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Bachelor of Communication and Media (Digital and Social Media)
Duration
3 Years Bachelor Degree
(24 subjects)
4 Years Bachelor Degree
with Integrated Freshman Year (32 subjects)
Classes commence
September (Autumn) |
January (Winter) |
April (Spring) |
Yearly Fees*
AED 60,429 / USD 16,466
*VAT 5% inclusive
Note: Yearly fees will vary depending
on number of subjects enrolled in
Social Media, and social media platforms, play an integral role in society, and in our lives, today. Love them or hate them, we can’t live without them. We use social media to communicate, to share, to shop, to start businesses, grow brands, and to explore the world around us. Studying social media is a relatively new phenomenon and is often misunderstood. The study of social media is more than simply playing with social media, more than simply posting on Instagram or Tik Tok. Studying social media is about understanding the social media platforms of today, so we’re ready to be the content creators of tomorrow.
The Digital and Social Media Specialization gives students an opportunity to learn, explore, analyze and create media in the current digital media landscape. Students are introduced to a process based approach to media making – which we call media design – that includes design thinking, design making and design breaking and is fundamental to the media making and consuming experience.
Courses in this major are all project based. Your projects will be in the form of a digital artefact – public facing work on a social media platform. You’ll be using Instagram, or Tik Tok, or YouTube, or Twitch, to build a project that you design, about a topic of your choosing. These projects start very small, at the beginning of your degree, but you have the opportunity to work on them across subjects, across trimesters, even across years. These projects are designed to give you real-world experience, and often replicate the type of work you would do as a social media manager, content creator, copywriter, brand ambassador, digital marketer, entrepreneur, or small business owner.
Students who have excelled academically at school and meet our advance entry requirements can finish their bachelor's degree in three years, instead of the existing four-year programs. Any prospective student that does not directly qualify for an advance entry three-year program, is still able to enrol in any of our bachelor’s degree, through a one-year Freshman Year.
Admission requirements for UOWD depends on the type of high school curriculum you have followed. The requirements based on the most common high school curricula are listed below:
School System | Bachelor Degree Advanced Entry (3 Years) |
Bachelor Degree Direct Entry (4 Years) |
---|---|---|
UAE Al-Thanawiyya Al-Aama |
N/A | Elite or Advanced Track 70%, General Track 75% |
Arab Countries Al-Thanawiyyah Al-Aama |
N/A | 70% |
American High School Diploma | Overall average grade of C (70% or 2.5/4.0) + SAT 1100 |
Overall average grade of C (70% or 2.5/4.0) |
Bangladesh HSC |
GPA of 4.0 / 5.0 | GPA of 3.0 / 5.0 |
Brazil Brazil Higher Secondary Certificate |
N/A | 60% |
British GCE Curriculum | Minimum 5 IGCSE/GCSE subjects – Grade D and Minimum of 3 A level subjects – Grade CCD Completion of Year 13 |
Minimum 5 IGCSE/GCSE subjects – Grade D and 2 AS or 1 A level subject (s) – Grade D Completion of Year 13 |
Chinese Senior High School | 80% | 60% |
Colombia Título de Bachiller Académico |
N/A | 3 out of 5 or 6 out of 10 |
International Baccalaureate Diploma | 25 Points | 21 Points |
India CBSE & ICSE, Grade 12 |
65% | 50% |
Iran Pre-University Certificate |
14 | 11 |
Japan Upper Secondary School Diploma |
3.8 out of 5 | 2.5 out of 5 |
Kenya | 60 | 31 |
Mexico | N/A | 6 out of 10 |
Nepal School Leaving Certificate Examination |
3 out of 4 | 2.3 out of 4 |
Nigeria WAEC & NECO |
N/A | Minimum of 7 subjects with no more than 1 “Pass” |
CIS Countries Attestat |
N/A | Average 3/5 |
South Korea CSAT |
77.5% | 70% |
Notes:
- All students applying for these programs are required to have an EmSAT in Mathematics with a score of 600 or equivalent.
- Students with qualifications from other curriculum should contact the Student Recruitment and Admissions department at UOWD to determine their eligibility.
- All students applying from non UAE MoE curriculum must provide an equivalency of their Secondary School Certificate from the Ministry of Education, UAE; stating the completion of Grade 12.
- A student who does not satisfy the criteria for Equivalency of Secondary School Certificate, may be subject to conditional admission, based on receiving a Letter of No Objection to Conditional Admission issued by the Ministry.
At UOWD, all classes are taught in English and in order to enrol in a bachelor’s degree you will need to submit one of the following certificate of English language proficiency:
English Language Testing | Bachelor Degree Advance Entry (3 Years)* |
Bachelor Degree Direct Entry (4 Years)** |
---|---|---|
IELTS Academic |
Overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 & Minimum score of 6.0 in Reading & Writing Minimum score of 5.0 inListening & Speaking |
Overall IELTS (Academic) score of 5.0 & Minimum score of 5.0 in Reading & Writing |
TOEFL Internet-based |
79 with not less than 20 in Writing, 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 16 in Speaking |
61 |
TOEFL Computer based |
213 with a 4.0 TWE/Essay Writing |
173 |
TOEFL*** International paper based |
550 with a 4.0 TWE/Essay Writing |
500 |
EmSAT Achieve – English |
1400 | 1100 |
Notes:
* Students with a minimum overall score of 6.0 in academic IELTS and no more than one score (either in reading or writing) between 5.0 and 6.0 will be given the opportunity to complete a remedial subject in the first semester as a condition for progression.
** Students with a minimum overall score of 6.0 in academic IELTS (or equivalent) and a minimum score of 6.0 in reading and writing(or equivalent) are eligible for advanced standing for English Language subjects.
*** Students admitted under this criterion must complete the test at AMIDEAST.
If you are seeking advanced standing status, please submit an official academic transcript showing all courses studied and the grades achieved, syllabus details (including information on course content) for the courses you have completed and an explanation of the grading system.
To make an application for your chosen program, complete the online application form and submit it along with all your supporting documentation (see below) prior to the application deadline.
Late applications may be accepted subject to the availability of places but applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.
Please ensure that all these documents accompany your application for admission form submittal:
