Film Studies and Music Production

Film Studies and Music Production - BA (Hons)

Our creative programme in Film Studies and Music Production allows you to explore a wide range of imaginative music, film and visual media texts in a contemporary world and how these have changed over time and across cultures. You will delve into diverse topics and issues, developing technical and theoretical knowledge across studio environments and a variety of screen media cultures. With this experience, you will be equipped with key technical and transferable skills, applicable to a wide variety of careers in the music, media and film industries.

Year of entry

2023 - for 2022 entry see here

Course type

Combined Honours

Location

Keele University campus

Subject area / School

School of Humanities

UCAS code

PJ4X

Duration of study

3 years / 4 years with international or placement year

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Why study Film Studies and Music Production at Keele University?

Daily access to comprehensive music studio facilities with sound design and computer labs

Tailor your degree and explore both theory and practice, based on your interests and careers aspirations

Work placement opportunities to enhance your career prospects and network with industry partners

Graduate with a substantial music and audio portfolio using industry standard software and hardware

Assessment methods develop your skills as a creative researcher, writer and practitioner

Course overview

Keele's combined honours course in Film Studies and Music Production is an exciting programme that allows you to develop key skills in filmmaking, screenwriting and producing sound. You will examine the cultural contexts for which sound is produced and develop a portfolio of skills that will help you to achieve your career ambitions in the creative industries, such as TV, radio, film and games.

Film is a powerful art form that incorporates the study of technology, culture, and aesthetics. At Keele you will delve deep into the theoretical analysis of film from both historical and contemporary perspectives. You will identify key debates in contemporary screen media, and analyse a broad range of film and television texts from the widest cultural contexts. Looking both at 'classic' Hollywood film and newer forms of global film and television, you will consider the characteristics that distinguish these different types of production. You will also have the chance to make further connections to film through the study of other media forms, such as photography and literature.

The depth and breadth of this course will strengthen your critical thinking skills as well as widening your cinematic knowledge and technical abilities. Your experience in Music Production will involve working with audio software, hardware, and digital audio in studio and production set ups. You will be taught by staff in the School of Humanities, with research expertise in a range of specialisms, exploring current trends and topics. You will develop experience in sound recording, audio design and digital sampling, as well as programming, mixing and mastering, enabling you to build confidence using specialised equipment. There will also be opportunities to work with peers to share your ideas and expertise through collaborative projects.

As a graduate, you will be equipped with a wide skill set, preparing you for careers in the film and media industries, as a musician, or in a variety of other professional sectors where you will be able to apply your creative practice and academic knowledge.

Work Placements

We are committed to ensuring you graduate from Keele with a highly desired, diverse skill-set to support your employability. We embed opportunities for you to develop these skills throughout our optional work placement modules and work placement year which will enable you to engage directly with industry. You will gain invaluable practical skills and first-hand experience of the day-to-day operations of a relevant working environment.

Our second year ‘Work Placement in the Humanities’ optional module provides you with a platform to apply to work within an organisation and further develop your professional skills. With the guidance of module tutors, you will identify an organisation based on your interests and will spend a semester engaging with projects and tasks set out by the employer. You will engage with taught sessions in addition to your time at your chosen organisation and will be encouraged to reflect upon your experiences to identify how you can apply your learning throughout your studies and beyond.

Our alumni have previously taken work placements in film and media companies, museums, schools, charities and archives, enhancing their career prospects upon graduation. Our placement partners include the education and skills support service business ENTRUST, the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle under Lyme, the music charity Make Some Noise, the independent local radio station Signal Radio, and others.

In addition to this, you may have the opportunity to apply for a work experience optional module in your third year. This provides the chance to work within a media organisation and gain first-hand experience of how daily tasks and projects are executed. This may include working at a film production company, local radio station, the city council, local football club or theatres. You will adopt the routines and responsibilities within the organisation and work according to project briefs outlined by management. This will enable you to build key skills in communication, teamwork and organisation, allowing you to get a head start in your career.

