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Master of Arts (MA) in Film and Creative Media

  • Overview
  • Course Content
  • Structure
  • Career Opportunities
  • Fees
  • Next Steps

Film and Creative Media

Overview

The Master of Arts in Film and Creative Media (90 ECTS, NFQ Level 9) is an innovative specialised programme designed for practitioners and new entrants to the creative industries. The programme provides an exciting creative space within which to develop creative skills, knowledge and experience, and build up a strong portfolio of high-quality creative work in and across selected creative areas. This career-focused programme blends focused creative development, leading-edge critical research, and applied creative industries practice. 

The creative practices and artefacts learners will typically engage with match the expertise of faculty and our technologies. They are listed below and the list is non-exhaustive:

A feature script
A 30 minute documentary
A Television pilot
A film for multi-platform delivery
An artist' film and video project
An audio/radio project or an album release of a collection of new songwriting
A digital book
A mixed-media gallery installation
A digital dissertation
An artistic event or performance
Theatre staging involving film or creative media
A music video
An ephemeral film project for social media

The programme team encourage you to engage with the faculty should you wish to explore other practices.

Designed for media and arts graduates, and graduates from a wider range of disciplines with a demonstrable interest in creative media, seeking to establish their creative identities and their careers in the creative media industries. This programme is also relevant for existing industry professionals seeking to enhance, update or diversify their skill sets. Learners gain the necessary critical awareness, creative focus and contemporary production skills to advance their career paths. A significant feature of this programme is the exposure to experienced Creative Media and Film practitioners and professionals both from within the DBS faculty alongside external guest lecturers and industry instructors. 

Most importantly this programme will facilitate learners’ visual voice to contribute their choice, medium and format of visual expression through the completion of a visual story that contributes to the compendium of stories that record and describe our world for others. This may be an avant-garde, commercial, artistic or traditional treatment. The public dissemination of creative work will place their practice within a community and network of creators that will mediate their practice and place them amongst the work of others.

The specific programme objectives are as follows:

  • Provide a rich and stimulating environment of critical creative practice across film, audio, photography, design, and media and will provide a foundation at postgraduate level for learners who wish to develop their careers in film and creative media. 

  • Introduce learners to the history, theory, values, aesthetics and ideology of the moving image.

     

  • Expose learners to new media research tools and develop a critical approach to the use (and misuse) of these technologies in film and media.

     

  • Highlight current issues such as gender representation, ethics, editorial judgement and sustainability in Film and Creative Media.

     

  • Assist learners with hands-on experience to develop proficient production skills, while simultaneously acquiring analytical expertise and knowledge of film and creative media.

  • Develop hands-on learner experience and understanding of the current cultural changes in media production and consumption.

  • Prepare learners for the challenges of our society and of our evolving technologies in the future of work.

  • Help learners relate communication technologies with narrative possibilities and a perspective on telling stories to defined audiences.

  • Inculcate professional practices and ethical codes of learner and employee behaviour within the industry.

  • Develop learners’ knowledge of the theoretical and methodological skills necessary for producing rigorous research on new and emerging media. 

  • Connect learners to a network of artists, producers and practitioners.

Delivery

This programme is taught on a hybrid delivery. 

Teaching and assessment

The Master of Arts in Film and Creative Media provides students with a flexible, multimodal, active, peer-led, experiential and reflective learning environment. In addition to teaching sessions, e-learning activities complement the lab, studio and classroom sessions.  

Assessments for this programme is approached creatively with a range of assessment strategies including essay writing, in-class presentation, graded group dissertation and examination. Instructions and guidelines for all assessments are clearly communicated to students.

Entry Requirements

The Applications are welcome from any suitable qualified learners from any discipline with a Primary Honours Degree award of at least Second Class Honours Degree (H22).

You must have the minimum requirement in the English Language which is greater than or equal to B2+ in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages for admission where full-time study has been conducted in a language other than English or applicants whose first language is not English.

 
Module No.  Module Name  ECTS  Semester 
 1   Visual Content Creation   10   1-2
 2  Audio Content Creation  10  1-2
 3  Writing for Screen Industries 1: Film and TV   5  1
 4  Screen Theories 1  5  1
 5  Film & Creative Media: Contemporary Industry Practices   10  1-2
 6  Writing for Screen Industries 2: Video Games and Animation  5  2
 7  Screen Theories 2  5  2
 8  Creative Events Operations  5  1
 9  Research Methodology  5  2
 10   Creative Project: Digital Story Worlds  30  3
 11  Dissertation  30  3


Structure 

The Master of Arts in Film and Creative Media is a 1-year full-time/2-year part-time programme consisting of ten taught modules and a 30 ECTS Capstone as a Creative Project or Dissertation inclusive of a significant written piece. Semester one provides the learner with a broad curriculum balanced between industry context teaching and learning, practical modules and theoretical modules. Semester two builds on this with a more concentrated focus, while maintaining the balance between the core pillars. Learners will then complete a Creative Project in the final semester. 