- An original or certified copy of your secondary school records
- A Statement or Certificate of Completion of secondary school
- Proof of your English language proficiency
(Note: Results from IELTS & TOEFL tests may be sent to the University directly from the IELTS or TOEFL testing centres quoting the UOWD institution code IELTS: AE109 / TOEFL: 7907)
- UAE ID (if applying from within the UAE)
- A copy of your passport (and Residence Visa, if resident in the UAE).
Additionally, if you are seeking advance standing in your chosen program:
- Certified copies of official academic transcripts showing all courses studied and grades obtained, syllabus details (including information on course content) of the courses you successfully completed and an explanation of the grading system.
All applicants for admission who have completed the Thanaweya Al-Amma must get their certificates attested by the UAE Ministry of Education.
Applicants from all other curriculum, who have completed their high school from UAE, are required to obtain equivalency of their high school qualifications from the UAE Ministry of Education.
In these circumstances, you will be provisionally admitted to the University and permitted to commence the first semester of study, subject to you obtaining the required attestation/equivalency.
You must have your secondary school records and Certificates of Completion certified by:
- The issuing Board of Secondary Education OR a recognised authority for secondary education
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the host country
- The UAE Embassy in that host country OR the Embassy of the host country in UAE must attest the authenticity of the documents and attestations and the UAE ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In special cases where complying with conditions (2) and (3) are not feasible, the certificates may be verified against originals by Embassies in the UAE and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In these circumstances, you will be provisionally admitted to the University and permitted to commence the first semester of study.
If you are unable to secure the attestations as outlined above you will be asked to sign a “Consent to Provide Documents” form agreeing to secure the equivalency. You will be permitted to commence your studies at UOWD, but will be given a maximum of one semester to obtain the attested certificate(s). UOWD reserves the right to take appropriate action against any applicant who cannot secure the appropriate documentation in this time, which may result in the termination of the student’s enrolment at UOWD.
For more information or assistance on attesting documents from outside UAE, click here.
Program Structure
To qualify for the Bachelor of Communication and Media (BCM), a candidate shall accrue an aggregate of at least 144 credit points comprising of core subjects, major subjects, electives and final year project.
Core Subjects
Major Subject
Elective Subjects
Students are required to choose an additional THREE elective subjects, each worth 6 credit points, from the school's approved list.
Core Subjects
Major Subjects
Elective Subjects
Students are required to choose an additional TWO elective subjects, each worth 6 credit points, from the school's approved list.
Core Subject
Major Subjects
Elective Subjects
Students are required to choose an additional THREE elective subjects, each worth 6 credit points, from the school's approved list.
Choose One Emarati Studies*
* Students must complete 6 credit points (cp) of General Education subjects in the area of Emirati Studies as part of the 144 cp.
Note: If you enrolled at the University before Autumn 2024 and have already completed some GED subjects, you may continue with your original study plan to fulfill your graduation requirements. Alternatively, you may choose to follow the new guidelines by completing one GED subject in the Emirati Studies category from the list above and transferring any completed GED subjects to Electives if permitted by your degree plan.
For support and guidance on this option, please consult an officer at the Academic Success Centre or speak with the Academic Advisor in your School.
Program Outcomes
Students graduating with a Digital and Social Media degree will be well-prepared to work in the media industry of today, and tomorrow. Students will have extensive experience conceptualizing, creating, and managing social media projects – including creating, curating and aggregating content, brand management, copywriting and developing communication strategies for growth. Jobs in the social media industry are here to stay, and the demand for people with the skills needed in this industry is only going to grow. You’ll also graduate with an extensive, professional portfolio of your work, making you an extremely employable candidate for any digital or social media related job.
For more on why this major is a good choice, and what skills you can expect to learn and develop in the program, see what some of our Digital and Social Media students have to say.
Testimonial

Sara Aboushady
“What I love most about studying media is the amount of practical and technical work that we are taught to do. This includes how to communicate properly with a specific audience, storytelling, and more technical skills like editing footage, audio, and running a social media account (publicity).”
“For new students looking to join this program, do not feel overwhelmed especially with the technical side of media as I too felt the same way. I didn’t know how to edit, publish blogs or use some of the platforms we use now. However these are all things you will soon learn and find new passion in.”
Accreditation and Recognition
All degrees at the University of Wollongong in Dubai are accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the UAE Ministry of Education and are licensed by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). In addition, the degree is quality assured by UOW, which is registered with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), the national regulator of the higher education sector in Australia.
Students will be issued a UOW Australia degree upon graduation.



Dr Michael L Mallory
Assistant Professor
Program Director (Undergraduate & Postgraduate Media)
Dr Michael L. Mallory is the Program Director for Media & Communication at the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD). He teaches a wide range of courses in the Bachelor of Communication and Media (BCM) and Master of Media and Communication (MMC) degrees
Read MoreFaculty

Open Day
Attend our next Open Day on Saturday, 15 February 2025.
Join our experts to learn more about our degrees and how you can enrol at UOWD in our
Spring intake which starts on 14 April 2025.