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Film, Television and Digital Production

BA (Hons)

Undergraduate degree - single honours

Award
BA (Hons) Film, Television and Digital Production
School/s
Bath School of Art, Film and Media
Campus or location
Newton Park and Locksbrook Campus
Course length
Three years full time, or four years full time with professional placement year. Part time available.
UCAS codes
Institution Code: B20
Course Code: 38V4 or 38V5
Campus Code: A,BSU

Entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed under 'Typical offers' in the main column below. For combined courses, please check both subjects. If your qualification is not listed, please email admissions@bathspa.ac.uk with your specific details.

Develop, produce, direct and crew your own films, TV shows and digital content in state-of-the-art studio facilities.

  • Excellent film and TV facilities, with the latest professional equipment.
  • Staff have extensive industry experience and teach 21st-century production skills.
  • Opportunity for cross-community collaboration, for example with Scriptwriting and Drama students.

University of the Year for Social Inclusion

Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2024

#6 in the UK

for Continuation in Film Production and Photography (Guardian University Guide, 2024)

#10 in the UK

and #1 in the South West for Satisfied with Teaching in Film Production and Photography (Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2023)

With our industry connections and passion for storytelling, this BA in Film, TV and Digital Production nurtures the next generation of filmmaking talent. Whether you're directing drama, producing inspiring documentaries, taking a lead in our industry-standard television studios or creating motion graphics and visual effects, we help you learn your craft and develop your ideas.

We'll give you the skillset and the mindset to make television, film and digital content, in studio and on location, for distribution across multiple platforms.

Whether you want to be an industry all-rounder or specialise in a particular role, this course immerses you in both practice and theory. Don't know which area you want to specialise in yet? Our course allows you to experience all aspects of the film, television and digital production workflow in the first year, before specialising as you progress.

Taught by staff who have worked in the Creative Industries regionally and nationally, you'll have the opportunity to collaborate with students from other disciplines, with other creatives from Bath Spa, and with the community as a whole.


Head over to our Instagram to see more of our students' work.


"Thank you for everything over the three years I have been at Bath Spa. I couldn’t have chosen a better course and have been extremely lucky to have a team of lecturers and staff like yourself to teach me, so for that I am very grateful!"

Tabitha Clarke, Graduate - Production Assistant Marvel Studios

Open Days

Get a taste of life at Bath Spa – come to one of our Open Days.

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What you'll learn

Overview

In the first two years, you'll gain a grounding in the core elements relating to film, television and digital production. As you progress, you'll have the opportunity to specialise, and create an individualised programme of work tailored to your interests.

You'll develop practical and creative projects highlighting your technical and craft skills. Alongside this you'll demonstrate critical and theoretical understanding. Throughout the course, you'll have opportunities to work on group and individual projects, enhancing your skills and creative ideas.

You'll learn skills for working life, such as decision making in complex and unpredictable contexts, working in groups, and making use of technical and creative resources.

You'll become a socially engaged global citizen, with intercultural and global understandings and perspectives, and an awareness of innovation and social entrepreneurship.

Course structure

Year one
In the first year you'll study three pathways; single camera production, TV studio production and digital production. Within these pathways you'll engage in contextual work, including film and TV theory and formats, narrative theory and socially conscious social media content creation.

Year two
You'll continue your work in single camera production and advanced TV production. You'll create fiction and non-fiction content, working collaboratively in studios and on location. You'll begin to work towards specialising in specific roles such as cinematography, sound or editing. The optional module system will then allow you to begin to define your chosen pathway and might include areas such as visual effects, motion graphics, screenwriting or global cinemas.

Year three
Your final year will be project-led. You'll have the opportunity to engage in collaborative productions, undertake in-depth post-production activities, and complete individualised practice-based projects. In these projects you'll benefit from close staff supervision. You'll also develop your skills for industry including developing your CV, showreel, and preparation for approaching employers.

How will I be taught?

This film and TV production degree is delivered primarily through practical workshops. These are supported by lectures, seminars and tutorials.

You'll work individually and in groups, encouraging you to work effectively as a collaborative group member. You’ll also get the chance to lead – as a director or producer. You'll be taught how to manage your time effectively. You’ll also be shown how to use industry standard planning documents and approaches to project management. You'll benefit from visiting industry speakers and practical industry workshops.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment is through coursework. This will be a combination of project and group work, practice-based portfolios, seminar presentations and individual essays.

Course modules

This course offers or includes the following modules. The modules you take will depend on your pathway or course combination (if applicable) as well as any optional or open modules chosen. Please check the programme document for more information.

Year one (Level 4) modules
  • Short Film Production: Drama
  • Short Film Production: Documentary
  • Introduction to Studio Production 1
  • Introduction to Studio Production 2
  • Digital Creativity and Content Creation
  • The Moving Image
Year two (Level 5) modules
  • Specialist Roles in Filmmaking
  • Advanced Short Film Production
  • Advanced Studio Production 1
  • Visual Effects 1
  • Advanced Studio Production 2
  • Visual Effects 2
  • Scripting for Screen
  • Key Movements in World Cinema
  • Sports Podcasting and Social Media
  • Professional Placement Year
Year three (Level 6) modules
  • Major Project: Short Form Drama Film Production
  • Major Project: Short Form Documentary Making
  • Major Project: Live and Recorded Production
  • Industry Research Project
  • Advanced Visual Effects
  • Advanced Post Production I
  • Advanced Post Production II
  • Sports Journalism
  • Music for Screen
  • Digital Innovation and Enterprise

Opportunities

Study abroad

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

Fieldwork

You’ll have amazing opportunities to film in a variety of locations in the region as part of your single camera work. We also visit commercial TV studios.

