Course Structure

Introduction

The BA in Media & Broadcast Production is taught through an equal mix of hands-on production modules and critical theory modules, with increasing flexibility at levels 2 and 3.

Stage 1

In their first year students will undertake 6 compulsory modules, covering a range of the theory and skills required to succeed in this career.

Stage 2

Four compulsory modules at stage 2 develop the skills and knowledge that students gained at stage 1, and practise the application of those skills to the various popular genres within broadcast media.

Students can then choose a further two optional modules, exploring aspects of broadcast media in further detail.

Stage 3 Modules

In the final year, students will plan and develop a broadcast media project for 50% of their time. Many students also choose to take a work-based learning module, working in an external broadcasting agency and developing their skills for application in the workplace. There is a range of further modules for year 3 students to select from, which will develop their knowledge and awareness of issues faced by today's broadcast media.

Contact Teaching Hours

Large Group Teaching

6 (hours maximum)
6 hours of lectures

Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial

2 (hours maximum)
2 hours of tutorials (or later, project supervision) each week.

Personal Study

24 (hours maximum)
22–24 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using handouts, online activities, etc.

Medium Group Teaching

6 (hours maximum)
6 hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week

Learning and Teaching

On the BA Media & Broadcast Production programme we provide a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. The degree also offers significant opportunities for cross disciplinary and multi-disciplinary learning experiences.

E-learning technologies

Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, and could include, for example: interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space; podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities; opportunities to use IT programmes associated with design in practical workshops and project-based work etc.

Lectures

Introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to year group peers).

Practicals and workshops

Where you will have opportunities to develop technical skills and apply theoretical principles to practical broadcast industry contexts.

Self-directed study

This is a vital part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.

Seminars and tutorials

Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-15 students). These provide the opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups.

Supervised projects

In final year, all students take a double module which provides the opportunity to specialise in a chosen area such as virtual reality, television, radio or documentary production and work collaboratively on a broadcast media project, to be screened publicly at the end of the semester and online. You will receive support from a supervisor who will guide you and provide feedback whilst being taught the skills you need in class.

Assessment

The teaching will be carried out by academics and practising programme makers, journalists, theorists, and industry mentors. This degree will prepare students for either successful careers in the television and broadcasting industries, or to continue their study at MA and PhD level, all in the context of a Russell Group University.

• Students will create an extensive portfolio of work during their degree, all of which will be assessed on an ongoing basis.

Feedback

As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peer review processes. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work.

• Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:
  • Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
  • Face to face comment. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “guidance and feedback hours” to help you to address a specific query.
  • Placement employer comments or references.
  • Online or emailed comment.
  • General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
  • Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
  • Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
  • Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
  
  Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.

Modules

Entrance requirements

A level requirements

ABB

A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to a grade A at A-level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level.

Irish leaving certificate requirements

H3H3H3H3H3H3/H2H3H3H3H3

Access Course

Successful completion of Access Course with an average of 70%.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

33 points overall including 6,5,5 at Higher Level.

BTEC Level 3 Extended/National Extended Diploma

QCF BTEC Extended Diploma (180 credits at Level 3) with overall grades D*DD

RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma (1080 GLH at Level 3) with overall grades D*DD

Graduate

A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree.

All applicants

There are no specific subject requirements to study Broadcast Production.

Note

All applicants must have GCSE English Language grade C/4 or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.

How we choose our students

Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by individual University Schools. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.

Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.

For last year's intake, applicants for this BA programme offering A-level/BTEC qualifications must have had, or been able to achieve, a minimum of five GCSE passes at grade C/4 or better (to include English Language). Performance in any AS or A-level examinations already completed would also have been taken into account and the Selector checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of GCSE and/or A-level subjects can be fulfilled.

For applicants offering Irish Leaving Certificate, please note that performance at Irish Junior Certificate (IJC) is taken into account. For last year’s entry applicants for this degree must have had, a minimum of 5 IJC grades C/Merit. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Certificate subjects can be satisfied.

