Digital Content Creation and Social Media Level 3

Digital Content Creation and Social Media Level 3 | UAL Diploma / Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production and Technology
The Digital Content Creation and Social Media Level 3 course is for learners who wish to develop their skills in digital content creation and social media management and marketing with a view to entering employment in this growing industry.

The global digital content creation market was valued at USD 25.6 billion in 2022. This study programme is designed to equip students with skills to make professional quality media products and develop skills in digital content creation. You also will improve your English and Maths skills and will learn how to plan, implement and evaluate your project work based on industry style briefs. You will be supported in improving your job prospects in the Media Industry, whether that is via a UCAS application to a degree course or applying for work.

Course Info
Do I have to pay a fee?
How to make an Application
Other courses in this area
What Will I Learn?

Over the course of the two years you will develop your theoretical and practical skills in audio/visual techniques, brand marketing and the Creative Skills Industry. The underpinning skills in effective communication, teamwork, research, analysis, writing styles and organisation are developed as you produce coursework portfolios, digital submissions and seminar presentations.

Along with the media classes, you will improve your English and Maths skills which will make you more employable and improve the quality of your media work. GCSE Maths and English resit classes may be part of your timetable depending on your GCSE entry grades. You will also attend group tutorials and 1-1 tutorials to support your study as well as enrichment activities such as watching films, meeting guest lecturers from the industry and making visits to film and television studios.

Course Content

The Digital Content Creation and Social Media Level 3 programme will cover topics including

  • Pre-production techniques for the Creative Media Industries
  • Communication skills for Creative Media Production
  • Research Techniques for the Creative Media Industries
  • Understanding the Creative Media Sector
  • Social Media Management and Marketing
  • Multimedia Content
  • Creative Business Enterprise
  • Web Analytics
  • Podcast Creation and Distribution
  • Online Journalism
  • Film and Video Editing
  • Advertising
  • Copywriting
  • Digital Brand Development
  • Creative Media Production Management Project
  • Working to a Brief in the Creative Media Industries
  • Critical Approaches to Creative Media Products
Facilities/Equipment

The course has a wide range of equipment including the Creative Media Suite including a projection room, a PC suite, a Mac suite and seven editing rooms equipped with Mac computers running Adobe Creative Suite and modelling software. We have an extensive resource of camera, sound and lighting equipment. The Colchester campus also includes a well-equipped television studio with green-screen facility and a soundproof audio studio with technical support available.

Entry Requirements
  • 5 GCSEs (9-4) including English and Maths, or satisfactory results (Merit/Distinction) in a relevant Level 2 qualification
  • An interview
What Can I Do Next?

There is a growing range of careers in the Digital Content Creation and Social media sector including work within film and television production, advertising, computer games design, landscape and architecture virtualisation, web design, Social Media and Digital marketing. Depending on your age when you start, you will either study a two-year extended diploma or a one-year diploma before progressing to the second year. Some students who want a top up year after A levels can apply for only the one-year course. After two years, over 50% of our Media students apply through UCAS to a degree course where they can specialise in different areas of the Creative Industries.

Fees and Finance

Students’ college education is funded for three academic years after leaving secondary school in year 11. Please click the button below which will apply to your age on the 31st August 2024 in order to find out more information about fees and finance relating to your course.

16-18 - Do I have to pay a fee?

All students aged 16-18 on the first day of their course will have their course fully-funded by the government.

Costs of studying

If you are/will be aged 16, 17 or 18 on the 31st August in the calendar year when you begin a programme of study, you DO NOT pay tuition fees, College registration fees or examination/board registration fees. However, there are some courses which have additional costs which could include:

  • Equipment costs – such as uniforms, kits, books and so on
  • Trips and enrichment activities
  • DBS checks (formerly CRB checks)
  • Occupational Health Screening

You will be informed of any additional costs associated with your chosen programme as early as possible to allow time for payment to be made.

Applicants thinking of enrolling on this course can apply for funding to help with the costs associated with attending college.  Bursary awards can help with your course related costs such as travel, books and equipment and much more.

The bursary fund cannot provide help with costs unrelated to your course, such as general living expenses, nor can it be used as an attendance incentive.

