Xi’an Jiaotong – Liverpool University (XJTLU) is a new international university jointly founded by Xi’an Jiaotong University China and the University of Liverpool UK as a joint venture. As an independent Sino-Foreign cooperative university, it captures the essence of both prestigious parent universities and is the first and only one of its kind approved by the Ministry of Education in China.

The University offers undergraduate degree programmes in the fields of science, engineering and management, and awards both its own Chinese degree and a degree from the University of Liverpool.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: Students with Chinese nationality can not apply to XJTLU as foreign students, even if they were born outside China. Students with Chinese nationality need to pass the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), also known as Gaokao, in order to get into a university in China.

Overview

• The BA Media and Communication Studies is a comprehensive programme consisting of three pathways (digital media, journalism and PR, and film studies) that enables you to engage critically with a diverse range of media practices.

• The media have profound effects on human behaviour and social interactions. This programme takes an in-depth look at these effects, providing you with the knowledge and skills to become an informed, tech-savvy and versatile media researcher and user, able to expertly and confidently navigate the increasingly competitive job market of media industries.

• You will explore a wide variety of media phenomena, situating them in a historical, socio-cultural and economic context and developing conceptual frameworks to interpret them. The programme will foster both your creativity and an analytical mindset, which you will apply in academic assignments and practical projects. You will acquire a global, critical outlook that will boost your employability and you will understand yourself and the world around you better. The programme offers you the choice of studying at the University of Liverpool for the last two years of the degree.

Why should I study Media and Communication Studies at XJTLU?

• • To develop a systematic, rigorous and subtle approach to the study of media and communication, through an inclusive and varied curriculum, structured around three main disciplinary sub-fields (digital media, journalism and PR, film studies)
• • To actively and freely shape your undergraduate experience by choosing from a rich offering of modules, including electives outside the department
• • To enjoy a stimulating learning environment with opportunities to contribute to the student magazine and attend research and industry guest talks
• • To learn from and interact with international staff with diverse teaching backgrounds and high-quality publication records
• • To gain practical experience through internships and hands-on production modules
• • To earn two degrees: an XJTLU degree from the Chinese Ministry of Education and a globally recognised degree from the University of Liverpool, a member of the Russell Group of leading UK universities
• • To prepare for postgraduate study or for a career in one of the many growing sectors of the media industries.

Knowledge and skills

By the time you will graduate from the BA Media and Communication Studies programme, you will have:

• • a working knowledge of theories, methodologies and terminologies pertaining to the study of media and communication
• • a range of specialised skills clustered around three main areas of critical inquiry and practice (digital media, journalism and film studies)
• • a set of transferrable skills such as intercultural and interpersonal communication, research, argumentation, teamwork, project management
• • an aptitude for the analysis of the ideological and aesthetic significance of a multitude of media texts
• • an understanding of the role played by technological advancements and economic and cultural factors in the development of media systems
• • an ability to unpack the complex national, regional and global contexts in which media operate
• • an awareness of your creative and critical potential and an ability to actualise it.

Careers

• Graduates of this programme are well-equipped to pursue careers in the media, cultural and creative industries. Typical employers include publishing, broadcasting and film companies, PR consultancies, advertising agencies, marketing organisations and higher education institutions, to name only some of the many possible career options. The programme also offers a solid foundation for further study. The vast majority of our students pursue postgraduate studies at prestigious universities, especially in the United Kingdom. Our students have been accepted by global top 10 programmes in media and communication, for instance at the University of Amsterdam, the London School of Economics, and Goldsmiths. Students have also gone on to study at other world-class universities, including University College London, King’s College, the University of Warwick, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and many others.

Year One:
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University offers a wide range of courses in the first year, including English for academic purposes (EAP), mathematics and physics, and humanities and social sciences. Click to learn more.

Year Two:
Core Modules
Global Media Industries
Representation, Diversity and Identity
Audiences and Media Users
Introduction to Video Production
Rhetoric and Media Analysis
Foundations in Film Studies
Introduction to Journalism Studies
Introduction to Digital Media and Communication

Year Three:
Core Modules
Qualitative Research Methods
News Reporting
European Cinema
Digital Media Law and Ethics
Quantitative Research Methods

Optional Modules
China and Asia
Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature
Multimedia PR Campaigns
Hollywood Cinema
Social Network Analysis
Photojournalism
Introduction to Visual Communication
e-Marketing: Strategies and Techniques
Postcolonial Literature

Year Four:
Core Modules
Final Year Project: Communication Studies
Chinese Cinema
Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in Society
Investigative Journalism

Optional Modules
Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics
Chinese Theatre and Performance
Chinese as a Global Language
Cultural and Creative Industries in a Digital Economy
True Stories Told
The City in Films
Film Studies for the Digital Age
Globalisation and Science Communication
Love, Sex and Food in the Digital Age
Marketing and Distribution of Content in a Global Context
Culture And Theory In Industrial Design
Design Strategy And Ethics
US Intelligence and Foreign Policy
Public Policy and Cultural Diplomacy
Finding Solutions: Development Theory and Practice
International Communications
E-Business Models and Strategies
International Marketing
Critical Issues in Marketing
Marketing Strategy
Corporate Communication
Social Media Marketing
Technoculture
Interpersonal communication in the workplace
Intercultural Communication

For the latest information regarding programmes, please refer to the official XJTLU website.

