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Creative Media Practice BTEC

The Creative Media Practice qualification equips students with professional skills to work in the media and creative industries. The course is 100% practical and all work is assessed internally by the course teachers. Students will have the opportunity to progress to university study or apprenticeships in the creative sector.

Students will gain substantial experience in using a variety of media software and hardware including cameras, video editing, graphic design and audio production. Using these resources, students will produce a variety of projects across a range of media including adverts, music videos, short films, documentaries, posters and radio segments. Within each unit, there will be three practical media tasks. For one of these tasks, students have the opportunity to choose their focus, depending on which area of production suits them.

Qualifications & Assessments

Exam Board Pearson
Level Level 3
Qualification National Diploma
Assessment Method 100% Internally Assessed Coursework
Entry Requirements Entry Requirements
Photograph of Media Production students in the TV studio.

Year 1

In the first year of the course, students will attend weekly skills workshops to develop their skills in video, print, audio and photographic production. These are core skills which will underpin the development of the practical projects throughout the year. There are two large units whereby students will produce a variety of media to meet the objectives:

  • Advertising (TV, print, radio and social media)
  • Short Film Production (film, marketing, trailers)

Year 2

The second year of the course will build on the skills gained in the first year. Students will produce more advanced media and will undertake the following units:

  • Music Marketing (music video, posters, photography, journalism)
  • Factual Production (documentary, posters, radio documentary)
  • TV Studio Production (live recording of a teen lifestyle programme)

The pathway allows learners to focus on the film and TV sectors within the creative industries. The qualification meets admission requirements for a range of related higher education courses such as:

  • BA (Hons) Media Studies
  • BA (Hons) Computer Animation
  • BA (Hons) Media Production
  • BA (Hons) Film
  • BA (Hons) Digital Television Production
  • BSc (Hons) Broadcast Audio Technology

A significant proportion of careers in the media industry are at graduate level, but achievement of this qualification will also support those who choose to progress directly to employment. Learners develop employability skills and knowledge through contextual projects which build their communication skills and ability to work collaboratively, as well as developing practical skills in digital media hardware, software and processes. This would give learners an advantage when applying for entry level roles in the industry such as a runner or production assistant within a television or film production company. Apprenticeships are also a popular route for our students, and we have in the past had success with students who have gone onto Apprenticeships with the BBC at Media City.

Students will have the opportunity to attend local film festivals, cinema trips and the departmental annual trip to New York. For more information about the New York trip please see the Trips and Travel page

Previous trips have included visits to the BBC in Media City, The Sharp Project and London.

I’m happy Media has given me a bridge to the future, and has provided me with an option for something I will enjoy doing after college, and something I intend to make a career out of. 10/10 would recommend.

Harry

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News & Blog

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A group of our computing and IT students recently went on a trip to MBDA in Bolton. There they had a tour of the facility where they construct missiles for the defence industry. The students were really engaged, asking lots of questions and getting a lot of facts.

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After careful consideration, Aquinas College has decided to discontinue our presence on X/Twitter. The platform no longer aligns with our values as an educational institution committed to fostering respect, inclusivity and thoughtful engagement. To prevent any misuse of our identity, we will retain the account but have discontinued all activity.

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