BA|Undergraduate
Broadcast Production
Entry year
Academic Year 2024/25
Academic Year 2024/25
Entry requirements
ABB
ABB
Duration
3 years (Full Time)
3 years (Full Time)
UCAS code
P310
P310
Applications for 2023 entry are still open for some programmes. View courses
This pathway is for those interested in careers in creative broadcast programme and media making for television, radio, journalism, podcasts and other new and emerging digital media platforms. This degree aims to introduce you to the widest possible experience of modern broadcasting combined with critical thinking and excellent online skills. Whether it is programme making for online or traditional broadcast, live or on location, in front or behind the camera or microphone, you will gain substantial practical skills supported by the kind of theoretical and critical skills employers tell us they want in new entrants to the Creative Industries.
Broadcast Production Degree highlights
Broadcast Production is one of the most practical and vocationally biased television, radio, podcast and online content creation degrees offered at any Russell Group University in the UK.
Global Opportunities
- As well as having the opportunity to apply for study abroad for a semester or academic year through student exchange in Europe or North America, this degree will give students a highly portable set of practical and critical skills that will be recognised by and applicable to broadcast sectors globally.
Industry Links
- It is an exciting time to get involved in broadcasting. Northern Ireland has one of the fastest growing creative sectors in the UK economy. Broadcast programme making for entertainment, news,
documentary, current affairs and online is a huge part of the industry here. The work placement module at Level 3 provides students with the opportunity to connect with many of the local production companies. - Queen’s has a collaborative agreement with BBC Northern Ireland, to promote opportunities for placements for our students and research/training between both organisations. Broadcast Production at QUB has direct links with the Belfast Media Festival, The Belfast Film Festival and the Digital Cities Belfast initiative.
Career Development
- This highly practical course allows students to build up a portfolio of outputs to share with potential employers. The School’s online channel also showcases the best work created by students on the
degree programme. The new skillsets developed such as building digital content for online distribution and social media are highly sought after by employers and provide an excellent background
for work in the creative industries and broadcasting.
World Class Facilities
- Access to a television and radio studio with broadcast quality LED lighting and green screen facilities; off-line and on-line editing suites, utilising industry software such as Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro and Avid Pro Tools; access to the Sonic Arts Research Centre for audio training and industry standard audio recording and post production equipment; full high-definition cameras are available as are substantial lighting and sound kits for location work. We also have a substantial amount of equipment for use in the creation of virtual reality content such as HTC Vives, Oculus Go and Insta360 Pro VR cameras with ambisonic microphones for full 360 sound recording.
Student Experience
- We are an Avid Authorised Learning Partner for Media Composer and Pro Tools, offering certified industry-approved training as part of the degree. Broadcast Production benefits from close relationships with BBC NI, UTV, Northern Ireland Screen and the Belfast Media Festival with industry professionals connecting to teaching right across the programme from many of the production companies in Northern Ireland.
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Course content
Course Structure
| Introduction | The BA in Broadcast Production is taught through an equal mix of hands-on production modules and critical theory modules, with increasing flexibility at levels 2 and 3. |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 | In their first year students will undertake 6 compulsory modules, covering a range of the theory and skills required to succeed in this career. |
| Stage 2 | Four compulsory modules at stage 2 develop the skills and knowledge that students gained at stage 1, and practise the application of those skills to the various popular genres within broadcast media. Students can then choose a further two optional modules, exploring aspects of broadcast media in further detail. |
| Stage 3 Modules | In the final year, students will plan and develop a broadcast media project for 50% of their time. Many students also choose to take a work-based learning module, working in an external broadcasting agency and developing their skills for application in the workplace. There is a range of further modules for year 3 students to select from, which will develop their knowledge and awareness of issues faced by today's broadcast media. |
People teaching you
Mr Frank DelaneySubject Lead and Senior Lecturer
Arts, English and Languages
Frank Delaney is an award-winning national and international television and radio producer, director, writer, editor, sound designer and composer. He has produced work for BBC, Channel 4, RTE, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, MTV, CNN and PBS USA among many others. His work has been seen on most European channels and has been broadcast across the globe. Frank still produces leading work alongside his teaching at Queen’s University Belfast and maintains his contacts and connections to industry. This ensures that he and the team of industry focussed lecturers keeps the course at Queen’s progressive and at the leading edge of current industry standards, practices and technologies. Frank is dedicated to making sure that the BA Broadcast Production provides a complete training at practical and academic levels that keeps it industry and academically relevant.
Contact Teaching Times
| Large Group Teaching | 6 (hours maximum) 6 hours of lectures |
|---|---|
| Medium Group Teaching | 6 (hours maximum) 6 hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week |
| Personal Study | 24 (hours maximum) 22–24 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using handouts, online activities, etc. |
| Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial | 2 (hours maximum) 2 hours of tutorials (or later, project supervision) each week. |
Learning and Teaching
On the BA Broadcast Production programme we provide a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. The degree also offers significant opportunities for cross disciplinary and multi-disciplinary learning experiences.
- E-learning technologies
Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, and could include, for example: interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space; podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities; opportunities to use IT programmes associated with design in practical workshops and project-based work etc. - Lectures
Introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to year group peers). - Practicals and workshops
Where you will have opportunities to develop technical skills and apply theoretical principles to practical broadcast industry contexts. - Self-directed study
This is a vital part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out. - Seminars and tutorials
Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-15 students). These provide the opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups. - Supervised projects
In final year, all students take a double module which provides the opportunity to specialise in a chosen area such as virtual reality, television, radio or documentary production and work collaboratively on a broadcast media project, to be screened publicly at the end of the semester and online. You will receive support from a supervisor who will guide you and provide feedback whilst being taught the skills you need in class.
Assessment
The teaching will be carried out by academics and practising programme makers, journalists, theorists, and industry mentors. This degree will prepare students for either successful careers in the television and broadcasting industries, or to continue their study at MA and PhD level, all in the context of a Russell Group University.
- A dedicated online channel for assessed work will be a crucial aspect of the accessed work carried out by students. It offers students the chance to develop a significant portfolio of work. This online channel will feature the best of student’s assessed work on a publicly facing website, giving students the opportunity to both build an extensive portfolio of published work but also a platform to share this work with potential employers.
- Extensive portfolio of work created during degree.
Feedback
As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peer review processes. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work.
- Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:
• Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
• Face to face comment. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “guidance and feedback hours” to help you to address a specific query.
• Placement employer comments or references.
• Online or emailed comment.
• General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
• Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
• Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
• Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.
Facilities
World class facilities are available to students studying Broadcast Production at QUB. The school is an Avid Learning Partner and as such offers industry standard teaching built in to specialist modules across the programme. Students can, if they choose to do so, study for a qualification as an Avid Certified Professional in Media Composer for editing film and television and/or Pro Tools for postproduction sound. These qualifications are highly sought after and run alongside the delivery of the degree.
http://www.sarc.qub.ac.uk/
A television studio with industry standard LED lighting is available, online and offline editing suites, radio studios, sound post production and mixing facilities and of course green screen are all available. Substantial equipment needed for the creation of virtual reality content is also available such as HTC Vive, Oculus Go and Insta360 Pro Vr cameras. These resources are located on campus around University Square and in the world renowned Sonic Arts Research Centre.
