modules





Optional modules





Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits: two compulsory modules, two optional modules, and a studio-based practical Dissertation project. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Digital Media: Production.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £14,200 £7,100
Tuition fees (2026/27) £39,200 £19,600

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a £350 deposit will be charged.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a £500 deposit will be charged.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

Students are responsible for covering any travel, accommodation, and other expenses involved in conducting research for their dissertation, and should account for these costs when planning their finances.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

The personal statement is your opportunity to make clear why you are a good fit for this MA, and why this MA is the right course for you. Rather than using your personal statement to repeat information found in your CV or academic transcripts, explain what attracts you to this course. Your personal statement must address, in no more than 500 words:

  • your interests in digital media production outlining relevant topics, issues or problems;
  • what modules you are most interested in, and why;
  • name one digital media object/project (e.g., art installation, animation, videogame, VR/XR work) that has been influential in you choosing this course, and explain why.;

Applicants are also encouraged to add to their personal statement a link to an online portfolio of relevant projects they have done (indicating what they were responsible for in each project), including works such as games, animations, interactive sound, art and design projects, creative and research writings.

Please note this is a highly competitive course, and we will prioritise applications where such example(s) of previous work, as listed above, are submitted.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Culture, Communication and Media
Culture, Communication and Media

ma.dm.info@ucl.ac.uk

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