Course summary

Do you have a passion for wildlife and the natural world? Are you interested in photography and filmmaking, and wondering how to become a wildlife photographer or filmmaker? If you don't quite meet the entry criteria for our three-year programme, this wildlife media foundation degree is the course for you. We’ll combine your interest with technical expertise and scientific knowledge. You'll learn the fieldcraft and naturalist skills to identify and track wildlife, together with the lens craft expertise to create sophisticated wildlife photography and film. Your foundation year will give you the skills, knowledge and experience needed to progress onto the full BA (Hons) Wildlife Media programme. Course Overview You will study wildlife biodiversity, habitat, and behaviour, alongside the theory and practice of film and photography. You will benefit from opportunities to work with leading industry professionals in a biodiverse World Heritage Site with regular field trips and visits. Our foundation year will help you reach the right level for taking the rest of the degree, building a solid foundation of skills from which to expand upon. This degree will both challenge and support you to produce your own short experimental films; plan photography exhibitions; film, edit and create your own documentaries; and plan and manage an expedition to a destination of your choice. Throughout your learning you will grow in confidence, developing and enhancing your personal skill set, working towards specialisms that match your interests and career ambitions. On this course you will

• Explore the world beyond the classroom through field trips and project work. Learn more about a wide variety of species, habitats and behaviours in the wild.

• Master complex technical and practical skills and develop sophisticated natural history knowledge, within the supportive and vibrant context of an arts institute community.

• Work with industry professionals, with strong links to employers locally, nationally, and globally. This includes Cumbria Wildlife Trust, RSPB, WWT, SSSI’s, and AONB to name a few.

• Develop a portfolio of work to display during public showcases e.g. online gallery exhibitions and the Vallum Gallery on campus. Engage in Degree Shows to celebrate the progress of your work.

• Media in Context

• Professional Practice

• Media Narratives

• Published Media Products

• Student Initiated Photographic Project

• Biodiversity and Habitat for Media

• Media Craft Skills

• Developing Photography Practice

• Cultural Contexts

• Naturalist Skills

• Communicating the Natural World

• Collaborative Brief

• Documentary

• Interpreting Animal Behaviour for Media

• Wildlife Photography

• Natural History Filmmaking

• Professional Development

• Theory & Research Methods

• Graduate Project

• Minor Project

• The Application of Media in Conservation

• Festival and Exhibition

• Research Project