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Overview
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Modules
Modules
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2022/23). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
- Year 1
Core Modules
Broadcast Storytelling (20 credits)Broadcast Storytelling
Overview
Developing a greater understanding of formats and the broadcasting context, this module leads out of Broadcast Production Skills and into Broadcast Journalism. It builds on the practical skills acquired so far by the students, who will begin to think more carefully about narrative in broadcast media, in order to produce longer audio and/or visual packages. The course’s practical assignments will include advanced interviewing techniques, recording for broadcast formats and bringing together a number of skillsets to generate creative media outputs connected to factual programme making. The use of enhanced broadcast production skills acquired in Semester 1 will be encouraged, leading to more sophisticated media productions. Students will be made more acutely aware of existing ethical frameworks circumscribing broadcast production and the impact of their work in the public arena. Students will also be introduced to the regulatory and legal framework around broadcasting.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module, students should be able to produce new, original narrative creative outputs using pictures and/or sound. They should be able to identify the restrictions on what can or cannot be broadcast in the UK and Ireland, appropriate to stage. They should be able to write for broadcast, and combine a script, sound clips or effects, and/or moving images into their produced output effectively. They should be reflect on and show how broadcasting regulations apply to their practical work. In addition, they should be able to reflect on and evaluate their own work, and how it fits into the broadcast landscape.
Skills
1. Effective pitching of broadcast stories
2. Effective gathering of material and writing of scripts in audio and/or visual formats
3. Editing skills and craft (appropriate to level) of broadcast story outputs in audio and/or visual formats
4. Advanced interviewing skills.
5. Advanced approach to editorial practices and ethical frameworks.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP1004
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Sound Recording and Production 1 (20 credits)Sound Recording and Production 1
Overview
This module will provide an introduction to the nature of sound, its properties and propagation and the tools used to professionally record sound and edit the resulting audio signals. Students will learn about the nature of sound, representation of sound as analogue and digital audio signals; microphone design and usage; the lines and interconnections used for distributing audio signals; and basic timbral and dynamic signal processing. Students will also gain practical experience of using professional microphones and portable recorders to make interior and exterior source recordings, and digital audio workstations for audio editing and balancing.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module students will be able:
(i) To operate a portable audio recording device and audio recording hardware in a studio context
(ii) To record speech and musical sound sources monophonically to broadcast quality standard
(iii) To edit speech and musical content in a digital audio workstation environment
(iv) To successfully troubleshoot issues with audio signal flowSkills
(i) Numeracy and information and communication technology.
(ii) Creative thinking and problem solving.
(iii) Operation of hardware and software for creative studio applications.
(iv) Identify, analyse and solve problems by prioritising tasks, coping with complexity, setting achievable goals and taking action.
(v) Work with information and handle a mass of diverse data, assess risk and draw conclusions (analysis, attention to detail, judgement).
(vi) Apply subject knowledge and understanding from the degree pathway.
(vii) Possess high level transferable key skills such as the ability to work with others in a team, to communicate (both orally and in writing), influence, negotiate and resolve conflict.
(viii) Have the ability and desire to learn for oneself and improve one's self-awareness and performance, to uphold the values of lifelong learning and demonstrate emotional intelligence.
(ix) Demonstrate confidence and motivation to start and to finish the job, adaptability / flexibility, creativity, initiative, leadership, decision-making, negotiating and the ability to cope with stress.
(x) Demonstrate the knowledge and experience of working with relevant modern technology.
(xi) Apply and exploit information technology.Coursework
60%
Examination
0%
Practical
40%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
MUS1038
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Broadcast Production Skills (20 credits)Broadcast Production Skills
Overview
As an introduction to the basic technical skills required in broadcast media production, students in this module will conceive, research, develop and produce a number of small media projects as directed by the tutor. Each project should be seen as an initial foray into particularly important skillsets required for good visual storytelling in the broadcast arena supported by reference to cognate work and production theory. Beginning with the still image, students will learn key techniques involved in digital imaging in the context of photojournalism. Following on from this, students will be introduced to moving images practices through camera, lighting and video editing skills workshops. Finally, in the context of communication design this module will introduce new, disruptive technologies for the dissemination of stories online that combine media formats such as the still and moving image.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module, students should be able to:
1. Conceive, research, develop, design and execute a medium-specific creative project
2. Demonstrate an enhanced understanding of the digital image making process
3. Demonstrate a proficient and competent use of production technology appropriate to stage
4. Articulate their own creative practices through an engagement with the parlance of production
5. Demonstrate an appreciation of the intersection between theory and practice as essential to an informed practitioner.Skills
1. Photography skills to an intermediate level included limited post production techniques for enhancement.
2. Video Camera and moving image acquisition to a level appropriate to stage
3. Enhanced understanding of the production processes and technical skills required in the broadcasting industry
4. A greater awareness of best current industry practices
5. Enhanced communication skillsCoursework
30%
Examination
0%
Practical
70%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP1002
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Broadcast Analysis 2 (20 credits)Broadcast Analysis 2
Overview
Building on the material covered in Broadcast Analysis 1, this module continues to develop the foundation of academic analytical skills and contextual knowledge for the BA in Broadcast Production. It covers further methods of analysing broadcasting and broadcast texts and their role in society, in cultural life, and for the individual. This provides the student with a range of avenues for developing their own future research as well as understanding academic material. It also continues to expand the student’s contextual understanding of the broadcast industries and a range of historical and contemporary broadcast texts, factual and fictional, radio and television, domestic and international.
Learning Outcomes
On completing this module, students should be able to:
• Understand key elements of the history of broadcasting and place broadcast texts and developments into this context
• Understand key concepts regarding the industrial and regulatory frameworks of broadcasting
• Understand and use key theoretical concepts in the analysis of broadcasting, both in broad terms and in relation to specific textsSkills
• Textual analysis of audio-visual material.
• Applying critical concepts to texts.
• Critiquing critical concepts.
• Oral communication and argumentation (seminars).
• Written communication (assessed work).
• Time management.
• Independent research.
• Group work (seminars)Coursework
80%
Examination
0%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP1003
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Broadcast Analysis 1 (20 credits)Broadcast Analysis 1
Overview
This module introduces students to a range of methods and approaches used in analysing broadcasting and broadcast texts. It also covers a range of key study skills for the degree. Students will consider core issues, methods and contexts for analysing media, as well as developing a broader awareness of broadcast texts, familiar and unfamiliar, and a deeper engagement with the students’ own viewing and listening practices. The academic material and the contextual material will also be of use to students in their reflective essays for practical modules.
Learning Outcomes
On completing this module, students should be able to:
• Place broadcast texts into a range of appropriate contexts.