Applications to the fund are not normally considered if the household income exceeds £30,000 but may be considered in some instances if the household is experiencing severe financial hardship.

The 16-19 Bursary Fund is aimed at helping:
Students who are aged 16, 17 or 18 on the 31st August 2023
Students aged 19 who started a two-year programme before their 19th birthday
Students aged 19 or over on 31st August 2023 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

When can I apply?

******Applications for student funding for learners who started in September 2023 are now closed.

If you are a current student and would like to discuss your options at this late stage of the year, please contact Student Finance. *****

Bursary Fund applications for courses starting in the 2024/25 academic year will open on July 1st 2024.

For courses starting in September 2024, applications should be made by 1st November 2024. If you find yourself in financial hardship after this date it is important that you still contact Student Services. Applications received after 1st November will be considered on a pro-rata basis subject to need and the availability of funds.

You are advised to read the notes and policies at the beginning of the form and ensure that you provide all the evidence that is required when submitting your application.

Full details of the bursary funds, including making an application, can be found here:

I will be over 19 on the 31st August 2024

19+ - Do I have to pay a fee?

The information in this section applies solely to this course and the criteria for a fee waiver is not transferable to any other course offered by the College.

You will not pay tuition fees if you are:
under 19 on the 31st August 2024
aged 19-24 on the 31st August 2024 and have an active Education, Health and Care Plan
aged 19 – 23 and have not already achieved a full Level 3 qualification* (In some cases, if you need to first enrol on a lower level course, before progressing to a Level 3, this may also be fully funded by the government)  

* This means that you have not previously attained a full Level 3 or equivalent (2 A Levels or 4 AS Levels, or QAA Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma at Level 3, or a Level 3 Tech level or applied general qualification (e.g. BTEC)).

You will pay tuition fees if you are:
aged 19 – 23 at the start of this course and have previously achieved a full Level 3 qualification
aged 24+ and have not previously achieved a full Level 3 qualification
Learners required to pay tuition fees can either self-fund (whereby you or your employer pays for the course) or apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to cover all, or part, of the tuition fees for this course.   The minimum loan you can get is £300, but the maximum will depend on how much the fees are and the type of course you take.
Other Additional Costs

Regardless of whether tuition fees apply, some of our programmes incur additional costs which could include:

  • Equipment costs – such as uniforms, kits, books and so on
  • Trips and enrichment activities
  • DBS checks (formerly CRB checks)
  • Occupational Health Screening

You will be informed of any additional costs associated with your chosen programme as early as possible to allow time for payment to be made.

Advanced Learner Loans

Am I eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan?

To qualify for an advanced learner loan to cover the fees for this course you must be:

  • 19 years old or over on the first day of your course (there’s no upper age limit)
  • A UK national or have ‘settled status’ (this means there are no restrictions on how long you can stay)
  • Living in the UK on the first day of your course, and have lived in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for three years immediately before this

Most learners that fall into this bracket will be eligible, it doesn’t depend on your household income and there’s no credit check!

If your nationality or residency status is different to the above, then please contact the national Advanced Learner Loan helpline on 0300 100 0619 or check the Advanced Learner Loan website where you will be able to find further information on eligibility.

How do I apply for an Advanced Learner Loan?

Once you have applied and been offered a place on the course, the college will provide you with a ‘learning and funding information letter’. These are normally sent out in early July.

You need this to complete the loan application and you cannot apply for a loan until you have received this.

Once you have applied for a loan and it has been approved you will receive an official letter from Student Finance England.

Am I eligible for a bursary?

Applicants thinking of enrolling on this course can apply for funding to help with the costs associated with attending college.  Bursary funds are targeted at students where there is an identified low household income.

The bursary fund cannot provide help with costs unrelated to your course, such as general living expenses, nor can it be used as an attendance incentive.

Applications to the fund are not normally considered if the household income exceeds £25,000 but may be considered in some instances if the household is experiencing severe financial hardship.

