Masters Degrees in Radio Studies, United Kingdom

This course stands out from others because it is integrated with our award-winning radio station, Spark FM. There are opportunities for practical experience at every stage.

Course overview

This Masters develops skills that are relevant not only in radio but also TV, film and multi-platform production. It’s an outstanding way to gain a fast start in any area of production.

The production modules cover areas such as targeting ideas for audiences, budgeting, research, editing, live studio production and post programme evaluation.

‌MA Radio has been awarded the Creative Skillset Tick, the industry kitemark of quality, following a rigorous assessment process by experts working in the Creative Industries. The Creative Skillset Tick is awarded to practice-based courses which best prepare students for a career in the industry.‌

We are accredited to teach the industry-leading SADiE6 editing system. We also teach two systems for music playout: RCS Selector and Master Control.

You will be taught by professionals who currently work in radio, producing their own programmes for BBC so you can be sure that the course is completely up-to-date.

The practical work will be supported by contextual studies. The final stage of the course takes the form of research leading to a dissertation, or a major practical project with a contextual report.

Sunderland’s Media Department has been recognised for producing some world-leading and internationally excellent research. Our research expertise includes broadcast technology, radio formats, programming, participatory radio, voice in radio and cinema, radio drama, and women and radio.

All production material will be broadcast on Spark FM and you can expect to be actively involved in running the 24/7 Community Radio station based in the campus Media Centre. Spark FM has won many awards including four golds at the Student Radio Awards 2012.

For more information on the part time option of this course, please view this web-page: http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/courses/artsdesignandmedia/postgraduate/radio-part-time/

Course content

The content of the course is shaped by your personal interests with guidance and inspiration from Sunderland's supportive tutors.

Radio 1 (60 Credits)
-Radio Studies 1
-Radio Station Management 1
-Production Management and Research

Radio 2 (60 Credits)
-Advanced Radio Production and Broadcasting (40 Credits). This module will include a portfolio of work with a choice from: radio feature, documentary, radio drama, commercials, experimental radio, podcasts and Spark FM production and presentation. Plus either:
-Radio Studies 2 (20 Credits)
Or
-Radio Station Management 2 (20 Credits)

Radio 3 (60 Credits)
-You will complete a supervised dissertation on a topic of your choice. As the culmination of the course, it will build on all the skills and knowledge that you have gained up to this point.

Teaching and assessment

Compared to an undergraduate course, you will find that this Masters requires a higher level of independent working.

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods which include lectures, seminars, workshops and practical demonstrations. Your active involvement in our on-campus radio station, Spark FM, is integral to your learning experience. Theory and practice will go hand in hand as you plan, undertake and evaluate projects and programmes. You will have high levels of contact with tutors, who give regular feedback and support, and you will also work in groups to develop skills in communication and teamwork.

Sunderland’s tutors have recent experience of working in public service, commercial and community radio. In addition, the University has long-standing links with radio industry organisations such as the UK Radio Academy, Community Media Association and Northern Arts.

Facilities & location

Sunderland is the only university in the North of England with a full-time community radio licence. Spark FM broadcasts from purpose-built studios at the David Puttnam Media Centre. This is a centre for excellence in training students, with continual investment in industry-standard equipment.

Radio studios
We have six radio studios including the transmission suite for 107 Spark FM. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a target audience of 15-24-year-olds. There is a radio drama/music recording/general purpose studio and four voice over booths.

Digital editing
There are over 30 workstations capable of using Abode Audition and the state-of-the-art SADiE6 editing systems.

Other media facilities
We have two TV studios complete with green rooms and control rooms. Equipment includes four Steadicam rigs plus dolly, track and mini crane and we also have over 40 full HD tapeless field camera systems.

There is a 203-seat cinema with full HD projection, 7.1 surround sound facility and the capability to play 3D feature films. We have a live Sky feed and off-air recording facility, including DVD and Blu-ray recording, plus extensive footage archive/library.

University Library Services
We’ve got a wide range of books, journals and e-books on relevant topics, with many more available through the inter-library loan service. Useful resources for your studies include archival sound recordings with over 12,000 hours of recordings.