• Understand and use key theoretical concepts in the analysis of broadcasting, both in broad terms and in relation to specific texts.
• Demonstrate core study skills such as performing research and presenting writing at an appropriate level.Skills
• Textual analysis of audio-visual material.
• Applying critical concepts to texts.
• Critiquing critical concepts.
• Oral communication and argumentation (seminars).
• Written communication (assessed work).
• Time management.
• Independent research.
• Group work (seminars)Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP1001
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Editing for Film and Television (20 credits)Editing for Film and Television
Overview
An introduction to the fundamental principles of film editing and critical approaches to montage. The course seeks to give students the necessary core skills to develop both their technical ability in non-linear editing and in tandem their critical approach to theorising film practice. On completion of the module the student will have achieved intermediate competence in digital postproduction techniques and in critical approaches to picture and story editing for film and television. The course provides a springboard for more advanced practical projects in subsequent years. The module seeks to deepen students’ appreciation of the critical context of their work. Students can explore film theory creatively; demonstrating how conceptual language can help them classify and clarify the production workflow and offer a greater understanding on how certain effects/meanings are generated by their practice.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate a fluency in the terminology/parlance of film post production and an ability to use a range of specialised communication skills in support of established practices within film and video production
2. Engage critically and practically with approaches to editing/montage and their effect on ‘meaning’.
3. Produce work that demonstrates a strong working knowledge of editing techniques for film and television.
4. Demonstrate the intelligent creation, manipulation and theorisation of the moving image.
5. Work in a flexible, creative and independent environment, showing self-discipline, self-direction, good communication and good team working skills.
6. Demonstrate intermediate knowledge of post production workflows and digital file handling using Final Cut Pro or Avid Media Composer.
7. Be ready to take Apple certified professional end user exam FCP101 to become an Apple Certified Professional user of Final Cut Pro.Skills
Significant new skills students’ will acquire include:
1. Proficiency at nonlinear film and television editing
2. Intermediate knowledge of codecs, acquisition formats and broadcast delivery
3. A greater understanding of the parlance used for film production
4. Familiarisation with multiplatform delivery of visual content; Web, BlueRay DVD,
5. An enhanced critical understanding of montage and film editingCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
FLM1007
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
- Year 2
Core Modules
Radio and Podcast Production (20 credits)Radio and Podcast Production
Overview
This module will develop technical and editorial skills in radio and podcast production. Students will explore the contexts of public service broadcasting formats (such as those offered by BBC) as well as the podcast landscape and commercial and community radio platforms.
This module will introduce varying genres of radio broadcasting and podcasting - feature documentary genre, speech based discussion formats, radio drama and other non-fiction based programme making idioms.
Through a series of practical activities, this module will explore a range of skills involved in radio and podcast production including writing, using the voice, show-producing and audio engineering.
Opportunities to develop an original programme or podcast idea will culminate in a group radio project conducted in a live studio setting. Students will be encouraged to engage with local communities to generate ideas that connect with their audience and the wider world around them.Learning Outcomes
1. Prepare and present a pitch for a radio programme or a podcast.
2. Conceive, develop and design a radio programme or podcast for delivery.
3. Produce a live radio broadcast featuring in-studio discussion or an equivalent podcast.
4. Effectively use the voice in a radio/podcast presentation context.
5. Use audio equipment to effectively record content for radio/audio podcast and engineer audio for a live broadcast.
6. Acquire advanced knowledge of radio and audio production techniques and the ability to create compelling radio and podcast segments.Skills
1. Advancing audio production and post production skills
2. Live radio studio and podcast engineering skills
3. Enhanced writing skills for radio and podcast
4. Live radio and podcast production experience
5. A greater appreciate of the various roles of industry professionals
6. An enhanced knowledge of radio and audio formats and their impact on societyCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP2002
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
The Television Programme (20 credits)The Television Programme
Overview
This module introduces students to a multi camera studio based television production. Combining skills acquired to date students will work alone and in groups to conceive, design, develop and produce a 30-minute magazine style programme for television. This programme will be the culmination of significant edited and packaged stories students will make during the semester, combined with an in studio discussion and presenter on camera. Exploring a range of story ideas, themes and post-production devices, this module brings together skills in writing for factual based television programmes, presentation skills, editing, audio and cameras skills. Further instruction will be given in studio lighting and the production processes associated with live television programme making for online broadcast working to strict editorial guidelines. Examples of existing formats and working with local industry professionals will enhance the delivery of the module. The finished programme is intended for public release and will consider copyright and editorial best practice in this regard.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module students will be able to:
1. Research, design, develop and conceive a live television production from inception to delivery
2. Crew and deliver a multi camera studio recording for a live broadcast
3. Engage with technology required to create and deliver a live broadcast
4. Have a greater understanding of how to write and commission a television programme
5. Identify key roles in television production and gain a deeper understanding of their contribution to programme makingSkills
1. Multi camera studio operation
2. Sound engineering a live broadcast
3. Lighting a studio for live broadcast
4. Enhanced writing for broadcast skills
5. Experience of creating and editing their own packaged contribution to the programme
6. Experienced the production cycle of a live TV programmeCoursework
20%
Examination
0%
Practical
80%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP2003
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Broadcast Journalism (20 credits)Broadcast Journalism
Overview
This course aims to introduce students to the theories around producing broadcast factual and documentary stories, both for television and radio. It will build on the practical skills students have already acquired and will allow those interested in specialising in factual, documentary and journalism to incorporate factual and documentary values, approaches, story and editorial decision-making into their work at every level. It will examine the differences between styles and genres and commercial and public service broadcasters. It will introduce students to the law and broadcasting codes as they apply to factual and documentary programme making. The practical skills will give students a deeper ability to research, develop, write and create structured and creative factual and documentary stories for TV and radio.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module students will be able to identify what makes successful factual or documentary content for broadcast and identify a target audience for their piece. They will demonstrate how to write for broadcast, and how to combine a script, sound clips, effects, and/or moving images into their story effectively. They will show a competence in audio and video recording, story for broadcast and project management from concept to final delivery.
Skills
Devise, research, write and produce a factual or documentary story for TV or radio.
Includes: Carrying out a broadcast interview; recording with audio or video recording equipment; writing for broadcast; structuring a factual or documentary story for broadcast; audio and or video editing; reflecting on your own work.Coursework
20%
Examination
0%
Practical
80%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP2001
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Popular Genres (20 credits)Popular Genres
Overview
This module presents key theories and concepts in the study and analysis of popular genres in the media. Students will examine a range of factual and fictional genres, interrogating the ways that they have been defined, interpreted and used by producers, broadcasters and distributors, audiences and academics.
This will support students in developing their skills in analysing media productions, as well as when taking genre into consideration for their own practical work in other modules.Learning Outcomes
On completing this module, students should be able to:
• Identify popular genres
• Understand and apply the basic concepts of genre analysis
• Understand key interpretations of popular broadcast genres
• Assess, interrogate and challenge such interpretations in relation to specific texts and / or groups of texts
• Analyse broadcast texts through the lens of genre theorySkills
• Textual analysis of audio-visual material.