You may choose to apply for a Work Placement Year that allows you to apply your knowledge and prepare for employment after university through a year long placement. This will enable you to build your confidence in the workplace and demonstrate your abilities in a professional environment, using the skills you have gained throughout your degree programme. You will be supported to prepare for your placement with advice on CV writing and cover letters, as well as the chance to attend Q&A workshops to discuss individual experiences with alumni and employers. This is a valuable, character-building experience where your will develop both personally and professionally.

Study Abroad

International Year

Enhance your career prospects with an International Year at one of our partner institutions. Utilising this opportunity between 2nd and 3rd year can help in your employment search to stand out from the crowd and broaden your horizons, potentially working across the globe.

On successful completion of all modules across the year, you will graduate with a degree title ‘Music Production and Sound Design with International Year’. This can be highly beneficial for your career prospects and through experiencing different cultures; you will not only grow as an individual, but you will also strengthen your knowledge and interests within society. You can find more information here.

Alternatively, you may choose to study abroad for just a semester in your second year which will count towards your second-year grades. Our Global Opportunities team will support you through the process, ensuring you are able to get the most out of your international experience.

Learn a Language

Discover languages at Keele, whether you are a complete beginner or already have a foundation of knowledge; we offer a flexible and guided route to developing your skills. We currently offer British Sign Language, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.

Related courses

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Additional opportunities

Foundation year Learn a language Placement year International year Study abroad GCP Elective Pathways Explore more

There are a range of additional opportunities available when studying this course.
Please note, undertaking one may impact upon the availability of another.

Entry requirements

Keele strives to be a place where learning, living and working is a positive experience for our entire community, and we're committed to ensuring equality of opportunity to all our applicants with the potential and motivation to succeed, regardless of background. That's why we operate a range of 'alternative offer' schemes with clear eligibility criteria, including contextual offers, offers for those studying within the Keele region, and recognising a range of additional qualifications in your offer.

The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the likely offer or range of offers which would be made to candidates along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application.

Read more about our undergraduate entry requirements for United Kingdom and International students.

A Level Requirements

GCSE requirements

English Language / Literature at C (or 4)

BTEC

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

29 points

Access to HE diploma requirements

Obtain Access to HE Diploma with 112 UCAS Tariff points including a minimum of 15 Level 3 credits at Distinction.

If you don't think you'll meet the entry requirements specified, you may be able to gain entry to this course via a Foundation Year.

Preparation programmes for international students

International students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this course have the opportunity to study an International Foundation Year programme.

These courses are designed to prepare international students to enter into Keele University undergraduate degrees.

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Music production students at Keele University

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Modules

Modules for Film Studies and Music Production

The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.

Compulsory Modules

Audio Fundamentals and Recording Techniques
Sound for Moving Image
Introduction to Music Production
Reading Film and Media
Film and Culture

Optional Modules

Digital Video
Music Programming and Automation
Sound and Society
Introduction to Television Studies
Audiences: From Moral Panics to Digital Cultures
Film Animation: Theories and Practice
Philosophy and Film
Modern European Film and Television
The Photographic Message

Compulsory Modules

Sound Design
Live Sound and Studio Skills
Digital Sampling
Gender and the Cinematic Gaze
Hollywood and Beyond: Global Popular Cinemas

Optional Modules

Professional development
Work Placement for Humanities Students
Web Technologies
Social Media and Society
Creative Synergies: Designing Collaborative Projects
Adaptation
Science Fiction Cinema: Utopias and Dystopias
Documentary: Theory and Practice
Film and Screen Music
21st Century Apocalypses
Film and Screen Music

Optional Modules

Approaches to Screenwriting
Commercial Sound Applications
Work Placement for Humanities Final-Year Students
Music Production and Sound Design Portfolio - ISP
Dissertation - Research Project
Enterprise Business Plan
Creative Magazine Production
Advanced Mixing and Mastering
Say it loud! Music, sound and social change
Postmodernism: Fiction, Film and Theory
Race and Sexuality on Screen
Visual Pleasures: From Carnival to Disney
Dissertation in Film Studies - ISP
Work Experience in Media, Communications and Culture
Crime in Neoconservative America
World Cinemas in the 21st Century
The Road Movie: Cinema as Movement and Journey
Music, Conflict and Social Change
Hitchcock's Queer Cinema
Shakespeare on Film

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Your future career

96% of Keele graduates were in a job or further study within six months of graduating (HESA, 2017)

Enhance your employability

As a Film Studies and Music Production graduate, you will be equipped with various key skills including researching, writing and sound production and will be able to apply your knowledge in the workplace through practical methods and a theoretical understanding.

