Journalism

Why this course?
• This Journalism programme is accredited by the industry professional body The Professional Publishers Association (PPA).
• Learning from an international team of highly experienced journalists, industry experts and media scholars, you will develop your own portfolio, including blogs, in-depth articles and multimedia projects.
• Our new, state-of-the-art media facilities offer two newsrooms that replicate real working environments.

About this course

Journalism is "the best job in the world" according to Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez. A journalist is "somebody who describes the life around us for those who cannot see it for themselves", in the words of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya. On this course you will learn to do just that: telling the fascinating stories of our constantly changing world to an audience that could be as a small as a village, or as big as mankind.

At Roehampton you will acquire the knowledge and skills required to become a multimedia journalist. You will learn to produce different types of stories, from breaking news to investigative reports, from local newspapers to national magazines and from radio to the social networks. You will have the possibility to explore different thematic areas of journalism, such as politics, sports, music, travel and international news.

You will also study how journalism helps shape public opinion and popular culture. You will analyse the political, economic and legal conditions in which journalists produce their stories, the structure of the media industry and current trends and developments in our profession.

Skills

Whether you want to work as a journalist, learn about the world of media or become an effective communicator in another industry, our all-encompassing BA Journalism will provide you with a springboard to success as a storyteller and content producer.

The Roehampton programme is tailored to prepare you for the modern media industry. From the basics of news reporting and the emergence of new media to the production of magazines and multimedia packages, our degree offers hands-on, practical modules that focus on the skills employers want.

You will study the British media industry, examine the history of leading newspapers, and analyse the differences between broadsheets and tabloids. In doing so, you will determine how journalism helps shape public opinion and popular culture, and will learn about the political, economic and legal context in which journalists produce their work.

Career opportunities

Whether you want to work in print, radio, television or online media, or become a social media influencer, our BA Journalism will provide you with the skills to pursue a broad range of career options. You could go on to work as a news reporter, writer, editor, producer, or broadcaster in local, national or international media, or you could find a different path as an independent content producer and manage your own media platforms.

Many Journalism graduates are also employed in communications, public affairs and public/media relations. A strong understanding of what makes a good story and how to build narratives and press releases is important to the communications and PR efforts of businesses, charities, political parties and pressure groups. The creative skills and journalistic nous developed over your degree will be highly valued by employers outside of the media industry.

Facilities

During your studies you will have full access to our digital media centre, one of the newest buildings on campus which is home to state-of-the-art industry-level studio, editing and digital resources.

In your first year, you will learn how to prepare and conduct interviews, write news stories, and complete basic reporting tasks. You will study the structure of the British media industry, examine the history, editorial direction and business models of the country’s leading newspapers, and analyse the differences between broadsheets and tabloids. You will also study the structure and functioning of the UK’s political system and the way the media report matters of public interest. Single honours students will create their own blogs and learn how to use Photoshop and InDesign. You can also learn shorthand or a foreign language.

In your second year, you'll learn how to write for online media, what you can do to make your stories more visible and effective, and how to use the social networks to reach your target audience. You will also learn how to write different types of features and will study the legal and ethical conditions regulating the work of journalists in the UK. All students will have the possibility to practise radio production and podcasting, and explore different thematic areas of journalism, such as politics, sports, music and travel.

The third year offers you the possibility to practise and refine your skills and expand your knowledge of different areas of the media industry. You will have the choice of studying the magazine industry and being part of a team creating a new magazine. Alternatively, you can explore the world of multimedia journalism, and produce a range of stories in video and multimedia formats. You can choose to study the television industry, practise investigative journalism, and analyse the British media coverage of Africa and the Middle East. Students can also go on a work placement and gain that all-important experience before applying for jobs in the industry.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS