MA/MSc
Creative Professional Practice
A course for busy professionals in the creative industries
Course Overview
Why take this course?
If you are a creative professional who would like to study for a university degree without leaving your job, this is the perfect course.
Work at your own pace, build on your prior knowledge and learn what you need, as you need it.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Tailor the pace of learning to suit the demands on your time
- Tie work and study together by completing course assessment via work-based learning projects
- Set your own objectives, course content and timetable within the framework of the course
What opportunities might it lead to?
The content of this course can be specifically moulded to meet your professional development requirements. You choose what to learn, how you will learn and what evidence you will deliver for assessment. We ensure that you achieve the goals that satisfy both you and your employer. Ultimately, this will hopefully lead to greater opportunities in your workplace and eventual career enhancement.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- creative arts
- design
- music
- photography
- creative writing
- video, film and TV broadcasting
The course really opened my mind to creative possibilities. I’m looking at design in a completely different way now, which is going to have a huge impact on my work in the future.
Saratina Shegem, digital media student 2012
Key Facts
- Duration
- Flexible
- Entry
An honours degree or equivalent. Other qualifications such as HNDs and Foundation Degrees, supported by several years of relevant post-qualification experience in responsible posts, may also be acceptable. Applicants are usually working at a professional level.
English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 or equivalent with no component less than 6.0.- Fees
Fees for this course are dependent on the number of credits taken. The number of credits depends on the amount of evidenced prior professional experience you bring to the course.
- Contact
- create.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 2421 - Department
- School of Creative Technologies
Structure & Teaching
This course is unusual in that it allows you to set your own objectives, course content and timetable. We set the framework for your degree and assess your work, but you choose what to learn, how you will learn and what evidence you will deliver for assessment. We ensure that you achieve the standard appropriate to your award through a process of learning management.
Here are the units you will study:
- Accredited Prior Learning (APL): This allows you to receive credit for the qualifications you already have and for experience that has given you the learning equivalent to academic qualifications. This can include training courses and qualifications, as well as learning from on-the-job experience. To claim credit for experiential learning you have to submit a portfolio of evidence which demonstrates this. The maximum APL credit you can receive is 120 credits (the complete Master’s course is 180 credits).
- Learning Management: This is a credit-rated unit. It forms the framework for your Master's programme and includes a short introduction to Master’s-level study (in Portsmouth or online), submission of your learning contract (outlining your detailed study programme) and several progress reports.
- Work-Based Learning Projects: These usually make up the bulk of the learning contract. They must involve new learning for you, so they cannot be simply the activities involved in your regular job. However, they should be of value to your employer as well as yourself, and you should be able to carry out much of the project work in normal working hours.
- Taught Units: These are units from the University of Portsmouth or other higher education institutions, which can be included in your programme. They are a good way of acquiring new knowledge in a structured way. They are delivered as part of the University’s normal teaching provision.
Teaching and Assessment
It is a three-way partnership between you, your employer and the University. Much of your learning will come from projects that form part of daily work, which minimises the time spent attending the University and ensures that the knowledge gained is relevant to your employer's business. However, there will be some types of training programmes, but you will receive full support as and when you need it.
How are you assessed?
The bulk of your assessment will be through work-based projects. However, other forms of assessment may include essays, reports, reviews as well as other assessment artefacts.
Facilities & Features
Support
We aim to provide you with as much support as possible
Flexible Learning
You will benefit from web, email and phone access to many of our facilities and services
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information
Support
Due to the distance-learning nature of this course and the potential pressure of juggling your course alongside work life, we aim to provide you with as much support as possible. You’ll have three channels of support. Firstly, a workplace mentor chosen by you – someone at work who can offer advice, guidance and moral support – as well as a personal University tutor in your area of study and finally, a learning management tutor.
Flexible Learning
Although you may not be campus based, you will still benefit from web, email or phone access to many of our facilities and services. Our student website, LookUP, will be your one-stop shop for all news, information and links to other services, and 24/7 online access to the University Library’s vast electronic book, journal and database collections will help you find the right resources for your research.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
Working full-time and studying is a great achievement, and a feat that will undoubtedly impress your employer. Tailoring your study to be specifically relevant to their business will show that you plan to perform to the greatest of your ability and aim to progress within your employer’s company. Possible outcomes of the course may include a long-awaited change in departments, promotion to a managerial role, a salary increase or a combination of these.
Career planning
One of the benefits of studying at Portsmouth is the support that we provide to our Master's and Research Degrees students in career planning. Our careers and recruitment service – Purple Door – can assist you in career research and finding employment opportunities. Help is also available if you wish to find a part-time job while studying your degree. We offer our postgraduate students and alumni one-to-one appointments with a careers adviser, or an online service for those not able to travel back to the University. Our alumni can call on our career services for five years after graduation.
In addition, regular employability events offer you the chance to meet employers, find out about different career sectors and improve your applications or CV. The Graduate Summer Programme provides a range of guidance and employability seminars and workshops.