Journalism, Media and Communications with a Year in Industry

The journalism landscape in the UK, and globally, is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements, shifting consumer behaviour, and the changing dynamics of information sharing. Our BA Journalism, Media and Communications programme has been structured to prepare you to step into this evolving new mediascape with confidence.

Traditional print or broadcast journalism is no longer the only focus. As a journalism student, you can become proficient in digital content creation, social media management, podcasting, video production and interactive storytelling, by developing expertise in a range of industry-standard software and technology.

Similarly, in an era marked by misinformation, fake news, and digital manipulation, ethical journalism has never been more important. This programme has a strong emphasis on ethics, media law, and the responsible reporting of sensitive topics. Subjects that are essential for you to be able to navigate the complexities of truth in the digital age, ensuring that you can contribute to an informed, engaged society.

And because journalism is no longer a siloed profession, this programme, in addition to equipping you with the core principles of journalism theory and practice, allows you to study graphic design, PR, video production and branding. This cross-disciplinary approach will prepare you for the reality of working in integrated media teams, where journalistic and creative skills are equally valued.

Journalism is an increasingly global enterprise, which is why we focus on developing your understanding of international news and the ability to report on issues from diverse cultural and geopolitical contexts. By fostering a global perspective, we aim to prepare you for the world of international reporting, building your ability to tell stories across multiple platforms and cater to diverse audiences.

The programme also includes the opportunity to study a Year in Industry. The Year in Industry can be spent in the UK or overseas, giving you valuable workplace experience. The University advocates for paid placements, with an average salary of £20,000+. Unpaid placements are considered on a case-by-case basis. Although securing a placement is the responsibility of the student, we work with several organisations who provide a range of opportunities. If you choose to pursue a Year in Industry, you will be supported throughout the application journey with advice, guidance, and resources. If you are unable to secure a placement by the end of the second year of study, you will be able to transfer onto the equivalent 3-year degree programme.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Introduction to Media and Communication; Delivering and Decoding the News; Principles of Mediation; Introduction to Film Studies; Pitch Invasion: Sport and its Impact on Society; Creative Media Platforms; Public Relations: Strategic Communications.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Placement Preparation: Year in Industry / Year in Practice; Misinformation, Fake News and Fact-Checking; Investigating Text, Process and Audiences; Pop Culture and Alternative News Genres; Digital Content Creation; Theorising the Media; All Ears: The Art of Podcasting; Introduction to Film Production; Social Media Cultures; Media Law.

In Year 3: Year spent in Industry

In Year 4, you will typically study areas including: Dissertation Preparation; Reporting the 21st Century; Journalism in Practice; Dissertation; Media and Identities; Documentary and Fiction Filmmaking; Sports Public Relations; Digital Futures; Practical Web Technologies.

Studying Media and Communications at Swansea University allows students to enhance their future employability prospects through assessments that replicate the kind of experiences you will face in the creative communications industries, often with the involvement of industry professionals to offer feedback and advice. Some examples of these are:

• Developing creative ideas for a multi-media project that is then pitched to a commissioning editor from the BBC
• Working with one of the University’s Sports Club to develop a communications strategy to raise the profile of the club among Freshers students
• Creating a multi-media rebranding project for a client
• Writing and/or recording a film review
• Interpreting a brief from a local organisation and working with that client to develop a digital PR strategy that is then pitched to the client
• Filming and editing a series of short 3-minute videos in a variety of styles optimised for distribution on social media
• Sourcing and writing a local news story as a part of the development of a digital journalism portfolio
• Developing an idea for a new lifestyle journalism publication, and pitching the idea to a publisher

For full breakdown of course structure and assessment please visit our course page: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/media-comms-journalism-pr/ba-journalism-media-communications or get in touch with us at study@swansea.ac.uk