Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Computer Animation and Visual Effects

at University of Bedfordshire - Luton Campus United Kingdom

This BPS-accredited conversion course is open to anyone with a recognised undergraduate degree in any subject who now wants to take the first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist.

This unique course – accredited to the British Psychological Society (BPS) - provides you with the knowledge and skills you need to go on to develop a successful career in the field of psychology.

You study the essential core topics of individual difference, developmental, social, cognitive and biological psychology. You need to have studied these areas to gain BPS Graduate Membership, the first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist specialising in a chosen area such as health, forensic, counselling, education or clinical.

Why choose this course?

• Study how psychology can be applied in daily life, in the specific areas of health, wellbeing and criminal behaviour
• Explore intellectual functions, the biological basis of behaviour and the effects of impairments on the mind
• Develop a deep understanding of the role learning and memory play in our everyday lives
• Focus in more detail on the specialist areas of health and forensic psychology
• Gain the skills and expertise necessary to use the qualitative and quantitative methodologies commonly used by professional psychologists
• Benefit from access to a wide range of departmental facilities, including expert advice and specialist software such as SPSS, ATLAS, EEG and driver simulators

Offering the in-depth technical and professional training you need for a career as an information technologist, this course is run in collaboration with local companies so you gain real-world experience while studying.

In your first year, you develop the skills to study the specialist topics later in the course including an introduction to software; hardware and how computers are built; how computers work with databases; and Structured Query Language (NoSQL). You will also learn about software applications (such as Microsoft, Oracle and Java) and hardware installation, configuration and maintenance.

In year two, you focus on software design and development; how software and hardware work together; designing secure systems; and approaches for testing software.

Learning in your final year focuses on research methods and emerging technologies as you undertake an independent IT project.

Why choose this course?

• It offers in-depth technical and professional training, including CompTia, Security+ and CCNA, which are required to practise as an information technologist
• Throughout the course, you benefit from work-based learning projects and hands-on experience which prepare you to graduate as a professional
• You learn how a wide range of technology can be deployed to provide systems that support organisations to achieve their business objectives
• You develop the knowledge and skills to draw out user requirements from non-IT experts and transform these into implemented system-level designs
• You will be able to lead an IT project, using transferable skills such as effective collaboration and critical thinking
• Take the course over four years and include a professional placement year (see below) where you can gain experience, build your CV and make contacts for the future

The media impacts on our lives every day and shapes our understanding of the world. This course gives you the practical and analytical skills needed to work in the media industry - and the chance to specialise in a preferred area, whether it's radio, journalism or new media.

This degree provides you with both the academic skills to understand and analyse the media, and the practical skills to work within the industry as an effective communicator and analyst.

You explore the social, historical and political aspects of contemporary media (including radio, film, television, press, media institutions and new media technologies), unpacking how these ever-evolving areas work and the roles they play in modern life. Alongside this, you choose a specialist area (such as radio, online media or journalism) to develop your practical production experience.

You also produce a special project, creating a portfolio of work (ideal to show future employers) or writing a dissertation on an aspect of the media you would like to explore in more depth.

Why choose this course?

• Gives a solid grounding in how the media works, both nationally and globally
• Offers opportunities for specialisation in the area of your choice
• Your independent project helps develop your skills in research, problem solving and analysis as well as building personal confidence and communication skills
• Benefit from a course that paves the way to a career in the media industry but also in the creative industries (print and audio-visual media companies), PR and marketing, media research or teaching
• Take the course over four years and include a fee-free year’s placement in industry (see below), gaining experience and making contacts for the future
• If you need a step-up into higher education, start with a Foundation Year (see below) which guarantees entry to the degree course

Environmental change affects everyone on the planet and sustainably managing a changing natural environment is one of the 21st century’s most pressing challenges. This course develops your theoretical knowledge and practical skills, enabling you to begin to meet these challenges in your chosen career.

Through study of environmental sustainability and management, as well as global environmental change, you develop a comprehensive understanding of what is happening in the environment at a range of scales. You then go on to examine how the integration of environmental science, biotechnology and management methods can help environmental, biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The course has a focus on how biotechnology can provide practical solutions to environmental problems, and your studies support you to develop valuable practical skills in identifying and evaluating useful technologies.

