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HELP!! transferring courses after 1st year - hate my media course

Ive currently finished one year of media and communication at loughborough uni and hated everything about the course.
90% of It was about sociology, research methods and psychology and there were no creative aspects to it, like I thought there would be considering it was a media course. Most of the modules were shared with students studying criminology, social policy, psychology etc. and the subject was considered a Bachelor of science rather than Bachelor of arts.

I love creative writing, writing in general, screenplay, coming up with ideas for films as well as digital media arts e.g. designing things on photoshop, illustrator, using computers to create creative things, animation, SFX etc…

I am very confused and have no idea what to do now. Basically, I would like to pursue a career in script writing and digital arts however no course in the UK offers both. Im not sure what to do at all.

I was thinking of either just staying at loughborough uni and finishing the 4 years (placement included) however self teaching myself And taking online courses in graphic design/photoshop/digital arts etc and creating my own online creative portfolio for my placement year and then taking a masters degree specifically in creative writing/digital art OR transferring universities this month to a degree that is more creative such as digital media arts and then doing a masters in script writing.

The majority of unis in the UK that offer the creative digital art courses are not prestigious at all which is another aspect I didn’t like however can understand. I’m most worried about my career later on…if I stick with my media and communication degree but want to do something creative, I’m scared that employers will not employ me because I dont have the right skills eg photoshop/video editing.

Please give me some advice as I am struggling of trying to come up with a decision and don’t have much time. Thank you!!
@astroworld9999

I just had a look at the course modules and it looks like the degree only looks at the academic study of the media and its place/usage in society. If you don't mind me asking, did you not look this up before you applied?

Have you looked at any of the English degrees? Although not exactly what you're looking for, they're more relevant to what you'd possibly want to pursue. Perhaps consider changing to one of them?
Arranging entry to another university at this late date is tricky - many universities have already started teaching so your choices will be very limited.

You’d be best suspending your studies at Loughborough for this year and spending a year exploring your interests and applying to other courses for 2020 entry. Maybe look into illustration and animation degrees (particularly combined) as that would combine creating images with writing/narrative? Manchester School of Art (part of man met) and Cambridge School of Art (part of anglia Ruskin) offer that combination Iirr. If you don’t find anything that suits you then you can go back and resume your degree at Loughborough.

Don’t worry about “prestige” for creative careers the industry knows that older universities are stuck in traditional fine art degrees with little on offer for students interested in anything more current.

Media studies degrees are usually as you’ve found very academic with little practical creative practice.

@astroworld9999
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by Quick-use
@astroworld9999

I just had a look at the course modules and it looks like the degree only looks at the academic study of the media and its place/usage in society. If you don't mind me asking, did you not look this up before you applied?

Have you looked at any of the English degrees? Although not exactly what you're looking for, they're more relevant to what you'd possibly want to pursue. Perhaps consider changing to one of them?

hi thanks for your response! yes i was completely aware of this however before applying, i was frequently in touch with some representatives of the course who assured me that there would be practical/more creative work involved - one year in and i now realise that there isn't and i was mislead(not blaming anyone but myself though). i have had a look at some english degrees and was considering this however i feel like i would be missing out on learning the vast skills that are taught on a digital arts course. any suggestions?
Original post by astroworld9999
hi thanks for your response! yes i was completely aware of this however before applying, i was frequently in touch with some representatives of the course who assured me that there would be practical/more creative work involved - one year in and i now realise that there isn't and i was mislead(not blaming anyone but myself though). i have had a look at some english degrees and was considering this however i feel like i would be missing out on learning the vast skills that are taught on a digital arts course. any suggestions?

Unless you're prepared to leave Loughborough and apply elsewhere to start next year, I might recommend you to ask if you can transfer into the English Lit with Digital Humanities degree or the English Lit with Creative Writing degree. Regarding digital arts, I really do think you'll have to do that in your spare time or do it for a Master's degree.

It's up to you. Either leave Loughborough now and apply to your dream courses (if there are any) to start next year or ask to be transferred into 1st year of an English Lit degree. In any case, you may as well enquire about the move into English Lit. An enquiry doesn't mean that you have to do it. Could help you decide at least! :rambo:
Original post by PQ
Arranging entry to another university at this late date is tricky - many universities have already started teaching so your choices will be very limited.