Employment & careers

Postgraduates are highly employable and, on average, earn more than individuals whose highest qualification is an undergraduate degree. On completing this course you will be equipped for roles in the radio industry, and also throughout the broader media industry.

Recent Sunderland graduates have moved into jobs at a variety of radio stations and companies, including BBC Radio 1, 6Music, 5live, BBC Radio Drama, Sun FM, Metro Radio and BBC Newcastle. Sunderland graduates are also employed at radio stations in Europe, USA and Australia.

A Masters degree will also enhance career opportunities within Higher Education and prepare you for further postgraduate studies.

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Course summary

The MA Media Production course gives you the opportunity to kick start or further your career in the television and radio industries. The course offers a clear progression pathway for students who have already completed undergraduate studies in television or radio.

For those who already have industry experience, or are looking to change career path, the course provides the chance to learn additional skills and apply professional media practice to your existing resume.

You can study the MA Media Production full time over one year or part time over two years. This flexibility means it is suitable for those wishing to enter the industry or who are already forging a career in broadcasting and want to attain a well-respected academic qualification to complement their skills.

Course structure

Over the year you will study four modules, each of which consists of 10 class sessions in which students will be introduced to topics through lectures, seminar discussions and workshop activities. Each week students are set independent study tasks, often based upon production activities, and there are two further weeks of directed study.

There will often be guest lectures from leading practitioners in the field and we place a strong emphasis on lecturer and peer review of student presentations and work-in-progress. These sessions are supported by structured material available on the university's Moodle online system.

Many modules make significant use of new social media and students will be asked frequently to contribute to forums, write blogs, or produce podcasts to chart personal and professional development and to engage with the work of others. Your own professional development is an important element throughout the course.

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The development of DAB, internet radio and podcasting is creating exciting opportunities for radio producers, and this course will enable you to take advantage of these new technologies – as well as more traditional media – to communicate with audiences in a creative and exciting way.

You will engage with the crafting of radio programmes on a variety of media platforms in production genres including Drama and features alongside your theoretical study of Narrative Construction. Professional development is explored and you will have the opportunity to engage with industry, with guest speakers, station and events visits. The course builds towards a final production project in which you will create a complete 30-minute programme to broadcast standard. An alternative research-focused option is available if you feel that is more suited to your strengths.

Production lecturers on the course have experience of working for leading national radio stations and our industry guests cover a range of production genres. You will develop in areas suited to your own strengths under their expert supervision, and can even test your skills in industry during the course, with the opportunity to take up a placement for three to four weeks if you wish.

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This programme provides an opportunity for postgraduates with some knowledge and experience of radio to explore the medium in depth, both in theory and practice- http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-radio/

-Facilities available are broadcast-standard with professional standard post-production suites
-Three sound studios are linked into a networked sound/ENPS electronic newsroom with subscriptions to news agencies broadcast services such as Sky, IRN, PA and AFP
-We also have our own student radio station broadcasting online and with an FM restricted service licence
-The course tutor is a practising broadcaster, and an experienced sound engineer runs the studio
-Our students have won industry awards, and our graduates are working at local, regional, national and international level
-The MA has been accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council
-MA Radio students are taught online production skills and fully involved in publishing multimedia journalism and creative features with a sound focus on their dedicated public platform Londonmultimedianews.com

Overview

The MA programme in its 20-year history has had the privilege of participating with students from all over the world from Mongolia, Japan and China to Australia, USA, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Egypt and many other countries. Home, EU and international students of all ages and backgrounds work together in a 70% practice to 30% theory practice Masters degree.

Students have an excellent record of employment and career development. MA Radio alumni include international award-winning foreign correspondents, the directors of national broadcasting channels, creative programme makers and broadcast journalists of distinction. But the course is also aimed at providing rich and valuable transferable skills so former students also find they have the springboard and confidence to develop and excel in other professional fields.

Award-winning students and graduates

MA students are consistently winning significant awards for their work. For example in 2012 MA Radio students had considerable success in the Charles Parker student radio feature awards and the Broadcast Journalism Training Council Awards for Best Radio News Feature and Best Online News Website as a result of their work for EastLondonLines.co.uk. Since 2013 MA Radio students have been working on a more specialist externally published broadcast online dimension.