Offers are normally made on the basis of three A-levels. Two subjects at A-level plus two at AS would also be considered. The offer for repeat candidates is set in terms of three A-levels and may be one grade higher than for first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.

Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.

Applicants offering other qualifications, such as Higher National Certificates and Diplomas, will also be considered.

For applicants offering a HNC, the current requirements are successful completion of the HNC with 2 Distinctions and remainder Merits. For those offering a Higher National Diploma, some flexibility may be allowed in terms of GCSE profile but, to be eligible for an offer, the grades obtained in the first year of the HND must allow the overall offer to be achievable. The current entrance requirements are successful completion of the HND with 2 Distinctions, 10 Merits and 4 Passes overall. Any consideration would be for Stage 1 entry only.

The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of BA degrees, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.

A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking four A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.

Candidates are not normally asked to attend for interview.

If you are made an offer then you may be invited to a Faculty/School Visit Day, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University and to find out more about the degree programme of your choice and the facilities on offer. It also gives you a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.

If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.

International Students

Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.

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English Language Requirements

An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs

Career Prospects

Introduction

A degree in Media & Broadcast Production will give students a distinct advantage as they enter the workplace. This highly practical course will allow you to build up a portfolio of work for you to share with potential employers. The new skillsets students develop such as building digital content for online distribution and social media are highly sought after by employers and provide an excellent background and future proofing for work in the Creative Industries and broadcasting sectors. Graduates in related areas of the School have gone into a diverse range of careers with a particular emphasis on the Creative Industries - a huge growth area for Northern Ireland and the UK.

Employment after the Course

This course is designed for those interested in factual programme making for television, radio, journalism and online media content creation. Many of the skills acquired are transferable across different disciplines but primarily this highly practical course will most appeal to those seeking employment in the creative industries.

Employment Links

The course has already built strong links with local broadcasters, such as BBC Northern Ireland and other relevant organisations, such as Northern Ireland Screen. Many of these organisations help to provide work placement and other learning opportunities throughout the duration of the degree.

Alumni Success

The first cohort of students on this programme graduated in July 2020. Graduates from this programme
have gone into a diverse range of careers, across the media and broadcast industry both within Northern Ireland and beyond.
http://www.prospects.ac.uk

Prizes and Awards

Every second year we award the Anjool Malde award for Broadcast Journalism.

There is an award for the highest marks overall in each year of the programme

We offer the Jonny Bramley Award to the best Level 3 Broadcast Media Project submission

Degree Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) 1	£4,855
Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2	£4,855
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1	£9,535
EU Other 3	£20,800
International	£20,800

¹EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.

² EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.

³ EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

The tuition fees quoted above for NI and ROI are the 2024/25 fees and will be updated when the new fees are known. In addition, all tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase in each year of the course. Fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.

Additional course costs

An Avid Authorised Training Manual for Media Composer is required at level 1 at a cost of approximately £45. Broadcast Production will provide all of the film, sound, media equipment and editing suites needed.

Students are not expected to purchase their own camera, microphones, laptop or editing software. Students are required to purchase a USB 3 hard drive at a cost of approximately £90 for personal use.

The internationally recognised ‘Avid Certified User: Media Composer’ and ‘Avid Certified User / Operator: Pro Tools’ certifications are available to students on this pathway.

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.

Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.

If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.

Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.

There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

Scholarships

Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students. Information on scholarships available.

How to Apply

Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.

When to Apply

UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2025 from early September 2024.

The advisory closing date for the receipt of applications for entry in 2025 is still to be confirmed by UCAS but is normally in late January (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.

Applications from UK and EU (Republic of Ireland) students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2025) subject to the availability of places. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applications from International and EU (Other) students are normally considered by Queen's for entry to this course until 30 June 2025. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.

The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.

Further information on applying to study at Queen's is available at: www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/How-to-apply/

Apply via UCAS

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.

Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students

1. Applying through UCAS
   Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2025.
2. Applying direct
   The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more.
3. Applying through agents and partners
   The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.

Download Undergraduate Prospectus