MA Post Production Editing

• Editing Practice & Debate: Investigate the history, theory, technology and practice of editing in this series of lectures, workshops and collaborative production. You will learn how to work effectively as a creative collaborator with students from the other production disciplines and to master the technological frameworks and expectations of the role. This leads to you developing your first portfolio of edits and your ability to analyse them in the context of the wider world of editing. 
• Storytelling: This unit aims to examine concepts of storytelling across audio visual formats, cultures and production industries. You’ll engage with practice research methodologies to critically engage with a diverse range of narrative forms and approaches.. 
• Editing Experiment & Enquiry: Learn how to analyse editing like a professional and to develop your own approaches to and theories of editing. Through lectures, discussions, workshops exercises and collaborative production work you will research and experiment, explore, challenge and extend the language of montage and your own voice as an editor.
• Approaches to Industry: An introduction to key skills and knowledge you'll need for employment in the media industries. An opportunity to develop your ambitions and strategies for entering the creative industries wherever you choose.
• Media Production Masters Project: This unit allows you to utilise the editing skills, knowledge and professional competence you’ve gained on this course to work individually or in collaboration with a production team of other students to develop a portfolio and analysis of your editing work, or an individually or collaboratively written thesis. 

Throughout the first two semesters, you will be trained in the use of AVID Media Composer in dedicated workshops. You may then choose to seek AVID Certified User status by completing the AVID 101 and 110 exams. 

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the university's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

The admissions team will look at your online application including your qualifications, personal statement and any work experience. Please make sure your application stands out from the crowd and leaves us in no doubt that you want to study at Bournemouth University.

Please see our website for the application deadlines. You should apply as early as possible to be considered for your course of choice. If you require a student visa, apply for the visa as soon as you have an unconditional offer and receive your CAS. There may be delays in visa processing in your country and you need to be in Bournemouth ready to study for the start of term.

Click the green ‘Apply now’ button to submit your application free of charge online through myHub, our application portal. You will create your own myHub account so that you can track the progress of your application. Don’t forget to save your application as you go; you can return to it at as many times as you want before you submit it. For more information visit our How to apply section.

This course has compulsory elements involving practical production activities. When required, students must complete a health and safety risk assessment to take part in these activities, for their safety and that of others. As part of that assessment students provide information about any conditions or disabilities that might affect their ability to undertake these activities fully or safely. 

If you have such a condition or disability, please let us know as soon as possible. You can contact our Additional Learning Support (ALS) service about this before or after making an application. We will then work with you to identify any support or adjustments you would need. Our ALS team works with the Faculty to seek to put in place reasonable adjustments and health and safety plans.

Exceptionally, it may not be possible to arrange for a student to access these courses without either over-riding their core standards or competencies or creating unacceptable risks to health and safety. If that is the case we will help you explore alternative course choices.

You are required to have your own laptop that meets the below criteria: 

• Operating System: Mac OS or Windows 10 
• Either Intel or AMD multi-core/ thread processor (6 or 8 cores) 
• A discrete GPU is preferred 
• 16GB RAM (or more) 
• 15 inch screen minimum 
• Portable HDDs for backup 

The following software will be required: 

• AVID Media Composer (We recommend that you subscribe once you are at university. This ensures you have the current version and support. The cost is approximately £10/pcm. 
• Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve (Free) 
• (Photoshop, After Effects) (optional) 

The normal requirements for embarking upon a postgraduate taught degree are:

• A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 or equivalent in any subject, or equivalent

If you lack the formal academic qualifications needed to enter a postgraduate or post-experience degree, there are several alternative routes to follow - some based on experience. Contact the Future Students Enquiry Team for more information.

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry:

• India: Bachelor’s degree (4 years) from a recognised HE institution with a minimum overall result of 55% 
• Nigeria:  Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution with a minimum classification of 2:2 
• China:  Chinese Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised higher education institution with 65% or above 
• Turkey: Bachelor’s degree (Lisans Diplomasi - four years) with a minimum overall GPA of 2.3/4.0 
• Vietnam:  Bachelor's degree/Bang tot nghiep dai hoc with an average score of 6.5/10, or 2.25/4, or a Master’s degree/Thac si. 

