Documentary Production for TV, Film and Digital Media

University of Salford

United Kingdom, Salford

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Home/United Kingdom/Salford /University of Salford/Documentary Production for TV, Film and Digital Media

University of Salford

United Kingdom , Salford

Key Facts

Program Level

Master by Course Work

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 1 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 17,520 / years

Next Intake September-2026

Documentary Production for TV, Film and Digital Media

About

Introduction

In a nutshell

Do you have a passion for documentary filmmaking and telling stories where real life is often stranger than fiction? Do you want to shed light on the pressing social issues? On our MA Documentary Filmmaking course, we’ll help you hone your voice as a documentary filmmaker and guide you as you take those first steps into the industry. Whether it’s a one-hour documentary or a five-minute film, you will learn the craft of documentary filmmaking: how to tell a cracking story and keep your audience on the edge of their seats.

From specialist factual to factual entertainment and from reality TV to current affairs, you’ll also benefit from a range of industry engagement and live brief opportunities, which will enable you to work on real world projects.

As part of this master’s degree in documentary filmmaking you’ll receive expert instruction and guidance from working producers and filmmakers, who will be able to provide you with the concepts, techniques and processes that are key to the TV documentary form.

In addition to quality teaching and a wealth of opportunities, this course has an enviable reputation for producing award winning films (Previous students have been nominated for RTS Student TV Awards and won the prestigious BBC Arabic Film Festival). Many graduates have gone on to work for BBC, ITV independent production companies in the UK and internationally.

What’s more, you’ll be able to take advantage of the TV production grade facilities that our exciting MediaCity campus has to offer, collaborating with your fellow students to produce innovative content. And studying at Salford is about much more than the course. You’ll be located at the heart of one of the country’s most reputable media hubs, where you’ll join a vibrant community of practicing creatives.

Want to find out more about our master’s degree in documentary filmmaking? Why not sign up to an Open Day.

International applicants: Please check the international intakes page for the latest information and application dates.

You will:

Specialise in the areas of documentary filmmaking that interest you
Gain industry advice from major broadcasters in how to build your career
Learn from award winning documentary filmmakers who will help you transition to working in the TV and film industry
Engage with and pitch ideas to production companies In MediaCity
Learn cutting-edge TV documentary production techniques using the latest technologies
Graduate with a strong portfolio of work that can be used for employment or further study

International

students accepted

This is for you if...

You want to launch a professional career in TV documentary production

You want to develop your skills as a visual storyteller working on a wide range of factual films

You want to build a portfolio of professional work that can be used to enhance your employability.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Requirements

What you need to know

APPLICANT PROFILE

To gain a place on this course, youâll have to submit a personal statement and meet our entry requirements when you apply.

Within your personal statement (up to 500 words), weâll want to understand:

What motivates you and where do your interests in television, film and media creation lie; whether thatâs scriptwriting, filming, producing or editing, for example?
What have you been involved with in the past and what did you do?
Are you a creative thinker and how do you develop ideas?
Do you have any knowledge of the industry for drama; are there any projects that inspire you?
Why do you want to work in the film and TV sector?
Why is the University of Salford and this MA Documentary Production for TV, Film and Digital Media the right choice for your future goals?

Standard entry requirements

To join this MA you should have a second class honours degree, 2:2 or above, with an appropriate amount of media production, technology and design experience.

International Students

International applicants will be required to show a proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 6.5, with no element below 5.5, is proof of this.

We accept qualifications from all around the world. Find your country to see a full list of entry requirements.

We also accept a range of other English language qualifications. If you do not have the English language requirements, you could take our Pre-Sessional English course.

Alternative entry requirements

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

We welcome applications from students who may not have formal/traditional entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully.

The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process could help you to make your work and life experience count. The APL process can be used for entry onto courses or to give you exemptions from parts of your course.

Two forms of APL may be used for entry: the Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).

English Program Requirements

Equivalent qualifications

English language requirements are shown on individual course pages. Generally, this is shown as an IELTS grade, however we accept a range of equivalent qualifications.

As a general guide:

For undergraduate courses we require IELTS 6.0 (with a minimum 5.5 in each component) or equivalent

For postgraduate courses, we require IELTS 6.0 (with a minimum 5.5 in each component) or equivalent

For the International Foundation Year, we require IELTS 4.5 (with a minimum 4.0 in each component) in UKVI IELTS for UKVI (Academic)

The approved equivalent qualifications list includes the following:

Secure English Language Tests (SELTs)

University of Salford English language courses

Regional-based qualifications

Majority English Speaking Countries as deemed by UKVI

Medium of English Institutions

Applicants who require a Student Route visa to study in the UK may require evidence of a Secure English Language test rather than an examination or qualification due to visa requirements, as deemed by the UK Government Home Office, Visa and Immigration (UKVI).

Career

Employment and stats

What about after uni?

EMPLOYMENT

If you’ve always wanted to work in TV documentary production, this MA documentary filmmaking course will open up a range of exciting career opportunities. With the knowledge, practical skills and confidence gained throughout their degree, many of our recent graduates have gone on to secure professional roles in a variety of areas, including producing, directing and journalism.

On this MA we bring industry into the classroom. You will be working up close with documentary makers, producers and directors and you will find out how to put together a gripping story that will hook your viewers.

This MA will give you an insight into the industry so that you can apply for jobs and start in them as soon as you finish the course. Many of our MA alumni have done exactly that.

Graduates of this course have also forged successful careers in broadcasting, with roles including camera operators, editors and sound assistants, while others are currently employed by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and a range of independent media companies across the UK.

FURTHER STUDY

Graduates showing strong academic and research skills can pursue a further academic research path through our doctoral (PhD) programmes on a full-time or part-time basis subject to a satisfactory proposal.

Career Links

To develop your skills and employability, there are opportunities on our media production courses to work on live briefs and gain valuable work experience. Previous students have worked with:

CBBC
Framestore
BBC Writersroom
BBC Natural History Unit
Nine Lives Media production company
Sumners Post Production Facility House
BBC Fast Train, BBC Academy, BBC Red Nose Day and BBC Turn Up the Talent
Sheffield Documentary Festival, Salford Media Festival, One World Media Festival
The following prominent speakers have delivered guest lectures:
Joe Godwin (Director of BBC Childrens)
Steve Hewlett (Media commentator / Guardian Columnist)
Tony Palmer (Documentary filmmaker)
Jackie Priddle (Aardman Animation Producer)
BBC Stepping Out and Audience Research Team