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Explore the arts and creative industries, from Fine Art to Social Media Management, with our insightful articles, blogs, interviews and case studies.
Are you considering a creative career? Do you wonder what it’s really like to work in the creative industries? This sector can offer you an exciting and varied career, where no day is the same and creative thinking is actively encouraged. There are so many creative job roles up for grabs and there’s something to suit everyone’s career goals.
Learn more about careers in the creative industries.
The film industry is an exciting, dynamic and fast-paced place to work, full of creative people who are passionate about what they do – and you could be part of it. But how do you get into the film industry? One way to start your journey on this career path is to study for a film degree at university.
Here's why you should study film at Sunderland
Why study for a fine art degree? What does fine art mean? And can you find a job as a fine artist?
Read more to find out why you should study a fine art degree
Read more about university life with our student blogs
UNILIFE: UNLOCKEDWe work closely with Sunderland Culture, an independent charity based in Sunderland which delivers a fantastic programme of cultural events and activities in the city’s cultural venues. We caught up with their Chief Executive, Rebecca Ball, to find out more about the organisation, what they do, and how our students get involved.
Learn about Sunderland Culture
As a BA (Hons) Film and Media student, not only do you get to combine your love of film with the fascinating world of media, you’ll also get the opportunity to get involved with extracurricular activities. One of our most popular activities is our organised trips, which aim to enhance your learning experience on the course.
Discover our organised trips
Are you thinking of studying BA (Hons) Film and Media? Looking forward to sharing your thoughts on film and cinema? You’re in luck – not only will you get to engage with these topics in class, but you’re also invited to our CineClub.
Learn more about CineClub
Our BA (Hons) Screen Performance course offers a good balance between performance, production, and theoretical knowledge and experience, preparing you for an exciting future in the performance and screen industries.
Discover how to get the most out of your Screen Performance degree
For anyone who has a passion for performing, a degree in Performing Arts can be your path to a fulfilling and hugely engaging career. Here at the University of Sunderland, our Performing Arts department has a proud history of delivering quality degrees that are an immersive, enlightening and interactive experience for students.
Read more about studying Performing Arts
Do you love fashion? Do you dream of becoming the next top fashion designer, stylist or fashion journalist? Good news, here at the University of Sunderland we offer two distinctive courses that will provide you with the key skills you’ll need for a successful career in fashion: BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Promotion, and BA (Hons) Fashion Journalism.
Here are five reasons to study fashion at Sunderland
By studying BA (Hons) Photography, Video and Digital Imaging or MA Visual Practice: Photography at the University of Sunderland, you’ll have access to well-equipped photographic and studio facilities at the Northern Centre of Photography. Learn more about our photography facilities.
Learn more about our photography facilities
If you’re interested in media or film production, and getting hands-on with the latest technology, look no further than the University of Sunderland. In addition to our established equipment, you’ll have access to new and upgraded facilities, including our 4K-UHD virtual studio, broadcast standard HD TV studio, and our refreshed Spark Sunderland radio studio.
Read on to find out more about our media production facilities
The National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) provides a world-class education and training system that develops current and future journalists for the demands of the ever-changing media industry. By studying an NCTJ-accredited course, you’ll be opening the doors to whole range of careers in the media sector.
Learn about the benefits of studying an NCTJ-accredited course
Creative Industries Week is an exciting opportunity for all students in the Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries. Offering a change of pace from the usual class timetable, Creative Industries Week gives you a chance to consider career options, network with staff and students from different courses, and get a wider view of the creative industries.
Learn more about Creative Industries Week
The Creative Lives programme is a series of talks delivered by creative professionals who live, work and thrive in the arts and creative industries. You’ll gain an insight into the creative process and career routes of regional and nationally renowned practitioners at different career stages, including graduates (alumni) of the University of Sunderland.
Learn more about the Creative Lives programme
Do you have a passion for drawing, creating characters and story telling? Are you curious about how to create an animation? Do you dream of working on the next big, animated movie or game? If you’ve said yes to any of those questions, you may be interested in studying BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art here at the University of Sunderland.
Find out more about studying animation
With a journalism career spanning 25 years, Carole Watson is now Programme Leader in Fashion Journalism at the University of Sunderland. Here, she shares an insight into her distinguished career and talks about the opportunities Sunderland has to offer aspiring journalists.
Get an insight into Journalism at Sunderland
Our Art and Design students are encouraged to gain as much creative industry experience as possible, and in Spring 2021, a group of students from the School of Art and Design took part in a student takeover for a virtual exhibition called ‘Paint the Town in Sound’.
Learn more about the Paint the Town in Sound exhibition and our student takeover
Are you an artist looking to develop and sustain your creative practice, while growing your professional profile? Introducing MA Visual Practice – an innovative course that aims to encourage original ideas, creativity and imaginative thinking, in a relaxed and supportive artistic community.
Learn more about MA Visual Practice
Want to know what it’s like to study Photography, Video and Digital Imaging at the University of Sunderland? And what it's like to work as a freelance Photographer? Here, graduates Esme Fletcher, Charlotte Draper and Nat Wilkins share their experiences.
Read more about working as a freelance photographer
The Robson Art & Design Masters Award supports the ambitions of Sunderland Masters students studying Glass & Ceramics, Design, Photography or Fine Art. Students applying to these courses are invited to apply for the scholarship.
Find out how the Robson Art & Design Masters Award could benefit your studies
There are many key skills that journalism students need to learn, from interviewing, writing, shooting video, shorthand and digital story telling on social media. But did you know that another essential skill for any accomplished reporter is learning the law? Senior lecturer and National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Media Law board member Carole Watson explains why.
