Journalism

About the course

BA Journalism at Roehampton is a practical and critical degree designed for students who want to understand, produce and analyse journalism in a fast changing media landscape. The course focuses on storytelling, ethics and the role of journalism in society, while developing the skills needed to work across digital, print and broadcast platforms.

You will explore how journalism shapes public debate and democracy, while gaining hands on experience in researching, writing and producing journalistic content.

What you’ll study

You’ll build a solid foundation in journalistic practice and media analysis, while gaining professional skills valued across media and communications roles, including researching and verifying information, writing for different audiences and platforms, understanding media law and ethics, and critically evaluating the role of journalism in contemporary society.

Future opportunities

This degree prepares you for a range of careers in journalism and related communication fields. Graduates may go on to work in areas such as:

• Journalism across digital, print and broadcast media

• Content creation and editorial roles

• Media and communications roles

• Public relations and corporate communications

• Freelance writing and digital publishing

You will also develop transferable skills in research, critical thinking, communication and digital literacy that are valued across many sectors. Some graduates progress to postgraduate study in journalism, media, communications or related subjects.

How you’ll learn

You will learn through:

• Practical workshops focused on news gathering, writing and production

• Lectures and seminars exploring media theory, ethics and contemporary issues

• Coursework based assessment including articles, portfolios, multimedia projects and reflective work

• Academic guidance and feedback to support your professional and critical development

Digital learning resources are available to support your studies, including online materials, recorded content and access to digital publishing tools where appropriate.

Facilities

You will study in learning spaces designed to support journalistic practice and media production, including:

• Media and digital production facilities

• Access to industry standard software and online publishing platforms

• Library collections supporting journalism, media and communications

• Study spaces that support independent and collaborative work

These facilities support your development as a confident and ethical journalist in a modern media environment.

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