University News Last updated 15 September
Aspiring journalists, producers, podcasters, content creators and broadcast engineers will soon be able to study alongside the world's leading public service broadcaster.
Today, Birmingham City University (BCU) has launched a new generation of media degrees developed in collaboration with the BBC aimed at increasing student employability and developing the next generation of media professionals.
The new courses will give students the chance to turn their creativity into a career; gaining the skills and confidence needed to succeed in one of the world's most exciting industries.
The portfolio spans 12 programmes across media, journalism, content creation, production and broadcast technology, with some courses open to recruitment for September 2027.
Each course has been shaped by industry insight to reflect the evolving needs of modern broadcasting and digital media, and forms part of the University’s wider landmark partnership with the BBC, announced today.
Reflecting Birmingham City University’s commitment to professional and technical higher education as a member of University Alliance, these new courses aim to equip graduates with the skills that employers are actively seeking across broadcasting, journalism, content creation and production.
Based in the heart of Birmingham's rapidly growing creative district, students will study part of their degrees at the Tea Factory in Digbeth (pictured), the BBC’s new Midlands hub for media, digital and creative industries.
Subject to final planning and landlord’s approvals, BCU will lease space within the Tea Factory to create state-of-the-art training facilities built to BBC specifications. These will include sector leading hi-tech studios, workshops, teaching rooms and breakout areas for students and staff.
As well as the opportunity to learn in an environment connected to live industry practice, students will gain real-world experience through workshops, guest lectures, and professional mentoring opportunities alongside media professionals.
The first eight programmes are set to welcome their first students in September 2027:
Undergraduate
- BA (Hons) Future Media, Content Creation and Production
- BA (Hons) Television and Radio Production
- BA (Hons) Sports Media and Journalism
- BSc (Hons) Broadcast Engineering
Postgraduate
- MA Documentary Production
- MA Radio and Podcasting
- MA Sports Media and Journalism
- MSc Broadcast Engineering
The remaining programmes will follow on a phased basis, extending the portfolio across the full range of media and broadcast disciplines:
- BA (Hons) Documentary Production
- BA (Hons) Radio and Podcasting
- MA Future Media, Content Creation and Production
- MA Television and Radio Production
The new portfolio evolves and expands BCU’s well-established provision in media and journalism, while building on the University’s track record of offering broadcast Engineering to the modern media industry.
Matthew Day, Head of English and Media at BCU, said: “The media industry our students are entering looks very different from even a few years ago, and our responsibility is to prepare them for the industry as it is now and as it is becoming - not as it once was. That is why we have taken the opportunity to rethink our offer from the ground up, working hand in hand with the BBC to design courses around the skills, tools and ways of working that employers genuinely need.
“For our students, that means learning their craft on industry-standard equipment, in the same building as one of the most respected broadcasters in the world, taught by academics working shoulder to shoulder with practising professionals. For the industry, it means a pipeline of graduates who arrive workplace-ready, from a university with a deep commitment to social mobility and to opening creative careers to people from every background.
“This is what practice-based education should look like, and I could not be prouder of what it will mean for the students who choose to study with us - and for the sector they will go on to shape.”
Cllr Roger Harmer, Leader of Birmingham City Council, welcomed the news of BCU’s partnership with the BBC.
“This is another vote of confidence in Birmingham, its universities and incredibly talented students and graduates,” said Cllr Harmer. “The city is leading the way as a creative hub and this sort of collaboration is an important step in helping young people move from studying into sustainable employment.”