Broadcast and Digital Journalism with Foundation Year

Program Overview

This three-year Journalism program at Leeds Trinity University combines practical and theoretical training in essential journalism skills, including news writing, broadcasting, and online content creation. Students gain hands-on experience through industry placements and produce a portfolio of work that prepares them for careers in journalism, public relations, and related fields. The program emphasizes critical thinking, ethical reporting, and the role of journalism in society.

Program Outline

Outline:

Year 1

• Essential Journalism 1 (Core)
• Introduction to journalism skills and concepts.
• Combines practical and theoretical work.
• Covers news, factual content writing, online presentation, SEO, social media, visual communication, television, radio, photography, interviewing, news sourcing, story development, and media law.
• Smaller class sizes for broadcast workshops (max 15 students) and 30 students in other classes.
• Essential Journalism 2 (Core)
• Builds upon the skills learned in Year 1.
• Combines practical and theoretical work.
• Covers news, factual content writing, online presentation, SEO, social media, visual communication, radio, television, mobile journalism, photography, interviewing, news sourcing, story development, audience analytics, and live newsroom production.
• Smaller class sizes for broadcast workshops (max 15 students) and 30 students in other classes.

Year 2

• Radio and Online Newsdays (Core)
• Produce content for radio news bulletins and podcasts in semester one.
• Produce content for online and social media platforms in semester two.
• Develop interviewing, writing, and editing skills.
• Explore video storytelling conventions and learn to shoot, edit, and publish online videos.
• Learn about online storytelling, SEO, and analytics.
• Complete a 15-day industry placement.
• Public Affairs (Core)
• Gain vital insights, knowledge, and awareness of professional roles, public affairs, and the regulatory responsibilities of journalists.
• Develop a critical understanding of the political and commercial structures within which the media operate.
• Includes topics like parliament, NHS, treasury, welfare, EU, councils, education, elections, and the constitution.
• Journalism in Context (Core)
• Apply academic thinking about journalism to frame understanding of power and influence connected to global coverage of current affairs and future journalistic practice.
• Develop critical analysis skills.
• Documentary: Concept to Practice (Option)
• Develop production and storytelling skills.
• Work as a team to produce a seven-minute short film.
• Learn the development, research, production, post-production process, and the crucial role of narrative structure.
• Explore the ethics behind the creative treatment of actuality and gain a theoretical understanding of the role of non-fiction media products and their historical development.
• Features and Magazines (Option)
• Create a varied portfolio of magazine and feature writing through practical exercises.
• Develop writing skills using authoritative sources, research, interview skills, and knowledge of digital research and publication resources.
• Explore the magazine market and develop craft production skills to create your own magazine.

Year 3

• Professional Learning Through Work (Core)
• Undertake a practical work-based project, intervention, or professional development project in a workplace setting.
• Negotiate a project with your work partner or prior placement provider that meets the needs of yourself and Leeds Trinity University.
• Develop and negotiate learning outcomes and assessment modes to apply theoretical understanding and practical work-based development to a chosen context.
• Media Law and Regulation (Core)
• Focuses on court reporting, regulatory codes, and media law.
• Covers topics like defamation, contempt of court, reporting restrictions, copyright, and privacy.
• Learn to write a story for your portfolio based on a court case.
• Gain sound knowledge and understanding of law and regulation (IPSO, Ofcom, and IMPRESS) with a focus on industry disciplines and best practice as a Journalist.
• TV and Social Media Newsdays (Core)
• Participate in at least 15 television and social media newsdays.
• Learn practical skills to capture and edit television and social media content, including TV production and presentation.
• PR and Promotions (Option)
• Work on real-life case studies and examine the context of public relations and promotions in the media.
• Explore methods used by industry professionals, including news releases, media relations, events, social media, and digital promotions.
• Produce a portfolio and presentation as part of a team.
• Work on real-life case studies and attend talks by business partners and guest speakers from the industry.
• Shorthand (Option)
• Enhance employability by achieving shorthand note-taking at speeds of 60 to 100 words per minute.
• Attain the NCTJ shorthand diploma module demanded by news employers.
• Must choose this Shorthand module as your option for study if you opt to take the optional NCTJ Court Reporting exam.
This is a condition of PSRB accreditation.
• Advanced Audio Production (Option)
• Contribute to a live radio show broadcast on BCB Radio and produce a three-minute radio news package.
• Edit audio using Adobe Audition's multi-track editor and learn about radio programme production and advanced storytelling using audio.
• Gain a deeper understanding of radio and podcast production.
• Final Project (Option)
• Consolidate your skills from your degree course by producing a dissertation, a work-based learning project with a portfolio, or an artefact (which could be a portfolio).

Careers:

• Recent career placements and work experiences include Premier League Productions, News UK, Bradford City FC, Channel 4, BCB radio, Daisybeck Productions, True North Productions, C5 News, BBC Radio Leeds, and Steph’s Packed Lunch.

Other:

• Students carry out a personal project in their chosen subject area to develop academic skills and confidence and explore a field of interest related to their future subject specialization.
• The course prepares students for various roles, including Journalist, Researcher, PR, Vlogger, Reporter, Podcaster, Marketing Manager, Social Media Manager, Producer, Broadcast Assistant, and Project Manager.
• Graduates have secured jobs at the BBC, ITV, a range of newspapers and online sites as well as finding work in related areas such as public relations and digital marketing.
• Leeds Trinity is ranked 2nd in the UK for Journalism in The Guardian University Guide 2024.
• 100% of Leeds Trinity's Journalism graduates are in high-skilled employment or further study 15 months after graduating.