In fact Goldsmiths MA Radio students have a longstanding tradition of success in the Charles Parker awards as you will see in the profile of winners between 2004 and 2012 and the fact that MA Radio students took Gold and Silver in the 2013 awards and their work was broadcast on BBC Radio 4Extra. Our graduates are winning awards for their work too, including Best Radio Feature at the UK Sony Awards

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Tim Crook.

Modules & Structure

You work in practice and theory groups, and take modules that cover:

-radio features and drama
-radio journalism and documentary
-key media law and ethical issues in relation to UK and US media law
-the cultural history of radio (primarily in Britain and the USA)
-adapting prose, film and theatre for radio dramatisation

Throughout the year, the programme includes workshops and seminars by visiting professionals and artists in the radio journalism and radio drama fields. We are happy to support work experience placements in professional newsrooms and radio drama productions. The programme offers students the opportunity to learn Teeline shorthand, television recording techniques and online applications for radio.

We also encourage you to support the Goldsmiths student radio station Wired FM.

Assessment

Portfolio of recorded work; unseen examination; essay; 30-minute radio drama script.

Skills & Careers

Throughout the MA you'll become familiar with a wide range of production techniques and practices, and an awareness of contemporary news values, media law and the operational practice of news stations.

You'll also develop valuable transferable skills including teamwork and communication skills.

Funding

Please visit http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/ for details.

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On this programme you will learn about recent advances in mobile communication systems with full coverage of both radio-frequency (RF) and data communication networks. The programme content will reflect the current migration to tetherless networks. In addition to studying the latest protocols used by mobile communication systems, you will also learn to apply the principles of RF engineering to the design of such systems.

You will be taught by experienced research and teaching staff with expertise in the specialist fields and you will be learning about the latest theories, techniques and technologies. You will need an understanding of both generic and domain-specific research techniques, and the ability to apply them in your own work. A module in research methods enables you to develop these techniques, moving from generic skills, such as the design and evaluation of experiments, to focus on the specific skills that you will need for your own project. An important outcome of the module is a well-structured report, augmented by the use of appropriate artefacts and media, presenting your proposals for your specialist project.

In the first two semesters of the programme you take modules exploring a variety of current research topics in electronics and related areas. At the end of the programme you complete a project which enables you to demonstrate your understanding of the principles and concepts that you have learned and your ability to apply them to a substantial piece of development or investigative work.

Why choose this course?

-The School has over 25 years' experience of teaching electronic engineering and has established an excellent international reputation in this field
-We offer extensive lab facilities for engineering students, including the latest software packages
-Learn about mobile communication systems, tetherless networks and all the latest protocols

Careers

You will typically be employed in the design and implementation of advanced digital systems and networks in the communication and control industries. Within your area of expertise, you will be making independent design decisions on mission-critical systems.

Teaching methods

Our enthusiastic staff is always looking for new ways to enhance your learning experience and over recent years, we have won national awards for our innovative teaching ideas. In addition our staff are active in research and useful elements of it are reflected on the learning experience. Learning tools such as StudyNet, unique to the University of Hertfordshire, are extremely useful for the learning environment of the student.

Structure

Modules
-Advanced Reconfigurable Systems and Applications
-Broadband Networks and Data Communications
-Digital Mobile Communication Systems
-Information Theory and DSP in Communications
-MSc Project
-Mixed Mode and VLSI Technologies
-Operations Management
-Operations Research
-Wireless, Mobile and Ad-hoc Networking

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This is an intensive, hands-on writing course that is ideal if you want to specialise in dramatic scriptwriting for television and radio.

The course is aimed at you if you have scriptwriting potential or wish to develop your television and radio writing skills to professional standards. During your time with us, you will enhance your knowledge of storytelling and the demands of television and radio, with the goal of mobilising your creative potential for the 21st-century scriptwriting marketplace.

Key benefits:

• Study at our MediaCityUK campus in industry-leading facilities
• Participate in masterclasses run by industry professionals
• Work on a one-to-one basis with an experienced professional scriptwriter on your final MA project.

Visit the website: http://www.salford.ac.uk/pgt-courses/tv-and-radio-scriptwriting

Suitable for

Students come from a wide range of employment and educational backgrounds but what they all have in common is the potential to be a professional screenwriter. Ideally, you will have a passion for storytelling in all of its forms and a desire to communicate a message creatively to an audience. You will have some awareness of the different TV and radio programme formats and a willingness to share your work and learn from others.

