Film and Television (top-up)

This new Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Film and Television top-up course has been designed to equip students with the skills, knowledge, and insights needed to excel in this global industry.

The course brings together a wide range of skills and technical understanding from areas that are increasingly converging. You will build up production skills covering the creation of ideas from written concepts, scripts and audience research through to filming and editing for film, television, audio and online.

The aim is that HND graduates will be very well placed to secure employment either as freelance or for an organisation.

Important Note: Applicants for this course will have already passed (or expect to achieve) a full Level 4 qualification in a related subject area. This could be a Higher National Certificate (HNC), Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) or similar; worth a minimum of 120 academic credits of study at undergraduate level.

About the course

The course is informed by professional practitioners and you will have the opportunity to work on projects that reflect the wide range of outlets now available for moving images. You will investigate how films are made, from script to screen, through organising shoots, filming, editing, and distributing.

Level 5 units are planned to include:

Personal Professional Development - This is designed to help you build and apply contextual knowledge to support your personal growth in the film and television industry. It will also focus on developing professional strategies for creative problem-solving to drive your progression further.

Professional Project- This provides the opportunity to apply your contextual knowledge of film and television in response to a professional brief. You will use creative problem-solving skills to develop ideas, proposals, and the final outcome of your project.

Facilities

The course will be based at our newly-developed Digital Media Centre at the City Hub campus. You will have access to our new broadcasting studio, podcasting/audio studio, 2 photography studios as well as the industry-standard Adobe Creative Suite. You will have numerous opportunities to engage with other students aiming to get into the creative industries and will work in response to industry briefs.

Assessment

A mixture of traditional and innovative assessment methods will be used, including individual and group presentations, discussions, report writing, case studies, presentations, research and project work, examinations, reflective journals and work-based projects.

Qualification awarded

Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Film and Television- (awarded by Pearson) - subject to approval

Bursaries

We want our courses to be accessible to students from any background, so we’ve put together a cash support package in the form of non-repayable bursaries to provide financial help where it’s really needed. Details for 2025-26 will be advertised once approved by the university regulator – the Office for Students (OfS). Please check our website - www.nottinghamcollege.ac.uk - for more information.

Your career and progression

From the Higher National Diploma, graduates could progress to a Level 6 top-up degree or the third year at another provider (subject to entry requirements) and then to postgraduate level if they wish.

Alternatively, graduates will be well-placed to progress to training or employment in the global creative industries - such as: camera operator, sound/lighting technician, editor, producer, director of photography, videographer, games developer, filmmaker or into the teaching profession.