Introduction
Course summary
Digital media development is a specialised topic of computer science that focuses on the development of interactive applications that respond to user actions by presenting rich multimedia content using various forms of interaction.
The increasing capabilities of the web, high-tech devices and mobile technology provide enormous potential for engaging users in innovative ways of interaction with state-of-the-art interfaces. The digital tech industry requires practitioners with a good understanding of user experience (UX) principles and good technical competencies for developing advanced user interfaces. The Digital Media Development BSc Honours address all aspects of the digital media development process, from conceptualisation and design to implementation and testing with a primary focus on front end development.
The programme offers three directions of specialisation:
web application design and development,
mobile application design and development,
3D user interfaces design and development.
Course structure
The following subjects are indicative of what you will study in this course.
Year 1
The first year provides you with an underpinning of the subject area. You will be introduced to basic UI/UX principles and the process of designing digital media from requirements gathering and specifications to design of traditional websites and 2D interactive media. The first year provides also a solid understanding of programming concepts and languages that are used to create digital media.
Subjects of study include:
2D Interactive Media Development
Computer Systems Fundamentals
Programming Principles
User Experience
Web Design and Development.
Credit Level 4
Year 2
The second year allows progressing to more advanced topics of front-end development ranging from responsive websites to 3D interactive media development and usability testing. The curriculum builds on the fundamental conceptual knowledge attained in Level 4 to apply it to field-specific subjects. The emphasis is on developing your professional skills and learning how digital media projects are managed and organised. Creative modules allow you to build your portfolio in order to demonstrate your technical and creative skills.
Subjects of study include:
3D Interactive Media Development
Advanced Client-side Development
Game Engine Architectures
Mobile Application Development
Object-Oriented Programming
Server-side Web Development
Usability Testing
You can choose to take a year-long placement between Years 2 and 3 to work in the digital and creative industries. This gives you the opportunity to practise and enhance the skills you have learnt, and develop a better understanding of the needs of the industry and professional practices, as well as gaining work experience, which is invaluable for your final year of study and long-term career prospects.
Credit Level 5
Year 3
The third year builds on specific skills attained in Level 5 and exposes you to the specialised research topics of digital media design and development. You will complete a project of your own choice (a game, a dynamic and responsive web application or a mobile app) that provides you with the opportunity to develop more advanced skills and techniques in the potential area you will be seeking employment.
Subjects of study include:
Advanced Interactive Media Development
Digital marketing, Social Media and Web Analytics
Final Year Project
Information Driven Entrepreneurship and Enterprise
Mobile Native Application Development
Mobile User Experience.
Credit Level 6
Professional accreditation
This programme is accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, for fully meeting the educational requirement for Chartered IT Professional (CITP) status. Note that there are additional requirements, including work experience, to achieve full CITP status. Graduates of this accredited degree will also be eligible for professional membership of BCS (MBCS).
The BCS accreditation is an indicator of the programme’s quality to students and employers and is also an important benchmark of the programme’s standard in providing high-quality computing education, and commitment to developing future IT professionals that have the potential to achieve Chartered status. The programme is also likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.
Entry Requirements
UK
One of the following (or equivalent qualification):
A Levels – BBC/A*A*
International Baccalaureate – 26 points
Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended National Diploma/National Diploma – DMM/D*D*
Access to HE Diploma - 45 credits at Level 3 with a minimum of 27 Level 3 credits at Merit or Distinction
In addition to one of the above, you should have:
GCSE English and Mathematics with a minimum grade 4 (grade C in the grading system prior to 2017). Equivalent qualifications are also considered.
If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each element.
EU/International
International Baccalaureate – 26 points
If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each element.
Career path
The BSc (Hons) Digital Media Development course has been designed to enable graduates to obtain the practical skills and knowledge to develop a range of technical careers within the digital tech industry. Some indicative job titles include:
front-end or client-side developer
user experience (UX) designer
3D user interface and content developer
mobile application developer
digital designer/animator
back-end developer/programmer
search engine optimisation specialist
Other types of roles possible are in IT education and in digital media research in commercial organisations or academic institutions. It will also prepare you for postgraduate study and teaching and research within the field.
Our graduates are very successful in securing recruitment within 6 months after the completion of their degree and have been employed by companies including Siemens, Red Bee, MPC, Kainos, Sizmek, ORM, UX Connections, Prism Media Production, Broadbandchoices, Profusion, Webcredible, Struq, Decisiontech, CAKE, PaperSeven, Williams Lea Tag, BondMedia, Toluna, Gameaccount Global Ltd and TfL.