All applications will be subject to a minimum grade and your degree may need to be in a relevant subject area.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in writing, speaking, listening and reading, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level. 

Sam Drake BA (Hons) Television Production student worked with RedBalloon on the Body Parts Exhibition, London.

"I joined RedBalloon in the summer of 2019 and was able to get involved with the Body Parts Exhibition, London. RedBalloon had created a documentary looking at the reality of living life as a Paralympian, to be showcased in London. I was a runner at the exhibition and got some hands-on experience liaising with clients and conducting interviews with some of the artists. Executive Producer, Stephanie Farmer, was aware I wanted to pursue the career of a Television Producer and gave me the opportunity to get involved with the filming of the event, discussing narrative points with me. Once back from London, I worked in the RedBalloon office editing suite to create a cut of the exhibition film. This was a challenging task, working under the guidance of Stephanie and the client to ensure the film accurately showcased the event.

"My time at RedBalloon was both enjoyable and challenging. I felt like I was getting involved in the production thoroughly, as opposed to being used to do menial tasks. I enjoyed the production of the Body Parts event in London as I got to try a selection of roles and work alongside talented professionals.

"RedBalloon has equipped me with invaluable practical skills and experience I can apply to future productions. Having an award-winning production agency enhances my CV, showing potential employers a strong work ethic with a reputable company. RedBalloon allows students to work with a professional production company to experience what working in the industry will be like. It is a great feature of the Media and Communications faculty at Bournemouth University, equipping students with skills beyond graduation."

Dimitra Margaritidou MA Sound Design for Film and Television student worked with RedBalloon as a sound designer.

"I worked in RedBalloon as a sound designer in two different projects. The first one was an animation with a battle scene taking place in a medieval castle. The second one was an augmented reality project in a tin mine with a focus on ambient sounds. My main role was to help source sound FX, record some additional Foley sounds, edit them and work with the professional RedBalloon editor to lay down the final mix.

"Working with RedBalloon was a great experience. I enjoyed being part of a professional team and developing my skills at sound design. Also, combining studying with a work placement helped me develop my time management skills. Furthermore, working in collaborative projects with students from other departments is a good way of having new contacts for future projects.

"While working for RedBalloon I developed my professional and communication skills as I was part of a professional project. Moreover, apart from the skills that I acquired, my CV is more enhanced.

"I believe that having RedBalloon in the faculty is very beneficial as it provides students with an insight of how the media industry works before they graduate. Also, it gives them the chance to actively participate in the field and get hands-on experience with working conditions.

"I would highly advise other students to look for opportunities offered by RedBalloon as they can gain relevant experience on their filed of interest whilst studying, work under a professional environment and enhance their CV at their same time."

Jemma Wood BA (Hons) Television Production had the opportunity to work as a mentor on the Breda University of Applied Science project (BUAS) as part of RedBalloon Productions.

"The BUAS project involved mentoring a group of 40 Dutch students from the University of Breda, completing one of their university units in BU’s live television studio. My role was to facilitate the students in any way I could as most of them hadn't been in a studio environment before. I supported them to source contributors and locations, assisted with paperwork in order to film field segments, helped them to buy props and advised in the studio.

"I really enjoy working for RedBalloon, it’s a great way to be able to get some really valuable experience and meet some amazing people at the entry level I am currently at. I enjoy being able to share my passion with other like-minded individuals. Throughout the project, I found taking a step back most challenging and letting the students learn from their mistakes. It was great after to help them understand why they made that mistake and how to prevent doing it again. It is also great making contacts with students from other countries, I have many of them on LinkedIn so we can stay in touch for the future." 

Jemma has also worked for RedBalloon as a Producer, creating a charity promo film for children who have survived brain tumour.