Why choose this course?

• Access the latest scientific thinking and teaching from a leading, research-active academic team with expertise in ecology, biotechnology, management and environmental microbiology
• Gain the knowledge and skills to move into a career in the environmental sector or – if you are a more experienced professional - develop your range of competencies and widen your opportunities in the field
• Develop a systematic understanding and critical awareness of the biological, ecological and socio-economic drivers of global environmental change
• Be able to evaluate methods of managing environmental change at local and global levels, including legislative, voluntary and economic management
• Hone your practical skills in our modern, well-equipped laboratories
• There is the option of a part-time pathway to better fit study around your work and family commitments
• Choose from a wide range of career paths including environmental consultancies; biotechnological research organisations; national and international government agencies and non-governmental bodies; and related business and industry. You also have the option of further study leading to PhD

It’s never been more important to understand the impact of human action on the environment as well as the effect environmental change may have on human health. This integrated course works at the cutting edge of environmental and health science, exploring the issues, challenges and new technologies that will decide our own and our planet’s future.

This degree gives you a sound base in biology and biochemistry where you explore the functioning of living organisms; the diversity of life on the planet; and the interactions between the environment and humans. You also develop your understanding of how the human body functions in health and disease, and how this is related to the environments in which we live. Focusing on the environment, you investigate the impact humans have on ecosystems; the consequences of environmental change, locally and globally; and the sustainable management of food production, the food chain and the importance of food security to human health.

Laboratory work is an essential part of the course and you build your skills in this area as well as your expertise in the practical and analysis techniques relevant to working in environmental and health sciences.

Why choose this course?

• Develop your understanding of environmental protection and the role of individuals, organisations and governments in preserving the environment
• Be able to discuss the ethical issues and challenges around environmental protection
• Study with an academic team with established research expertise in areas across biomedicine, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, genomics and bioinformatics
• Benefit from our academic collaborations with the University’s Schools and Research Institutes as well as with external institutions and organisations
• Gain work experience through the Life Sciences Liaison Board, which has strong links to a network of industry and practice organisations
• When you graduate, there are a number of career paths open to you including government agencies; industry; science laboratories; higher education institutions; and environmental agencies
• Take the course over four years and include a fee-free year in industry, gaining work experience, building your CV and making contacts for the future
• If you need a step up into higher education, start with a Foundation Year which guarantees you a place on the degree course

The study of finance is key to understanding how businesses operate, governments exercise policies and countries operate and compete with each other.

This course will provide you with an intimate knowledge of the structural issues economies are facing and the way they are being realised in today’s economics affairs through the dominance of financial institutions.

Through blended learning you will study the theoretical background and work with industry on real business problems to develop the personal and professional skills you need to be a key player in this global, knowledge-based economy

Why choose this course?

• Study the related areas of economics, financial markets and portfolio management, accounting and finance and strategic management
• Gain advanced knowledge of financial organisations and institutions, as well as of government policies and the critical capabilities to apply theory to complex issues
• Explore your enterprise, creativity and independence – the skills required by employers - through your dissertation unit
• Develop your employability by undertaking a work placement with the opportunity to work on a live project
• Benefit from studying with a Business School that has partners across the world enabling you to examine the cross-culture perspectives essential to organisations in the global markets

If you’re interested in a career in forensic science, we have a crime scene for you! A unique mix of biosciences and criminal psychology, our degree course offers you the opportunity for practical forensic processing in our crime scene facility.

Technological advances have made the role of the forensic scientist – the expert who collects, preserves and analyses evidence - increasingly important in crime investigation, and also in other fields such as archaeology.

The course starts with an introduction to psychology and the sciences relevant to forensics, followed by more detailed applied forensics including the preparation of evidence for court, pathology, medical physiology and haematology. You’ll also study the most recent advances in DNA analysis, toxicology, criminal psychology, and fire and explosive analysis.

Why choose this course?