You’d be best suspending your studies at Loughborough for this year and spending a year exploring your interests and applying to other courses for 2020 entry. Maybe look into illustration and animation degrees (particularly combined) as that would combine creating images with writing/narrative? Manchester School of Art (part of man met) and Cambridge School of Art (part of anglia Ruskin) offer that combination Iirr. If you don’t find anything that suits you then you can go back and resume your degree at Loughborough.

Don’t worry about “prestige” for creative careers the industry knows that older universities are stuck in traditional fine art degrees with little on offer for students interested in anything more current.

Media studies degrees are usually as you’ve found very academic with little practical creative practice.

thank you for your advice! what would you think of this - I continue my degree at loughborough and earn a degree in communication and media however during my free time create a art portfolio of my creative works ie short stories ive written, art ive produced etc as well as take an online course that teaches me about graphic design/animation/photoshop - all of which are done on computer software. then i plan on going to the US to obtain a masters degree in an arts school specifically teaching screenwriting/digital art/graphic design etc.?
Original post by Quick-use
Unless you're prepared to leave Loughborough and apply elsewhere to start next year, I might recommend you to ask if you can transfer into the English Lit with Digital Humanities degree or the English Lit with Creative Writing degree. Regarding digital arts, I really do think you'll have to do that in your spare time or do it for a Master's degree.

It's up to you. Either leave Loughborough now and apply to your dream courses (if there are any) to start next year or ask to be transferred into 1st year of an English Lit degree. In any case, you may as well enquire about the move into English Lit. An enquiry doesn't mean that you have to do it. Could help you decide at least! :rambo:

im hesitant of transferring to an english lit degree/an english degree in general as i know although it will be creative to an extent, its purely based on writing and not entirely practical. i guess it would help me a lot though if i were to pursue a career in script/screen writing.

what's your opinion of this: I continue my degree at loughborough and earn a degree in communication and media however during my free time create a art portfolio of my creative works ie short stories ive written, art ive produced etc as well as take an online course that teaches me about graphic design/animation/photoshop - all of which are done on computer software. then i plan on going to the US to obtain a masters degree in an arts school specifically teaching screenwriting/digital art/graphic design etc.?
Ive currently finished one year of media and communication at loughborough uni and hated everything about the course.
90% of It was about sociology, research methods and psychology and there were no creative aspects to it, like I thought there would be considering it was a media course. Most of the modules were shared with students studying criminology, social policy, psychology etc. and the subject was considered a Bachelor of science rather than Bachelor of arts.

I love creative writing, writing in general, screenplay, coming up with ideas for films as well as digital media arts e.g. designing things on photoshop, illustrator, using computers to create creative things, animation, SFX etc…

I am very confused and have no idea what to do now. Basically, I would like to pursue a career in script writing and digital arts however no course in the UK offers both. Im not sure what to do at all.

I was thinking of either just staying at loughborough uni and finishing the 4 years (placement included) however self teaching myself And taking online courses in graphic design/photoshop/digital arts etc and creating my own online creative portfolio for my placement year and then taking a masters degree specifically in creative writing/digital art OR transferring universities this month to a degree that is more creative such as digital media arts and then doing a masters in script writing.

The majority of unis in the UK that offer the creative digital art courses are not prestigious at all which is another aspect I didn’t like however can understand. I’m most worried about my career later on…if I stick with my media and communication degree but want to do something creative, I’m scared that employers will not employ me because I dont have the right skills eg photoshop/video editing.

Please give me some advice as I am struggling of trying to come up with a decision and don’t have much time. Thank you!!
Original post by astroworld9999
im hesitant of transferring to an english lit degree/an english degree in general as i know although it will be creative to an extent, its purely based on writing and not entirely practical. i guess it would help me a lot though if i were to pursue a career in script/screen writing.

what's your opinion of this: I continue my degree at loughborough and earn a degree in communication and media however during my free time create a art portfolio of my creative works ie short stories ive written, art ive produced etc as well as take an online course that teaches me about graphic design/animation/photoshop - all of which are done on computer software. then i plan on going to the US to obtain a masters degree in an arts school specifically teaching screenwriting/digital art/graphic design etc.?

