Edinburgh Napier launches new TV degree

Edinburgh Napier University last week launched a "professional level" two year television degree in partnership with STV.

The BA (Hons) course aims to have added credibility by involving its “key industry partner”, STV.

STV CEO, Rob Woodward, said: “[The degree] offers an invaluable opportunity for undergraduates to gain hands on experience in television and online production and get a head start in their careers.”

The university’s website highlights aspects of the new degree, which involves “gaining professional level technical production skills, developing creative practice through teamwork and individual project work and following academic studies which seek to analyse and investigate the complex and rapid contemporary changes in the creative media industries.”

The coalition will provide students with great practical experience and industry relevant training according to an Edinburgh Napier spokesperson.

Students will benefit from the partnership, working with internal STV teams, such as the News and Post-Production crews. They will be involved with areas including production, development, online editorial and planning.

Edinburgh Napier has a reputation for investing in the careers of its students, both during and after university. Last year, the Higher Education Statistics Agency ranked the institution number one for graduate employment.

Furthermore the “Confident Futures” programme has now been running at the university since September 2006.

In combining forces with STV, the university has guaranteed students a programme of work placements and master classes. There will also be the opportunity for graduates to compete for internship placements with the company.

“Through this incremental programme the students’ industry knowledge and contacts will develop over a two year period, and will lead to graduates gaining appropriate skills to apply for a range of entry level posts,” said Alistair Scott, Senior Lecturer in the institutes School of Arts and Creative Industries.

As well as the partnership, the course is supported by Edinburgh Napier’s dedicated hardware. Students will have access to an array of devices and software solutions including a television studio with three professional cameras, autocue and a mixing desk.