Immersive Media

Program Overview

---

MA Immersive Media | Part-time

About this course

Design the future of digital experiences - create, innovate, and push boundaries in XR, Interactive Storytelling & Immersive Technology

What will you experience on this MA?

You’ll have access to dedicated immersive media labs and industry-focused creative technology, including:

• Specialist XR Display Technologies – XR = VR, AR, and MR headsets, motion controllers, tablets, 360° cameras
• Fully Equipped Production Facilities across the Screen School & Liverpool School of Art and Design
• Hands-On Training with Industry-Leading Software

Our approach is story-first, software-second, giving you the flexibility to master multiple tools, including:

• Unreal Engine (for immersive worlds & interactive design)
• Blender, Cinema4D, Maya, ZBrush & Gravity Sketch (3D modeling & spatial design)
• Isadora & TouchDesigner (interactive media & live performance tools)
• Adobe Creative Suite (industry-standard content creation tools)

Liverpool has a long history of breakthroughs in games, film, and creative technology. Studying here means being immersed in an ecosystem of innovation, collaboration, and future-thinking.

The City Region is experiencing a transformative surge in its creative industries, making it the ideal place to establish or advance your career in immersive media. Recent significant investments in the city include MusicFutures Creative Cluster, an exciting £6.75 million initiative led by LJMU and the University of Liverpool, which aims to establish the Liverpool City Region as a powerhouse for music research and development.

This five-year program brings together over 20 strategic partners to drive innovation through emerging technologies, immersive content, talent development, and business growth.

The city also welcomes a £60 million Government funding boost to support creative and cultural organisations across the country. This investment aims to transform local venues, create jobs, support businesses, and spread opportunities, with a focus on regions like Liverpool.

Course modules

Discover the building blocks of your programme

Further guidance on modules

Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.

Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.

Core modules

Immersive Media Lab

30 credits

This module will allow you to explore the creative potential of specialised hardware and software in immersive technology. You will be able to apply techniques for the manipulation and distribution of immersive technology content and design. This will help you to understand the creative potential of these technologies in context of a chosen area of practice.

Research and Proposal

30 credits

This module develops students understanding of practice-based and theoretical research methods in Immersive Media, leading to the development of a conceptual and critical proposal for an Immersive Media project.

Immersive Media Project

60 credits

This module will enable you to produce an immersive media project based on original in-depth research, for delivery on a platform and context of choice. This will provide you the opportunity to demonstrate, through the completion of an extended project, a range of skills and practices in creative invention and in planning and management. Within the module you will be required to demonstrate technical competencies in all practical aspects of production.

Immersive Storytelling

30 credits

Introducing students to research methodologies, and reflective practices then moving to explore key theories and exemplars of immersive storytelling and experience design, drawing upon interdisciplinary fields of research and practice across art, design, performance and creative technologies. The module explores core concepts, practices and perspectives related to narrative development of immersive experiences and presents a series of theoretical, creative and industry focused lectures, debates, workshops and seminars.

Collaborative Project

30 credits

This module offers an opportunity for students to work collaboratively, in cross-disciplinary teams, on an industry focused project or challenge with an external organisation.

Your Learning Experience

Teaching Assessment

An insight into teaching on your course

Study hours

Full time students will have a learning commitment of approximately 35 hours a week with two full teaching days based at the Screen School and School of Art and Design's Mount Pleasant campus.

Taught by industry experts

Learn from leading practitioners, researchers, and industry professionals with extensive experience in games, film, TV, performance, interactive design, and creative technology. Our staff actively engage in immersive media research, collaborations, and industry projects, ensuring the course remains at the cutting edge of what’s next.

Full-time and part-time study routes

We understand that creativity doesn’t wait- but neither does your career. That’s why we offer a flexible part-time route for professionals who want to advance their skillset while continuing to work. Whether you’re looking to upskill, change careers, or push your creative practice into new dimensions, this MA fits around your ambitions.

Research & Innovation

Not just practitioners- we’re pioneers. Our academic research explores the role of immersive technologies in multiple sectors, from entertainment and live experiences to healthcare, education, and beyond.

Live, industry-led collaborative projects

You won’t just learn- you’ll build. You’ll collaborate with real industry partners and peers to develop immersive experiences that tackle real-world challenges. This hands-on approach means you graduate with a portfolio of impactful, cutting-edge projects, setting you apart in the job market.

