Course Summary

Media Production (Radio) draws on the strengths of the well-established and successful course in media production. It adds to the existing provision by providing an opportunity to focus on radio production. Many graduates from Media Production have now progressed to successful careers in the UK and international media.

The emphasis of this course is on the production process. Radio production is influenced by many cultural, economic and political factors - you'll study these factors, together with the history of the media, so that you can make effective, powerful radio programmes and other media products that connect with their audience.

The course covers theoretical and practical concepts, and you will learn to combine these elements for radio programmes, as well as essays, presentations, dramas and documentaries.

Why choose this course?

A graduate with a degree in Media Production will have the opportunity to explore a career in any industry that requires excellent communications and team-working skills. The specialist nature of this course means that many graduates go on to work in the radio industry.

During the course you will:

• Experience a broad based course that exposes you to a range of media production areas
• Explore an integrated theory / practice programme focused on the processes through which media artifacts are created
• Experience an emphasis on the development of skills for professional practice in the media and radio industries
• Have access to a wide range of professional radio production equipment, including broadcast-standard television and radio studios
• An opportunity to participate in and contribute to the student based radio station Radio LaB
• Access to the latest world class research in media and community media through your tutors and the research journal edited within the Division Convergence: The Journal of Research in New Media Technologies
• Enjoy regular opportunities to attend media-related events and conferences, featuring international practitioners and theorists, held at the University

Areas of study you may cover on this course include:

• Radio production
• Social, political, legal and economic factors in media production
• Film studies
• Documentary and drama production
• Working in the media
• Video skills and production
• Media theory
• Video and audio techniques and skills

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Assessment

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 further 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 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, presentations and computer-based examinations. 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.

We will always expect your production work to be contextualised. You may 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.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

1. Work as part of a team to produce professional standard media and radio products on time and within budget (QAA 6.1).

2. Apply critical and analytical theories of the media to your own practice and that of other practitioners (QAA 7.5).

3. Engage critically with major intellectual debates around radio and offer a reasoned and evidenced defence of your own ideas (QAA 5.2).

4. Develop your own radio skills and attributes to enhance your employability (QAA 2.3).

5. Evaluate and challenge conventions and practices within the media industries so that you can contribute to the future development of the radio sector (QAA 4.2).

6. Articulate the relationships between your creative practice and the social, cultural, political, legal, ethical and economic context within which it occurs (QAA 4.1).

Identify emerging gaps in your own skills base and construct a personal action plan that addresses these needs.

External Benchmarking

QAA Subject Benchmark: Communication, media, film and cultural studies (2008)

Educational Aims

On completion of the programme you will be capable of making a positive contribution to the media industries.

The programme aims:

• To develop your personal skills so that you will have the confidence and ability to express yourself creatively both as an individual and as part of a team


• To facilitate your understanding of radio production techniques


• To promote your awareness of the cultural, social, political, economic and ethical implications of media production so that you will adopt a responsible approach to your professional practice


• To ensure that your professional practice is grounded in the body of media-related theoretical work that underpins our understanding of media production


• To ensure that you can identify and address your ongoing personal development needs and are capable of functioning as an independent learner throughout your future career

The programme is consistent with the QAA subject benchmark threshold statement QAA 8.3

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/honours/default.asp

Communication, media, film and cultural studies (2008).

Student support

At institutional level, the University has in place a range of easily accessible support structures for new and existing students. Other areas of University-wide student support include: Housing, Health, Counseling, Study Support, Special Needs/Disability Advice and a highly successful Careers Service.

During your Media Production course specific support will also be in place for you:

New students will receive a comprehensive general induction in the week prior to the commencement of the academic year. In addition to this, individual unit leaders will introduce each level of your studies during the first session of that unit. This introduction will give you an outline of the structure of the unit, a snapshot of the ways in which you will be encouraged to develop your knowledge and skills, and signpost resources and materials to assist the process of your learning and success.

You will be allocated a Personal Tutor. This Personal Tutor will work with you, primarily during the first year, monitoring your academic engagement and progression and providing a consistent point of contact for academic support and guidance. This support may extend to providing advice on careers and further academic study.

All members of the Media staff will be happy to act as the first point of contact for any urgent issue. They will work with you to ensure that you access the appropriate services across the University and will follow the issue through with you until it is resolved.

Your learning will also be supported by the use of a wide range of online resources. This will be an important aspect of support within this programme.

Team working

Being an effective member of a team is a vital part of working in the media industries. The media have evolved a variety of ways of organising people into creative teams and producing highly complex outputs.

You will learn how these teams function and the key roles that are required. Early in your course you will experience many of these roles, learning as you do so about your own strengths and the best ways for you to interact with other team members. As you progress through the course you will develop more specialist capabilities and will probably concentrate on a specific key role as part of your Special Project.

A number of your assessed pieces will be based on group work and you will be assessed on both your individual contribution to the project and the quality of the final outcome.