Programme details

This course enables you to develop your professional scriptwriting goals by providing the opportunity for you to learn not just scriptwriting skills but an awareness of the demands of the broadcast industries served by these skills and how to address an audience through genres developed specifically for broadcast media. You will be enabled to work autonomously and in groups to solve problems of storytelling, plot and characterisation and to demonstrate an awareness of the commercial demands of the industries you will serve. The ability to advance your knowledge of scriptwriting and the industries of television and radio are provided on this course and you will also experience the opportunity to develop new skills such as pitching script and story ideas and communicating in more traditional academic formats like essays alongside your existing scriptwriting ability. Issues of employment are addressed in modules where you will develop an appreciation of the existing broadcasting landscape and also through the provision of optional modules in year two which enables you to acquire dedicated training in scriptwriting for genres or working in a collaborative creative environment.

Format

This course is taught on a part-time basis, with teaching delivered on a Thursday evening. The Masters award consists of four core taught modules followed by the MA Project (60 credits). The PgDip requires the completion of four core modules. The PgCert requires completion of the first two core taught modules. All modules are delivered over a 12 week semester.

Module titles

• Storytelling and the Moving Image: The Short Film
• Forms and Genres in Film
• Storytelling and the Moving Image: The Feature Film
• MA Film Project

Assessment

• Scripts (70%)
• Essays (20%)
• Reflective statements/critical analysis (10%)

Career potential

As well as establishing themselves as successful scriptwriters, our graduates have also entered occupations including producer, storyliner, script editor, and story consultant with employers as diverse as Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, EA games, Hat Trick, Sony and SEGA.

Our graduates have predominately entered the scriptwriting and satellite professions in roles such as producer, script editor, storyliner, and story consultant as well as narrative director and narrative and speech design for video games. All of these professions involve knowledge not just of the detail of scriptwriting but also of industry practices and conventions.Richard Smith's Trauma starring Colin Firth and Mena Suvari was, we believe, the first MA script project to progress to feature film production.

Our graduates have worked on Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Shameless, Hollyoaks, The Street, Heartbeat and Doctors and have written plays for BBC Radio 4.

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

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RWCMD enjoys a very good reputation within the acting profession. Through collaborations with professional organisations, visiting directors, actors and casting agents, we provide our students with experience of real working conditions and enable them to make vital contacts within the industry.

http://www.rwcmd.ac.uk/acting


To apply for entry to the MA Acting for Stage, Screen & Radio programme in September 2017, you will need to use the UCAS Conservatoires at http://www.ucas.com/conservatoires

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Radio is constantly adapting and evolving – it is the soundtrack of 21st-century life. It brings us constant news, information and music on conventional channels and on the latest digital, agile devices. Taught at our Warrington Campus, our MA course aims to equip you with academic, editorial and creative skills to engage fully with the first electronic mass medium.

This course aims to help you gain the skills, knowledge and experience required to work in the radio industry.

Our radio station, The Cat Radio, is the heart of the course and is where students learn and develop their radio production skills – often live on air. The station won an I Love Student Radio Award for Best Training Initiative in 2016. The station is broadcast on AM and online and is regulated by Ofcom.

You will be taught by award-winning staff who still work in the industry, so you can be sure their practice is up to date. Guest speakers feature regularly – from the BBC and commercial radio.

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The Broadcast Journalism MA at City is highly rated in the industry as evidenced by the range and number of alumni working in broadcasting, the awards won, and the industry placements offered.

Who is it for?

This course is suitable for students with a first degree, looking to become well-rounded broadcast journalists. You will have a keen interest in TV and radio news and current affairs plus sport, lifestyle and national and international politics. Though this course is NOT about presenting on screen or on air, you must be prepared to present your material on camera or mic, and write and direct material for others to perform. The MA in Broadcast Journalism is essentially about visual and audio communication of topical information, and requires a desire to communicate through essential team working. City provides an alumni network second to none in the UK broadcast industry; and provides possibly the best employment opportunities of any postgraduate broadcasting course in the UK.

