Radio and Podcasting - MA *
Currently viewing course to start in 2027/28 Entry.
Developed and delivered in partnership with the BBC, our MA Radio and Podcasting will help you develop advanced skills, industry insight and creative confidence for careers in today's rapidly evolving audio landscape....
- Level Postgraduate Taught
- Study mode Full Time
- Award MA
- Start date September 2027
- Subject
- Location City Centre
This course is:
Available with Professional Placement option
Open to International Students
Overview
Developed and delivered in partnership with the BBC, our MA Radio and Podcasting will help you develop advanced skills, industry insight and creative confidence for careers in today's rapidly evolving audio landscape.
Designed for aspiring presenters, producers and audio creators, this course combines specialist teaching, hands-on production experience and independent creative practice while exploring audience strategy, community building and content distribution across platforms.
Whether you're building on previous study, industry experience or an existing radio show or podcast, you'll graduate with a professional portfolio, practical experience and the confidence to make your mark in the audio and digital media industries.
Teaching will take place at BCU's City Centre Campus and, subject to final planning approval, at the BBC's new Midlands headquarters at the Tea Factory.
What's covered in this course?
You'll develop advanced production skills while creating a range of targeted audio and audio-visual content. Working in industry-standard studios and editing suites, you'll gain hands-on experience with professional equipment and software, building expertise in areas such as sound design, live production, audience engagement and multi-platform distribution.
Alongside practical production, you'll explore the strategic and creative aspects of the audio industry. Topics include audience strategy, community building, branding, content distribution, original format development and monetisation. Through self-directed practice and real-world production projects, you'll have opportunities to develop and test original ideas while building on your existing production skills.
The course also examines the changing nature of the audio sector, helping you understand how emerging technologies, data and platform developments are influencing production, distribution, commissioning and business models. You'll critically examine contemporary developments in professional audio practice while gaining insight into how the industry continues to evolve.
Throughout your studies, you'll be supported by BBC staff, experienced academics, technical demonstrators and visiting industry professionals. Collaborative projects with external partners provide valuable opportunities to build industry experience, expand your professional network and gain insight into the realities of working in today's audio and digital media environment.
By graduation, you'll have developed a professional portfolio of work, experience of live production and the practical and creative skills needed to pursue careers as a presenter, producer or creative entrepreneur.
You will benefit from studying in one of the world's most established radio markets, while the BBC partnership provides valuable insight into contemporary British broadcasting and professional practice.
Professional Placement option
This course offers an optional professional placement. This allows you to spend 20 weeks with an employer, following completion of your taught modules, and is a great way to enhance your employability.
The experience you gain through your placement will allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.
If you choose the placement option, you will be responsible for finding and securing a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will be able to draw on the University’s extensive network of local, regional and national employers, and the support of our Careers teams. If you do not secure a suitable placement, you will automatically be transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.
Please note: Placement opportunities may be available with a wide range of organisations across the media, creative and communications sectors. Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process. As such, opportunities with specific employers or organisations cannot be guaranteed.
Why Choose Us?
- Developed and delivered in partnership with the BBC. You'll learn alongside BBC staff, experienced academics, technical demonstrators and visiting industry professionals, gaining insight into contemporary audio production, broadcasting culture and professional practice.
- Create content for today’s evolving audio industry. You'll develop advanced audio and audio-visual production skills while exploring how audience strategy, platform developments, data and AI are reshaping production, distribution and business models across the audio industry.
- Build confidence as a presenter or producer. Through self-directed practice and real-world production projects, you'll strengthen your existing skills and create targeted content for different audiences, platforms and formats.
- Work in industry-standard studios using professional tools. You'll gain hands-on experience with professional equipment and software while developing expertise in sound design, live production, commissioning, audience engagement and multi-platform distribution.
- Gain valuable industry experience and grow your professional network. Collaborative projects with external partners provide opportunities to apply your skills in real-world contexts, helping you build industry connections and deepen your understanding of contemporary creative practice.
- Graduate with a professional portfolio. By the end of the course, you'll have developed a professional portfolio of audio content, gained live production experience, and built the confidence and expertise to pursue careers as a presenter, producer or creative entrepreneur in the audio and digital media industries.
Open Day
Join us for an Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation.
Next Event: 21 November 2026
Course in Depth
Module
Audio Production and Storytelling
Formats and Programme Development
Podcast and Radio Formats
Professional Practice
Production Lab
Major Project
How you learn
Your learning will combine advanced seminars, lectures, practical workshops, studio production, collaborative projects, industry engagement and independent creative practice.
The course has been developed in partnership with the BBC, providing opportunities to engage with industry professionals and explore contemporary approaches to broadcasting, audio production and digital media. This is complemented by our wider network of industry, community and research partners.
You will be encouraged to critically reflect on established industry practices, explore emerging technologies and develop your own creative identity as a media professional. Through independent projects and collaborative activities, you will apply advanced knowledge and skills to real-world creative challenges, developing solutions that demonstrate originality, critical understanding and professional awareness.
Opportunities for industry engagement and professional networking are embedded throughout the course, enabling you to apply your learning within relevant creative contexts. Flexible approaches to learning are integrated across the curriculum, including blended learning, recorded materials, online activities and intensive practical sessions where appropriate.
