Masters Degrees (Wildlife Photography)

On this course you will learn the research, scriptwriting and production skills that you will need to produce polished, professional wildlife documentaries.

Key benefits:

• Work towards a fulfilling career in an exciting field with the potential for travel
• Learn from respected filmmakers via a series of masterclasses
• Develop the creative and technical skills you will need to produce striking and informative wildlife documentaries – this is a Skillset-accredited course.

Visit the website: http://www.salford.ac.uk/pgt-courses/wildlife-documentary-production

Suitable for

Graduates who have a passion for using video documentary techniques to communicate scientific knowledge about wildlife and the environment. The programme will provide students with a unique interdisciplinary interaction between sciences and creative arts.

Programme details

During your time with us, you will learn specialist wildlife-production techniques, including long-lens and time-lapse photography and close-up sound recording. There is a strong emphasis on professional practice, and your projects will be expected to measure up to scientific scrutiny, as well as exhibition and broadcast standards.

Format

As well as lectures and seminars, you will attend masterclasses given by expert practitioners with links to the television industry. Plus you will take field trips to a range of animal habitats, where you will work on individual and group projects.

The course will employ a range of teaching and learning strategies in order to meet learning outcomes. These will include:

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Camera, sound and editing skills practice and assessment
• Analysis of case studies
• Student-led independent research
• Student-led project work and field trips.

This strategy will be integrated with an assessment strategy based on outcomes, students' reflective self-assessments and learning plans. Assessment methods will include production exercises and portfolios, projects, critical essays and a dissertation project.

Module titles

• Wildlife Biology, Ecology and Behaviour
• Media Theory and Practice
• Wildlife Research Skills
• Wildlife Research Skills
• Advanced Production Practices
• Major Project: Practice Research Project
or
• Major Project: Dissertation

Assessment

Each module within the course uses and combines a number of different assessment criteria. The following styles are used within the course modules:

• Reports
• Presentations
• Essay
• Practical project
• Research Portfolio

Career potential

The course is ideal for those wishing to pursue careers in all aspects of wildlife documentary production, including directing, producing, script-writing, photography, sound recording and editing. A number of graduates are now working within the TV industry both in the UK and abroad, including several independent companies and ITV, all within wildlife documentary.

The majority of past students have found jobs in the television industry. Examples include:

• Ex-students are working for the BBC Natural History Unit as researchers and assistant producers.
• Ex-students are working for ITV, producing short films from their wildlife images catalogue
• A student is working as an assistant cameraman for a leading wildlife independent company
• One student is working as a producer for Portuguese TV
• Other graduates have jobs as field assistants (currently working in the arctic on a major wildlife film), runners and film librarians
• A student is making web-based programmes for Cornwall TV
• All are connected with wildlife and nature film-making

How to apply: http://www.salford.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/applying

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In a fast-moving society, the professional image-maker has a powerful role in the way science is communicated to the world. The professional imager is vital to modern research, science communication, commerce and industry. The MSc Biological Photography and Imaging is ideal for students wishing to pursue a career in professional imaging. The study programme incorporates the areas of biological research, imaging (both industrial and media production) and communication. Developing your imaging skills during the course will allow you to integrate scientific and technical aspects with commercial applications. Graduates of our course have gone on to further study in molecular biology and biophysics, or pursued various careers such as medical imaging or wildlife filmmaking.

You are expected to have a high quality undergraduate degree in the biological or related sciences. Applicants with degrees in other disciplines may be accepted at the discretion of the Course Director. Applicants with professional experience at a level equivalent to that of a first degree will also be considered.

Applicants to this programme are expected to have their own digital SLR camera. Systems normally used on this course are Nikon or Canon; if you wish to operate a different system, you need to discuss this with the Course Director.

