This module provides a practical introduction to some of the primary professional tools and creative media platforms. You will develop a fundamental understanding of the nature and use of a range of creative media hardware and software tools. This will provide you with a solid foundation of creative media production skills which you will be able to draw on throughout your studies. 

Indicative content:  

• Video capture, manipulation and editing 

• Audio capture, editing and processing 

• Interactive media and web development 

• Digital asset management 

• Media applications for a variety of publishing formats 

• Branding and marketing methods 

• Graphic and motion design 

• Professionalism and communication skills 

• Relevant theories of Creative Media Production 

• Theoretical understanding of Creative Media Production 

• Design and plan for creative media production 

This module explores important developments in the history of media, culture and communications.  It considers the impact of key historical events, technological developments and theoretical perspectives on how we understand, consume, research and produce culture as well as what the future of the cultural industries might look like. It also equips students for their own development as researchers through an introduction to key research methods. 

Indicative content:  

• Exploring case studies of key innovations and developments in the history of media and culture and their lasting impacts. 

• Key theories, traditions and models of understanding in the relationships between media, culture and society. 

• Key theories, traditions, models and methods of audience research. 

• The impacts of technological developments on industry, society and the environment. 

• An introduction to primary and secondary research methods, including literature, database and archive searching; surveys; focus groups; interviews; and ethnographic approaches. 

The module introduces the main processes, people, work, and funding involved in the development and production of media content in the media and cultural industries, such as film, television, screen and digital media. It will also develop awareness of practices, roles, responsibilities, and contexts of media work. 

Topics of study could include: 

• Production studies  

• Media work and workers 

• Media producers 

• Global production trends 

• Budgeting, financing and regulation 

• Media buildings 

• The creative economy 

• Media unions 

• Pitching and idea generation 

• Production management 

• Media industry policies 

In this module you will consider User Experience Design and the role of the User Experience (UX) Designer. Applying themes and theories to your subject area, the module will introduce this important process and the key concepts within. You will develop your awareness of the importance of interactive design. You will also develop methods for researching and testing with audiences to design and deliver a meaningful user experience.  

Indicative Content: 

• User Experience Design 

• Developing a Design Document 

• Concepts, ideas and prototypes 

• The industry process 

• Audience, usability and testing, and methods for working with audiences 

• Creating meaningful experiences 

• Multi-platform delivery 

This module examines the relationship between politics, identities and culture, with a particular focus on media representations of people from different identity groups. 

It will introduce key theories for understanding the politics and histories of representations in different media and give students opportunities to analyse key examples. 

Indicative content: 

• Historical and contemporary debates and events relating to politics, identities and representations, with a consideration of their global, national, regional and local contexts. 

• Key philosophies, theories and perspectives that inform media representations and analyses (including postcolonial, feminist and LGBTQ+ perspectives, disability studies, class-related studies, and theories of political economy). 

• The analysis of key examples of media and cultural representation, using different textual analytical techniques. 

This module explores the challenges, impacts and opportunities of working in the media, creative and cultural industries, with a particular focus on issues relating to identity, representations and politics.  

Students will consider institutional, regulatory and cultural contexts. They will explore global, national, regional and local approaches and consider the impacts of globalisation on the cultural industries. Students will also use their own professional and creative practice to respond to the module's themes. 

Module content: 

• Diversity, employment and representation within the media, cultural and communication industries. 

• Diversity and audiences. 

• Ownership, governance, policies and regulation and their impact on media production and content. 

• Global, national, regional and local contexts. 

• Exploring themes and debates through students’ own creative and professional practice. 

Module Aim:  

In this module, you will examine how stories are told on screen across a variety of different media, with particular emphasis on film and television. You will be introduced to the fundamentals of narrative theory and genre theory, as well as a variety of storytelling practices and genres. The module will focus on storytelling from the perspectives of industry, creative practitioners, audience and scholarship. 