Objectives

The MA in Broadcast Journalism produces award winning young journalists and has a superb reputation. You will learn learn comprehensive TV and radio skills. The course benefits from a large cohort of 50 students with great networking and peer support. Teaching groups of 15 ensure daily personal contact with Professor Lis Howell; TV reporter Colette Cooney; Dr Abdullahi Tasiu; and key visiting staff like Talksport’s Sandy Warr and former Reuter’s producer Lloyd Watson.

New from autumn 2016 Broadcast Journalism aims to offer hour long TV news programmes on news-days produced by students gaining practical training. Newswriting, television and radio journalism are taught in groups of fifteen and larger groups through lectures, workshops and broadcast simulation.

Placements

Work placements are an integral part of the Broadcast Journalism MA. MA Broadcasters arrange their own placements - with help from academics if necessary. You must have 15 days of work experience whilst on the course. This usual happens during the the Christmas break. The size of the City cohorts past and present means unique networking opportunities with present students and 4,000 alumni. But at the same time every student is given personal help in finding a placement and help ultimately to find a job in broadcasting. Every student counts.

Organisations who have hosted City students in the past include:
-ABC
-Al-Jazeera
-BBC
-BBC local radio stations across the UK
-Blakeway Productions
-Blink
-CTVC
-Flame
-Hardcash Productions
-ITN
-ITN Sport (Olympics)
-NorthOne
-October Films
-OR Media
-Plum Films
-politics.com
-Reuters
-Sky
-Talkback

Academic facilities

In 2014 we completed a £12m development project for our Journalism facilities. These facilities were developed in consultation with experts from the BBC and ITN and were praised by the BJTC. They include:
-A television studio: enabling simultaneous multi-media simulated broadcast and a major expansion in the number of news and current affairs programmes produced.
-Four radio studios: enabling an increase in output and the potential to explore a permanent radio station.
-Two radio broadcast newsrooms: high-tech facilities that enable you to learn how to produce a radio programme.
-Two digital newsrooms: impressive modern facilities that enable you to learn the skills required to produce newspapers, magazines and websites.
-Two TV editing and production newsrooms: state-of-the-art facilities that enable you to learn about TV production.

Teaching and learning

Some courses are taught in lecture theatres, but most are small-group workshops that allow you to develop your journalistic skills and knowledge with the support of our expert academics.

Activities include lectures, practical work in groups and individually, personal tutorials, and independent learning

This pathway is taught by professors, senior lecturers and lecturers, with industry practitioners as visiting lecturers, and a number of key industry visiting speakers.

Assessment

All MA Journalism courses at City are practical, hands-on courses designed for aspiring journalists. As a result, much of your coursework will be journalistic assignments that you produce to deadline, as you would in a real news organisation.

Assessments vary from module to module but include coursework, practical work both in groups and individually, a Final Project, a written timed test, and essays.

Modules

All of our Broadcast Journalism MA students must undertake core modules in Ethics, Rules and Standards and a Final Project. As a Broadcast Journalism student you will take a module in Newsgathering for TV and Radio; a module in Newsdays and Longer From film-making; and a module in Studio Production. Teaching hours are between Mondays to Fridays during working hours, and occasionally outside those times.

Core modules
Ethics, Rules & Standards (30 credits)
Final Project (30 credits)
Newsgathering for TV and Radio (30 credits)
Newsdays Production (30 credits)
Studio Production for TV or Radio (15 credits)
UK Media Law (15 credits)
Political Headlines (15 credits)

Elective modules
Journalism Innovation (15 credits)
Social & Digital Journalism (15 credits)

Career prospects

96.8% of graduates from this course were in employment six months after completing the course (DLHE survey 2014-15).

Alumni include famous names such as:
-Sophie Raworth (BBC)
-Dermot Murnaghan (Sky News)
-Barbara Serra (Al Jazeera)
-Jo Whiley (BBC Radio).

Recent graduates of the MA Broadcasting include:
-Ramita Navai, Emmy Award-winning documentary maker
-Chris Mason (BBC Political Reporter)
-Isobel Webster (Sky News)
-Darren McGaffrey (Sky News)
-Minnie Stephenson (ITN)
-Cordelia Lynch (Sky News Washington)

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