The media courses at the University of the West of Scotland have been given the seal of approval by an UK-wide creative media education standards body.
The university has become the fourth educational institute in Scotland – the other three being Edinburgh Skillset Film and Media Academy, University of Abertay Dundee Skillset Media Academy and Creative Loop, comprising six further education colleges: Aberdeen, Adam Smith, Cardonald, Dundee, Perth and Reid Kerr – to be accredited by Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for Creative Media.
Skillset is an independent UK-wide organisation that is owned and managed by the creative media industries. It works with both industry and government to identify and tackle the skills and productivity needs of the creative industries throughout the UK, ensuring that they remain globally competitive.
The University of the West of Scotland Skillset Media Academy will operate across four campuses – in Ayr, Dumfries, Hamilton and Paisley – and bring together all of the university’s provision in support of the creative media sector, from its School of Creative & Cultural Industries, School of Computing, and Business School.
The courses on offer include Broadcast Production BA (Hons), Commercial Music BA (Hons), Computer Animation (with options in Digital Art / Multimedia) BSc (Hons), Computer Games Technology BSc (Hons), Digital Art BA (Hons), Film-making and Screen Writing BA (Hons), Journalism BA (Hons), Music Technology BSc (Hons), Performance BA (Hons), Sports Journalism BA (Hons), Creative Industries Practice BA (Hons), Broadcast Journalism MA and Creative Media Practice MA.
Some of the courses are linked with the Centre for Contemporary Arts, in Glasgow, the Scottish Centre for Enabling Technologies and Film City Glasgow.
What it means for students is that their first day in the UWS Skillset Media Academy can be likened to their first day in the industry. Students will learn through modules taught by industry practitioners which reflect current industry ‘best practice’.
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