Key facts

Throughout the course you will have access to technical advice from a dedicated team of staff, high-spec computer equipment, photography studios and photographic stereo and compound microscopes. We also maintain a museum of biological specimens for you to use in assignments.
Teaching on our biology courses was rated as excellent (23/24) in the most recent Teaching Quality Assessment Exercise.
You will take part in a range of field trips in order to develop every aspect of your photography skills. Experts, such as professional wildlife photographers, are closely involved with these trips.
You will receive tuition in the leading industry-standard web design and animation software and will have the opportunity to set up an online portfolio of your work.
This course includes a business component, enabling you to present your skills to the competitive marketplace.

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This one-year full-time Masters programme is taught by the Centre for Ecology and Conservation (http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/cec/) ; the fastest growing institute of its kind in the UK.

The course boasts a significant research component, with substantial fieldwork opportunities in the UK as well as a fieldcourse in Africa. Through taught modules and practical application, you will develop advanced skills in scientific method, ecological census and quantitative biology.

A distinctive and integral feature of our MSc is the high degree of input from ecologists in collaborating governmental and non-governmental organisations. This participation takes a variety of forms, including guest lectures, field visits and specific training courses, but may also include providing research projects in their organisations. Collaborating organisations include: Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Marine Conservation Society, Natural England, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Food and Environment Research Agency and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Professional field biology and career development skills are embedded in the programme to enhance your employability. You will learn wildlife photography, geographic information systems, first aid for expeditions and field work, plus how to publish your own website, secure funding and communicate science to the general public.

Programme overview

- Designed in consultation with multiple external agencies to ensure relevant training that maximises graduate employability
- Substantial field work opportunities in the UK and Africa
- Provide opportunities to connect with external agencies and organisations throughout the programme to further enhance your training
- Delivered by leading international researchers in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation, who regularly publish in peer-reviewed journals
- Offers access to excellent facilities including state-of-the-art research laboratories, greenhouses, aviary and controlled environment rooms (http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/facilities/cornwall/)
- Ideal for individuals wishing to work in related consultancy and non-governmental organisations
- Includes modules that target both research and practical applied ecology skills

Fieldwork

The census research projects will see you spending a considerable amount of time in the field collecting data at several key research sites in West Cornwall and interacting with local NGOs (Cornwall Wildlife Trust, South West Lakes Trust).

This programme includes a two week field course in Kenya and will include visits to some of Africa’s largest and most important game reserves, as well as an introduction to some of the day-to-day problems faced by conservation biologists in developing nations. You will study the behaviour of animals in a natural ecological setting with a focus on large mammals, birds and insects. Travel and subsistence costs for this part of the programme are included in the programme fee.

Find out more about our field course modules at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/biosciences/fieldwork/. You can also keep up to date and share the experiences of our students in the field on our Field Course Fortnight website at http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/fieldcourses/.

Learning and teaching

The taught component of this programme is delivered in the first five months, during which time you will be encouraged to develop your census research projects. The rest of the academic year is dedicated to these projects.

Programme structure

This Programme is modular and consists of five compulsory modules and one optional module.

Compulsory modules

The compulsory modules can include; Research Project; African Biodiversity and Conservation Field or African Behavioural Ecology Field Course; Ecological Census; Statistical Modelling and Key Skills

Optional modules

Examples of the optional modules can include; Terrestrial Biodiversity and Conservation and Preparing for Ecological Consultancy.
The modules listed here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand

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Bristol is the global capital of natural history programme making and the natural place to study for an MA in Wildlife Filmmaking. On this highly popular Masters course you will learn how to develop and pitch ideas, tell great stories and make intelligent and surprising programmes to captivate and engage audiences.

Our partnership with the BBC Natural History Unit (NHU) means that, alongside your studies, you will have incredible opportunities to network with professional wildlife film makers, attend talks, film festivals and other events around the city.

Our MA students graduate with the skills, experience and knowledge needed for entry level jobs in all areas of production from online to broadcast. Graduates now work for the BBC, Icon Films, Discovery, Tigress and other top production companies in the UK and overseas.

Course detail

On this Masters course you will learn all you need to know via technical workshops, seminars, masterclasses and through experience and opportunities making films and digital content for clients. We also help you develop skills in research, script writing, directing, producing, production management and the pitching and commissioning of ideas.