Previous students have filmed in a variety of historic and cultural areas such as Bath and Bristol city centres, and in beautiful rural countryside in the West of England.

Work placements, industry links and internships

There are opportunities throughout the programme to embark on work placements, subject to your interests and availability.

Careers

The broad nature of the course has facilitated a wide range of employment opportunities for our students.

Our students have gone on to work at:

  • BBC
  • ITV
  • Netflix
  • Framestore
  • Marvel
  • Bristol Bears
  • Films@59
  • Sky
  • OneTribeTV
  • Studio Lambert.

They have worked in varied roles including:

  • Production managers
  • Editors
  • Social media content creators
  • Assistant directors
  • Motion graphics artists
  • Production coordinators.

We also have students who have started their own companies and businesses.

Global Citizenship

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

Adobe Creative Campus

Develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills that you can take into your future career. One of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, we provide all Bath Spa students with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite, giving you the tools to communicate creatively, whatever your course or chosen professional field.   

Professional placement year

Overview

This optional placement year provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Preparation

Before your Professional Placement Year, you'll work to secure your placement, constructing a development plan with your module leader and your placement coordinator from our Careers and Employability team.

How will I be assessed?

On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.

Facilities and resources

Where the subject is taught

You'll be taught at Newton Park campus. Your learning will take place at a variety of facilities and locations, which could include:

Resources

The Newton Park studio complex provides two TV studios and a gallery which allows for live vision mixing. The studio has a number of HD digital cameras and a variety of lighting rigs.

In addition there is a series of TV production suites consisting of post-production rooms for editing video clips such as news bites or other video inserts for inclusion in live, multi camera, studio-based programmes.

For location based, single camera shooting, you can hire out equipment using SISO, Bath Spa University’s free equipment loan service.

Film and TV facilities

You'll work in a professional environment with industry-level equipment, truly preparing you for a career in the industry. Our electronic, multi-camera TV studios rival those used by commercial organisations and broadcast companies. They’re equipped to exceed industry standard and have both blue and green screen capability.

As a student at Bath Spa, you'll be able to benefit from the studios, the studio gallery equipped with three HD camera channels, our nine HD-capable edit suites, a viewing theatre offering viewing for 2D, 3D, 4k (ultra-HD) and HD presentations, and two mixing rooms.

Fees

2024 entry
Student Annual tuition fee
UK full time £9,250
UK part time £4,625
International full time £16,905

Professional Placement Year

During the placement year, the fee is reduced to 20% of the full time fee. This applies to UK and EU/International students.

  • UK: £1,850
  • International: £3,381

Interested in applying?

What we look for in potential students

We need you to be motivated, committed, prepared to work with others, and above all, adaptable and flexible.

The film, media and digital landscape is dynamic; you’ll need to be responsive and agile to prepare for the industry and develop a career in it.

Typical offers

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below:

  • A Level – grades BBB-BCC preferred.
  • BTEC – Extended Diploma grades from Distinction Distinction Merit (DDM) to Distinction Merit Merit (DMM) accepted in any subject.
  • T Levels – grade Merit preferred.
  • International Baccalaureate – a minimum of 32 points are required.
  • Access to HE courses – typical offers for applicants with Access to HE will be the Access to HE Diploma or Access to HE Certificate (60 credits, 45 of which must be Level 3, at Merit or higher).

If you don’t meet the entry requirements above, we may be able to accept your prior learning or experience from outside of formal education. See our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) page to learn more.

English Language Requirements for International and EU Applicants

IELTS 6.0 - for visa nationals, with a minimum score of IELTS 5.5 in each element.

Course enquiries

For further information about the programme or entry requirements, please email us at admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.

How do I apply?

Ready to apply? Click the "apply now" button in the centre of this page.

Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply pages. 

Interview and portfolio guidance

To help us find the right students, and for you to find out if we’re the right course for you, we hold a number of interview days at our Newton Park campus between mid December and mid April each year. 

Please provide a digital portfolio containing examples of moving image and/or audio productions and/or related materials in advance that we'll watch, listen to and discuss during your interview. The portfolio can include a wide range of methods and different materials and processes outside of moving image; for example, photography, written work, theatre work or sound design that demonstrates your engagement with parallel creative fields. We don't require previous film production experience to apply for the course and encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.  

If you don't have a portfolio, you can still attend an interview and be selected for the course. The portfolio is recommended, as it gives us a glimpse of your proficiencies and interests. If you’re invited to interview, you’ll receive detailed guidance on the interview process and the full expectations for the portfolio. 

Get ahead

Any practical experience in filmmaking and post-production you acquire will support your application and enrich your experience in the first year.

Course contact: Sam Wilkins
Email: s.wilkins@bathspa.ac.uk

Website feedback to web@bathspa.ac.uk