10 Master's courses you didn’t know BCU offered

Are you looking at continuing your studies with a course that’s a little bit different? Birmingham City University offers a variety of Master's degrees that are anything but ordinary. There might even be a few courses here that you had no idea BCU offered!

There’s something for everyone, and you never know what your niche and passion could end up being if you try something out of the box. If nothing here tickles your fancy, click here to check out our full list of courses.

1. Applied Metaverse and Digital Leadership 

You are probably already part of the Metaverse if you have an account with Facebook or Instagram. It is an ever-expanding behemoth in today’s society, in more ways than you’d expect, and starting a career in this area will be beneficial if you are interested in the future of digital technology.

The MSc Applied Metaverse and Digital Leadership course is designed to meet the industry need to develop leadership and practical skills of those at the vanguard of digital technology and expose you to the pioneering concept of immersive technologies such as virtual, augmented and extended realities.  

2. Artificial Intelligence

Have you ever wondered how face recognition works on your phone or how Alexa understands everything you say? The world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be for you! The best part is that you don’t need any computer programming experience to apply to our AI course, making it a great chance to get into this exciting industry. 

3. Cosmetics Branding and Promotion

The beauty industry in the UK alone is worth around £26.7 billion annually (Companies House, 2022). It’s a huge sector that is constantly growing and popular among a wide demographic.

This course gives you the chance to hone in on both your business and entrepreneurial skills, whilst also having a creative element. You’ll also need a keen eye and enthusiasm to keep up with current beauty trends.

4. Feature Film Development

See yourself as the next Steven Spielberg or Wes Anderson, or those who work beside them? This course might be right for you.

Covering a wide range of roles from directing and producing to animation and story artists, you’ll be able to learn everything required to be able to create a major film. One cool thing about this course is you will create, as part of a team, your very own feature film and pre-visualisation reel.

We offer a wide range of media and film-related undergraduate courses at BCU, and Feature Film Development is the perfect next step for those wanting to get into the world of blockbuster movies.

5. Luxury Brand Management 

Do you dream of Birkin bags? Is Coco Chanel your idol? Look no further.

Luxury fashion is a unique sphere that requires a certain set of skills and attributes for individuals to flourish in the sector. In the Luxury Brand Management course, you will learn to address the challenges of the industry, become a confident leader and learn how to implement sustainable and ethical practices.   

Courses

See a list of all our courses.

6. Musicology

Musicology is the academic study of music. This may be the course for you if you are an avid music fan but don’t want to go down the instrumental or composition route. 

The Musicology course is varied and allows you to choose your own path. Whether you want to use the degree to start your research for a PhD or gain professional development skills to go into teaching or management. 

You will be studying in the prestigious Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, alongside world-class, well-respected academics who will be there to support you throughout your journey. 

7. Urban Design

Think of Urban Design as the art of making places. Bring your ideas to life and create aesthetically pleasing, creative yet safe and useful environments. This course is fully accredited by the professional body, Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). 

Whether you are an architect, landscape architect or planner, Urban Design is an umbrella field of study that encourages forward-thinking and innovation. You will be able to specialise in one area, whether it’s towns and cities, rural villages or parks and landscapes. You could even be designing the next hospital or airport!

8. User Experience Design

Do you often find yourself frustrated when surfing the web, wanting a more seamless experience?

As a User Experience (UX) designer, you will be creating a satisfying and seamless digital journey for individuals. This involves the creation of digital products such as websites and apps. It’s more than just technology, though. As you’re designing for individuals, you’ll need to be mindful, and empathetic and be able to put yourself in others’ shoes. 

A common misconception about this role, that you may be happy to know, is that UX design does not require any coding skills; perhaps one of the few tech roles that doesn’t.

9. MA Education (Special Educational Needs)

Our MA Education (Special Educational Needs) allows you to gain the skills to be able to make a difference to those with special educational needs (SEN).

It’s important to note that you do not need a teaching qualification to study this course, nor do you have to go down the teaching route. With the knowledge learnt in this course, you are able to go into wider roles such as an Education Consultant, Community Officer, Mentor, Mental Health Practitioner and many more.

10. Conservation of the Historic Environment

Mourning the loss of the old library and inspired to conserve existing historic buildings? Accredited by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), if you need to understand a building or landscape in order to apply appropriate conservation techniques to manage change in the historic environment, this course is for you.

What should you do next?

Come to a Postgraduate Open Event

Our campuses have a real buzz about them, at our Open Events, you’ll have the chance to experience it for yourself. See where you could be attending lectures, getting on with independent study and meeting fellow postgrads for a coffee.

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Download our postgraduate guide

Our Postgraduate Guide provides details of all our postgraduate taught and research courses. It also provides information about the research environment at Birmingham City University

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Apply for a course

So, you’re interested in applying for postgraduate study? Here’s a step-by-step guide covering all you need to know to apply. Unlike undergraduate degrees where you will apply via UCAS, you can apply straight to the University for a postgraduate degree.

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