Learn why learning the law is so essential for any accomplished reporter
Getting into journalism can be challenging, but here at the University of Sunderland, we give you all the tools you need to make it as a great journalist. Here are just a few of the ways we equip you to make it in the industry.
Find out how we equip you to make it as a journalist
Meet Caitlyn McAdam, current BA (Hons) Fashion Journalism student, blogger and digital ambassador for the University of Sunderland. Over on her YouTube channel, Caitlyn Hearts, Caitlyn shares lifestyle, beauty and fashion tips, and in summer 2020 decided to create a video sharing her university experience and advice with budding fashion journalists.
Read on to hear what Caitlyn had to say...
For any budding filmmaker, receiving recognition from the Royal Television Society is not only acknowledgement of the quality of your work but can also lead you to a career within the industry. Natacha Richardson and Ellie King achieved just this at this year’s awards, triumphing in the Comedy and Entertainment category for their film The Family Food Fight.
Learn how to triumph at the RTS Awards
Each year, our good friend Lord David Puttnam, Oscar-winning film producer, takes a handful of students under his wing in a unique mentoring opportunity. The ‘Puttnam Scholars’ attend a series of interactive seminars about the movie industry, while undertaking a project set by Lord Puttnam himself.
Learn more about The Lord Puttnam Scholars Scheme
Jay Sykes, received international recognition for his work less than a year after graduating from MA Radio at the University of Sunderland. His radio drama SeaBurn received universal acclaim, winning Best Student Drama Program at the the New York Festivals World’s Best Radio Programs. Here, he shares his insight about why Sunderland is a great place to study radio.
Explore how to get the most out of your Radio course
For any creative, receiving international recognition for your work is surely the ultimate accolade. Yet for Jay Sykes, it was something that he managed to achieve less than a year after graduating from MA Radio at the University of Sunderland.
Find out how to make award-winning radio
A few years ago, the idea of being a ‘Social Media Manager’ would have been almost laughable – how hard can it be to ‘manage’ your notifications!? Social media is so much more than taking selfies, instagramming your breakfast or sharing memes on Facebook though, it’s a powerful business tool that has resulted in an explosion of exciting jobs and careers.
Find out where a degree in social media can take you
In February 2019, the UK Government announced that it will make social media companies sign a legally-binding code of conduct that imposes on them a duty of care towards young users. This is a welcome change following the case of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who took her own life in 2017.
Find out how and why social media should be regulated
We had a chat with Professor Andrew Livingstone to find out what you can expect from the Glass and Ceramics degree at Sunderland.
Read more about the glass and ceramics facilities at the University of Sunderland
The opportunity to work in the National Glass Centre and the overwhelming support from staff are just some of the reasons that Sarah Heseltine was happy with her decision to study Glass and Ceramics at the University of Sunderland. Here, she shares her insight into getting the most out of your course while studying for your Glass and Ceramics degree.
Find out how to get the most out of your glass and ceramics course
Employability days organised by the University and the opportunity to showcase her portfolio of work to industry experts in the Design Degree Show led Shauna Hambley to her dream career: working as a Graphic Designer with design specialists at Everything Different. Here she shares her best practice for getting the most out of your Design course and landing your dream job.
Read Shauna's tips for beginning your graphic design career
With an array of different options in a fast-growing industry and a whole host of career paths, a degree in Film Production has the potential to not only equip you to find a job in the sector upon graduation, but also hand you the transferable skills that are attractive to employers in a range of sectors.
Find out how to get the most out of studying Film Production
We place a strong emphasis on ensuring you have the skills and experience that will catch the eye of a wide range of employers and prepare you to start your career from the moment you graduate. As a result, our graduates have gone on to enjoy careers in a range of varied and diverse careers including performance, management, education and many more.
Learn how to begin your Performing Arts career
The Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries kicked off 2021 with an online conference about creative careers. With the words, ‘New Year, New Me’ ringing in our ears, it was the perfect time to remind ourselves that you can absolutely have a career in the creative industries; artists and other creative professionals don’t need to retrain in a new area to be successful.
Learn more about creative careers
Sunderland has a thriving creative writing community that draws expertise and passion from a diverse group of people including many of our students and staff.
Learn more about Sunderland's community of creative writers
Like many other radio broadcasters around the world, the team at Spark have been learning to live in the new normal where their bedrooms and lounges have been turned into radio studios; and we’re not alone.
Hear from Senior Lecturer Richard Berry who explains why more people than ever are turning to radio during lockdown
If you didn’t see Emily Maitlis’ recent Newsnight intro debunking the myth that the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting Britain’s rich and poor shoulder-to-shoulder, you missed a shining example of how to do journalism properly.
Learn more about the role the media is playing
The Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries has a sustained six-year collaboration with Northumbria Police’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), affording drama and media students the opportunity to produce films that increase awareness of complex category serious crime.
Find out more about a collaboration between SARC and The Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries
The University of Sunderland’s School of Media and Communications has a range of opportunities and an experienced academic team to help our journalism graduates stand out in a competitive sector.
Find out how to get the most out of your Journalism degree
One University of Sunderland journalism graduate who decided to move into Public Relations is Amy Watson, Communications Manager at Sunderland Software City. Here, she shares her career insight into how transferable journalism is and offers advice to current students and graduates to achieve career success.
Discover how transferable journalism is
Journalism may have been regarded as a soft option a few years ago. This is no longer the case, according to award-winning Journalist and Broadcaster Alastair Stewart OBE. A revered media presence, here he shares his expert insight into the changing face of journalism and offers advice to aspiring journalists.
Discover what it takes to become a journalist
Want to know what it takes to become a journalist? We asked British political journalist and Associate Editor at the Daily Mirror, Kevin Maguire, to share his expert insight into what it takes to make it in the journalism industry.
Find out what it takes to become a journalist