BA (Hons) Media and Performance

Here’s how experiential learning comes to life in the BA (Hons) Media and Performance at the University of Salford, showing you exactly how you’ll gain real-world experience, develop professional skills, and graduate with a strong creative portfolio.

You won’t just study media and performance — you’ll live it. From day one, you’ll be performing live, working on camera or radio projects, collaborating with peers and industry professionals, and using professional-standard studios and equipment to bring your ideas to life. The course immerses you in performance spaces, screen-acting studios, voice-acting labs, and production suites, giving you the freedom to experiment and grow. It all leads up to a major final-year project where you’ll specialise in your chosen area and showcase your talent in a piece of work that’s uniquely yours.

Key experiential learning highlights:

• Perform in a professional theatre: You’ll stage live productions in the New Adelphi Theatre — a 350-seat venue that gives you the experience of performing for real audiences.

• Create in flexible performance spaces: Smaller projects take place in the black-box studio theatre, perfect for intimate performances and creative experimentation.

• Develop voice-acting skills: In the dedicated voice studio, you’ll work on podcasts, radio dramas, video game dialogue, and foley-sound projects — all using professional recording facilities.

• Work in screen-acting studios: Two fully equipped studios with both fixed and flexible sets allow you to rehearse and record scenes for camera, gaining hands-on screen experience.

• Learn technical production: You’ll develop behind-the-scenes expertise in camera operation, lighting, editing, and sound design — essential skills for any media professional.

• Explore motion-capture performance: Experience acting for games and animation in a motion-capture studio, where you’ll create digital characters and scenes for virtual production.

• Build a professional portfolio: Your final year culminates in a major project that reflects your personal strengths and ambitions, forming a portfolio you can use to launch your career.

• Connect with industry experts: Learn from lecturers who are active practitioners, attend masterclasses, and take advantage of networking opportunities with professionals in the field.

• Learn by doing: Each module blends theory with hands-on practice — from acting for camera to radio performance and production workshops — ensuring that every concept is tested in real creative contexts.

• Go global: You can even spend a semester or full year studying abroad, broadening your creative perspective and adding international experience to your portfolio.

If you join the BA (Hons) Media and Performance at the University of Salford, you’ll graduate with the creative versatility and technical skills needed for roles such as actor or performer, presenter or host, content producer, or director. With its strong focus on both media production and performance, the degree prepares you to thrive and adapt across the fast-moving creative and broadcast industries.

Progression & Future Opportunities

At Salford, you’ll be supported every step of the way through the Careers & Enterprise service, as well as placement and work-experience opportunities designed to help you build your portfolio, polish your applications, and gain valuable real-world experience.

Located right at the heart of the UK’s media scene at MediaCityUK, the course gives you access to industry-standard facilities and the chance to connect with major companies such as BBC and ITV. This vibrant, professional environment allows you to network, collaborate, and gain insights from the very people shaping the industry today.

Graduates from Salford’s media-related courses typically earn around £24,500 within 15 months of graduation, and around 95% go on to employment or further study — an excellent reflection of the programme’s real-world relevance and strong industry links.

Because the degree blends creative performance with media production, it offers a strong foundation and long-term value for careers in acting, broadcasting, digital content creation, directing, and live media performance.

Further Academic Progression

After completing your degree, you could choose to advance your studies with a postgraduate qualification in areas such as Film Production, Performance Studies, or Digital Media. Many graduates go on to specialise in production management, directing, or creative media, further developing their professional expertise and expanding their career prospects.