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what and where are the best uni's for media?

39 replies

sark2 · 12/05/2011 19:57

Anyone know the best univesities for media, looking with my 17yr old, and he's actually wanting to know now!

OP posts:
petaluma · 14/05/2011 20:46

I teach Media at KS5 and would always recommend if set on studying it at HE, then the more specialised and vocational courses are by far the best bet. Ex students who have had success in the industry have studied at Ravensbourne (new facilities at Greenwich are excellent), Bournemouth, Southampton and Queen Mary's. Kings do a very good film course which is respected. All of those courses are highly practical. I would not recommend the theoretical courses at all.

The subject still has some way to go to be accepted as a valid academic subject across the board and perhaps a more diverse approach is better - a more traditional degree first but doing work experience/summer internships would be far more useful long term.

Speaking of long term, many of my friends who are/were very successful in the industry either left because they felt it a young persons' game and/or have stayed but are generally very unhappy at the way the industry has gone/is going. In addition the insecure freelance nature of the industry sees off a lot of talent. All my teaching colleagues who worked in the industry, including myself, could not sustain financial security as our families grew despite being involved in some of the most well known and respected productions/companies around (although we still do some small projects in our spare time).

I hope your dc thinks very sensibly about his long term options. Media is a fascinating, exciting and challenging course to study and industry to work in, but only the very committed, very talented and very lucky make a proper career out of it IME.

Sorry to be a bit on the negative but I see too many students wanting to work in the 'meeja' thinking it will be a doss, a bit of fun, make them famous or rich etc, so I'm always on a mission to disabuse them of that notion. ;)

NormanTebbit · 14/05/2011 21:45

Petaluma - amen to that.

I am in the process ofdoing another degree so I can train for another career. Many ex colleagues are doing the same.

It's sensible to keep options wide unless you are set on the technical side - if so, specialise, specialise, specialise.

cat64 · 14/05/2011 22:54

This reply has been deleted

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bitsyandbetty · 15/05/2011 08:06

My sister is a BBC director and got a degree from Bristol which is good because the BBC is centered around Bristol/Cardiff so it may be easier to get work experience. She stayed there. However, that was when media studies started 20 years ago. Now I would agree with the others that a traditional subject would be better. Not many of her colleagues went to Oxbridge. The most important thing though is working experience whilst you are studying. It is very hard to get in. A degree on its own will not be enough. My sister spend one year working for nothing to get experience and it is even harder now. I would suggest media studies would reduce your opportunities elsewhere as it is considered by many to be a soft subject.

DaisySteiner · 15/05/2011 09:12

Was going to mention Bristol - I have several friends who went there to do English and/or Drama and went on to get good jobs at the BBC.

Xenia · 15/05/2011 09:29

As bitsy says it's a soft subject. So get as high A levels as you can manage, get loads of work experience, get into the best university you can by its standing/status and we all know which they are Russel group etc and get as high up as you can on all those tests including degree result. Don't go to an ex poly with poor A level grades, bad verbal skills and take some toilet paper media studies thing.

LCarbury · 15/05/2011 09:40

For TV, the first skill you need is to learn how to drive. You also need to have a clean driving licence and a clean criminal record so you can easily get an I visa for the US when your job requires this, which it will. Writing is a key skill, too, so an essay-based subject is good for this. Photography also useful.

NormanTebbit · 15/05/2011 13:11

I have friend's who went to those 'new' universities so despised by mumsnet mummies who are working in 'the media right now. One is at Channel 4 news after working her backside off at a news agency for £7 an hour, graveyards shifts on tabloids etc Others hVe no degree at all Shock

In some ways journalism is still a meritocracy - they need people who get results. The pay is abysmal in the early years though.

thekidsmom · 15/05/2011 16:54

Just a word of caution on the Bristol/English option - which I agree is a fabulous route into the BBC.

My DD applied to Bristol to do English this year and they had 1300 applicants for 72 places - all at 3 As, of course. So although its ideal, its not very likely.....

Xenia · 15/05/2011 18:40

I agree but then employers know that too. If you're one of those 72 the employer knows you're special. If they will take all comers with BBB at an ex poly to read media studies then employers know you're run of the mill and don't want you so much.

Pedallleur · 15/05/2011 20:25

A friend I had at Uni (Mcr) is now head of music at a major BBC radio station. He did Media Studies BUT he lived/breathed radio. He went to the BBC school at Evesham and via production went into management. However, he really wanted it. As mentioned previously, a good Uni, strong degree may work wonders. Peter Salmon is current Head of BBC North. Have a look at his resume. Of course, goofing about with a camera may help butthere are a lot of areas in media esp. now with websites/online magazines etc

nobodysbaby · 15/05/2011 21:17

I totally agree that experience is the thing, as is displaying commitment above and beyond whichever degree course your son chooses - if he wants to be a film maker, journalist or whatever, he should be making films or writing stuff and showing it online, submitting it to competitions and so on. All of my former students who are actually working in the industry did this kind of thing.

bitsyandbetty · 15/05/2011 21:47

My ex-uni mate is now a political correspondent for the BBC (always on TV discussing what happened in Westminster and we did German, Economics and Politics at Manchester (again Russell Group). Economics and Politics may also help plus languages. Think creatively rather than just media studies. She was not the only one that went in to the BBC from that course, French also.

DontCallMePeanut · 16/05/2011 00:44

If he's interested in the Film side of things, I'm studying Film and English Studies at the UEA. Combines practical and theory stuff, and the teaching is, IMHO outstanding.

If he can keep awake during English Lit lessons...

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