• Applying critical concepts to texts.
• Critiquing critical concepts.
• Oral communication and argumentation (seminars).
• Written communication (assessed work).
• Time management.
• Independent research.
• Group work (seminars).Coursework
80%
Examination
0%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP2004
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Optional Modules
Creative Enterprise for Film and Digital Media (20 credits)Creative Enterprise for Film and Digital Media
Overview
The Creative Industries are an increasingly important contributor to not only the Northern Irish cultural and economic landscape, but the global economy more generally. This interdisciplinary, school wide module introduces you to the practicalities of engaging with creative enterprise and developing ‘real world’ transferrable skills by taking you through the process of creating, running and growing a creative company. Aligned with the QUB Innovation Centre Project and Enterprise SU, it draws on the Qubis Customer Discovery Methodology to help you to identify potential customers, partners and mentors industry, and build your business model around conversations with them. It also provides you with the skills to undertake a critical evaluation of the Creative Industries in the UK and Ireland.
The module will be taught through seminars, workshops and field work. Students create their own business idea in groups and undergo a Customer Discovery process which involves conversations with people who are key to their creative business area. Further to this, students produce a business portfolio, develop a group pitch, and written or video essay as part of their module assessment.
Indicative Syllabus:
1. Creating a USP and business plan
2. Understanding your place in the market
3. Incorporating a business with Companies House
4. Drafting shareholders agreements
5. Budgeting, cashflows and accounts
6. Hiring and managing staff
7. Creating storyboards, proposals, scripts and prototypes with a development team
8. Applying for start up and growth funding
9. Pitching for business in the creative industries
10. Selling or winding up a companyLearning Outcomes
On Completion of this module, the learner will be able to:
1. Identify, analyse and evaluate the landscape of creative companies in the UK and Ireland including TV and film production companies, virtual and augmented reality production companies and digital agencies;
2. Compare and contrast the functionality of different industry departments and how they interact to enable the production of film slates characteristics of the various technologies underpinning these changes;
3. Demonstrate methodologies for applying creative enterprise knowledge to develop their career and make independent films;
4. Conceptualise and pitch ideas, and understand the business side of film, TV and digital production;
5. Distinguish between the various roles within a film, screen and digital media team;
6. Demonstrate enhanced skills in verbal and written communication.Skills
In taking this module, the learner will acquire and enhance their skills in:
1. Networking, team-building and team-working
2. Entrepreneurship and commercial/business management
3. Verbal and oral communication and presentationCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Sound Design for Screen (20 credits)Sound Design for Screen
Overview
This module introduces sound design in the context of audio-visual production. Students will be exposed to both theoretical and practical aspects of design and audio-vision. Lectures will introduce concepts to be applied in the analysis of sound design in film and animation works. Students will be asked to develop critical strategies for analysis and to produce a soundtrack for a given film/video excerpt.
Learning Outcomes
Students should be able:
(i) To appreciate and understand sound design.
(ii) To gain insight into editing strategies used in filmmaking.
(iii) To expand on our understanding of the soundscape.
(iv) To develop a language and body of references for the discussion of sound design.Skills
(i) Creative thinking and problem solving.
(ii) Familiarisation with theories of design.
(iii) Understanding of basic sound design terminology and strategies.
(iv) Development of a vocabulary for audio-visual analysis.
(v) Sophisticated understanding of the role of sound in film.
(vi) Identify, analyse and solve problems by prioritising tasks, coping with complexity, setting achievable goals and taking action.
(vii) Work with information and handle a mass of diverse data, assess risk and draw conclusions (analysis, attention to detail, judgement).
(viii) Apply subject knowledge and understanding from the degree pathway.
(ix) Possess high level transferable key skills such as the ability to work with others in a team, to communicate (both orally and in writing), influence, negotiate and resolve conflict.
(x) Have the ability and desire to learn for oneself and improve one's self-awareness and performance, to uphold the values of lifelong learning and demonstrate emotional intelligence.
(xi) Demonstrate confidence and motivation to start and to finish the job, adaptability / flexibility, creativity, initiative, leadership, decision-making, negotiating and the ability to cope with stress.
(xii) Demonstrate critical evaluation of the outcomes of professional practice.Coursework
0%
Examination
0%
Practical
100%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
MUS2036
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Gender, Culture, and Representation – Backwards & in Heels
Overview
This interdisciplinary module introduces students to the central ideas of gender theory and to a wide variety of representations of gender across a range of media, including theatre, performance, literature, visual art, film and television. Using key texts and cultural works students are encouraged to examine critically the representation of gender across media, and the political, legal, and ethical dimensions of gender within our culture. The module involves a critical engagement with the relationship between identity, representation and culture and explores theories concerning the social construction of the masculine and feminine body. The module engages with several key issues, including the representation of femininity and masculinity, gender in the literary and theatrical canon of Western culture, the spatiality and temporality of gender, and its intersections with issues of race/ethnicity, class, and labour. Students will be asked to think about these issues and ideas across disciplines but also within their areas of study through seminars.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, you should:
* have engaged with a variety of representations of gender, the body and sexual identities within socio-historical, theoretical and representational frameworks and across multiple forms of media,
* have cultivated an understanding of the theoretical and practical movements that have shaped the construction and representation of gender, sexuality and the body in culture,
* have developed a critical understanding of the relationship between representation and identity.Skills
Having completed this module, you should:
* have developed reflexive thinking and independent critical and analytical skills.
* have developed imaginative and communicative skills based on the application of reading materials to class presentations
* have developed research and writing skillsCoursework
60%
Examination
0%
Practical
40%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
AEL2001
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Adaptation as Interdisciplinary Practice (20 credits)Adaptation as Interdisciplinary Practice
Overview
This module asks students to examine the process and challenges of adapting works, either within the same medium in a different time or place, or between different media, with staff from across the school collaborating to offer students an understanding of how different media work, and how the differences between those media impact the process of adaptation. The class will also examine how adaptation plays an integral role in the process of translation. Each week students will examine several versions of a play, novel, and/or film script (or watch them), looking at originals from the Greeks forward to see how adaptors have grappled with great works of different eras and cultures in an attempt to make them more accessible to contemporary audiences, while at the same time (in most cases) attempting to preserve something of their original context. The class will also look at theoretical models of adaptation. Ultimately, students will be asked to examine the adaptation history of a single original work in an academic essay, and will try their own hand at adaptation in presenting a treatment for a work of fiction, drama, film, or any other form, adapted from a prior work.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, you should:
Understand the history of adaptation in drama and other forms.
Be able to analyse translations and adaptations
Be able to identify the rationale behind what is altered and what is kept.