You will have a clear awareness of technology and the evolving industry and how you can provide your expertise in an area of interest, working independently or with a team of professionals. You may wish to explore a range of roles that are involved with the early stages of production or perhaps a practical approach such as film making, audio streaming, broadcasting, screenwriting or as a musician/artist.

You may explore the following careers:

Film making
Television
Broadcasting
Sound engineering
Music production
Videography
Directing
Marketing/PR
Photography
Events
Education
Further study

Keele graduates have gone on to successful careers in a range of industries and organisations including:

Senior Audio Director at the UK Studio of video game publisher Electronic Arts, London
Sound designer for SMA Animation Studios
Creative Labs European Developer Relations Group
Developer for Electronic Arts
Radio Producer at BBC Radio 3
Editor at Cambridge University Press.
Founder and Manager of Amadeus Music Academy, Stoke-On-Trent
Pro-Dean of Learning and Teaching in the School of Music at the University of Leeds

Keele’s Careers and Employability team (Shortlisted for Best University Careers Employment Service - National Undergraduate Employability Awards, 2021), offers a variety of personal and career development opportunities to enhance your employability.

From mock interviews, careers guidance and CV advice, to careers fairs, alumni mentoring and networking events, along with helping you find part-time and graduate employment - the team will support you throughout your studies and beyond.

Find out more about our careers and employability services, including career planning, alumni mentoring, jobs, internships, starting your own business and much more.

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Teaching, learning and assessment

Teaching and assessment in Film Studies

You will be taught by staff who have published work in their specialist fields, committed to exploring current trends and topics that provide an up-to-date outlook on the film industry and content. This high-quality teaching will involve a range of core and optional modules where you will be able to combine theory and practice. Our practical modules, led by lecturers with wide filmmaking experience, involve producing visual content to express your opinions, perspectives and arguments, showcasing your innovative skills and individuality.

You will engage with a range of teaching methods that encourage you to discuss topics with teachers and peers, developing your own critical approach towards analysis. These methods include seminars and workshops that allow you to uncover important issues and refine your ideas through research and practice. Regular lectures and screenings provide the historical context and outline the varied approaches to studying film and television.

Film studies challenges you through a variety of creative assessment methods, all of which allow you to develop personally and professionally through different tasks and projects, building on your analytical, organisational and communicational skills.

Assessment methods may include:

Film and television analysis
Posters
Video essays
Short film production
Essays and Dissertation
Screenplay treatment

Teaching and assessment in Music Production

Through workshops, tutorials and innovative assessments, you will develop your technical skills, creative practice, artistic imagination and production skills. You will study a mix of core and optional modules, exploring a diverse range of contexts of music and sounds which will inform your knowledge and skills, preparing you for a career of your choice.

You will be assessed through various innovative methods such as:

Podcasts
e-Posters
Live sound simulations
Group and individual hands-on music production and sound design projects
Interdisciplinary music project pitching and design
Blogging
Work placement reports and reflective diaries
Listening exercises
Essays, reviews, commentaries

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Facilities

You will benefit from the use of dedicated teaching spaces including a specially equipped screening room. If you choose to take practical modules in Film Studies, you will also have access to filmmaking equipment, providing the opportunity to gain hands-on experience to practice your skills and create a portfolio of work. You will learn how to use equipment and build your skill set throughout the process, including editing; building a portfolio of work ready to showcase to employers.

Media Building

Explore our specialised editing suites in the Media Building, accessible for students taking practical modules. The facilities are open for you to implement and challenge your practical skills alongside your theoretical learning.

