Work placement

Placements are a valuable means of establishing industrial contacts and gaining an insight into the commercial reality of a chosen discipline. We have a long history of students working with industry supplementing the taught university curriculum with real life on the job experience.

This has seen students working right across the creative industries sector: in graphic, product and interior design consultancies, working as artist in residence in galleries, producing props and sets for the film & TV industry, shadowing teachers in education, working with commercial photographers through to students working right across the Music industry.

We expect students interested in obtaining a work placement; to be proactive, to self-initiate this interest and to communicate and work with programme staff in their identification of companies and organisations that are able to provide the appropriate range of experiences and opportunities.

We value the opportunity and benefits of the placement experience highly and as such, we encourage all students to consider obtaining a placement as part of their course. However, we recognise that this may not be a viable option for a number of reasons. In addition, we are not able to guarantee that all students will undertake a work placement as part of their studies.

Careers

Teaching methods

First Year

In year 1 you develop skills and understanding of the processes used to create digital images, to work with digital video, animation and sound, and to make interactive media. You analyse and discuss existing interactive media as a way of getting better at making your own work and making sure that it communicates well.
Your studies include such topics as:

• experiments in animation, audiovisual production and interactive narrative
• fundamentals of interactive design and ActionScript programming and web design
• authoring and coding software to control the flow of images and sounds
• analysis of user experience, responses and needs
• study of the multimedia field, its industries and its practitioners

Second Year

In year 2 you can start to specialise in particular areas of multimedia, or develop as an all rounder. This means that many year two projects are influenced by the things you want to learn more about and the career direction you want to take. Creative work develops your skills further to meet the challenge of more complex problems.
Your studies include modules which:

• extend and deepen your knowledge of multimedia applications
• explore professional studies of the multimedia industries and current media debates
• simulate media industry by experiences of group work and ‘live’ projects
• explore theories of narrative, gaming and interface design
• consider ideas about ‘good design’ and the needs of users

Final Year

The final year of Multimedia Design includes a major project which you propose and define, discussing the ideas with your tutors and defining the audience and market for the work and how it fits in with your career aspirations. A dissertation explores some of the technical, cultural or theoretical issues involved in your project, showing your ability to conduct an enquiry and write about your findings.
Your studies include modules which:

• involve work for a competition, festival, an outside client or professional body
• broaden your ideas by looking at cutting edge and visionary new media technologies
• prepare you for employment through portfolio development and careers advice

On completion of your final year, you will be equipped to enter the media industries as a professional interactive-media producer/designer or, if you wish, to continue your studies at postgraduate level.

Course structure

Detailed information about the structure of the course and the modules you will study.