That sounds fine. But, my question is - will you be fine with continuing your degree? Do you think you'll last another few years? If not, then consider English and consider if you'd be able to survive that for a few years. If no to both, definitely change universities.

Ideally, you want to enjoy your university degree/experience and get a good grade. Do you think you'll be able to do so?
Original post by Quick-use
That sounds fine. But, my question is - will you be fine with continuing your degree? Do you think you'll last another few years? If not, then consider English and consider if you'd be able to survive that for a few years. If no to both, definitely change universities.

Ideally, you want to enjoy your university degree/experience and get a good grade. Do you think you'll be able to do so?

the thing is my degree is still relatively interesting - i studied media and psychology for my alevels found that this really helped during first year especially in my exams/coursework to an extent - got a 2.1 in first year, mostly earning 2:1's, 1st's and a couple 2:2's throughout the year. With me, even if i absolutely despise what im studying, i will put in 100% to get the grade i need (im aiming for a 1st but still would be happy with a 2:1). However, creative companies which employ people with creative degrees place more importance on their portfolio, creative skills etc I believe. So yes i would be fine continuing with my degree and besides academics social aspect is fine too. however, what im worried about is wasting my time or not having creative employees accept my degree as its technical and not hands on. Additionally, if I were to switch to an english degree of any sort i would definitely apply to a better, more well-known university as Loughborough uni doesnt rank very high in its english department. I'm actually very confused and have no idea what ill end up doing. ive got lost of different options at this point but am scared of choosing the wrong path and repeating my mistake yet again.
Good questions!

Bournemouth, Edinburgh napier perhaps, Leeds Beckett/NFS, and a few courses called "FILM" or "PHOTOGRAPHY"in what used to be polytechnics - might be that which you seek, Luffbro' is an excellent uni, so if you've accom etc sorted, and you like the campus - then quickly phone up someone like, for example, a subtly different course in the same place


Graphic Communication and Illustration
https://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/a-z/graphic-communication-and-illustration/

Details https://www.lboro.ac.uk/students/programme-specifications/2018/english-arts-and-drama/undergraduate/name-1038176-en.html

Hmmmm... it's still very wordy, just adds Textiles!?! - perhaps aiming at middle management at dinosaurs like the BBC , rather than a creative, new media launch on a streaming service...

Lufbro' also successfuly hid any staff names from me, so you'll have to work out yourself who to phone in which department to 'jump' to, if there is something local that might meet your legitimate expectations....maybe email [email protected]

Look at it like this, if you carry-on, and get hopefully a 2:1 or perhaps a dispirited 2:2 in "Media & Com." then you could get a job perhaps at Primark or British Airways or the Police, as they mostly just need "any degree" to get in. BUT if you are passionate, and it sounds like it, then you might get a First in a degree that can directly lead to the area of work that you can see yourself doing.

You are right that the correct Masters can top-up almost any BSc/BA and sanitise it to launch your career, and at least with a nice desktop 5K widescreen iMac and FCPX, DSLR cameras, then you can study film/photo/arty stuff in your spare time, and still do great.

Howevr places like Leeds Becket are about to unveil their new 80 million quid film studios building in central Leeds, and your placement might be at their film connections with Yorkshire TV, or in Cannes, France - and they can lend you a win10 laptop for the homework vid stuff.
https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/developments/projects/creative-arts-building/


Your uni does an interesting arty foundation course, https://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/foundation/art-and-design/
contact details are tel:+44(0)1509228922 and email [email protected] anything on that that can be leveraged to your own ideas?

You are the discerning customer, paying prob ten grand per year for whatever you wish to do, if you passed last year then it WILL one day be useful, surely in a future careeer, will make you a better "whatever" but YES,it can be reasonable to swap to a place that is more aligned with your wishes - I do know of quite a few students who have done that - but some didn't like the next college either! If you are to move course or actual college, then now is the time, rthaer than in 3 months time.

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