Become adapters on their own.Skills
Research and analytical skills
Performance skills
Communication and speech
Interacting with others (both in interactions between performer and director, as well as performer and audience)
Technical proficiencyCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
AEL2002
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Radio Drama (20 credits)Radio Drama
Overview
An introduction to the theory and practice of directing, writing and performing for radio and podcasting. Seminars will introduce key theoretical and practical principles linked to selected case studies. Students will apply these skills in their own short radio dramas as writers, script editors, SFX Spot/Foley Operators, directors or actors. We will work closely with students on the Broadcast production degree on the technical aspects of this module. The module is open to students on all drama and Broadcast Production programmes and on the Creative Writing programme in the Seamus Heaney Centre.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module students should:
Have an understanding of the distinctive demands of acting, writing and directing for radio
Have a critical appreciation of radio drama as a genre and be familiar with a range of relevant examplesSkills
Oral communication, team-working and specialist technical skills.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
DRA2014
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Film and Sound: History and Theory (20 credits)Film and Sound: History and Theory
Overview
This module will explore the relationships between film and sound, examining how the aesthetic, historical and cultural significance of film sound practices have been understood in the context of evolving technologies.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the of module, students should be able to demonstrate:
1) The ability to undertake the close critical analysis of sound in film.
2) The ability to link sound practice to sound theory.
3) An understanding of the ways in which sound technology affects film aesthetics.
4) An awareness of the social and cultural significance of sound in film.Skills
1) Critical thinking skills
2) Analytical skills
3) Skills of rhetoric and argumentation
4) Presentation skills
5) Written, verbal, and visual communication skillsCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
FLM2014
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Interactive Media and Future Broadcasting (20 credits)Interactive Media and Future Broadcasting
Overview
The nature of broadcasting is changing. Online platforms, emerging modes of distribution and new digital technologies are re-wiring established media cultures, transforming traditional media production and distribution systems and introducing new media networks (internet, mobile devices). This module explores aspects of this techno-cultural transformation, through both a practical exploration of the form and by considering critical debates exploring the power, force, significance and form of a series of new media texts, artefacts and systems.
The module situates practices in an environment that is ceaselessly evolving and explores new technologies such as virtual reality, immersive media and interactive documentary. This module offers a practical introduction to a range of software authoring tools widely used within the media and an exploration of disruptive new technologies as they emerge.Learning Outcomes
On completing this module, students should have acquired and be able to demonstrate:
1. Critical awareness of how broadcast is evolving and of digital media systems as innovative cultural forms;
2. Systematic understanding of current debates in the field of new media around aesthetics, use, distribution, medium theory and form;
3. Comprehensive understanding of debates around technology, culture and determinism;
4. Critical evaluation of interactive media practice;
5. Applied Experience and engagement through practice in the area.Skills
The module will equip students with the necessary production skills and theoretical frameworks to explore and deliver projects that move away from linear production processes. This grounding will provide students with basic authoring skills, it will give them the capacity to develop their skills in line with emerging broadcasting and media production techniques and will equip them to think critically about the forms and contents of contemporary media systems and media systems that originate online and reside natively on the web.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP2005
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Sonic Arts (20 credits)Sonic Arts
Overview
This module is aimed at students who want to develop core skills in sound manipulation and composition practice. The module will examine a range of issues in order to provide a grounding in electroacoustic music.
The module takes a practice-based approach embedded in workshop sessions introducing students to repertoire, techniques and strategies related to the two assessed practical projects and a student led seminar presentation.
During the module students will be introduced to techniques and strategies for manipulating sound both off-line and in real-time in the Max/MSP environment. Other software packages (Pro Tools, Soundhack, AudioSculpt/Spear) will be used for editing, mixing and processing as appropriate. Students will also be working with bespoke recording techniques, microphones and loudspeaker setups.Learning Outcomes
You'll learn how to process and develop musical materials and address aspects of language and structure in your composition work and at the end of the module you will have 1) developed key skills for abstracting and developing new sounds from source materials, 2) developed and enhanced your approach to problem-solving, 3) expanded your understanding and appreciation of electroacoustic music, 4) developed your approach to electroacoustic composition, 5) developed a language and body of references for the discussion of electroacoustic music.
Skills
(i) Criticise and analyse your own composition and the work of others.
(ii) Creatively approach issues of structure, transformation and musical development.
(iii) Present your ideas and thoughts in front of others.
(iv) Identify technical problems in a sound processing technique.
(v) Identify, analyse and solve problems by prioritising tasks, coping with complexity, setting achievable goals and taking action.
(vi) Work with information and handle a mass of diverse data, assess risk and draw conclusions (analysis, attention to detail, judgment).
(vii) Apply subject knowledge and understanding from the degree pathway.
(viii) Possess high level transferable key skills such as the ability to work with others in a team, to communicate (both orally and in writing), influence, negotiate and resolve conflict.
(ix) Have the ability and desire to learn for oneself and improve one's self-awareness and performance, to uphold the values of lifelong learning and demonstrate emotional intelligence.
(x) Demonstrate confidence and motivation to start and to finish the job, adaptability / flexibility, creativity, initiative, leadership, decision-making, negotiating and the ability to cope with stress.Coursework
80%
Examination
0%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
MUS2004
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
British Cinema: Nation, Identity and Industry (20 credits)British Cinema: Nation, Identity and Industry
Overview
This module will introduce a number of British films from a range of different historical periods. Students will consider films in relation to theoretical issues of national identity, representation, class and gender and will also explore British film culture to examine issues of production, film funding, censorship and reception.
Films studied may include well-known examples from British cinema such as Passport to Pimlico (Cornelius, 1949), Room with a View (Ivory, 1985), or Elizabeth (Kapur, 1998) but will also consider a range of less well-studied texts to explore the breadth and range of ‘national cinema.’ One of the key objectives of the module will be to use film examples to address complex issues relating to national identity, shared history and popular taste. It will also consider how film can be a useful vehicle for understanding and addressing such issues.Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the module, students should be able to demonstrate:
1) an understanding of the film culture of Britain and a knowledge of British film production and reception
2) an understanding of the various critical and theoretical approaches to British cinema
3) an understanding of the relationships between cinema, history and national identity
4) the ability to analyse and evaluate films produced within BritainSkills
1) Critical thinking skills
2) Analytical skills
3) Skills of rhetoric and argument
4) Presentation skills
5) Written, verbal, and visual communication skillsCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
FLM2026
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Principles of Business in Arts, Cultural and Creative Industries
Overview
This course is designed for Stage 2 students in all Creative Arts disciplines (Drama, Film & Broadcast, Music & Sonic Arts) to introduce and explore key elements in the ‘business’ of creative work: the planning, management and delivery of cultural and creative projects, events and/or activities. As part of an interdisciplinary class and with elements of independent group work throughout, students will share their knowledge from their own programmes and gain new insights to the crossover of skills and opportunities and the benefits of multidisciplinary teams.
The course runs in two parts. The first half of the course will introduce students to the unique planning and delivery challenges of cultural and creative work with students’ active engagement in observing or putting the theory into real-life practice. In the second half, students will work through one of two options (subject to availability): to work in teams to enhance, deliver and evaluate a programmed event or activity with a cultural business; or to undertake independent field research in the development of an event or activity proposal for a cultural business.
