By Nicholas Sheridan

Build Your Own MA – being offered through ten Skillset Media Academies in England – has more than 75 industry-approved professional development modules on offer. It represents an unprecedented alignment of postgraduate education with professional training provision to reflect the media sector’s strategic development needs.

The programme has been developed by Skillset in response to calls from industry and government to better align higher education programmes with the needs of the industry, and will offer CPD that is designed to keep the UK’s media workforce ahead of the curve in this rapidly evolving digital environment.

And in a UK education first, Build Your Own MA CPD modules will carry credits towards postgraduate qualifications. This means that media professionals who complete any Build Your Own MA module will have the option of then joining that with further modules to earn a postgraduate Certificate, Diploma, or even a Master of Arts (MA) in Professional Media Practice. As the programme is comprised of individual CPD modules, it will be able to evolve to reflect the changes and technological developments within the industry.

Skillset’s chair, Clive Jones, said: “Build Your Own MA represents a true revolution in postgraduate education that marries the best of continuing professional development with the lasting recognition of a postgraduate qualification.

“This is the first time that such a large group of universities have agreed to recognise each others’ credits for an award. The Media Academies involved have shown that they are genuinely flexible in meeting the needs of a fast-changing industry whilst maintaining the integrity and rigour of their awards.”

Modules are combined to build qualification 

Any combination of these modules can be joined together to build a qualification – allowing each individual to tailor a programme of training that suits their needs. Professionals are also able to combine modules from any combination of participating Media Academies, giving them greater flexibility in accessing the courses on offer. Many of the short courses have been mapped against skill shortage areas as indentified by employers and industry bodies.

The scheme will also allow companies to create bespoke professional development programmes, in consultation with higher education institutions, which will carry credits towards a postgraduate qualification.

The BBC, The Guardian and Sony Games have all formed partnerships with participating Academies to deliver Build Your Own MA modules. The BBC has developed a programme for its Production Managers in partnership with the Bournemouth Media Academy which began this month.

Anne Morrison, Director of the BBC Academy said: "We are delighted to be working with both Skillset and Bournemouth University as we launch the inaugural year of this unique programme. Not only will it provide those taking part with a unique opportunity to consolidate and build upon their existing knowledge but it will help to set and drive standards across our industry.”

Many Build Your Own MA courses are being delivered by senior professionals from across the Creative Media Industries. Cornwall Media Academy, for example, has run a course delivered by Richard Williams, head of multiplatform for BBC Vision, and an animation course has been developed in consultation with Aardman Animations and delivered by BAFTA Award-winning animator Derek Hayes.

The Guardian is also working with the Bournemouth Skillset Media Academy to provide three approved courses to journalists through their own Guardian Media Academy.

Steve Busfield, Head of Media and Technology, Guardian News & Media, said: “We’re delighted to be teaming up with the Skillset-approved Media School at Bournemouth University to offer vital training to media professionals.”

Pact, the trade association representing the commercial interests of independent feature film, television, digital, children's and animation media companies, has also thrown its support behind the project.

Pact’s chief executive, John McVay, said: “Pact is very pleased to support this innovation. The opportunity for staff and freelancers working for independent producers to access a flexible network to maintain and develop their skills and get a recognised qualification is exactly what is needed at a time when money and time pressures are at their greatest.”

Market demands postgraduate education

Skillset’s research shows that postgraduate education is already highly valued in the creative media industries, with almost one third of the workforce (30%) possessing a postgraduate qualification1. By breaking these qualifications down into single, industry-focused modules, the Build Your Own MA programme will make postgraduate education more accessible to those working in the industry, while ensuring they remain relevant to the practical needs of the sector.

Skillset’s Media Academies are a UK-wide network of higher education institutions that have undergone rigorous assessment by professionals from within the creative media industries. They are centres of excellence that offer practical, industry-focused training to their students in order to best prepare them for entry into the workforce.

The Build Your Own MA programme has been developed as part of a three-year project funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

A database of all of the eligible courses, as well as more information about how to Build Your Own MA, is now available at skillset.org/build.

About the author

Nick Sheridan is a Skillset press and PR officer (0207 713 9854 or nicks@skillset.org).

About Skillset

Skillset is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the Creative Media Industries, which comprise TV, film, radio, interactive media, animation, computer games, facilities, photo imaging, publishing, advertising and fashion and textiles. SSCs are licensed by the UK Government and by Ministers in the devolved administrations to tackle the skills and productivity challenge by sector. They are independent, UK-wide organisations, are employer-led, and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the industry.

The 10 Skillset Media Academies providing the Build Your Own MA courses are: Bournemouth Skillset Media Academy, Birmingham City University Skillset Media Academy, Cornwall Skillset Media Academy, Goldsmiths, University of London Skillset Media Academy, Hertfordshire Skillset Media Academy, Middlesex Skillset Media Academy, Ravensbourne Skillset Media Academy, Salford University Skillset Media Academy, Southampton Solent Skillset Media Academy and Teesside University Skillset Media Academy.