Career Management Skills

This course has the media and radio production industry at its heart. The material you will cover within the course is not confined to a single academic discipline but is selected because of its relevance to the way the industry functions. This will ensure that everything you study will contribute to your personal intellectual development and also be applicable to a career in the media.

Your career in the media starts when you join the course, not when you leave. From the outset, you be encouraged to relate your ideas to opportunities in the media. Throughout your second year you will explicitly study current and emerging industry practices. You will be encouraged to develop direct industry contacts through master classes given by visiting industry professionals and you may also participate in community based production projects to get a feel for how real projects operate. Some students may access work placement opportunities. These can count towards your degree if appropriately designed and completed.

The University provides excellent support for career management and so an introduction to these services will be included within the second year unit Working in the Media.

The final term of your third year will be devoted to a single, large project. This is an opportunity to bring together all the skills you have learnt and to produce the best possible piece of work you can, under simulated industry conditions. The final product will help you demonstrate your skills to prospective employers.

Career/Further study opportunities

Career:

The creative, analytical and practical skills you will acquire will equip you for many different careers both within the media industries and beyond. You will graduate with immediately relevant vocational skills together with the ability to develop and plan your career, capitalising on the intellectual skills that will serve you throughout your life.

Radio is a vibrant area of the media commanding substantial audiences. You will be ideally placed to contribute to the next generation of media developments.

On completing this course students are likely to progress into the following areas:

• Freelance / Contract radio production


• Community radio


• Graduate entry to major media employer training schemes


• Corporate media / PR work


• Media teaching and lecturing

Further study:

This course is an ideal preparation for specialised MA programmes in radio production. You will also have access to a wide range of more general media-related courses.

UK students Undergraduate entry requirements

Standard entry requirements for Foundation degrees (FD/FdSc)

A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.

Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.

• As a guideline, a typical offer would require you to obtain a UCAS tariff score of between 80-120 points, based on your level 3 studies.
• Students who require a Tier 4 Student Visa cannot apply for our foundation courses. For these courses the University of Bedfordshire is not able to sponsor Tier 4 Student Visa applications.

Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.

We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.

Standard entry requirements for Undergraduate degrees (BA/BSc)

We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.

The general requirement is one of the following:

• UCAS Tariff Score greater than 200, which should include either two A level passes or an AVCE Double Award
• An Access qualification
• Equivalent qualifications such as Irish Leaving Certificate, Scottish Highers, International Baccalaureate or BTEC National Diploma

Postgraduate taught courses

Postgraduate applications (MA/MSc) should be made direct to the University using the  standard University application form. There are some exceptions, please see individual course descriptions for details.

• UK/EU students application form
• International (non-EU) students application form
  

Students from the European Union

Entry requirements

As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.

We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.

How to apply

International students

• Undergraduate applications (BA/BSc) can be made direct to the University or via our representatives in your home country. If you intend to apply to more than one university in the UK you should apply via UCAS. If you want to apply to the University of Bedfordshire only you should apply directly using our international application form (link below) or via our representatives in your home country
• Postgraduate applications should be made directly to the University using our international application form (link below) or via our representatives in your home country
• Healthcare, nursing and midwifery students Many of these courses are not available to overseas students due to UK immigration law in regard to bursary funding. Please contact international admissions to find out if you are eligible to apply
• BA Nursing Studies Level 3 (with or without Overseas Nursing Programme) is available to overseas students - please contact International Admissions by email at international-admissions@beds.ac.uk for further information

(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)

Course application form for international students

We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.

• Course application form for direct applications [PDF]

How to complete your course application

Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.

Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section

Accreditation of prior certificated learning (APL)

APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.

Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `

The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.

We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.

• APL application form for International students [100Kb] updated 041007

What next?

Return your completed application to:

University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom

Contact International Admissions

T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk

Awarding institution

University of Bedfordshire

Teaching Strategy

Early in the course, you will develop your basic contextual awareness through lectures and seminars together with skills based workshops that will equip you with sufficient production expertise to test out your new ideas within small scale productions. As you progress through the course this will develop into larger group based projects that will allow you to make a more specialised contribution and develop higher level skills. You will also participate in more advanced theoretical discussions and we will broaden your horizons by introducing you to more challenging case studies.

In your final year we shall expect you to work to a professional standard. There will be consider emphasis on generating your own creative ideas rather than following a set brief and you will be working much more independently although still guided by academic staff and for the final project, your individual supervisor.

Throughout the course you will be encouraged to listen to widely to professional and community radio in order to develop your critical production awareness. This will allow you to engage with the professional radio world and to take part in the university radio station. You will showcase your work and reflect on your progress and development, making connections at all times with related work externally.

Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body Accreditation

N/A

Students with disabilities

The University of Bedfordshire is committed to ensuring that curricula across all courses are inclusive of all students. The Disability Advice Team is available to discuss any issues you may have and can provide services such as sign language interpreters, note takers, dyslexia screening / tuition and support with mobility on campus. They offer confidential advice and information about academic and personal issues, adjustments in examinations, applying for the Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA) and buying suitable equipment.

All students concerned their studies may be affected by disability are encouraged to contact either their Field Chair, Course Leader or Personal Tutor for advice at whatever point in their course the need to do so becomes apparent. This programme makes intensive use of audio and visual materials and so if you may have difficulty accessing these you should discuss this with the Disability Advice Team in conjunction with the course team at the outset to ensure that appropriate support is in place.

Skills Development

Communication

To help with the development of this you will:

• Learn how meaning is constructed through text, images and sound


• Learn how a communication channel influences messages - mediation


• Learn how to use professional communication tools to convey your ideas.


• Learn to write in a variety of professional and academic styles


• Learn to evaluate audience needs and characteristics to tailor communication appropriately

Information Literacy

To help with the development of this you will:

• Learn about the properties of digital information and how to manipulate it


• Learn to evaluate the source and reliability of information


• Learn to appreciate the relationships between information, ownership and control

Research and Evaluation

To help with the development of this you will:

• Learn how to use media archives and carry out a literature search


• Learn about the challenges and possibilities for capturing online information


• Learn how to carry out the academic research necessary for an essay or dissertation


• Learn how to undertake the pre-production phase of documentary production


• Learn how to evaluate your own production work and compare it with existing examples

Creativity and Critical Thinking

To help with the development of this you will:

• Learn to how work through the ideas generation process to develop novel media products


• Learn how to use a variety of theoretical techniques for the analysis of the contemporary media


• Learn how to integrate your critical thinking and creativity so that your new ideas are informed by existing practice


• Learn how to identify and evaluate emerging trends and technologies and understand their relationship to previous trends

Improving learning and performance

This course must prepare you for careers in the media that dont exist yet. The industry is evolving rapidly and so any production skills you acquire as part of the course will help you begin your career but will rapidly be superseded. The critical and analytical skills you acquire will enhance your thinking throughout your career and will always be an asset. This means that you must acquire the higher level skill of being able to identify your development needs and to be able to enhance your skills through your own independent learning.

We will help you do this by progressively increasing the level of challenge set within assessment briefs and transferring support from direct prescriptive skills development to needs analysis and support for your own self-initiated learning activities.

Progress files

As a student of radio you will make use of the Universitys full range of online collaboration and reflection tools. You may collect examples of your work in a private e-portfolio and share these items with staff and other students as you wish. This will enable us to give clear feedback in a positive and constructive way and will provide you with an opportunity to reflect on your own progress and where you need to take your learning next. You may also have to keep a production log to demonstrate how your work developed.

Professional standards

As indicated, your media career begins when you start the course. From the outset we will expect you to adhere to basic professional standards in all your work and in all your dealings with staff and other students. In particular:

• You must punctually attend all scheduled lectures, seminars and workshops. If unforeseen circumstances prevent you attending then you should notify your tutor, preferably in advance


• You must submit all assessed work before the deadline. You should note that the normal vagaries of life would not be acceptable as an excuse for missing a publication / transmission deadline within the industry and so we will apply the same standards. Computer problems and data loss will certainly not be accepted as a valid reason for non or late submission


• When working on a group project with other students you must play a full part in the group and deal with others professionally. You must provide your colleagues with appropriate contact details and maintain contact with them throughout the project


• When completing academic work you must adhere to the codes and conventions of academic writing with all sources acknowledged and referenced in accordance with the Universitys guidelines. Failure to adhere to these guidelines may constitute plagiarism - an academic offence


• The media is subject to a range of legislation and regulation. Your production work must conform to these limitations and any other legislation that impacts on your work. In your final year you should be undertaking work that challenges conventions and tests boundaries. However, you should do this in consultation with your tutors and supervisor to ensure that you remain within the law. If in doubt, seek advice


• With access to a range of powerful communication techniques, you must always adhere to acceptable ethical principles, values and norms in the representation of people, particularly in terms of sexuality, religion, class, race, disability and gender. In addition the use of strong language in your radio work will not be acceptable


• You may borrow production equipment from the Media Hub. The availability of equipment will always be limited and so you must ensure that you return it on time and in good order. Whilst you have University equipment in your possession you must take care to ensure that it is not lost or stolen and that you operate it in a safe manner and in accordance with training you are given

Strategy for developing and embedding the professional standards

Staff will refer to these standards throughout the programme. Some units deal with some aspects of the code explicitly, others will expect you to apply the code to your work. As you progress through the course you will be expected to develop your understanding of professional standards and how they are challenged and evolve in a changing media industry.

Adherence to these professional standards will be part of the formal assessment criteria for many of your assessments. Failure to comply with these standards will impact your grades and, ultimately, may prevent you from graduating. Failure to return equipment may also attract additional sanctions.