BA (Hons) Journalism with Inte - University of S

Tuition Fee

Start Date

Medium of studying

Duration

48 months

Program Facts

About Program

About University

Admission Requirements

Easy Apply

Program Facts

Program Details

Degree

Bachelors

Major

Journalism | Reporting

Area of study

Journalism and Information

Timing

Full time

Course Language

English

Intakes

Program start date	Application deadline
2024-09-16	-

About Program

Program Overview

This four-year BA (Hons) Journalism program with an integrated foundation year combines practical journalism skills, multimedia content creation, and an NCTJ Diploma in Journalism. Students gain hands-on experience in a newsroom environment, developing a strong portfolio and preparing for careers in print, online, broadcast, and public relations. The program emphasizes graduate employability and provides opportunities for industry exposure and placements.

Program Outline

BA (Hons) Journalism with Integrated Foundation Year - University of Sunderland

Degree Overview:

This four-year program combines an integrated foundation year with an Honors degree in Journalism. Students develop essential journalism skills in a practical setting, led by experienced professionals. Emphasis is placed on multimedia content creation, storytelling techniques, and the latest digital technology. Working within the university's mediaHUB newsroom, students gain hands-on experience in reporting, writing, video/audio production, web design, and social media strategy. The integrated foundation year provides a solid introduction to various journalism disciplines while fostering essential academic skills for successful progression into the Honors program. The Honors curriculum delves deeper into core journalism practices, exploring areas like sports writing, public relations, fashion journalism, and investigative reporting. Students learn the principles of media law and ethics while producing content for online platforms under industry-experienced staff supervision. This program emphasizes graduate employability. Students graduate with an NCTJ Diploma in Journalism, a highly-recognized industry qualification valued by employers. Additionally, they acquire a broad skillset through optional modules, building a well-rounded portfolio showcased during a final-year placement at a reputable media organization.

Overall, this program aims to equip students with:

Essential journalism skills and knowledge
Hands-on experience in a multimedia newsroom environment
An NCTJ Diploma in Journalism
A strong portfolio across a range of media platforms
Solid foundation for a successful journalism career

Outline:

Foundation Year:

The English, Journalism, and Media Integrated Foundation Year comprises five modules:
Foundations of English, Journalism, and Media Theory (40 credits)
Essential Study Skills (20 credits)
Foundation Project (20 credits)
Multimedia Communications (20 credits)
Practical Numeracy Skills (20 credits)
Students are introduced to various types of journalism, learning media law and ethical codes and acquiring digital storytelling techniques.
They build critical thinking and research skills, prepare for independent learning, and explore reporting styles like feature writing, news, interviews, and reviews.

Year 1 (National Level 4 - Honors Degree):

Core modules:
Essential Media Law and Regulation (20 credits)
Media Histories (20 credits)
Essential Journalism (20 credits)
Digital Storytelling (20 credits)
Feature Writing (20 credits)
Optional modules:
Essential Fashion Journalism (20 credits)
Online Sports Journalism (20 credits)
Introduction to PR Theory and Practice (20 credits)
Style Icons and Subcultures (20 credits)
Essential Sports Reporting (20 credits)
This year builds on the foundation, equipping students with practical journalism skills in writing, reporting, newsgathering, interview techniques, and style development while exploring diverse areas like fashion writing, sports journalism, and public relations through optional modules.

Year 2 (National Level 5)

Core modules:
Advanced Feature Writing (20 credits)
Design and Production Journalism (20 credits)
Newsroom Live (20 credits)
Social, Audio, Visual (40 credits)
Optional modules:
Public Affairs Reporting (20 credits)
Fashion Journalism Newsdays (20 credits)
Fashion Styling (20 credits)
Advanced Sports Reporting (20 credits)
Club Journalism (20 credits)
Shorthand (0 credits)
Students refine writing and storytelling with the help of design and technology, experiment with video and audio formats, and further explore optional journalism areas while experiencing a newsroom environment.

Final Year (National Level 6)

Core modules:
Advanced Digital Storytelling (20 credits)
Journalism Placement and Employability (40 credits)
Journalism Practical Project (40 credits)
Optional modules:
Popular Music Cultures (20 credits)
Broadcast Sports Reporting (20 credits)
Advanced Public Relations (20 credits)
Advanced Fashion Journalism Newsday (20 credits)
Advanced Fashion Styling (20 credits)
Sports News Portfolio (20 credits)
This year delves into advanced digital tools for immersive storytelling, preparing students for professional settings through placements and practical project development, offering additional specialization options through diverse modules in areas like popular music, public relations, and advanced fashion fields.

Assessment:

Assessment methods vary by module but may include a combination of:

Portfolios of practical work
Essays
Examinations
Reports
Presentations
Shorthand skills (optional)

Teaching:

Teaching approaches include lectures, news days designed like real newsroom experiences, seminars focused on critical discussion with classmates and lecturers, hands-on workshops to apply new skills, group projects that promote team-based thinking and creative problem-solving.
All teaching staff have extensive professional media experience and strong connections within the industry, inviting experts for guest presentations and classes and providing valuable mentorship to students as they progress through the program.
The program emphasizes independent learning, equipping students with the skills to conduct research, analyze information, and form critical perspectives through individual research assignments, independent project development, and self-directed exploration of chosen modules in their final year.

Careers:

This program prepares graduates for diverse careers in:

Print journalism (Newspapers, magazines)
Online journalism (websites, blogs, digital platforms)
Broadcast journalism (Radio, television)
Public relations/communications
Social media marketing
Freelance writing

Other:

The BA (Hons) Journalism with Integrated Foundation Year curriculum is tailored to meet the industry's evolving landscape, equipping students with the necessary technical and creative capabilities to thrive in diverse media environments and adapt to new technological advancements within the rapidly changing news landscape.
Students benefit from access to the university's well-equipped mediaHUB facility, a state-of-the-art newsroom and multimedia production space equipped with industry-standard software that mimics professional media environment.
Additionally, students have opportunities to engage with professional journalism networks through industry speakers, guest lecturers, and potential networking opportunities during placements, creating valuable contacts for potential job placements.

The annual fee for this course is £9,250 if you're from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled. If you're a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student, you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan. Please note, this course isn't available to international students.