MA Wildlife Documentary Production
Manchester, United Kingdom
MA
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
Do you see yourself staging shots of wildlife species in their natural habitats? Or perhaps you want to shed light on the pressing environmental issues affecting the natural world? Wherever your filmmaking interests lie, this MA in Wildlife Documentary Production degree will give you the research, scriptwriting and technical skills you need to take the first step in your professional career.
Designed to give you the hands-on experience you’ll need to establish yourself as a skilled filmmaker, this wildlife documentary master’s degree will provide you with the opportunity to attend fascinating masterclasses given by expert practitioners with links to the television industry. So, alongside your lectures, seminars and field trips, you’ll also have access to advice from people with firsthand experience of the industry.
What’s more, as a postgraduate student studying at Salford, you’ll be able to make the most of the creative opportunities this exciting city has to offer. From the top of the range studio facilities and equipment on campus to the variety of reputable TV production and media companies across Greater Manchester, you’ll be joining a vibrant community of like-minded creatives with a wealth of experience.
You will:
- Gain the tools and training you need to take the first step in your professional wildlife documentary filmmaking career
- Learn from experts in the field through a variety of masterclasses
- Develop a strong portfolio of work evidencing your ability to produce polished and informative wildlife documentaries
This is for you if...
- You have a passion for using documentaries to communicate knowledge about wildlife and the environment.
- You want to learn from expert practitioners with links to the television industry.
- You want to graduate with a portfolio of work that can be used to establish yourself as a successful wildlife documentary producer.
Wildlife cinematography courses are designed to capture high-quality footage of wildlife species in their natural habitats – but at Salford, it doesn’t end there. As part of this Wildlife Documentary Production MA, you’ll learn how biology, ecology and behaviour relate to documentary production, as well as how to use specialist research to inform your practice.
Designed to enhance your knowledge of, and skills in, the specialised techniques of production, you’ll be honing your technical skills in areas including long-lens photography, time-lapse photography, macro-photography, high-speed photography and professional close-up sound recording techniques. And with the variety of field trips you’ll undertake as part of this course, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to apply these newly acquired skills in a real-world setting.
What’s more, you’ll also be building a strong portfolio of work to evidence your ability to secure employment or for further study. The final element of this master’s in wildlife documentary production will involve you producing your own wildlife film, bringing together all of the knowledge and experience you’ll have accumulated throughout your programme.
Semester one
- Wildlife, Biology and Ecology
- Media Theory and Practice
Semester two
- Advanced Production Practices
- Wildlife Research Skills
Semester three
- Major Project: Practical Research Project
- Major Project: Dissertation
If you’ve always wanted to work in wildlife documentary production, this course will open up a range of exciting career opportunities. With the knowledge, practical skills and confidence gained throughout this programme, many of our recent graduates have gone on to secure professional roles in a variety of areas, including producing, directing and researching.
But the possibilities don’t end there. Graduates of this course have gone on to work for internationally renowned organisations, including the BBC Natural History Unit. Others are working for ITV, producing short films for their wildlife images catalogue, and as assistant cameramen for a leading independent wildlife company. So, where will your journey take you?
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