• The Forensic Science team includes international experts in the psychology of criminal behaviour and forensics experts from a variety of operational backgrounds
• Our teaching is rated as ‘Excellent’ by the QAA and the team is part of a highly experienced department that has run biological science courses for over 30 years
• You’ll study in a specialist forensic laboratory, with key laboratory skills incorporated into most of the taught units, especially your final-year research project
• You’ll learn the skills and techniques needed to evaluate a real-life crime scene in our scene-of-crime lab, designed to resemble an 'normal' flat
• There’s the option to take the course over four years and include a year’s work placement (see below) to gain experience and industry contacts
• If you’d like to step-up into higher education, you can take an introductory Foundation Year (see below), which guarantees entry to the Undergraduate course

    "Studying forensic science with Bedfordshire has been an awesome, inspiring experience, with lecturers who are specialists with industry experience in the areas they teach. I highly recommend anyone wishing to study this subject with Beds to 'Go 4 it'."

The MBA (Oil and Gas Management) is a flagship qualification designed to meet the needs and aspirations of early career individuals through the combination of a general management education with the specialist area of Oil and Gas Management.

It is designed for individuals who want to develop both their management skills and new areas of business interest and those seeking fast track career progression opportunities.

This postgraduate degree aims to enhance your professional prospects by developing your capability to apply the latest thinking relating to organisational development and change in the competitive global context.

Successful completion of the MBA (Oil and Gas Management) highlights your potential to have a real impact on the transformation of the organisation you join.

Our courses are designed to be engaging, attractive and flexible in the current global marketplace. There are six entry points through the year. This allows you to start when it is most suitable.

Your course takes place over three semesters. Depending upon when you join the course, this will determine the order of units which you will study. You will benefit by beginning your studies with others who started at one of the earlier points of entry.

Why choose this course?

• The course adopts a practical and applied business curriculum and aims to develop an advanced knowledge of organisations and their effective management in the dynamic competitive global context, and the ability to creatively apply this knowledge and understanding to complex issues to systematically and innovatively enhance strategic business and management practice.
• This offers a challenging learning opportunity to encourage the integration of theory and practice supported by experienced academics with substantial management experience.
• You will work with academics and professors of practice on live consultancy projects with leading employers in organisations across private, public and not-for-profit sectors to support your personal and professional development as a creative and innovative leader with the knowledge and skills needed in the global, knowledge-based economy.
• You will develop the attributes and skills expected of post-graduates confirmed by partner industry bodies including the Chartered Management Institute and the Confederation of British Industry, including team-working, negotiation skills, leadership, confidence and the ability to apply critical and creative thinking to complex and unclear problems to develop innovative solutions.

Open doors to a vast range of careers in the rapidly growing tourism industry – from airlines to hotels, business and conference centres to eco-tourism destinations, the possibilities are almost endless.

This International Tourism Management course offers a sandwich year placement in the UK or abroad, giving you the chance to explore potential careers.

Your studies will focus on global issues such as the development and management of sustainable tourism and some of the most pressing issues in international tourism management, including the impact of new technology on travel, tourism and mobility, the environmental, economic and social impacts of tourism.

You will enjoy field trips  to tourist destinations or attractions, and an opportunity to specialise in visitor attractions, air transport, sports tourism or events management.

The University of Bedfordshire is a member of The Association for Tourism in Higher Education (ATHE). ATHE is the subject association for tourism in higher education in the UK. It represents universities that are leading providers of tourism programmes.

Why choose this course?

• Learn the skills needed to enter careers in a wide range of UK or international tourism management settings
• Study theory and practice in difference branches of tourism, including visitor attractions, air transport, heritage and sustainable tourism
• Develop your understanding of the industry, with a final year work placement in the UK or abroad, with the opportunity to develop additional foreign language skills
• Gain knowledge of strategic management of tourism-related businesses
• Explore a range of potential career options with companies like tour operators, destination management companies, airlines and major hotel chains
• Benefit from a course that opens up diverse career opportunities in a fast-growing industry, including in international tourism development, tour operations, air transport management, destination management, business development and marketing, as well as a range of further study opportunities.