Indicative content:  

• Key narrative concepts, e.g. acts, story, plot, narration, focalisation, narrative time 

• Cross-media adaptation 

• serial storytelling, TV series, serials, mini–series 

• Multi-media franchises 

•  Myth and genre 

•  ‘Cult’ status and fan followings 

• Role of writers and directors 

• Texts and contexts 

The aim of this module is to take you through the design, production, marketing, live streaming and documentation of creative industries events. 

The module will be delivered through an enhanced applied project alongside an employer or organisation so you can appraise their own values and motivations in context of the world of work, considering inclusivity and industry sector values. You will be encouraged to bring your own specialist practical skills and knowledge from your subject area and apply them in context provided by the project. 

The enhanced applied project experience will provide you with the opportunity to critically analyse and reflect on your practice in a professional environment to recognise the value of work experience to enhance students career readiness.  

Indicative content:  

• Sustainable production methods 

• Exploring future career pathways  

• Project management  

• Professional communication skills 

• Exposure to industry environments  

• Interview and pitching techniques 

• CV, portfolio and professional online presence. 

This module proposes a broad range of trends, concepts, themes, theories, and debates within digital cultures and technologies. It will explore the ways in which digital technologies are transforming many aspects of the human experience, including cultural production and consumption, cultural heritage management and safeguarding, online identities, and social networking.   

Indicative content:   

• Introduction to Digital Culture 

• The evolution of digital technologies 

• The role of new media 

• Digital methods 

• Digital citizenship 

• Communities, identities, and social networking 

• Digital subcultures 

• Digital Inequalities 

• Gaming culture 

• Digital heritage 

This module engages you to work independently on an individual project, choosing between two possible routes: a dissertation or a digital media production.  

The dissertation route involves you choosing a relevant topic that will consolidate your learning and skills in one of the areas explored in the course. Furthermore, you are provided with the opportunity to develop and test your advanced communication skills as well as self-reflect about your work. 

Dissertation route indicative content: 

• Development of a project area of students’ choice 

• Undertaking of a piece of individual theoretical or research work in students’ chosen specialism

• Development of advanced academic communication skills 

The digital media production route aims to demonstrate advanced key technical skills of production in creative media practice. The module will help you to consolidate your pre-production ideas in creatively conceived major project work and enable you to produce media work with a sense of professionalism and for a defined audience.  

 Digital Media Production indicative content:  

• Creation of content for a personal portfolio of work 

• Professional project and time-management 

• Professional production techniques 

• Advanced communication skills 

• Self-promotion and distribution   

This module introduces the notion of media outside of the mainstream in various forms including alternative, cult, experimental and activist. The module considers marginalised media as a platform for diverse voices and its main social, cultural, historical, technological and political dimensions. The histories and ever-changing processes and practices of a variety of forms of grassroots, cult and alternative media (such as the underground press, film, television, comics, music, podcasts and other forms of art) are situated in theoretical and practical contexts. 

Module content:  

• Definitions considering media outside of the mainstream, concepts of ‘alternative’ and ‘cult’ versus ‘mainstream’ media – problems of definition and boundaries 

• Histories of marginalised, alternative and cult media forms 

• Marginalised voices, political movements, and alternative media 

• Media as a platform for diverse voices, representation and social change 

• Media as artistic and experimental forms of expression (e.g. music and film) 

• Media as a form of activism, resistance or subversion 

• Subcultural and niche media forms 

This module develops and consolidates understanding of the media  and cultural industries, examining the main processes, people and work in contemporary global media distribution and exhibition. 

Potential topics of study could include:  

• Marketing, promotion, and branding 

• Media festivals 

• Programming and media curation 

• Distribution practices 

• Exhibition venues 

• Community exhibition 

• Communication and writing copy 

• Intellectual property and copyright 

• Global conglomerates 

• Streaming 

• Freedom of expression / free speech 

• Media and cultural strategies 

• Enterprise