One of the unique aspects of this course is that you will be matched with an industry mentor who, alongside your tutor, will guide you through the production of your final project. All students complete their Masters by writing, directing and producing a final project/film. These films are premiered each year and seen by an audience of invited film and television professionals from the BBC and independent sector.

Structure

The full master's course comprises 180 credits divided into three 60 credits stages: Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, and Master's. Students work incrementally through the three stages and must pass all modules at each stage in order to progress to the next.

Modules

• Creating the Story
• Mastering the Business
• Preparing for Production
• Future Documentary
• Professional production

Format

The main teaching will take place in seminars and in workshops focused around the University's creative media centre at its Bower Ashton campus (see Study Facilities). You will also benefit from BBC visits, real-life filming experiences and allied conferences and external events.

All our teaching is informed by the latest industry developments, with valuable industry insight thinking on business developments from professional practitioners.

Assessment

Modules are assessed by a range of submissions including portfolios of work together with films and production work. The first two semesters drive your skills and learning towards your final natural history production which must be of professional standard with appropriate documentation and matching industry standard deliverables.

Careers / Further study

Students have worked on BBC series, produced films for the Festival of Nature, The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge, the RSPB and the Zoological Society of London - some of the UK's top wildlife and conservation organisations.

We also have an ongoing partnership with Wildscreen, the award-winning wildlife conservation charity and Encounters, the Bristol-based international short film festival. Students have been highly commended in the British Wildlife Photography Awards HD film category and were nominated in the Wildscreen Panda Awards. Graduates have also secured internships and employment with the BBC and other organisations such as Discovery, Icon Films, RDF and Tigress Productions.

How to apply

Information on applications can be found at the following link: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/study/applyingtouwebristol/postgraduateapplications.aspx

Funding

- New Postgraduate Master's loans for 2016/17 academic year –

The government are introducing a master’s loan scheme, whereby master’s students under 60 can access a loan of up to £10,000 as a contribution towards the cost of their study. This is part of the government’s long-term commitment to enhance support for postgraduate study.

Scholarships and other sources of funding are also available.

More information can be found here: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/students/feesandfunding/fundingandscholarships/postgraduatefunding.aspx

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This interdisciplinary Master’s programme provides an opportunity for you to deconstruct the American experience at an advanced level.

It interrogates, challenges and moves beyond the Exceptionalist rhetoric and nation-states ideology of traditional American Studies to consider the USA, and its neighbours, in an insightful, challenging and relevant way.

You develop specialist knowledge and research skills in a range of disciplines by navigating complex historical, cultural, geo-political and environmental issues. A sophisticated awareness of the reach (and the limitations) of US hegemony, as well as issues of cultural collision, media penetration, region and identity, give our graduates an intellectual grounding well-suited to many careers, in addition to a solid foundation for graduate work at MPhil or PhD level.

About the Centre for American Studies

American Studies at Kent dates back to 1973 and, over the last few decades, has developed a strong research culture; this matches the commitment of the University to interdisciplinary study as well as the mandate of American Studies to explore the American experience in ground-breaking ways.

Our team of scholars maintains close links with a number of North and South American research institutions and archives, and the University’s Templeman Library houses impressive collections on slavery, Native American culture, and photography/visual materials.

We treat the American experience in a critical and reflective manner, and offer an extremely good base for postgraduate study. While able to supervise a wide range of American topics, the Centre currently operates three specialist research clusters of particular interest to candidates:

- The American West
- The Study of US Environmental Issues
- The Study of Race, Ethnicity and Borders.

Course structure

You take a compulsory 30 credit module ‘Transnational American Studies: Research and Approaches’. This is a year-long module designed to introduce key modes of analysis in transnational and interdisciplinary study as well as consider different methodologies, themes and intellectual debates. Assessment includes an extended essay, seminar presentation and a critical review of an academic research paper.