Assessment will be principally based on reflexive journaling and some practical assessment of their participation (the production of a short-form report or plan).
Part 1 will be delivered mainly through classroom lectures, seminars and discussions on the different functions of management and planning in the arts, cultural and creative industries.
Part 2
Subject to availability in any given year, students will choose one of two strands for Part 2 of the programme. Activities offered in these strands each year will be selected in discussion between Subject Leads of Creative Arts and relevant staff in creative centres on campus, enabling students to access contemporary events and knowledge relevant to their studies.Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:
1. Recognise common features and approaches to planning and delivery of arts, cultural and creative activities, events or projects
2. Express improved understanding of the industry context of their chosen discipline, recognising influences, norms and constraints on creative and cultural business
3. Articulate how increased understanding of creative business might influence their own creative or industry practice, their future study and professional development.
4. Understand the collaborative and team-based nature of arts, cultural and creative industries planning and delivery.Skills
The completion of this course will support the following skills:
• Reflective & reflexive thinking
• Evaluation and observation
• Report and/or proposal writing
• Practical skills in event/project management/planning
• Teamwork and collaborative workingCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
SCA2002
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
- Year 3
Core Modules
Broadcast Media Project: Development (20 credits)Broadcast Media Project: Development
Overview
This module aims to develop and enhance the student’s research and production skills through the creation of a significant collaborative broadcast media project for television, radio or online. This module then leads on to the production of a major project in semester two from project proposal selected in this module. This module is an opportunity for the student to continue to build on the various production and technical skills acquired in level 1 and 2 of the course. The intense development phase is designed to emulate a broadcast commission cycle and classes will be delivered in association with a number of guest artists and industry professionals. The development of production teams and commissioned projects will mirror industry practice and leads to an industry pitching session in week 12 after the pre-production phase ends. The module is taught in workshops weekly allowing for further advanced technical instruction in audio and visual techniques.
Learning Outcomes
On completing this module, students will have:
1. Developed and delivered a project proposal to a commissioning panel
2. Have participated in the writing of a broadcast commission
3. Enhanced core technical and craft skills appropriate to Level 3 and in preparation for Semester 2.
4. Produced some test material or sample work in preparation for the pitching panel
5. Gained a greater understanding of the project development processes for radio, television or online.Skills
1. Enhanced script writing skills
2. Enhanced craft skills such as camera, sound or editing
3. Improved communication skills
4. Enhanced group working skillsCoursework
60%
Examination
0%
Practical
40%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP3001
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Broadcast Media Project: Production (40 credits)Broadcast Media Project: Production
Overview
This module follows on from the project development module in semester 1. Students taking this module will produce a number of pre-selected student projects from semester 1. These projects can be radio, television or online/interactive in design exclusively, though interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged. Students are offered the opportunity to develop specialist craft skills, in a range of disciplines and work in a structured way with industry professionals to enhance their own skillset and experience. The work will be completed to broadcast ready standard and will be exhibited publicly. Through the study of cognate work and production theory, students will also learn to reflect on their own creative practice and articulate their work in the context of contemporary broadcasting practices.
Learning Outcomes
1. Develop and complete a full production cycle for their selected medium
2. Create and exhibit creative media projects to a high technical standard
3. Demonstrate newly acquired creative and technical skills to an advanced level appropriate to stage.
4. Demonstrate and understanding of critical approaches to the study the broadcast media sector.
5. Have the ability to write reflectively on their own creative practice with reference to cognate work and production theory.Skills
1. Advanced craft production skills
2. Enhanced communication skills
3. Work as an integral part of the team.
4. Demonstrate strong written skills
5. Reflective practice skillsCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
40
Module Code
BCP3005
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Optional Modules
Immersive Media (20 credits)Immersive Media
Overview
This module will provide a grounding in the theory and practice of immersive media. Students will learn about sound and image formats used in creating immersive experiences, how spatial sound sources are localised and experience the full immersive workflow. Image formats include 360 degree video and spatial audio systems considered include binaural audio and ambisonics. Students will develop practical experience in creating audio-visual immersive experiences from production to post-production and delivery with a focus on documentary and field recording practices. Working in small groups, students will produce short immersive content for goggle delivery.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module students will be able to:
(i) record and edit in immersive formats
(ii) prepare immersive assets for delivery on formats such as FB360 and Youtube
(iii) understand the fundamentals of immersive technologies
(iv) critically evaluate immersive experiences with a focus on documentary and field recordingSkills
(i) Numeracy and information and communication technology.
(ii) Creative thinking and problem solving.
(iii) Operation of hardware and software for creative studio applications.
(iv) Identify, analyse and solve problems by prioritising tasks, coping with complexity, setting achievable goals and taking action.
(v) Work with information and handle a mass of diverse data, assess risk and draw conclusions (analysis, attention to detail, judgement).
(vi) Apply subject knowledge and understanding from the degree pathway.
(vii) Possess high level transferable key skills such as the ability to work with others in a team, to communicate (both orally and in writing), influence, negotiate and resolve conflict.
(viii) Have the ability and desire to learn for oneself and improve one's self-awareness and performance, to uphold the values of lifelong learning and demonstrate emotional intelligence.
(ix) Demonstrate confidence and motivation to start and to finish the job, adaptability / flexibility, creativity, initiative, leadership, decision-making, negotiating and the ability to cope with stress.
(x) Demonstrate the knowledge and experience of working with relevant modern technology.
(xi) Apply and exploit information technology.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
MUS3007
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Media and Time (20 credits)Media and Time
Overview
The media are time-based; they have a narrative flow from line to line and scene to scene and episode to episode, with each programme fitting into the wider flow of its schedule or platform, and into the wider schedule of the audience’s day and life. The media are also key mechanisms for communicating ideas and information about history and about potential futures, through fact and fiction. This module explores the ways that the media engage with time, drawing mainly on television and film. This will include the presentation of history and possible futures through both fact and fiction, including consideration of the political and cultural role of history and historical drama. It will include engagement with key concepts such as heritage drama, nostalgia and authenticity. It will also include consideration of the temporal nature of the media themselves, such as in their narrative construction and scheduling, and how that plays into the lives of the audience.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module, students should be able to:
Analyse media texts in relation to key ideas relating to time, history, memory and nostalgia;
Analyse the social and cultural role of history as related through the media;
Analyse media narratives in relation to their temporal construction.Skills
Students will practice and develop core academic skills of research, analysis and communication through class work, independent research and assessed work.
Analysis and interpretation of media texts in relation to specific theoretical concepts.
Understanding of the social and cultural significance of the representation of history and potential futures in the media.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP3003
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Rehabilitating Reality: studies and strategies of the use of fiction to strengthen fact (20 credits)Rehabilitating Reality: studies and strategies of the use of fiction to strengthen fact
Overview
The phenomenon of “post-truth” has infiltrated and destabilised conventional factual broadcast practice. Among other problems, it has bred a deep suspicion and a burgeoning rejection of the observational mode of storytelling, a staple of conventional audio and audio-visual documentary and news gathering.