As a postgraduate student, you will be expected to take increasing ownership of your learning journey, developing the independence, resilience and reflective practice required of advanced creative professionals. Academic staff will support your development through supervision, tutorials and specialist guidance, while guest speakers, technical demonstrators, industry practitioners and academic researchers will contribute to your learning through workshops, masterclasses and professional engagement activities.
Throughout the course, you will build a professional portfolio of creative work that demonstrates your developing expertise, critical thinking and ability to produce work suitable for professional, research or further academic contexts.
Entry Requirements
Essential requirements
Applicants are normally expected to have a minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or equivalent, in media studies, media production, media communication, film and television studies, radio and audio courses, performing arts or theatre, public relations, journalism, English, creative writing and screen writing.
Prior experience of work in television, radio, online content production or other media related areas is useful, but not essential.
Your achievements should clearly demonstrate a keen interest in the field of media production and you are advised to read around the subject of media and to explore examples. Your application should demonstrate your ability to generate and develop ideas, as judged by the MA team.
We welcome non-traditional applications, particularly from applicants with substantial professional or production experience.
Applying with international qualifications
See below for further information on applying as an international student.
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: MA
Starting: Sep 2027
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
-
TBC
- Register interest
- Full Time
- 18 months (including Professional Placement)
-
TBC
- Register interest
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: MA
Starting: Sep 2027
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
-
TBC
- Register interest
- Full Time
- 18 months (including Professional Placement)
-
TBC
- Register interest
Personal statement
You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
If you are applying for a stand alone module, please include the title of the module you want to study in your Personal Statement.
Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.
Employability
Enhancing employability skills
This course is designed to help you develop the professional, creative and technical capabilities needed to succeed in today's rapidly evolving audio industry.
Developed and delivered in partnership with the BBC, it combines industry-informed learning, practical production experience and independent creative practice, giving you opportunities to engage with current approaches to radio, podcasting and digital audio.
Throughout the course, you'll build advanced production skills across both audio and audio-visual formats, creating broadcast-quality content while gaining experience of presenting, recording, editing, storytelling and sound design using industry-standard facilities, equipment and software.
Alongside production skills, you'll strengthen the wider professional attributes valued by employers across the creative industries. Through collaborative projects, independent productions and practice-based assessments, you'll develop your communication, project management, research, problem-solving and creative leadership skills.
Opportunities to pitch ideas, evaluate audience data and analytics, and respond to real-world production challenges will help you build the confidence and professional judgement expected of practitioners working at Master's level.
The course also develops your understanding of audience development, branding, monetisation, commissioning, funding and the business models shaping contemporary audio industries. You'll examine how AI, data and platform shifts are influencing production and distribution, ensuring your knowledge remains relevant to current industry practice.
By graduation, you'll have developed a professional portfolio of audio content, gained valuable live production experience and built a network of industry contacts through collaborative projects, guest speakers, workshops and industry engagement activities.
Together, these experiences will help you pursue opportunities across radio, podcasting, broadcasting and wider digital media sectors.
Graduate jobs
This course will help you develop the advanced production, editorial and strategic skills needed for careers across the contemporary audio and digital media industries.
Through practical production work, industry engagement and portfolio development, you'll gain experience of the complete content creation process, from original concept and format development through to production, distribution and audience engagement.
Graduates may pursue opportunities as radio producers, podcast producers, audio producers, presenters, content creators, production coordinators, audience development specialists, digital content producers or commissioning and development professionals.
The course also supports those interested in freelance and entrepreneurial careers, equipping you with an understanding of branding, monetisation, commissioning, funding and professional practice within the evolving audio sector.
Links to industry
Strong industry connections sit at the heart of MA Radio and Podcasting. Developed and delivered in partnership with the BBC, the course provides opportunities to learn from BBC staff, experienced academics, technical demonstrators and visiting industry experts, combining academic study with contemporary industry insight and professional practice.
Teaching takes place across Birmingham City University and the BBC Tea Factory, placing you within a professional broadcasting environment and connecting your studies to current developments in the audio industry. Throughout the course, you'll engage with industry-informed learning that reflects contemporary approaches to radio, podcasting, broadcasting and digital media production.
Real-world production projects and opportunities to collaborate with external partners are embedded within the course, helping you gain valuable industry experience while developing your professional network.
You'll also benefit from workshops, masterclasses, guest speakers and professional engagement activities that provide insight into industry expectations, creative workflows and emerging trends.
Facilities & Staff
Through Birmingham City University's partnership with the BBC, you will benefit from access to specialist facilities across both our City Centre Campus and – subject to final planning approval– the BBC Tea Factory, located just a short walk away in Birmingham's creative quarter.
Subject to final planning approval, the Tea Factory facilities are expected to include radio and television production spaces, audio facilities, and specialist broadcast technology environments.
Alongside this, you'll learn in BCU's purpose-built Media Centre at Parkside, home to industry-standard television, radio and digital production facilities. Three of the TV studios can facilitate live multi-camera production, and all studios (TV and radio) can be interconnected. It’s taken 22km of wire to make that happen!
Together, these facilities provide a dynamic production environment where you can develop practical skills, collaborate on creative projects and gain experience using the technologies found across today's media industries.
Our staff
Dr Sam Coley
Associate Professor, College Academic Lead for Distance & Transnational Education Course Leader MA Media Production
Sam Coley is the College Academic Lead for Distance and Transnational Education at the Birmingham College of English and Media. He is also Award Leader for the MA Media Production and teaches a range of undergraduate and postgraduate audio production modules.
More about Sam