 

Career Opportunities

While many graduates will operate as freelance, project or portfolio-based workers, examples of current vacancies (at the time of research, 2022) suitable for typical graduates are:

Online content creator
Senior Videographer
Multimedia Producer
Digital Content Creator
Project Manager in Video Production
 

Fees

The course fees for the next academic year are €8,900 for one year, and €4,350 per annum for two years for EU students. This covers the cost of tuition, registration and examinations.

Click here to view international fees. 

Click here to view EU fees.

You can also contact our admissions team who would be happy to discuss the options available for you.

Please note also that there is tax relief for Irish income tax payers at the standard rate of 20% on all fees exceeding €1,000 and up to €7,000. 

All QQI accredited programmes of education and training of 3 months or longer duration offered by Dublin Business School (DBS) are covered by arrangements under section 65 (4) (b) of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 whereby in the event that DBS ceases to provide the programme, for any reason, after learners have started on that programme, Kaplan Inc., as guarantor, will refund the moneys most recently paid by or for the learner.   More details are included in the terms and conditions of learner admission to DBS (https://www.dbs.ie/terms-and-conditions) and on programme handbooks provided at induction.

Improve your employability

All of our postgraduate courses offer strong links with industry and the professional world and often carry accreditation from professional bodies. By choosing to study at postgraduate level, not only do you gain valuable skills and experience but you also demonstrate your determination to succeed in a chosen career. Far from being a postponement to employment, postgraduate study can help you progress further and faster in your chosen career. And, if you're not certain what direction you would like your future to take, further study can provide a secure and structured space to help you find out through exploring your strengths and interests.

Get your foot on the career ladder

A large number of our postgraduate programmes include a work placement option, giving you the opportunity to gain vocational experience, make valuable contacts and gain transferable skills. It is also worth considering that some postgraduate qualifications are essential requirements to getting on the career ladder.

Gain skills for success

During your undergraduate degree you will have developed a strong foundation of transferable skills. Postgraduate study will build on this base, giving you the opportunity to put these highly valuable skills in to practice. You will also gain invaluable practical working examples that you can go on to use at interview to set you apart from other candidates.

Next Steps

Visit Us

Open days are a great way to help you make your decision about DBS and learn more about the Master of Arts (MA) in Addiction Studies. As well as experiencing our outstanding facilities, you'll have the opportunity to receive personalised advice from academics from your subject area, meet current postgraduate students and also have your questions answered on general subjects such as entry requirements, student support and the admissions process.

EU Applicants

Applicants should complete the appropriate application form and return it to the Postgraduate Admissions Office along with the following documentation: 

  • Academic Transcripts (Original & Official English Translation where issued in another language). Applicants who have previously attended DBS need not provide this documentation 

  • Proof of Identification (Birth Certificate, Drivers Licence or Passport) 

  • Detailed Curriculum Vitae 

  • Proof of English (i.e. IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent) where full time study has been conducted in a language other than English or applicants whose first language is not English 

  • Academic/Business References - Ideally one Academic & one Business 

Please see programme content for any course-specific additional application procedures.

In addition to the above, in the instance of Non-EU applicants who have residency in Ireland:

  • A copy of your GNIB (Garda National Immigration Bureau) Card, Work permit (if applicable) & Passport 

  • The letter that was issued to you by the Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform stating why you were provided with the above documentation.

International Students/ Non EU Applicants

Applicants should complete the appropriate application form and return it to the Postgraduate Admissions Office along with the following documentation: 

  • Academic documents   

  • Academic transcripts  

  • Proof of English (i.e. IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent)  

  • A Curriculum Vitae  

  • A copy of your passport 

Please note that copies of all documentation must be submitted, and that it must be translated into English where issued in another language. Please do not send original documents as these will not be returned. Dublin Business School has a number of overseas offices and representatives worldwide. Please contact us  if you wish to receive further details on your closest DBS representative.
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Course overview

Awarding Body: 
Quality & Qualifications Ireland 
QQI AWARD LOGO (1)
Award: Masters Degree
NFQ Level: Level 9
Award Title: Master of Arts in Film and Creative Media
Award Type: Major
Duration: 
Full-time: 1 Year
Part-time: 2 Years
Next intake: September 2024

Contact Us

We are now accepting applications for programmes taking place in 2024. Contact our admissions team for more information

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01 417 7500
Opening times:
Monday to Friday
8:45am to 5:15pm

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