Journalism MA (PGCert PGDip)

Course structure

The Journalism MA comprises six 20-credit modules that each involve 30 hours of contact time plus an independent final project where you will work with an allocated supervisor. 

The course is taught by industry professionals and highly respected academics who will help you develop key journalism skills as well as academic research and writing methods.

You will compile an e-portfolio of assorted journalistic work that will act as a showcase to prospective employers. Practical journalism modules will feed into your portfolio and you will also publish your work on our website, Overtime Online.

Your placement will enable you to demonstrate hands-on experience in a journalistic environment.

The course is flexible in that it allows you to exit with a postgraduate certificate at the end of one semester (three 20-credit modules) or a postgraduate diploma at the end of two semesters (six 20-credit modules). You must complete the 60-credit research project to qualify for the MA.

For international students, the MA offers an extended masters route with English language study for between two and six months before the course begins. 

 Areas of study

The Journalism MA will give you the critical, contextual, and practical skills and knowledge to succeed in the journalism industry.

• Analyse the state of the industry and critically appraise how professional standards can be improved with particular focus on ethically and socially responsible journalism.
• Explore how the industry has changed in the digital age, the challenges posed, and how this new media environment shapes what journalism can and should be.
• Apply theoretical models of understanding journalism such as tabloidisation, gatekeeping theory, sociology of work and professions, and political economy in exploring occupational and industry shifts.

• Evaluate key legal and ethical debates affecting the industry including regulatory bodies, codes of conduct, legislative changes impacting on journalists such as the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, and privacy versus public interest arguments.
• Learn key contextual knowledge for journalists, specifically local and central government and media law, and are expected to problem solve in these areas using mock newsroom scenarios.

The course structure ensures that key thematic areas of general journalism education are covered, while providing opportunities for you to specialise in your own journalistic interests.

Modules 

Core modules

• News Journalism
• Digital Journalism
• Critical Issues in Journalism
• Specialist Journalism
• Professional Practice
• Journalism Dissertation

The Critical Issues in Journalism module enables you to explore the critical and contextual knowledge needed to underpin good journalistic practice.

Professional Practice will oversee your professional development and you will also synthesise your learning in the dissertation.

Practical journalism modules (News Journalism and Digital Journalism) explore newer, forward-thinking digital practices such as live blogging, social media and data journalism alongside the core, traditional skills of interviewing, writing skills and networking. You will evaluate the most appropriate technique to the story in question and consider relevant ethical considerations.

You will also be able to study long-form, specialist areas of journalism that are of interest to you, such as gaming, fashion, music, and film, through the Specialist Journalism module.

NCTJ Diploma

In addition to gaining a Journalism MA we offer you the opportunity to take the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism and include the examination costs within your university course fees.*

The NCTJ Diploma in Journalism is the qualification that editors look for when recruiting a trainee journalist.

The NCTJ Diploma examines in general reporting, ethics and regulation, public affairs, media law, court reporting, video journalism for online, Teeline shorthand, and a portfolio of journalistic work.

Although not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to engage with this opportunity. Achieving gold standard of A-C in all components of the diploma and 100 words per minute in shorthand will boost your qualifications and your employment prospects.

* The university will pay for your first assessment attempts of the NCTJ Diploma but you would need to finance any re-sits yourself.

Professional experience

The Professional-based Learning module is a great opportunity to get some practical experience in a journalistic work environment and gain invaluable firsthand knowledge. You'll be able to further engage with journalism, and to reflect upon and improve your academic, personal and professional skills.

Our school-based Employability Hub is on hand to assist you in securing an experience that best meets your career goals and aspirations. Professional experience will also help you gain invaluable contacts – many of our students have started their careers with their placement organisation. You will also compile an e-portfolio of journalistic work that will act as a showcase to prospective employers.

We have links with many organisations for placements including:

• The Daily Telegraph
• Harper's Bazaar
• BBC Sussex
• The Brighton Argus
• Guestlist
• The Eastbourne Herald
• The Hastings Observer
• Etc Magazine
• Sky News.

Features 

Field trips
As a journalism student you will benefit from industry field trips. Previous trips have included:

• a bespoke development day at Sky’s HQ in West London which involved guest speakers and activities
• a field trip to Westminster with a guided tour by Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd
• a visit to De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill to see how the press and publicity operation works.

Guest speakers
Journalism at Brighton also has a vibrant guest speaker programme. Previous visitors have included:

• Dr Stephen Quinn, author of The Mobile Journalism Handbook
• Lawrence Marzouk, editor, Balkan Investigative Reporters Network
• Richard Evans, social media manager, Sky News
• Joseph O'Leary, Full Fact
• Colin Campbell. BBC investigative reporter
• Rebecca Vincent, Reporters Without Borders
• Maria Hudd, acting chief reporter, Hastings Observer
• Bella Todd. freelance, Time Out
• Bill Gardner, deputy news editor, Daily Telegraph.

Facilities 

Journalists in the digital age need to be able to multi-skill and our facilities ensure that you will gain all the skills you need.

You'll be able to explore photo editing, desktop publishing and audio and video editing.

The newsroom with live news and sports feeds gives you authentic real-life journalistic experience. And our sound, filming and editing equipment familiarise you with the latest technology and ensure that you graduate with the technical skills essential for your media career.

Meet the team 

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visas and immigration advice

Course fees

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

Journalism Diversity Fund bursary

You may be eligible to apply for this award which helps postgraduate students from socially or ethnically diverse backgrounds to fund NCTJ journalism training. Bursaries are awarded four times per year and recipients will also be mentored by a working journalist. Find out more about the Journalism Diversity Fund.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included, whilst studying a course in the School of Art are listed here.

• For most courses you will need to budget for the cost of specialist materials, equipment and printing and are likely to spend between £50–£300 per year.
• Costs in your final year of study are very likely to be higher than in earlier years as you bring together your final body of work and portfolio, and you may need to budget between £200 and £1,000.
• For some courses you may also need to budget up to £100 for specialist personal protective clothing which, with care, will last for the whole of your course and beyond.
• For most courses you will have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits, for example to galleries, exhibitions and studios both in the UK and overseas. These are optional and are not required to pass your course. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken, and typically range between £100 and £700 across the duration of your course.
• You will have access to computers and necessary software at City campus and at other locations across the university. However, many students choose to buy their own hardware – usually a laptop, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.
• Course books and a wide range of magazines and journals are available in the university libraries. You do not need to have your own copies, but if you wish to, you should budget up to £200 over your course to buy them.
• For courses in which there is an optional placement year, you will need to budget for living costs (rent, food, travel etc) in that city/country, as if you were on site at the university.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships, as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2022–23.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

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