This module is an introduction to evaluating, reflecting, and considering the skills needed to successfully study film and media as a student at university. It also launches you on your three-year journey exploring media and communications at a higher level, and presents an opportunity for you to develop academically, personally, and professionally. It examines a series of employability and industry attributes to enable you to start developing key reflective and critical skills, and to equip you with a range of skills, whether these are directly within the industry (film/TV/radio) or in other media or related creative areas. It will also help you evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in the skills you need for a successful university career, such as time management, working with others, research, academic writing. As with all areas of the creative industries, working in the media industry is a highly competitive business, so knowing about and building the skills employers are looking for is an essential part of your personal development and learning. We will also be looking at the common criteria needed to work in a broad range of areas and how these skills can be transferred to other disciplines. You will start to apply your research skills and learning ‘first-hand’ about the experiences of a media professional through the first assessment. The module is also about gaining a sense of direction for your own studies and identifying key goals that will enable to you to develop and achieve successfully within the course.

ASSESSMENT ONE: MEDIA PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW AND GROUP PRESENTATION. A 10-minute group presentation exploring employment roles in the media industry, including qualifications/skills, career development path, challenges, and expectations, and how a graduate may succeed in this area, using extracts from a recorded in-vision interview with a media professional as a case study. (LO 1-2. 50%).

ASSESSMENT TWO: A CRITICAL EVALUATION REPORT. A 1750-word critical evaluation of your learning experience and your current position, skills development to date and a reflection of potential goals to achieve your aims. (LO 3 - 4. 50%).

You will have opportunities in workshops and tutorials to discuss and develop an understanding of the key concepts and ways in which different skills at undergraduate level can be applied to a diverse range of employment destinations and begin to think about your time studying at university and your current skills attainment. This requires you to undertake a questioning, active approach to your own learning and you will be encouraged to bring ideas to your work and to explore reflective practice. In summary, the module offers you a foundation in reflecting on new knowledge and understanding, and your own learning experiences and practices.

1. SELECT AND DEMONSTRATE APPROPRIATE STUDY SKILLS AND RESEARCH METHODS REQUIRED FOR FILM AND MEDIA AT HIGHER EDUCATION LEVEL.
ENQUIRY

2. UNDERSTAND AND DEMONSTRATE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND PRESENTATION SKILLS TO PLAN AND PREPARE A COHERENT GROUP PRESENTATION, ASSESSING KEY EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS RELATING TO A CASE STUDY MEDIA/FILM EMPLOYMENT ROLE AND INTERVIEW WITH A MEDIA PROFESSIONAL. COMMUNICATION, ENQUIRY

3. DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE AND CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING TO PERSONAL, EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYABILITY GOALS, INTERESTS AND VALUES FOR OVERALL IMPROVEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL/ACADEMIC SUCCESS WHILST ESTABLISHING A WELLBEING BALANCE.
LEARNING

4. EVALUATE YOUR PRIOR LEARNING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN RELATION TO YOUR CURRENT STUDIES AND IDENTIFY YOUR OWN STRENGTHS AND AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CRITICAL REFLECTIVE PRACTICES.
REFLECTION

Blackboard, Library, and online resources (including Box of Broadcasts), Blu-Ray/DVD/Audio/IT playback facilities.

The Blackboard virtual learning environment will be available to support this module. Details will be supplied in the module handbook.

Becker, L. & Becker, F. (2016) Seven Steps to a Successful Career, London: SAGE.
Cottrell, S. (2019) The Study Skills Handbook, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Cottrell, S. (2018) Mindfulness for Students, London: Palgrave.
Davies, R. & Sigthorrson, G. (2013) Introducing the Creative Industries, London: SAGE.
Hughes, G. (2020) Be Well, Learn Well, London: Bloomsbury/Red Globe Press.

See module handbook for a full listing of reading texts.

Film and Media Professional Development is an introduction to developing the key skills needed to successfully study film and media at undergraduate level. It is an opportunity for you to develop academically, personally, and professionally within the discipline. The module has been created to help you to improve and reflect upon your personal and academic skills and to introduce you to the skills and demands of studying the subject at Higher Education level. The emphasis is for you to take control and responsibility for your own progress, learning and research. You will also be developing your research skills and learning by interviewing a media professional in a chosen area of film, media or broadcasting.