FILM AND VISUAL EFFECTS

PARTNERSHIPS AND INDUSTRY 

We hold strong links with major film and TV industry employers, including Bad Wolf, the production company behind the critically acclaimed dramas His Dark Materials, Industry, and A Discovery of Witches.  

Our partnership with Screen Alliance Wales (SAW) means our students can continue to access set visits, industry placements, and even paid employment. We have strong links with global VFX studios, including ILM, DNEG and Framestore, as well as local studios such as Bait Studios, providing direct links to industry. 

INDUSTRY STANDARD FACILITIES 

Our creative campus houses industry-standard film facilities, including dedicated, fully equipped HD film studios complete with lighting rigs, green screen and motion capture facilities, a black box studio, Avid HD and Adobe editing suites, Pro Tools sound editing and dubbing suite, and excellent screening facilities.  

As part of your course, you can access our on-campus media stores – housing ready-to-use kit that can be rented for free. By providing state of the art industry level facilities and equipment, we provide hands-on industry focused training and teaching to make sure you are studio ready, but also to let you realise your creative ideas. 

AWARD-WINNING GRADUATES 

Film has been in taught at the University for over 50 years, making us one of the most established and successful film schools in the UK. Over this time, many of our graduates have gone on to forge successful careers throughout the global film, television and media industries from Hollywood to Bollywood. 

Staff, students and graduates have won many prizes over the years, all over the world. Our graduates have forged successful international careers, including multi award-winning director, Asif Kapadia, and BAFTA-winning directors, Georgi Banks-Davies and Gareth Evans. In 2021, over 20 graduates from USW worked on films that were nominated for Academy Awards. 

JOURNALISM AND MEDIA

PROFESSIONAL STUDY IN CARDIFF 

Cardiff is at the centre of one of the UK’s most dynamic media industries, with major outlets in easy reach, including BBC, ITV, Global and Wales Online. With so much going on, it’s the perfect place to launch your career. 

Our campus boasts industry-standard media facilities, including a multi-camera HDTV studio, radio studio and facilities for broadcast, print and multi-media journalism. You can even hire equipment from our media and photography stores for free if you’re enrolled on a journalism and media course. 

ACCREDITED COURSES 

Many of our courses are accredited by professional bodies, giving you a head-start when it comes to applying for jobs in your industry. And with Cardiff becoming one of the UK’s most dynamic media industries, it’s the perfect place to launch your career.

OUR JOURNALISM AND MEDIA COURSES 

On our industry-led Journalism degree, we’ll teach you everything you need to work as a professional journalist – in broadcasting, online, print, social media and PR.  

Our Media Production course focuses on storytelling and production skills for the cross-platform media industry.  Meanwhile, our Sports Journalism degree has been developed with industry and practical experience at the core. 

Our Media, Culture and Journalism course mixes theory with wide-ranging practical skills to give you a real insight into how the vast media landscape works. 

PHOTOGRAPHY

TOP IN WALES FOR ASSESSMENT IN FILM PRODUCTION AND PHOTOGRAPHY

GUARDIAN UNIVERSITY GUIDE 2024

PROFESSIONAL FACILITIES 

Facilities on campus recreate the environment you’d find in professional studios. You’ll have everything you need for a professional photography shoot – we have two large photography studios, an infinity cove and specialist technical support, with expertise in lighting and set up. You can also hire equipment from our media and photography stores, free of charge, if you’re enrolled on a photography course.  

LEARN FROM EXPERTS AND INDUSTRY 

We have been teaching photography for over 100 years and our courses are some of the most highly regarded and forward-thinking in the UK. 

The reputation, experience and credentials of our academics are widely recognised in the photography, art and film industries. All our staff are active professionals in the field of photography, so you’ll benefit from the real-life content they bring to your learning. 

We hold strong industry connections through our teaching team and our alumni, who mentor students through events, workshops and our visiting lecturer programme. Our graduates have forged successful careers in the UK and internationally, with some working for National Geographic Magazine, New York Times, Getty Images, EVO magazine and Adidas. 

Along with traditional careers paths graduates for our courses progress to a variety of related job roles including art, photojournalism, and commercial practice at the highest level, whilst others go onto forge careers as art directors, stylists, photography managers, publishers, medical and forensic photographers, content creators, educators, curators, writers and visual marketeers. 

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE AND EXPECTATIONS 

To experience the demands and expectations of this industry, you’ll engage with live project briefs. Not only will this enrich your graduate profile and portfolio, but it will broaden your perspective and build your contacts. Students have worked with companies that include Wyatt-Clarke+Jones, National Trust, National Museum of Wales, Taylor Brothers, Samsung UK, Ally Capellino, and Atticus Digital. 

Our students expand their industry network ready for life after graduation by engaging with the world of professional photography through access to photographers’ studios, festivals, events and exhibitions.