You also select 90 credits from a range of optional modules, spread across at least two disciplines. Optional modules vary year to year and below is a selection of recent modules on offer:

- American Cold War Propaganda

- Geiger Counter at Ground Zero: Explorations of Nuclear America

- From Wounded Knee to the Little Bighorn Casino: The Vietnam War in American History

- American Narrative in the Age of Postmodernism

- American Modernism

- Boundary Busting and Border Crossing

- Myth, Image, Fashion and Propaganda in the Cuban Revolutionary Era

- History and Memory

- American Foreign Policy

The remaining 60 credits are made up with a Dissertation. Written over the summer term, this 12,000 word extended study allows students to work on their own research project based on primary research. You have the opportunity to present your ideas as part of workshop sessions on researching American Studies in the core course and receive supervision from an academic specialist.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take modules from other programmes so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.

Assessment

Assessment for this course includes an extended essay, seminar presentation and a critical review of an academic research paper.

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

- provide you with a thorough grounding in the techniques and approaches necessary for advanced research in American Studies.

- promote interdisciplinarity as a conceptual mode of theory and analysis (encourage you to ‘operate across disciplines, learning how to integrate a variety of approaches in formulating and solving problems, and using diverse materials and information sources.’

- encourage critical reflection and engagement with public debates relating to aspects of American society.

- consolidate the strengths of our long-running undergraduate programmes whilst interrogating, challenging, and moving outside the exceptionalist rhetoric and nation-state ideology of conventional American Studies (develop a ‘synthesising impulse…which can work across, as well as interrogate traditional discipline boundaries in innovative ways’.

- promote a curriculum supported by scholarship, staff development and a research culture that provides breadth and depth of intellectual inquiry and debate.

- assist you to develop cognitive and transferable skills relevant to their vocational and personal development.

Research areas

Staff interests broadly fit within the parameters of American literature, American history, American film and American politics, although we actively welcome interdisciplinary projects that investigate several areas of study. Current strengths in American Studies at Kent are: Native American literature and culture; African-American history; slavery and the Atlantic world; the American West; US environmental issues; US visual culture; Disney and recreation; American realist fiction; modern American poetry; US immigration politics; American science fiction; Hollywood; US foreign policy.

The American West
Kent is the only UK institution to operate a research cluster on the American West, with five members of the Centre specialising in trans-Mississippi studies. The research cluster engages in pioneering work on Native American literature, Western films and video games, female frontiering and several other elements of the Western experience.

The Study of US Environmental Issues
US environmental history is a relatively new field of study, but of increasing importance. Our two environmental specialists work on wildlife management, animal studies, nuclear protest and concepts of ecological doomsday.

The Study of Race, Ethnicity and Borders
The Centre has a long history of studying race and ethnicity. Currently, six members of the team cover a range of topics that include African-American political, cultural and social history, Native American literature, Latin American relations and immigration writing and politics.

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Do you want to take the art skills you learnt at university to the next level? Looking to improve your career as a graphic designer? Advance and diversify your creative practice with our transformational, forward-thinking programme! We will give you all the practical, technical, theoretical and applied knowledge to develop flexible skills needed within the dynamic and shifting world of art media. No matter where your expertise lies, we will help you expand your horizons through our trans-media focus to show you how to enhance your work further.

Our interdisciplinary ethos draws from six key creative fields, allowing you to either specialise in one area or work on projects across multiple media. Our staff contain a diverse mix of seasoned media practitioners and those actively involved in research at a national or international stage, using their knowledge and experience to help provide a wider context for your work. You'll be a highly developed, fully flexible artist with an understanding of all major fields, giving you the confidence to take your skills to a higher professional level.

Course outline

Our working environment works to cultivate practical and theoretical expertise to help your versatility in creative media. We encourage innovative, lateral approaches to creative practice though a structured timetable of theoretical lectures, practical workshops, student led seminars, visiting speakers, action based and experiential research, self-directed and tutorial based learning.

Cultural and visual discourse is taught at all levels, displaying the important synthesis between theory and creative practice. You'll fully engage in these processes to develop self-awareness and embed skills to advance your professional progression and life-long learning.

Graduate destinations

You'll have the skills and knowledge of a range of visual media disciplines, including Film & Television Production, Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography, Digital Art & Games Design and Wildlife & Adventure Media. This will expand your employability potential and give you vital knowledge to work across mediums.