You will have regular access to our photographic studio, screening room featuring a small cinema, and Apple Macintosh labs. This will help to develop your editing skills further and enhance your employability prospects having used specialist equipment.

Clockhouse

At Keele, you will enjoy the use of designated teaching spaces and may study in our beautiful 19th-century Clockhouse and have access to comprehensive studio facilities. There are six key areas housing equipment for sound recording, music production, computer music, audio-visual creative work, sound design, and music software development.

The Clockhouse is home to a lab, recording studio, three small group or individual user studios with workstations for audio/video editing and sound design, and a drummers' room. Our studios are equipped with Macintosh-based workstations, Genelec speakers, and modern technological tools.

Having access to these studios and equipment will enable you to become highly skilled, using a variety of tools and equipment.

Keele University Library

Our on-campus library holds a wide range of written and visual material that you will have access to for your course. There are also designated study spaces for individual or group work which will be useful when completing your theoretical work and having the space to share ideas with peers. This can be a useful time to brainstorm ideas, work on storyboarding and editing content.

Foundation year

Our Foundation Year provides an excellent alternative route to Keele, providing a unique opportunity to better prepare for your chosen degree, and with guaranteed entry onto your undergraduate course once you successfully complete your Foundation Year.

This extra year of study can improve your academic skills, expand your subject knowledge, give you a better understanding of higher education and, perhaps most importantly of all, build your confidence.

Keele University is consistently ranked among the top universities for student satisfaction, and we have over 70 years' experience of teaching a foundation year to students. On the Keele Foundation Year, you'll study on campus, joining our undergraduate community from the outset, with access to all the facilities and support that you'd get as an undergraduate student at Keele.

The information within this page is for students wishing to start their studies in September. If you would like to start this course in January, please visit our January pages for further details.

Course content

Our Foundation Year allows you to develop your critical thinking, academic reading, writing, and communication study skills along with subject-specific knowledge and skills which will be invaluable in your academic studies and beyond. Upon meeting the progression criteria and successfully completing our Foundation Year, you will automatically progress into your Keele undergraduate degree with the confidence that you have the skills, and knowledge needed to successfully complete your course.

This Foundation Year is a two-semester programme which provides a tailored pre-degree programme of study to better prepare you for the BA (Hons) Computer Science and Music Production degree. For example, the Foundations of Humanities 1 module introduces you to the broad range of source material across the Humanities disciplines - from media to history which enables us to analyse political, social or economic perspectives and attitudes to individuals, marginal groups and 'mainstream' society. Course content has been developed in collaboration with degree teaching teams, so that by the time you begin Year 1, you will be ready to excel at your studies, as the majority of our Foundation Year students do.

Find out more about the Keele Foundation Year, including information about teaching and assessment methods by visiting the Foundation Year homepage.

Course structure

Semester one modules

FYO-00247	Foundations: Breaking the code - Understanding Academic Writing	15 credits
FYO-00249	Foundations of Business - 1	15 credits
FYO-00257	Foundations of Humanities - 1	15 credits
FYO-00259	Foundations of Humanities - 2	15 credits

Semester two modules

FYO-00271	University Research Portfolio	30 credits
FYO-00261	Advancing Humanities	30 credits

Entry requirements

Between 40-48 UCAS tariff points from at least 1 A level/level 3 qualification, or relevant work experience

AND

GCSE English Language at grade 4 (C), or Level 2 Functional Skills
IELTS 5.5 (with 5.5 in all subtests)

AND

GCSE Mathematics at Grade 4 (C) or
A Level 2 numeracy qualification such as Key Skills Application of Number Level 2 or Functional Skills Numeracy Level 2

How to apply

Students will need to apply for Music Production with Foundation Year (UCAS code J932) through UCAS at www.ucas.com

Direct entry

If you already have your qualifications, are not expecting any further results and only wish to apply to Keele, please contact the Admissions Office directly.

Our International Foundation Year is delivered on campus through Keele University International College (KUIC). Find out more about the International Foundation Year options on the KUIC website.

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