Program Overview

MA Documentary

About this course

This dynamic and practical Documentary MA from LJMU will develop your creative storytelling and multi-media production skills.

• Explore documentary making via a variety of platforms and media
• Develop skills in entrepreneurship and internationalisation
• Work with award-winning documentary makers and experienced journalists
• Undertake a placement with a professional media company
• Attend the UK's premier documentary festival, Sheffield DockFest
• Access to industry-standard technology and equipment

Develop the core skills required to become a successful documentary maker on this new Masters course. Through the exploration of practical camerawork skills, including sound recording, editing and interviewing, you will gain confidence in your craft, while the journalism modules will develop your skills in storytelling, interviewing and journalistic principles. You will also study and understand the laws which impact responsible journalism, including the latest media law and ethics.

Course modules

Core modules

• Documentary Production (30 credits)
  • This module represents the programme's main focus for developing advanced practical production and post production skills. Lectures and workshops form the basis of the module with students undertaking self-directed learning, supported by one-to-one tutorials, to develop and enhance their core practical skills and develop key specialisms. This will be demonstrated by practical assignments which comprise the portfolio and the accompanying reflective commentary will demonstrate an informed knowledge of documentary practice and the ability to critically evaluate and assess their own work and the published work of others that informs their own practice.
• Research & Story Development 1 (30 credits)
  • This module is designed to help students develop core narrative and storytelling skills, including the critical analysis required to research and develop an initial story idea into their masters documentary project, which constitutes the major documentary of the programme award.
• Documentary Platforms (30 credits)
  • This module is an opportunity for students to explore a range of technical skills in the development of compelling, tangible narratives on different media platforms, such as audio interfaces and non-linear interactive interfaces, producing engaging, dynamic content, including soundscaping, digital text, images, effects, video and animations.
• Research & Story Development 2 (30 credits)
  • Working to a story brief negotiated with module tutors in semester one, this module is designed to equip students with the advanced research skills including an understanding of ethical considerations, with support, in order to deliver their final masters project, on a media platform of choice.
• Documentary Project (60 credits)
  • This module is designed to allow students to demonstrate mastery of storytelling within their chosen subject area, by the production of a documentary on a media platform of their choice, which they have driven and managed, including all relevant research. This constitutes their final masters project. An accompanying written reflective commentary is designed to demonstrate advanced skills in critical thinking.

Professional accreditation

The Liverpool Screen School is a BAFTA albert Education Partner and proud to be working with albert to arm students with the sustainability knowledge they’ll need when joining the screen industries. BAFTA albert is the leading screen industry organisation for environmental sustainability.

Your Learning Experience

• Study hours: The majority of seminars, workshops and practical sessions take place on Tuesdays, with an intensive period at the start of semester one to kick start your learning.
• Teaching methods: You will be taught by professional, experienced and enthusiastic academic staff and practitioners from the media industry. Each tutor offers extensive and current practical industry experience in radio, television, interactive media, online journalism and documentary-making.

Career paths

LJMU has an excellent employability record with 94% (HESA 2022) of our postgraduates in work or further study fifteen months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.

This MA will help you to develop into an adaptive, creative and self-reflective story-teller, with industry-relevant craft skills and the ability to produce documentaries for a variety of audiences, in a range of media forms.

Tuition fees and funding

• Home: £9,340
• International: £17,750

Entry requirements

• Qualification requirements:
  • A minimum 2:2 degree
  • Although most applicants will be graduates, those without a degree and other non-standard applications will be considered. The Programme Leader will consider such applications on the basis of experience.
• Additional requirements:
  • Interview required (unless the Programme Leader deems it necessary)
  • To demonstrate a genuine interest and commitment to practical filmmaking (non-media graduates)
  • To demonstrate the ability to benefit from and contribute to the programme
• International requirements:
  • IELTS English language requirement: 6.0 with a minimum 5.5 in each component

How to apply

To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU online application form. You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme.

When you submit your completed LJMU online application form, you will also need to submit your academic transcript or equivalent and an academic reference.