Professional Media Practice: Skillset Short Courses for Media Professionals

Why study Professional Media Practice short courses at University College Falmouth?

University College Falmouth's Skillset short courses in Professional Media Practice are designed by industry for industry. Flexible, practical and cutting edge, courses offer creative stimulation and hands-on skills development.

Today's media industry is a multiplatform, multichannel world characterised by social media, interactivity, and user-generated content. Hungry for fresh ideas and new content, it offers all kinds of creative and business opportunities. Our short courses in Professional Media Practice are designed to explore these new challenges and help you to develop the creativity, confidence and new skills you need to make the most of this rapidly evolving landscape.

Each course has been developed closely with expert industry partners. Wherever you live or work in the UK, these courses are highly accessible, delivered via one short, face-to-face workshop with full online support. Skillset bursaries are available to fund up to 80% of your costs

University College Falmouth is part of the Cornwall Skillset Media Academy network - a UK-wide group of institutions identified as centres of excellence in creative media education and training.

Courses

Developing Multiplatform Ideas

Next course dates: 19 - 21 March 2010, plus 8 weeks online

What is multiplatform? What makes a strong multiplatform project? How can you develop great cutting edge ideas, then frame and pitch them to get commissions?

Richard Williams (Head of Multiplatform Productions at BBC Vision) will equip you to face current industry challenges during a 2-day residential, followed by 7 weeks of part-time supported learning online.

This new course is aimed at experienced producers and creatives (television, film, music, commercials, publishing and other specialisms) who want to develop their understanding of multiplatform.

You should have at least two years' professional experience in media production. The course advances rapidly, so you will need to be up to speed with existing production methods. No existing knowledge of multiplatform production is required.

Visit the Developing Multiplatform Ideas course page for more information and how to apply

Storyboarding - From Idea to Animatic

Next course dates: 18-20 June 2010, plus 7 weeks online

What makes an effective storyboard? How can you use storyboards to sequence and hone that great animation idea?

Developed in consultation with Aardman Animations and delivered by award-winning animator Derek Hayes, this course offers a 2-day residential, followed by 7 weeks of part-time supported learning online.

This new course is aimed at experienced visual artists and storytellers (e.g. animators, designers, illustrators, artists and filmmakers) who want to work as story artist and animation director within the film/visual effects, gaming, television, multimedia and corporate industries.

You should have at least two years' professional experience in media production. The course advances rapidly, so you will need to understand creative media production methods. No previous knowledge of storyboarding is required.

Visit the Storyboarding - From Idea to Animatic course page for more information and how to apply

Business Writing for Online

Next course dates: 25-27 June 2010, plus 7 weeks online

What makes great writing online? How can you structure and devise original content to increase web traffic and generate revenue?

Whatever business you're in, this course will show you how to reach the widest possible market online, making your writing clearer, more powerful and effective. The course starts at a 2-day residential, followed by 7 weeks of part-time supported learning online.

This new course is aimed at content creators from a wide range of backgrounds including journalism, research, production, writing, PR and marketing. You should have some experience in writing, and at least two year's professional experience in an area of creative media production.

Visit the Business Writing for Online course page for more information and how to apply

Facilities

The courses utilise University College Falmouth's first-class Media, Design and Photography resources

Accreditation

These courses are accredited by Skillset as Skillset Media Academies' CPD Short Courses. You can take just one course or you can work towards a qualification.

The courses consist of a series of 20 credit units (each equivalent to 200 hours of study time). You can take one unit or several, making your choice according to your own individual needs and interests. Each unit offers you the chance to get 20 credits at Master's level, so if you want, you can put a number together and gain a recognised, university accredited qualification:

• Three successful courses (60 credits) gives you a Postgraduate Certificate
• Six successful courses (120 credits) gives you a Postgraduate Diploma
• You can choose to take an additional 60-credit unit that will give you a full MA qualification

All units are accredited, but you can choose to attend any of the short courses to gain new knowledge and skills without submitting an assignment or working towards a qualification. We understand that for many media professionals the academic award is less important than the opportunity to gain new knowledge and prepare for new challenges and opportunities, so you can choose to register for just one individual unit if desired.

Course fees

The cost of each short course is £800.

Local accommodation is available to suit your budget. Accommodation costs for the residential are not included in the course fee.

Skillset bursaries are available to fund up to 80% of your costs.

Contact

Visit our Professional Media Practice website for more information about the Skillset short courses and to apply.

To find out more, contact Chris Truran, Course Leader for Skillset short courses at University College Falmouth, email chris.truran@falmouth.ac.uk. Chris can explore with you how best our courses can meet your needs.

To find out more about Skillset:

Skillset Media Academies

Skillset training bursaries