In the face of this paradigmatic shift and the existential threat to the power and integrity of the media it represents, this module will look at various techniques in which fiction/fictive strategies can be used not to weaken or compromise representations of fact but rather to strengthen and deepen them.
Focusing on both seminal and emergent audio and audio-visual work, this module will explore narrative strategies in broadcast media that channel fiction/fictional strategies in a bid to deepen the audience’s experience/understanding and feeling about factual situations. This will include strategies of re-enactment, ‘essayism,’ heightened subjectivism, docu-fiction, experimental documentary, creative memoire and socially-engaged drama.
The optional module is intended as an equally-balanced theory and practice hybrid, which enables students to build on and interrogate broadcast skills they know well either through media practice or media consumption. It will also be a sound primer on the dilemmas and possible solutions/strategies facing media practice in the “post-truth” era.
Students will engage with theory in the following area: documentary studies, epistemology, semiotics, post-structuralism, post-truth discourse, narratology and genre experimentation, among others. They will be exposed to examples of audio and audio-visual work which exemplify the constructive commandeering of fiction (or fictive strategies) in the service of strengthening of the veracity of factual information for audiences living in the “post-truth” era. Students also have the opportunity to develop and apply some of these strategies in their own factual broadcast practical work on the module.Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module, students should be able to:
- Understand analyse and critique “post-truth” discourse; its effect on factual media and society; and the larger societal stakes that surround its emergence.
- Analyse media texts in relation to their attributes that are clearly fact-based and those which are fiction-based.
- Analyse fiction-based attributes of factual output and discern if specific fiction-based attributes are beneficial or detrimental to the veracity of the output and, by extension, in the public interest.
- Produce a media output that puts “fictional attribute(s)” or “fictive strategy/ies” at the service of a larger factual thrust.Skills
By the end of this module, students should be able to:
- Academic analysis and communication
- Devising of fictive strategies for the purpose of bolstering the factual intention/character of a given broadcast output
- Independent research
- Advanced research skills.Coursework
50%
Examination
0%
Practical
50%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP3006
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Work-based Learning (20 credits)Work-based Learning
Overview
This module provides an opportunity for student to utilise disciplinary skills in a work-based environment within the context of reflective practice. Students will negotiate suitable placements in consultation with their academic supervisor and participate in a programme of related classes and events. Simulated work-based projects in which students work in groups with the support of the university’s Enterprise Unit in the Students’ Union are also possible.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, students should have:
Increased ability to relate academic theory to the work environment
A developed understanding of the organisational culture, policies and processes
The ability to reflexively and critically evaluate their own learning from the placement
An appreciation of enterprise and innnovation
Enhanced career knowledgeSkills
Employability skills, including effective communication, teamworking and problem-solving.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
AEL3001
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Independent Study (20 credits)Independent Study
Overview
A dissertation to enable students to pursue a topic in depth and show their understanding of the area in general.
Learning Outcomes
On completing this module, students should be able to:
Have knowledge and understanding of a specialised area of study
Have ability to engage in independent research.Skills
Skills in visual analysis, writing and scholarly presentation. Project planning and general communication skills.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
British Film: Mainstream and Fringe (20 credits)British Film: Mainstream and Fringe
Overview
This course will explore British film and cinema by focusing on regional, marginal and minority cinemas of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. As well as examining the visual culture of British and Northern Irish cinema, this module will also examine the industrial contexts and aesthetic strategies of the UK’s regional cinemas. It will engage with such issues as the relationship between national, transnational and regional cultural identities; the representation of and engagement with ethnic minorities and immigrants; and the emergence of alternative ‘regional’ identities among disenfranchised populations.
The module will also explore audience reception, looking at how the national and regional contexts influence popular and critical judgments, as well as at the formal and thematic elements of the films which guide viewer response.
Films studied may include I Know Where I’m Going (Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, 1945), Blue Scar (Jill Craigie, 1949), A Taste of Honey (Tony Richardson, 1961), Above Us the Earth (Karl Francis, 1977), Local Hero (Bill Forsyth, 1983), The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (Peter Greenaway, 1989), Orlando (Sally Potter, 1992), Brassed Off (Mark Herman, 1996), Divorcing Jack (David Caffrey, 1997), Orphans (Peter Mullan, 1998), Dirty Pretty Things (Stephen Frears, 2002), In This World (Michael Winterbottom, 2002), Hunger (Steve McQueen, 2008).Learning Outcomes
• To demonstrate advanced skills in the critical analysis of various aspects of film culture
• To explore notions of film and cinema and how these link to cultural and social change
• To plan and conduct an original research project which engages with the topics covered on this module and to present written work of a high quality
• To demonstrate enhanced generic skills in written and oral communication, the process of research, the organisation of material, and the presentation of informed critical arguments that relate to relevant issues and debates.Skills
- skills of analysis and critical engagement
- advanced level research skills
- ability to explore conceptual debates
- specific knowledge of the processes of censorship and regulationCoursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
FLM3032
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Hollywood Cinema 2 (20 credits)Hollywood Cinema 2
Overview
Hollywood Cinema has arguably become the dominant mode of film exhibition, functioning as the yardstick by which other forms of cinema are defined and measured. By overtly considering the spectacularism inherent to Hollywood Cinema in the wake of the Paramount decree of 1948, this module offers a critical overview of its history, production and exhibition processes, aesthetics and key theoretical approaches of contemporary Hollywood Cinema in order to elucidate its spectacular potential. In addition to delineating the notion of spectacle, it explores how cinema has used spectacle since the collapse of the studio system to seduce audiences with the promise of an experience unique to the film theatre.
Learning Outcomes
Ability to demonstrate in written and oral form an appropriate level of critical engagement with the institutional history and aesthetic tendencies of post-war American cinema;
Ability to apply appropriate historical understanding and critical approaches in the analysis of specific films and their social and economic contexts
Demonstrate an understanding of how contemporary Hollywood Cinema positions itself as a spectacular form of entertainment.Skills
Skills in the written and oral presentation of analytical study of images, sounds and written word, working in a flexible, creative and independent way, showing self-discipline and organisational competence (time-management, etc.), relating general historical issues and theoretical debates to other related issues and debates.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
FLM3019
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Gender and Media (20 credits)Gender and Media
Overview
The module aims to introduce students to exploring broadcasting through the lens of gender. Students will analyse the representation of women and women’s lives in fiction, and the extent to which women are represented in factual programming; they will examine the roles women play in the media industries and to what extent women are involved in producing television; and they will analyse how broadcasting serves women. The practical element of the assignment, and practical presentation exercises throughout the module will also allow participants to develop presentation and debating skills.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module students will be familiar with the issues around the roles women play in the broadcasting industries, the research on inequalities and the campaigns to address those inequalities; they will be able to recognise and analyse gendered programming; they will be able to apply theories around broadcasting and gender to programming examples and deconstruct them; in addition, they will be able to evaluate their own work, and how it can challenge the broadcasting landscape.
