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This is a four-year version of our popular BA (Hons) Media Production course, with an integrated foundation year. Get practical training in TV and radio. Pitch to industry professionals and go live on air in our award-winning radio station. Join a course which best prepares you for a career in the industry.
There’s never been a better time to get into content creation – we’re watching, listening, making and broadcasting more media than ever before. This course will give you the practical skills to join this expanding industry and make engaging content for TV, radio, podcasts, social and online.
Taught by experienced experts, using fantastic facilities, you’ll develop and pitch ideas to industry practitioners and undertake placements to build your network. Our students have taken advantage of our relationships with BBC, Capital FM, Sunderland AFC, Tyne Tees Television, Made in Tyne and Wear, and various production companies as well as our very own internationally award-winning Spark Sunderland.
Graduate with a degree that shows off your specialism. In your final year you can choose from: BA (Hons) Media Production, BA (Hons) Media Production (TV) or BA (Hons) Media Production (Radio).
This is a practical based course with a 70/30 split. The majority of teaching and assessment is based on skills, coursework and content creation, often in groups. The rest may be presentations, essays, critical evaluations, self-review and reports.
The first year is all about building your skills. You’ll be introduced to the studios, the equipment, relevant software and the various roles within TV and radio. This prepares you to concentrate on content creation in the second year, while you explore roles and specialisms. By your final year, you’re ready to delve into the discipline you love, take on your preferred role, pitching and developing proposals and delivering a finished piece to professional standards.
Work experience is an integral part of the course, and throughout your time with us, you'll be encouraged to continuously liaise with the TV and radio industry with work experience placements and industry-ran masterclasses.
Part-time study
If you study this course on a part-time basis, you will typically complete 40-80 credits in a year, rather than the 120 credits of full-time students. All modules are taught during the daytime and you will be studying alongside full-time students.
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.
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
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
We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.
Entry requirements are provided for guidance only and we may offer you an entrance interview which will help us determine your eligibility for your chosen degree. This enables us to consider making you an offer if you are perhaps a mature student who has been out of education for a period of time, or you have gained significant knowledge and skills through employment rather than traditional education.
Eligible entry qualifications:
If you're unsure of whether you think you might be suitable for the course, please contact us!
** If you've studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade then you'll need to achieve a grade 4 or above. Equivalent alternative qualifications are also accepted, such as Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number. If you have not achieved a grade C in Maths and English we may be able to work with you to ensure that you're able to gain these in the first year of the course, depending on your experience.
If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.
The annual fee for this course is £9,250 if you are from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled.
If you are a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.
Please note, this course is not available to international students.
Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.
Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.
This information was correct at the time of publication.
This degree prepares you for careers in TV, radio, video and new media industries. Your training in communication, teamwork and creativity will be highly relevant to roles in many different businesses and in the public sector.
Recent graduates from Sunderland have gained jobs with employers such as the BBC, Channel 4, Sky TV, Capital North East, I Daniel Blake, MTV and professional production companies.
You could also choose to continue your studies with a Masters degree at the University of Sunderland, such as MA Radio, Audio and Podcasting or MA Media Production (Film and Television).
We actively encourage you to gain relevant work experience while at university. In every year of your course, you'll be guided and encouraged to gain meaningful experience that will fit around your studies.
You'll undertake a number of practice modules throughout your course, which can include live briefs from clients from outside the University. Get the opportunity to gain production experience with independent production company Fulwell 73 and build up a portfolio of work to show future employers.
We frequently invite guest speakers to run workshops and master classes, allowing you to relate your learning to real-life experience.
We encourage you to take part in competitions; our students have won awards from organisations such as the Royal Television Society.
Throughout your studies, you’ll be guided and supported by our experts. All of whom are working or researching in media. You’ll study alongside scriptwriters, film makers, radio producers, presenters and independent film producers who will share their experience and encourage you to build your network.
Our staff and students consistently win big at the Royal Television Awards.
RTS winners 2020
RTS winners 2019
Creative Industries Week gives everyone in the Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries the opportunity to participate in a range of projects, workshops, talks, industry visits and career events. This exciting week encourages interdisciplinary working, broadens your experience to build your confidence and helps develop your career path.