Top up courses

Widen your understanding of film as this course places a strong emphasis on theory. Core modules include Film Theory and Criticism, History of Cinema and Media Studies. You will also have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of optional and practical modules, such as Video Production and Screenwriting. In addition, you can undertake a work-based placement and gain hands-on practical experience which puts our graduates in high demand from employers.

Do you want to make animation and games industries? Use digital software such as Maya, Toon Boom and After Effects as part of this degree. Learn the core principles of character-led animation. Showcase your creativity to a public audience in the final year Degree Show.

Master making skills in a range of materials, including Glass and Ceramics. Develop individual creativity and skills through cutting edge and established methods of practical making and conceptual thinking. Foster reflective and critical approaches to creative practice by promoting diagnostic, communication and digital skills. Work alongside like-minded students and within a creative and world-class environment. Celebrate and showcase your creations in the final year Degree Show.

Work on live projects set by fashion industry professionals. Focus on a wide range of options to suit your interests such as design and manufacture, photography, styling, branding and magazine design. Undertake industry-relevant modules such as Fashion Product and Promotion and Design Theory. Create a personalised fashion portfolio. Graduate work-ready and pursue a career in a range of industries including, design, brand development, fashion publishing, production, Public Relations and fashion retail.

This is a distinctive course for students who love film and want to enter the film industry. Learn how to create content such as short films, documentaries, music videos and commercials, and gain practical experience and instruction in film crew roles such as Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor, Scriptwriter and Sound Mixer. 

Study a wide range of modules to suit your interests, including Fine Art Media Skills, History of Art and Fine Art Contemporary Practice which will culminate with an exhibition in your final year giving you the opportunity to showcase your work to a public audience.

Study a wide range of modules with flexible options to suit your interests, such as Visual Communication, Motion Graphics and Branding, Position and Identity. Acquire valuable skills relevant to a career in Design, and work alongside like-minded students within a creative and supportive environment. Graduate with a portfolio of work to showcase your creativity and impress prospective employers.

Benefit from Sunderland’s expert teaching without leaving your home region. You’ll study a wide range of modules with flexible options to suit your interests, including Visual Communication, Motion Graphics and Branding. Acquire valuable skills relevant to a career in Design, while working toward a BA (Hons) degree.

Are you passionate about drawing and full of creative ideas? If so, our Illustration and Design degree is for you. Benefit from generous studio space and well-equipped workshops. Flourish in a creative environment, working alongside like-minded students and showcase your work to a public audience in your final year Degree Show.

Top-up your existing qualification to a full honours degree. Mix academic rigour with practical skills. Undertake a CV-enhancing work placement. Gain a comprehensive understanding of new media, cultural theory and popular culture, and their increasing significance in contemporary culture and society. Acquire new skills using industry-standard equipment.

Learn to deliver compelling TV and radio. Gain a technical understanding of the industry and real-life experience through placements. Enhance your employability by gaining industry accreditation. Graduate with a detailed portfolio, developed skills and technical insight.

Gain a strong understanding of media theory. Study core modules such as Media Studies, Cultural Theory and Digital Media Cultures. Choose from a broad selection of optional modules, including Popular Music Cultures and Media Production Skills.

Top up your HND or Foundation Degree to full honours in Music. Build skills, complete work placements and graduate as a skilled candidate with extensive dance experience.

Take your talent to the next level. Personalise your course with flexible modules suited to your interests and passions across dance, drama and musical theatre. Perfect your skills in state-of-the-art, extensive facilities. Graduate with a wealth of experience and a host of transferable skills.

Work alongside like-minded students within a creative and supportive environment, and gain work experience through projects and commissions managed by our Photography department.

This new and unique course is offered by North East dance organisation Dance City in partnership with the University of Sunderland. All of your practical and academic sessions will take place at Dance City in Newcastle upon Tyne which will give you access to professional tutors and facilities as well as placing you at the heart of the region’s dance industry networks. As a University of Sunderland student, you will also benefit from all of the University facilities and support on offer.

Explore the practical, theoretical and contextual aspects of the highly specialist areas of screen performance with this exciting new course. You will learn the insider skills and techniques for Television, Film and Radio and master industry standards and conventions alongside practitioners and leading researchers. We’ll guide you through the different genres of screen performance such as drama, comedy, soap opera and factual reportage.

Become an expert in existing social media platforms with the ability to create, curate and share content, and analyse and engage online audiences. Learn media law, with the opportunity to gain an additional qualification recognised by leading employers nationally. 