Why Choose XJTLU?

• Two Degrees: 1 from the University of Liverpool & 1 from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (Bachelor's students)
• The University of Liverpool degree (Master's and PhD students)
• All degree courses are taught 100% in English.
• No knowledge of the Chinese language is required to apply to XJTLU.
• Learn free of charge Chinese alongside your course.
• A friendly international community.
• International Opportunities: "2+2" study route to the University of Liverpool, UK for undergraduate students (more than 3,500 XJTLU students are now studying at the University of Liverpool, UK through "2+2")
• International Opportunities: Wide range of study abroad opportunities in partner institutions in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, the UK, the USA, South Korea, Russia, etc.
• International Opportunities: Partnerships with multinational companies in the likes of HSBC, Standard Chartered, Siemens, KPMG, Alstom, Schneider, ICBC, etc.

About Suzhou

You have the opportunity to live in one of the most culturally rich areas of China, with Suzhou’s UNESCO World Heritage gardens and canals famous around the world.

Suzhou combines its rich 2,500-year-old history with a drive to become one of the most modern cities in China. It has a population of more than six million and a GDP of a trillion RMB – far larger than those of many entire countries!

Alongside its beautiful tourist spots, Suzhou has many excellent learning resources and sports facilities, a great choice of shopping malls, cinemas and restaurants, and a variety of bars and nightclubs.

Today, the city’s canals, stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens have contributed to its status as one of the top tourist attractions in China. The classical gardens in Suzhou were added to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997 and 2000.

Suzhou is located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in eastern China. Within Suzhou is Suzhou Industrial Park, one of the most competitive development zones in China. This area also contains the Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District (home to XJTLU), which sits beside Dushu Lake, one of two lakes in SIP.

Central Shanghai can be reached from Suzhou in just 30 minutes by high-speed train.

Library

XJTLU students have access to a wide range of library resources, from books and journals to electronic databases and articles. The library plays a key role as a research support and learning centre for the University, developing its collection by focusing on subject development and research requirements.

The library currently holds over 500,000 books, which are added to and updated throughout the year in response to requests from academic departments. It provides 22,000 square metres of space, housing 300 PCs and 2,500 seats for studying, discussion and computer and studio work.

Campuses

North Campus

Full of striking, architecturally impressive buildings, our North Campus provides state-of-the art teaching, laboratory, research and support facilities. This includes the award-winning and iconic Central Building, which houses our library.

The campus also has sports facilities, world class-fully equipped science and engineering laboratories, International Business School Suzhou, and design studios, as well as a variety of catering facilities, including Subway, Pacific Coffee Company, and many canteen-style fast-food options.

Landscaped gardens complement pieces of modern art to create a campus environment that has become one of the striking features of Suzhou Industrial Park.

South Campus

The first phase of our South Campus was opened to the public on 26 July 2016, as a major part of the University’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

Architecturally it contrasts our North Campus and features modern designs that complement the surrounding area. Eventually, the South Campus will satisfy the learning and teaching needs of approximately 6,000 XJTLU students as well as the University’s academic exchanges and research development plans. It will consist of eight buildings and be developed over two further phases:

Phase II: International Business School Suzhou at XJTLU

This phase will see the completion of a new building for International Business School Suzhou, set to open by the end of 2017.

PHASE III: XJTLU-GF School of Film and Television Arts and XJTLU Gym

Phase III consists of two buildings – the construction of the XJTLU-GF School of Film and Television Arts and a gym. Both buildings are expected to open by the end of 2018. The development of the School, in collaboration with financial services provider Gold Finance Group, is a significant part of XJTLU’s academic development strategy. It will mix digital media arts and film and television production and technology with performance and acting. The gym will provide improved and diversified sports facilities for students and staff on campus.

Living in University

When you come to XJTLU, you will have the opportunity to try a whole range of different sports and activities as well as developing any existing skills you already have.

Student clubs and societies

Student clubs and societies play an important part of student life. XJTLU has many organisations with themes such as art, sports, music, entrepreneurship, dance to name but a few. Some of the more established groups include a Model United Nations and the Student Union.

Another society, Intercom, provides a platform for all international students to arrange activities and events, and share ideas and experiences with the wider student body.

Catering

3 canteens, 3 coffee shops, Bar, Restaurants

Sports 

Currently, 21 sports are offered through PE classes at XJTLU, including badminton, basketball, belly dancing, billiards, boxing, bridge, Chinese martial arts, football, free combat, body building, golf, popping, roller-skating, sport dancing, table tennis, taekwondo, tai chi, tai chi sword, tennis, Ultimate Frisbee and yoga.

We have outside sport facilities that include basketball and tennis courts as well as indoor facilities, such as a golf training venue, gym, dance room, and table tennis room. There is also a football field located next to the new South Campus.