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Magazines today offer a wide range of possibilities for anyone looking to start a career in journalism. From glossy fashion monthlies and quirky independent quarterlies to weekly titles for business people, customer magazines for retailers and brands, purely digital magazines, websites and even freelancing – our MA Magazine Journalism prepares you for all these possibilities.

When you finish studying Magazine Journalism with us you will feel prepared to meet any challenge your first job on a magazine throws at you. Print, digital, social media – you will know how to handle the multimedia platforms a modern magazine uses.

You will be prepared to sit in your first editorial conference and know what is expected of you and how to pitch your ideas clearly and confidently.

You will gain a set of knowledge and skills that will not only enable you to compete effectively for any entry-level job in magazine journalism but also set you up for a rapid career trajectory.

Distinctive features:

• Magazine Journalism is accredited by the Professional Publishers Association (PPA)
• Industry placements in the second semester
• An outstanding alumni network across the media

Structure

The course is one year long and covers:

Feature and news writing in print and online
Interviewing techniques
Cross-platform media and multimedia
Design & layout
Subediting and production
Magazine brand development
How to be a successful freelance

Magazine journalism skills are acquired through a series of lectures, workshops, practical exercises and feedback sessions of increasing complexity and realism - from 'paper exercises' in the early days to complex features that report on real events. These sessions are supplemented by seminars, group discussions and guests from the magazine industry.

Basic writing, reporting and technical skills for both print and digital are taught in the first semester against a background of Media law and journalism Ethics. Shorthand is also available as an option.

The second semester offers more creative practice where you will plan, create and launch a brand new magazine brand across print and digital platforms, producing three issues to a fortnightly deadline.

During the Easter break you will test your skills against the real world in a work placement (or placements) of a minimum two weeks' duration.

The Major Project core module provides you with the opportunity to undertake:

• a Feature Project in which you will employ investigative journalism techniques and research skills acquired during the taught element of the course to explore a topic in depth by writing long-form feature articles, or

• an Enterprise Project in which you will develop the editorial and business plan for an innovative media product in print or purely digital/online.

You will also create a brand new magazine in groups. Starting from scratch you will:

Research the market
Develop an effective design
Plan and write editorial content
Create and execute a comprehensive digital and social media policy
Produce three issues of the magazine

Please visit the website to see the modules taught on this course:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/magazine-journalism-ma

Teaching

You will be taught through a variety of practical workshops, seminars and lectures as well as production days that replicate an industry environment.

You will be required to find and research stories in and around the local area, interviewing sources via a mix of methods and producing original multimedia content and photography.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a wide range of formative and summative assessments throughout the course. These range from practical classroom activities, varied journalistic articles and packages, class tests and examinations.

Career prospects

Graduates of the MA in Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University have an excellent track record when it comes to getting jobs.

Potential entry-level jobs in magazine media range from editorial assistants to web editors, community managers and content producers to sub-editors, staff writers and even self-starting entrepreneurs!

We are passionate about the industry and maintain an excellent alumni network, plus students have won several publishing awards for their work in the past.

As a graduate of MA Magazine Journalism you may move into almost any industry to produce in-house or public magazines or digital content. Typical industries include: fashion, craft, food, sport, film, music, games, news, wildlife, finance, business, history, travel, TV, health and celebrity.

Possible job opportunities include: Editorial assistant, Editorial intern, Features writer, Freelance reporter, Web and Social Media Editor, Junior reporter, Chief sub, Online content coordinator and Production assistant.

Placements

Placements are required as part of the Professional Development module and Programme Accreditation through the PPA. Placements will take place during the Easter Recess period. You will be required to complete a minimum of two weeks on placement(s), though you are free to do more.

All placements will be coordinated in correspondence with course directors ahead of the recess period. We will look at your CV, portfolio and covering letters and provide guidance. Our excellent alumni and industry network often offer placement opportunities that you wouldn’t get access to outside of the course.

You will be expected to cover any expenses associated with the placement(s), though some companies do cover travel or food expenses.

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