"RedBalloon is a great thing to have in the faculty, often in this industry getting work experience is very difficult as you have to have experience to be able to get experience. RedBalloon gave me the chance I needed to get some real experience and enhance my CV to help me stand out from the crowd. It's an amazing thing to get involved with at university, it could be the first ‘real‘ (production) experience you get which can lead onto further opportunities."

Roles our Post Production Editing graduates are now undertaking include: 

• Post Production Assistant 
• Assistant Editor 
• Digital Technician 
• Editor 
• Video Editor 

• Television / Broadcast / Online 
• Film 
• Commercial 
• News, Current Affairs and Sport 
• Digital 
• Education 

If you want to continue your studies after achieving your Master’s, you can look into our range of doctoral programmes.

What’s included in your tuition fee?

• AVID Media Composer Fundamentals 1: Training and examination

Please note: it is mandatory for all students on the course to supply a laptop and certain essential software. We will send you further details nearer the start of the course and it is expected that it will cost approximately £2,000.

Production costs

The cost of making films and television programmes on the course can vary. How much you spend doesn't affect the assessment of your work and some good productions are often produced for very little money. The focus and attention on the course is developing your learning and your projects are the vehicles for that to flourish. BU provides all the kit and facilities you need.

As a student at BU we will provide many things to support you and there will also be additional costs you may encounter whilst studying at BU. The information below will help you understand our provision and what you need to budget for.

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity.
• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study.
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service.
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces.
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow.
• Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances.
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills.
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of text books and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies. 
• Accommodation and living costs. Please visit our website for more information.
• ​Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately.
• ​Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) if this is part of your course of study. Placement year funding information can be found on our website.
• Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study. 
• SportBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

If you need to repeat one or more units during the course of your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full time fee.

We offer a range of scholarships to eligible students who are beginning their studies at BU. Please visit our funding pages for details on living costs, budgeting and paying your tuition fees.

International (not Rep. of Ireland) students need to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. For September 2024 and January 2025 entry, a £5,000 deposit is required. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment. There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit:

• You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
• You are refused a visa to enter the UK, provided the reason for the refusal is not a fraudulent application.

Szilvia Ruszev is a film editor, media artist and researcher working across media.

Her broader research interest is situated in the field of cinema and media studies, new materialism and digital studies intersecting various methodologies of a creative critical praxis. Some of the recurring themes in her research are sensuous knowledge, expanded montage theories, and politics of post-cinema with a specific focus on the entanglement of networked technologies, capitalism and representation of social categories such as race, class and gender.

Karl began his career in broadcasting as a Trainee Tape Operator for the BBC at London’s iconic Television Centre in 1990. While the intervening years have seen many major technological developments – stereo sound, widescreen, digital and HD broadcasting – the technical and creative grounding this gave him informs his approach to teaching the next generations of production and post-production talent. Karl’s time working in television production included editing a vast range of content, from drama and sitcom to documentary and current affairs to children’s and entertainment programmes for all of the major broadcasters. Karl went on to direct and produce both pre-recorded and live children’s television. As an educator, Karl has taught school, college, undergraduate and postgraduate students from across the UK and around the world who have gone on to forge their own careers in broadcasting and film.

Rebecca is an experienced producer director specialising in factual television, documentaries, current affairs and commercials. She has made many award-winning (Bafta, Emmy, RTS) television series including Brat Camp for Channel 4, Little Angels (BBC), That’ll Teach ‘Em (BBC), A Place in Italy (Channel 4) and The Hotel Inspector (Channel 5) for which she was instrumental creating the primetime format.

As a series producer at Al Jazeera, she was part of the network’s launch in 2006 and responsible for its flagship current affairs show. Rebecca has also worked on many high-profile television commercials including Johnnie Walker’s Personal Journeys: Keep Walking campaign broadcast globally on CNN and Discovery and Nissan’s Adventures on the 24th Parallel campaign produced by RSA Films and sponsor of TV drama 24.

Filming work has taken her all over the world and she has made documentaries and television commercials in French, Italian, Spanish, Turkish and Arabic.