This top-up course is designed for students who are already confident practitioners of their chosen creative discipline, but would like to develop a portfolio of work and gain the business skills to work in the creative industries. Suitable creative disciplines include film, photography, journalism, advertising, graphic design, animation, illustration, CGI, fashion and design. Students learn in Solent Creatives, the first creative agency to be set up by a UK university. Working in the agency, students work on paid and pro bono freelance projects as part of their degree. Students generate work for their commercial portfolio throughout the year. With a clear focus on helping students to develop their enterprise skills, the curriculum looks at portfolio techniques, business management, marketing, the creative climate and critical thinking. Students learn a popular strategic management technique called the ‘Business Model Canvas’. This technique is used by top businesses including Intel and Microsoft. Encourages students to build a professional network of fellow students and industry professionals. Working with real clients boosts confidence and teaches students the commercial value of their creative talents. Students take on responsibility for the project as if they were a professional freelancer Solent Creatives support students as they manage the client, communicate with them to form a brief and then deliver the project on time and to budget. Students are given free access to a range of professional equipment including high-end filmmaking technology, design and photography studios, and the latest computing hardware.

During their studies, students from the BA (Hons) Creative Enterprise degree develop relevant business skills and a portfolio of commercial work related to their individual skillset. Many students will choose to work as a business owner or freelancer, using these assets to further their own business. Other graduates may seek full-time employment in a creative industry. Having already acquired real agency experience throughout their degree, these students will be well positioned to take on this kind of work. Suitable roles for graduates include: Freelance creative work Entrepreneurship Account management Creative agency positions Creative director Consultant