Film, Media and Communications (inc. Public Relations)

Our Public Relations and Marketing Communications course gives you an unrivalled opportunity to study two closely aligned disciplines. You’ll gain practical experience of developing strategic PR and marketing communication solutions for live clients, creating authentic digital content for a range of social media platforms. You will also build strong links with real-world clients throughout your four years here, and we work closely with industry employers to ensure that the course teaches the skills they are looking for in graduates.

On our Media and Communications course you will study theories of media and communications and debate the role of media in economics, politics and society. You’ll also put this theoretical understanding into action through a media production strand that focuses on video, audio and online content creation. Assignments will develop the writing, management and team-working skills needed to produce imaginative and creative work of a high standard. During your degree, you will learn from and meet professionals in the fields of media and communications. In addition, you will be working with carefully selected external clients on media and communication projects. Elective modules ensure that students on this course can shape the programme towards their future career aspirations.

Our Film and Media course gives you the opportunity to study film as an artistic, cultural and commercial enterprise. You’ll engage in deep critical thinking about culture, media and society as a whole. You will develop real-world technical skills in video and media production, as well as teamwork, academic research, project management and a variety of forms of communication. Modules in the first two years will introduce you to key developments in film and media, including the emergence of cinema and the establishment of national broadcasting systems, alongside key concepts such as narrative, popular culture and citizenship. In later years you will be able to choose from a range of electives that allow you to tailor the course to your own particular interests.

All of our film, media and communications courses give you the chance to learn practical skills and approaches that will enhance your business sense and employability. Many of our students have gone on to create their own successful companies and we have an in-house Business Innovation Zone (BIZ) to help you get your enterprise up and running.

Our approach to learning and teaching

Our degrees are modular and you will benefit from a variety of teaching methods including lectures, seminars and workshops. Problem-based learning and group work are vital in developing the key skills you’ll need in the workplace. Assessment methods also vary and include written reports, client projects, content creation, essays, presentations, examinations and peer assessment.

The division has digital editing suites and post-production equipment includes Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 4.6k G2, Sony a7S, Canon 5D Mark 3, Zenmuse x5R and GoPro cameras with accessories such as shoulder rigs, cages with follow focus systems, sliders, tracks and external monitors, a variety of lighting kits (including LED and tungsten) and digital sound recording devices (Tascam and Zoom) along with shotgun, lavalier and wireless microphones, Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve Studio complete with colour-calibrated editing suites. We also have one of only two ‘infinity’ green screen facilities in Edinburgh. For photographic work, students have access to a range of cameras including Canon DSLRs with specialist lens and lighting equipment, and post-production software including Adobe Lightroom.

Across all three courses the first two years are a combination of specialist and shared modules, giving students a thorough grounding in the subject area. You will learn about the historical forces that have shaped the media industries and you will engage with debates on contemporary topics in the field. For example, this is a very apposite time to be studying the role of publicity, propaganda and social campaigning in our contemporary democracy.

The media industries are rapidly changing and we are continually updating our modules to keep up with the latest changes in the communications landscape. No matter which course you choose, you will learn about the artistic and creative digital work that shapes the societies we live in. You will also gain a wide range of transferable skills, such as creating digital content, making presentations, undertaking research, managing social media and developing client briefs, further preparing you for a variety of workplaces and careers.

Our staff are well connected to industry and employers are supportive and complimentary about what our students learn. All of our courses include specialist guest lectures from a range of practitioners and visiting professors. Furthermore, we actively encourage and support all students to gain some work experience while on their course. Public Relations students benefit from a compulsory placement while industry-based learning opportunities are an integral part of all three degrees. Our students tell us that work experience is an invaluable part of their course work, enabling them to put what they have learnt into practice and a number of students have secured permanent positions through the contacts that they have made.

Many of our students snap up the opportunity to study for a semester abroad during their course and we have University partners in Australia, Canada and the USA (subject to availability).

The majority of our staff are actively engaged in cutting-edge and inspirational research that they continually reflect in the course material. Recent and ongoing scholarship includes: critical dialogue, engagement and action research; informational justice; critical PR; melodrama in film; TV comedy; the music industry; global journalism; film festivals; and Scotland on Screen.

As a graduate of QMU you will have the skills, knowledge and experience that forward-thinking employers need. Our graduates go on to work in a variety of careers, not only in the UK, but also across the world. However, should you choose to remain in Scotland, you are well placed to benefit from job opportunities, with Edinburgh playing home to the second highest number of public and private sector headquarters in the UK after London and a growing number of film, media and communications companies are choosing to base their businesses in Scotland’s capital city.