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Introduction
Why choose this course?
We do things differently from a traditional media course. For the first 2 years, you cover the same modules whether you’re on the BA or BSc. This gives you time to find out what you really enjoy and what you’re good at before you specialise.
In Year 1 you’ll be introduced to technical skills. On the creative side, you’ll be exploring different media narratives and considering how to develop a short film.
By Year 2 you’ll design special effects, looking at immersive technologies and CGI. You’ll also respond to real-life briefs and shoot short dramas.
In your third year you’ll have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through a professional placement year.
Your fourth year is about preparing your final portfolio. The BSc modules cover advanced technical skills in virtual and augmented reality from entertainment and gaming to healthcare. While on the BA you’ll focus on immersive practice and interactive storytelling, and direct a live magazine news TV show.
Overview
The world of digital media production has evolved dramatically, combined with rapid advances in technology. Plus, new studios and media companies are springing up everywhere. That’s creating a huge demand for graduates with technical and creative skills.
At Oxford Brookes, we give you the option of completing a BA or BSc Digital Media Production. This allows you to experiment with a wide range of media forms and keep your career options open until you know where your real strengths lie.
On the BA you’ll cover the creative aspects of production such as directing, scriptwriting and producing. Whereas on the BSc you’ll look at the more technical side such as visual effects, animation and computer-generated 3D environments. But you don’t have to decide until the end of your second year.
Our expert team offers a depth of experience from documentary making to cinematography and 3D modelling. They have strong links with the industry and you also have the option of a third year work placement/ internship to build on your learning.
Modules
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Technical Skills
This module aims to introduce students to basic technical skills and production methods in the field of digital media production, through a range of technical demonstrations, workshops, exercises and analytical sessions.
Alongside studying technical theories, workflows and procedures, students will produce a portfolio of individual technical exercises that cover camerawork, audio and video post-production skills.
Media Narratives 1
The aims of this module are to investigate ways in which digital media communicates, exploring visual and aural aesthetics and conventions, and introducing you to critical vocabularies and analytical approaches for digital media production.
Capturing the Real
This production studio module aims to provide students with the basic professional production skills needed to initiate, pitch, research, develop and manage simple digital media productions. It introduces them to simple narrative forms, and gives them the opportunity to work in a small team to produce a factual short.
Digital Post-production
This module builds on the introductory skills introduced in Technical Skills , developing practice, and understanding in post-production, VFX, motion capture and digital modelling.
Technical demonstrations and skills workshops develop hands-on competencies in these areas, while discussions and analyses of postproduction developments and techniques explore their roles in digital media storytelling and creativity.
Digital Shorts
The aim of this double production studio module is to draw together and apply, through the creation of a digital media short, the professional, technical and creative skills acquired in Level 4. Working in small teams, students generate ideas in response to a given brief, and take them through the process of pitching, negotiation, pre-production and production to delivery and screening. Along the way, they explore a range of narrative techniques and possibilities, and reflect on producing for specific contexts and audiences.
Media Narratives 2
This module aims to build on Media Narratives 1, expanding its focus on factual narratives by exploring a broad range of narrative forms and genres, including storytelling and story experiences that are emerging within digital media. The module aims to develop your critical awareness and analytical vocabularies in relation to these areas, and to provide you with an opportunity for in-depth research and critical study.
Year 2
Compulsory modules
Filming the Fantastic
This module looks at how to plan and design visual and special effects for film, TV, immersive technologies and live event production.
It will involve studying the development of effects from early practical effects through to the latest virtual cinematography techniques.
You will experiment with traditional practical effects, motion capture and CGI to create and develop visual and special effects, know which approach and materials are the most appropriate to deliver the desired outcome, and work in collaboration with others to ensure the safe, accurate and effective execution of the effect.
Professional Studies
The aim of this module is to introduce students to concepts of professionalism within the creative industries as part of their career preparation activity. It develops the student’s consideration for employment or freelance work, including legal frameworks, financial issues and global and ethical considerations.
Drama Production
The aim of this double module is to enable students to produce, direct, shoot and edit short dramas in a range of genres by developing specialist skills in response to a series of exercises, set briefs and given scripts.