The 16-19 Bursary Fund is aimed at helping:
Students who are aged 16, 17 or 18 on the 31st August 2024
Students aged 19 who started a two-year programme before their 19th birthday
Students aged 19 or over on 31st August 2024 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

If you do not meet the above criteria then you are likely to be eligible for support through either the:
19+ Bursary Fund 
or
Advanced Learner Loan Bursary Fund (for students paying Level 3 tuition fees for with an advanced learner loan)*

*Awards from the Advanced Learner Loans Bursary Fund can only be made to students who have received an Advanced Learner Loan. If you do not intend to apply for an advanced learner loan or if your application has been unsuccessful you will not be eligible for an award from this particular fund.

Funds are targeted at course related costs such as travel, childcare, books and equipment.

Regardless of income or employment status, students self-funding (including where an employer is covering course fees), are not eligible for financial assistance through any discretionary bursary funds.

When can I apply?

******Applications for student funding for learners who started in September 2023 are now closed.

If you are a current student and would like to discuss your options at this late stage of the year, please contact Student Finance. *****

Bursary Fund applications for courses starting in the 2024/25 academic year will open on July 1st 2024.

For courses starting in September 2024, applications should be made by 1st November 2024. If you find yourself in financial hardship after this date it is important that you still contact Student Services. Applications received after 1st November will be considered on a pro-rata basis subject to need and the availability of funds.

Payment Options

Payment should be made in full at the time of enrolment. Acceptable payment methods include Debit Card and Credit Card (excluding American Express). Please note that we are no longer able to accept cash or cheque payments.

Can I pay in instalments?

Yes, you can spread the cost of fees. Any student of the College who pays his/her own programme costs is entitled to do so on a monthly payment plan basis, providing the total course fees exceed £200 and the student is aged 19 years, or over, on 31st August in the current academic year.

Where total course fees exceed £200 you (or your employer, if they are paying your course fees) can choose to pay your fees in instalments through a monthly payment plan and 40% of the fee or £500 (whichever is lower) will be payable at enrolment.

The balance must be paid within 6 months or by the end date if the course is less than 6 months in duration.

The monthly instalment payments will also be set up at the point of enrolment, or if you are enrolling using our online enrolment process, a member of our Finance team will contact you to set up the instalment plan after you have submitted your online enrolment.

In order to pay through monthly instalments, students must sign the Colchester Institute Instalment Payment Plan terms and conditions!

If a student fails to sign up to an instalment plan at enrolment all fees will become due for payment within 30 days.

Failure to fulfil any terms and conditions of an instalment agreement will result in you becoming immediately liable for the full outstanding balance and you may not be entitled to pay any future fees by instalments.

Please download and save the form below, then fill it in and sign it. These forms can either be emailed to registry@colchester.ac.uk prior to enrolment, or if you are completing an online enrolment you can upload these documents during the enrolment process.

Further Education Fee Instalment Student Terms and Conditions

Employers who are funding a student’s fees must complete and sign an authorisation form which must be submitted either prior to or at enrolment together with an advance payment of 40% of the course fee or £500, whichever is lower. This can be paid via the online store prior to or at the point of Enrolment.

If the advance payment is not made prior to or at Enrolment the student will not be eligible to attend college.

Further Education Employer Authorisation Form, Instalment Plan, Terms and Conditions

How to make an Application – Watch our video guide!

Digital Content Creation and Social Media Level 3
Qualification: UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production and Technology
LevelLevel 3
LocationBraintree
DurationTwo years: Year 1: 90 Credit Diploma | Year 2: Extended Diploma | 2 Years: Extended Diploma
Study ModeFull-Time
Campus / Adult Skills CentreBraintree Campus
Start DateSeptember 2024
Fee(s)16-18 year olds: Free
19+: £7,395 (This fee covers the full two-year course)

Disclaimer

All fees, prices and funding information shown on this page are for courses starting in the 2023-24 academic year unless stated otherwise, and are correct at the time of entering/printing information, however these may be subject to change due to factors outside of our control. The College cannot accept legal or financial liability as a result of any such changes.

Courses fees are generally not confirmed for September until June / July due to the above factors.

The course information describes programmes offered by Colchester Institute. The College takes all reasonable steps to provide courses as described, but cannot guarantee provision. The information is for guidance and does not form any part of a contract.

The College reserves the right to update and amend information as and when necessary. Colchester Institute will do its best to provide the courses shown, but may have to modify or withdraw a course depending on customer demand and other factors.