Skills
Analysis and critical thinking; analysing broadcasting; understanding theories around gender; broadcasting presentation skills; structuring an argument for presentation.
Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
BCP3004
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
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Entry Requirements
Entrance requirements
| A level requirements ABB A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to a grade A at A-level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level. |
| Irish leaving certificate requirements H3H3H3H3H3H3/H2H3H3H3H3 |
| Access Course Successful completion of Access Course with an average of 70%. |
| International Baccalaureate Diploma 33 points overall including 6,5,5 at Higher Level. |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended/National Extended Diploma QCF BTEC Extended Diploma (180 credits at Level 3) with overall grades D*DD RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma (1080 GLH at Level 3) with overall grades D*DD |
| Graduate A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree. |
| All applicants There are no specific subject requirements to study Broadcast Production. |
| Note All applicants must have GCSE English Language grade C/4 or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. |
Selection Criteria
In addition, to the entrance requirements above, it is essential that you read our guidance below on 'How we choose our students' prior to submitting your UCAS application.
Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by individual University Schools. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.
Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.
For last year's intake, applicants for this BA programme offering A-level/BTEC qualifications must have had, or been able to achieve, a minimum of five GCSE passes at grade C/4 or better (to include English Language). Performance in any AS or A-level examinations already completed would also have been taken into account and the Selector checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of GCSE and/or A-level subjects can be fulfilled.
For applicants offering Irish Leaving Certificate, please note that performance at Irish Junior Certificate (IJC) is taken into account. For last year’s entry applicants for this degree must have had, a minimum of 5 IJC grades C/Merit. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Certificate subjects can be satisfied.
Offers are normally made on the basis of three A-levels. Two subjects at A-level plus two at AS would also be considered. The offer for repeat candidates is set in terms of three A-levels and may be one grade higher than for first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.
Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.
Applicants offering other qualifications, such as Higher National Certificates and Diplomas, will also be considered.
For applicants offering a HNC, the current requirements are successful completion of the HNC with 2 Distinctions and remainder Merits. For those offering a Higher National Diploma, some flexibility may be allowed in terms of GCSE profile but, to be eligible for an offer, the grades obtained in the first year of the HND must allow the overall offer to be achievable. The current entrance requirements are successful completion of the HND with 2 Distinctions, 10 Merits and 4 Passes overall. Any consideration would be for Stage 1 entry only.
The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of BA degrees, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.
A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking four A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.
Candidates are not normally asked to attend for interview.
If you are made an offer then you may be invited to a Faculty/School Visit Day, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University and to find out more about the degree programme of your choice and the facilities on offer. It also gives you a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.
If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
- Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
- Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
International Students - Foundation and International Year One Programmes
INTO Queen's offers a range of academic and English language programmes to help prepare international students for undergraduate study at Queen's University. You will learn from experienced teachers in a dedicated international study centre on campus, and will have full access to the University's world-class facilities.
These programmes are designed for international students who do not meet the required academic and English language requirements for direct entry.
INTO - English Language Course(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
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Modules
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Careers
Career Prospects
Introduction
A degree in Broadcast Production will give students a distinct advantage as they enter the workplace. This
highly practical course will allow you to build up a portfolio of work for you to share with potential employers. An online channel will be created to showcase the best work from the department. The new skillsets students develop such as building digital content for online distribution and social media are highly sought after by employers and provide an excellent background and future proofing for work in the Creative Industries and broadcasting sectors. Graduates in related areas of the School have gone into a diverse range of careers with a particular emphasis on the Creative Industries - a huge growth area for Northern Ireland and the UK.
Employment after the Course
This new course is designed for those interested in factual programme making for television, radio, journalism and online media content creation. Many of the skills acquired are transferable across different disciplines but primarily this highly practical course will most appeal to those seeking employment in the creative industries.
Employment Links
The course has already built strong links with local broadcasters, such as BBC Northern Ireland and other relevant organisations, such as Northern Ireland Screen. Many of these organisations help to provide work placement and other learning opportunities throughout the duration of the degree.
Alumni Success
The first cohort of students on this programme will graduate in July 2020. Graduates from related areas
of the school such as Film Studies and Production have gone into a diverse range of careers, including
the following:
Claire Campbell (Researcher, BBC NI)
Daniel McCabe (Production Trainee, BBC)
Niall McEvoy, (on set VFX supervisor, HBO, Game of Thrones)
Grace Sweeney (Camera Department, HBO, Game of Thrones)
Michele Devlin, (Director of The Belfast Film Festival)
http://www.prospects.ac.uk
What employers say
"When people come to a newsroom now, they are expected to master a whole load of disciplines. We multi skill, we get people to do a bit of everything, that really works for us as a model and means that people are really empowered to take ownership of their videos, this course will be fantastic at encouraging this.”
Jon Laurence, Digital News Editor at Channel 4 News
Additional Awards Gained
The internationally recognised ‘Avid Certified User: Media Composer’ and ‘Avid Certified
User / Operator: Pro Tools’ certifications are available to students on this pathway.
Prizes and Awards
Every second year we award the Anjool Malde award for Broadcast Journalism.
There is an award for the highest marks overall in each year of the programme
We offer the Jonny Bramley Award to the best Level 3 Broadcast Media Project submission
Degree Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
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Entry requirements
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Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
| Northern Ireland (NI) 1 | £4,710 |
| Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 | £4,710 |
| England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 | £9,250 |
| EU Other 3 | £18,800 |
| International | £18,800 |
1 EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study and will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.
Additional course costs
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library.
If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. A programme may have up to 6 modules per year, each with a recommended text.
Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a final year includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Broadcast Production costs
An Avid Authorised Training Manual for Media Composer is required at level 1 at a cost of approximately £45. Broadcast Production will provide all of the film, sound, media equipment and editing suites needed.
Students are not expected to purchase their own camera, microphones, laptop or editing software. Students are required to purchase a USB 3 hard drive at a cost of approximately £90 for personal use.
How do I fund my study?
There are different tuition fee and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those from England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.
Information on funding options and financial assistance for undergraduate students is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/Fees-and-scholarships/.
Scholarships
Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students. Information on scholarships available.
International Scholarships
Information on scholarships for international students, is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/international-scholarships/.
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Apply
How and when to Apply
How to Apply
Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.
When to Apply
UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2024 from 1 September 2023.
Advisory closing date: 31 January 2024 (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.
Applications from UK and EU (Republic of Ireland) students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2024) subject to the availability of places.
Applications from International and EU (Other) students are normally considered by Queen’s for entry to this course until 30 June 2024. If you apply for 2024 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.
Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.
The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.
Further information on applying to study at Queen's is available at: www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/How-to-apply/
Terms and Conditions
The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.
Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students
- Applying through UCAS
Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2024. - Applying direct
The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more. - Applying through agents and partners
The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.
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Fees and Funding