Alongside the production of a short filmed drama students will build on the skills of camera, sound and post-production introduced in Technical Skills and Digital Post-production through a series of hands-on workshops, with integrated technical demonstrations and analytical sessions where students will undertake exercises that develop their technical and creative skills in drama cinematography, sound recording and editing, visuals effects and post-production, and explore the importance of craft techniques in creative expression and digital media storytelling for drama.
Real World Production
This double module introduces students to the issues and creative challenges involved in working with clients and responding to real-life briefs.
These briefs will combine a mixture of technical and creative problems to be addressed and working in production teams comprising of both BA and BSc Digital Media Production students who will work together to develop solutions and approaches for the client using methodologies and approaches specific to their path of study.
BA students will develop skills of concept artwork, art direction and scriptwriting, drawing on learning from previous modules while collaborating with BSc students who will evidence their workflows and prototypes developed specifically to realise the brief and agreed production outcomes using the technical skills and knowledge built in previous modules
Live Broadcasting
This module trains and assesses students on the principles, workflow, techniques, theory and practice of digital live broadcasts, live events and broadcasts. Students will experience the entire workflow for a broadcast production from story development through to planning and realisation. This entails the creation and delivery of unique, original products and analysis of the implementation of the delivery process. It includes individual and team work as part of preparation for employment. The culmination of this module will be the production of a live broadcast.
Optional modules
Work Placement
Year 3 (optional placement year)
Optional modules
Career Development Placement
The aim of this module is to develop the professional profile and professional confidence of a student through experiential learning opportunities and engagement with external organisations by undergoing work placements, internships and industry experiences. It aims to enable students to manage their own learning and self-direction through identifying opportunities that align to their disciplinary ambitions, situating their practice in a professional context.
Year 4 (or year 3 if no placement)
Compulsory modules
Preparation for Final Production Portfolio
The aims of this module are to enable students to undertake a period of in-depth planning for their final production portfolio in semester 2.
In close consultation with their tutors, students initiate, research and negotiate ideas for their project work, before forming into production teams in readiness for moving into production at the start of the Final Production Portfolio module (DIGP6021).
Final Production Portfolio
The purpose of this double module is to enable students to undertake an intensive period of self-directed production for the projects that they have pre-produced in Preparation for Final Production Portfolio.
Students complete, deliver and screen portfolios of work that demonstrate the professionalism, innovative thinking and mature team-working that they have acquired during their studies throughout the course.
Creative Media Enterprise
The aim of this module is to support students in the development of their career management and planning towards a future in the digital media production sector. It aims to nurture the development of enterprising attributes and a reflective approach to identifying their future aspirations and areas for development. Confidence is a key competency this module aims to enhance through networking with professionals and communicating within a team.
Critical Study
The purpose of this module is to build on the critical, contextual and self-evaluative work that has been developed throughout the course by providing students with a supportive, structured environment in which to develop an extended critical study.
Virtual Worlds
BSc Digital Media Production
This module examines the relationship between the real and virtual within the realms of digital media.
You will examine the different contexts in which VR, AR and XR can be utilised from, entertainment and gaming through to industrial applications and healthcare.
Through a series of lectures, workshops and prototyping and testing where you will explore concepts, methods, processes, and tools to create a virtual (VR), augmented (AR) or an XR (extended/ mixed reality) environment and look into concepts such as the development of a new storytelling axion for immersive technologies and the similarities and differences between traditional modes of audience engagement and how to build local and global agency into your work to enable this.
Development Studio: Technical
BSc Digital Media Production
The aims of this double module are to extend students’ technical skills by enabling them to explore a progressive range of equipment and technologies, and to develop their awareness of experimental practices and emergent forms in digital media to develop the individual specialist skills required to complete their Final Production Portfolio module (DIGP6021) in Semester 2.
This module is compulsory for all students on the BSc (Hons) Digital Media Production as their exit award and focuses on the more technical aspects of digital media production including advanced production methodologies in film and TV production, visual and special effects, motion capture and the role of the Special Effects Supervisor, Technical Director, the Digital Image Technician (DIT) and the Digital Intermediary (DI).