How learning is monitored on your programme

To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.

Assessments on the programme will be conducted using a variety of methods including: proposals, essays, prototypes and creative installations.

Where you will study

Liverpool Screen School is based in the Redmonds Building, in the heart of the bustling Mount Pleasant Campus and Liverpool's growing Knowledge Quarter. Redmonds Building is shared by Liverpool Screen School, School of Law and Liverpool Business School making for a rich blend of student learning experiences. The building is home to high quality lecture theatres and seminar rooms, broadcast studios, news rooms, media production suites, social spaces and a café. Liverpool School of Art and Design is housed in the RIBA award winning John Lennon Art and Design Building in the Mount Pleasant Campus and offers extensive studio spaces, lecture theatres and a dedicated public exhibition space. Both teaching buildings are only a short walk from LJMU's Aldham Robarts Library, which contains all the resources you will require for your studies, and is open seven days a week.

Career paths

Further your career prospects

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.

Graduates from this program go on to shape the immersive media industry, working as:

• XR experience designers
• Immersive storytellers and creatives
• VR/AR Developers
• Interactive media artists
• Creative technologists

Glen Southern - Senior Lecturer, Media Production (XR)

Glen is a passionate creative with a desire to help people create in new and innovative ways. He has had the privilege of working with some of the best companies in the creative industry and has been able to help them with different aspects of their business. He was VES nominated (Visual Effects Society) for his work on the Oscar winning Guillermo Del Toro's ‘Pinocchio’ and he has been involved in numerous Netflix, SKY Atlantic, BBC and HBO productions in various capacities. Glen has been teaching digital art in some capacity since 1991, initially as a hobbyist, working artist then company director and now Senior Lecturer. He has been running his company for 15 years and he has focussed heavily on XR, AR, VR and mobile creative tools and is seen as an industry leader in those areas.

Tuition fees and funding

Home

Part-time per credit:

£60

Fees

The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as library membership and student IT support with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources including programme-appropriate software and on campus wifi.

Financial Support

There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages. The University offers a range of financial support for students. You'll find all the information you need on our specialist financial support pages including details of the Student Support Fund and other activities to support with the cost of living.

Additional Costs

In addition to fees, students should also keep in mind the cost of:

• Accommodation
• Travel costs and field trips unless paid for by LJMU
• Stationery, IT equipment, professional body membership and graduation gown hire

Entry requirements

You will need:

Home International

Qualification requirements

Undergraduate degree

• Hons degree 2:2 or above (from art, media, animation, digital design, computer science, performing arts, graphic design, games, UX)
• an academic reference
• applicants are required to submit a sample digital portfolio at the point of application

Applicants who demonstrate professional skills and evidence of achievement in a related area without formal qualifications may also be considered. A CV should be provided at the point of application.

Further information

• Extra Requirements
• RPL

RPL is accepted on this programme

International requirements

IELTS

• IELTS English language requirement: 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component)

Further information

• Extra Requirements
• RPL

RPL is accepted on this programme

Find your country

Please Note: All international qualifications are subject to a qualification equivalency check.

How to apply

Securing your place at LJMU

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.

Your university life

From accommodation and academic support to clubs and societies. Find out what LJMU has to offer.

Related Links

Accommodation

Postgrad life at LJMU

Living in Liverpool

Your campus

Go Abroad

Sports, societies and lifestyle

Talk to our students

Connect with a current LJMU student for advice and guidance on university life, courses and more.

See what our students are saying

At LJMU we want you to know you’re making the right choice by studying with us. You can see what our students are saying about their experience with us through their reviews on the following websites:

Related Links

Read Student Crowd reviews

Ask questions on The Student Room forum

News and views

Browse through the latest news and stories from the university

Connect with us

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Spotify

Study

Undergraduate students

Postgraduate students

International students

Degree Apprenticeships

Continuing Professional Development

Applicants

About LJMU

Your Student Experience

Staff profiles

Liverpool

Our vision and values

LJMU achievements and impact

Celebrating LJMU's history

Vacancies at LJMU

Get in touch

Contact LJMU

How to find us

Press Office

Legal

Accessibility statement

Copyright notice

Disclaimer

Freedom of Information

Governance and charitable status

Modern Slavery Statement

Privacy notice and cookies

Cookie Preferences

2025 Liverpool John Moores University - All Rights Reserved