The division has digital editing suites and
post-production facilities where students
have access to Adobe creative editing
software including Adobe Premiere, After
Effects, Photoshop and Audition.
Production equipment includes Canon
5D Mark 3, Sony Alpha 7S, Zenmuse
x5R and GoPro cameras with
accessories such as shoulder rigs,
sliders, tracks and external monitors,
semi-pro news-gathering cameras (P2
and AVCHD), a variety of lighting kits
(including LED and tungsten) and digital
sound recording devices (Tascam and
Zoom). Students also have access to a
green screen studio. 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.
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 a semester abroad
during their course and we have
University partners in Australia, Canada
and the USA (subject to availability).
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Research
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.
Career prospects
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 media and communications
companies choosing to base their
businesses in Scotland’s capital city.