Top-up your HND (or similar) to a full honours degree. Develop your expertise in business problem-solving and decision-making. Enhance skills in a variety of areas. Leave the course a highly employable graduate with a variety of skills and expertise.

Benefit from Sunderland Business School’s expertise in banking and finance without leaving your home region. Cover theories and their limitations, important concepts and how to respond to practical issues within banking and finance.

Build on your existing knowledge.  Enhance your expertise with specialist modules. Complete your studies at our highly-regarded business school. Graduate with a full honours degree and a new range of practical and theoretical knowledge.

Do you live in Singapore or Sri Lanka and want to study Business and Marketing? Benefit from Sunderland’s esteemed course without leaving your home country. Boost your career by ‘topping-up’ your existing knowledge and skills while earning a BA (Hons) degree.

Top up your HND (or similar) to a full honours degree. Build on your existing knowledge. Take advantage of our MAPS programmes to make yourself a complete candidate.

Take advantage of Sunderland’s expertise and study Business Management without leaving your home region. Cover a combination of broad business knowledge and skills that foster success in management, while undertaking modules related to project management, strategic management and more.

Benefit from Sunderland’s excellence in the teaching of tourism without leaving your home region or country. Learn the fundamentals of International Hospitality Management as you cover a broad range of topics such as strategic planning for tourism and leisure, e-tourism and leadership and management for the hospitality industry.

Top-up your Higher National Diploma or Travel, Tourism or Hospitality degree to a full degree with this one year course. Fully prepare yourself for a career in this fast-paced industry.

Do you hold a Diploma in Management Studies or equivalent qualification and want to top up to a full MBA? This course combines academic rigour with vocational relevance, as you build on your previous managerial experience.

Want to top-up a Foundation Degree to a full honours degree? Take advantage of a degree-level opportunity for professional development that is perfect if you are working with young people in the early years or primary education sectors. Take up an optional pathway in Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies.

If a career in a wide range of educational contexts with young people and adults, such as teaching, support, training, administration, and research interests you, then this course is for you. Gain a depth of understanding about the aims and values of education in society today with a rigorous academic approach.

Examine the most important issues facing modern policing. Gain an undergraduate degree qualification in one year of study. Strengthen your professional practice.

Top-up a Foundation Degree in Counselling to a full honours degree, whilst still having the time to complete work experience whilst you study. Build on your existing knowledge, enhance your practice and reflect more widely on your professional development.

Improve your current Nursing qualification. Enhance your career prospects. Top-up your current diploma to an honours degree in only one year. Join many of our graduates who have gone on to secure senior positions in nursing.

'Top-up' your registered nursing qualification to a full honours degree in one year. This course places a strong emphasis on relating nursing theory to clinical practice. Degree qualifications are becoming increasingly vital for moving up to senior positions and our graduates have a strong record of career progression.

Widen your understanding of how electronics work, and grow your knowledge of electronic principles. Broaden your experiences by learning about other engineering disciplines, and put your skills to the test by managing and performing a project in your final year.

Benefit from Sunderland’s teaching of Engineering from your home country. Like all courses taught at the University of Sunderland, this one-year course develops a blend of theory and practice, allowing you to boost your career by ‘topping-up’ your existing knowledge and skills while earning a BEng Honours degree.

This course allows you to top-up your existing qualification to a full honours degree in one year. You'll cover topics such as mechanics, design and materials and gain skills and knowledge required by professional engineers.

Benefit from Sunderland’s teaching of computing from your home country. Like all courses taught at the University of Sunderland, this one-year course develops a blend of theory and practice, allowing you to boost your career by ‘topping-up’ your existing knowledge and skills while earning a BSc Honours degree.

Enhance your skills with our industry-standard software to build a range of software systems, hone your talents in project management, and put your knowledge to the test to find solutions to real-life problems, all while working towards a BSc Honours degree.

Do you want to study Computer Systems Engineering delivered by a respected UK university? Benefit from Sunderland’s expertise without leaving your home country. Enhance your skills, build a range of software systems, and work with industry-standard software. We’ll encourage you to develop your skills and support you while you work towards earning a BSc Honours degree.

Top-up your HND or Foundation Degree in a computer networking discipline to a BSc (Hons) with our one-year course. You'll still have access to our state-of-the-art Cisco networking equipment and a Microsoft Visual Studio, placing you at the cutting edge of industry which will allow you to make an impact in your chosen field straight away.