Immersive Practice
BA Digital Media Production
This module aims to explore the ways in which immersive practices combine existing and emerging techniques to redefine the relationships between practitioners, audiences and artefacts. Students will consider the impact of co-creation/participatory practices, interactive storytelling modes and user agency on producing immersive work for diverse audiences. They will develop an understanding of the emotional and psychological dimensions of immersive work, and engage with the ethical
Advanced Production Skills
BA Digital Media Production
This module consolidates television production skills that students have already gained in the ‘Live Broadcasting Module’ by applying them in a simulated broadcast TV News environment. The module trains and assesses students on the advanced principles, workflow, journalism, techniques and practice of digital state-of-the-art broadcast TV newsroom. This includes scriptwriting, producing, filming, editing, graphics, directing and broadcasting. Students will experience the entire workflow for a broadcast TV production - from story development through to the planning and realisation of two live broadcasts.
The final products will be a unique, original live magazine news television show and a debate show involving live guests. Analysis of the implementation of the deliverance process, both as an individual and as a team will be Included. Feedback will be weekly, as a group, peer to peer and individually.
Entry Criteria
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
GCSE: Grade 4 (C) in Mathematics and English
Our standard entry requirement is three A-levels or equivalent qualifications. In some cases, courses have specific required subjects and additional GCSE requirements. In addition to A-levels, we accept a wide range of other qualifications including:
the Welsh Baccalaureate
the Access to Higher Education Diploma
a BTEC National Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma at a good standard and in a relevant subject
the International Baccalaureate Diploma
the European Baccalaureate Diploma
Scottish qualifications – five subjects in SCE with two at Higher level or one at Advanced Higher level, or three subjects in Scottish Highers or two at Advanced Higher level
a recognised foundation course
T-levels*.
* T-levels are a relatively new qualification but are already included in the UCAS tariff. We welcome prospective students who are taking this qualification to apply. For some programmes with specific required subjects, particular subject areas or occupational specialisms may be required.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English you will require a minimum academic IELTS score of 6.5 overall with 6.0 in all components.
OR
An equivalent English language qualification acceptable to the University.
If English is not your first language then you will need to show that your English language skills are at a high enough level to succeed in your studies.
The entry requirement for your course will be expressed as an IELTS level and refers to the IELTS Academic version of this test. We are now also accepting the IELTS Indicator test, you can find out more about the test on the IELTS Indication site. The University however does accept a wide range of additional English language qualifications, which can be found below.
The university’s English language requirements in IELTS levels are as follows:
Course IELTS level
All other undergraduate courses 6.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Law, Architecture, Interior Architecture, English Literature (including combined honours), English Literature and Creative Writing 6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Health and Social Care courses 6.5 or 7.0 overall with 6.5 or 7.0 in all components (see individual entries for course details)
Nutrition BSc (Hons) 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component
Built Environment Foundation,
Computing Foundation,
Engineering Foundation 6.0 with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
International Foundation Business and Technology,
International Foundation Arts, Humanities and Law 5.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills
International Foundation Diploma 5.0 overall with 5.0 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
International Foundation Diploma (Extended pathway) 4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.
Standard offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 112
A Level: BBC
IB Points: 30
BTEC: DMM
Contextual offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 88
A Level: CCD
IB Points: 27
BTEC: MMM
Further offer details
We welcome applications from candidates with alternative qualifications, and from mature students.
ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.
IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.
Assessment
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview
Career Opportunities
Throughout the course we focus on giving you first-hand experience of what a career in digital media production will be like. Brookes Creative highlights opportunities on the job board and advertises live client briefs.
Recent graduates have gone on to work for major television companies and post-production facilities including:
BBC
HBO
The Discovery Channel
Framestore.
Others have gone on to further study at the National Film and Television School, the London International Film School and the New York Film School or moved into research and development for companies like Google.
Your digital media production degree will equip you for a variety of roles such as:
producer
director
editor
digital animator.
Or you may decide to start off as a runner at a TV company to get your foot in the door.
Whatever route you take, you’ll have developed key transferable skills rated by employers, such as communicating with others and working as a team.
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