Select your course options:
Where Are You Applying From?
How Would You Like To Study?
When Do You Want To Start Your Studies?
Which Campus Would You Like To Study At?
Which Options Would You Like With Your Course?
Why choose the School of Arts and Creative Industries
Our students learn from industry professionals in state-of-the-art multi-camera studios, working with industry-standard camera, sound and lighting equipment.
Industry links with sector leaders such as the BBC, ITV, the Royal Television Society, Reuters, Bloomberg and UK newspapers.
Our film and TV courses rank 7th for teaching quality and 9th for student experience in their subject field (Times Good University Guide, 2024).
About the course
Based at our Luton campus, this one-year top-up course is for those who already have a Foundation degree or HND in a relevant subject. Its focus is on developing your ability to create powerful, effective messaging that connects with your target audience across a range of digital-media platforms. You explore the latest practices in media before demonstrating your learning and practical skills through an extended piece of production work or dissertation in an area of interest.
Facilities and specialist equipment
- High-spec multi-camera television studios
- Mac-equipped newsroom with radio news booth and transmission gallery
- Industry-standard radio facilities
- Digital video-editing suites including Adobe Creative Cloud software (Premier Pro)
- Netflix-standard Sony FX6 cameras for broadcast-quality film and television content
- Sony FX3 Cinema Line camera with full-frame sensor and enhanced mobility for easy solo hand-held shooting
- Industry-standard sound and lighting equipment
Student experience
Develop live projects and enjoy work experience opportunities at industry organisations including the BBC (The One Show and Radio 1); Coolr social media agency; Pooja Studios; Luton Town FC’s Media and PR department; MK Dons FC; and MKFM radio station.
Produce shows for our award-winning local community radio service, Radio LaB, and our in-house online TV station, Beds TV.
Participate in and contribute to student festivals and competitions, building your experience and portfolio.
Take advantage of field trips to studios and course-related destinations including MKFM, BBC Broadcasting House, BT Sport, and Sky.
Engage directly with the industry through networking events, guest talks and workshops with media professionals.
Recent guest speakers include Mick Payne, Match of the Day producer; Tom Wall, TV producer for Channel 4, Channel 5 and Netflix; Jess Symons, MD at Ivy House Productions; Lorraine Heaton, Production Management, BBC Studios; Keanu Rattray, Digital Content Manager at FIFA; BBC Radio 1 hosts Melvin Odoom and Rickie Haywood-Williams; Station Sound Producer Matt Fisher; and Kiss FM’s Sam Darlaston.
with Professional Practice Year
This course has the option to be taken over four years which includes a year placement in industry. Undertaking a year in industry has many benefits. You gain practical experience and build your CV, as well as being a great opportunity to sample a profession and network with potential future employers.
There is no tuition fee for the placement year enabling you to gain an extra year of experience for free.
*Only available to UK/EU students.
with Foundation Year
A Degree with a Foundation Year gives you guaranteed entry to an Undergraduate course.
Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an Undergraduate course, our Degrees with Foundation Year provide a fantastic entry route for you to work towards a degree level qualification.
With our guidance and support you’ll get up to speed within one year, and will be ready to seamlessly progress on to undergraduate study at Bedfordshire.
The Foundation Year provides an opportunity to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy, and will also cover a range of subject specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree.
This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree.
Why study a degree with a Foundation Year?
- Broad-based yet enough depth to give you credible vocational skills
- Coverage of a variety of areas typically delivered by an expert in this area
- Gain an understanding of a subject before choosing which route you wish to specialise in
- Great introduction to further study, and guaranteed progression on to one of our Undergraduate degrees
The degrees offering a Foundation Year provide excellent preparation for your future studies.
During your Foundation Year you will get the opportunity to talk to tutors about your degree study and future career aspirations, and receive guidance on the most appropriate Undergraduate course to help you achieve this; providing you meet the entry requirements and pass the Foundation Year.
What will you study?
Our Media Production (Top up) BA (Hons) course allows you to explore the ever-evolving world of new media. The course is aimed at preparing you for the world of work and includes real world briefs and support in helping you navigate the world of freelancing.
You will explore experimental film, the relationship with sound and image alongside commercial, digital, and online media. Through practical digital art and digital design outcomes, you will learn about both commercial media production, new emerging media formats, interactive media, responsive advertising, and immersive media.
In areas of digital media theory, you will consider Digital Culture and Practices in the context of their cultural, political and socio-historical developments. There is also the opportunity to explore some more traditional media theories and debates whilst studying the critical and technical perspectives of Reading the Screen and Contemporary Practices and Debates in the Media.
Finally, you will have the opportunity to produce a piece of practical media production work or a media studies dissertation in our Special Project: Media Production unit. You will have the freedom to choose the subject and form of your final project based on your course experience, interests and future career goals.
How will you be assessed?
Assessment is an integral part of your learning. Your assessments will follow the pattern of teaching and learning. As you complete each stage of your production we will give you feedback and give you advice on how to develop and improve your work so that you can take it to the next stage. We will assess both the processes you use to produce work and the quality of the final production. The media industry expects high quality work completed to absolutely fixed distribution deadlines. We will reflect this in our assessment of your work and so whilst the way in which you work is important ultimately it is the quality of what you produce that will be the main influence on your grade.
The theoretical aspects of the course will be assessed through essays and presentations. This will prepare you for writing a dissertation for your final project if you wish. As the course progresses we will move from well-defined conventional production briefs to more open-ended challenging briefs that require you to generate new ideas and new ways of working. You may also be required to research the availability of new production tools and apply them to your work.
We will always expect your production work to be contextualised. You will normally be required to submit a written evaluation of your production work along with some reflection on its strengths and weaknesses. You will also be required to relate your work to current genres and practices.
Careers
Career paths open to you in any industry that requires excellent communication and team-working skills alongside understanding of different media platforms and how they work together.
Many of our graduates have now progressed to successful careers in the UK and international media.
Entry Requirements
Virtual Tour
