Campus Direct - MA/PGDip News Journalism

Overview of the course

This course prepares you to work in an editorial team to supply material across a multi-platform newsroom. You will seek out original stories, conduct incisive interviews and produce crisp and engaging copy. You will train to be what Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez calls the best job in the world – a journalist.You will be taught by staff with extensive experience in news journalism with input from leading journalists and editors from publications across the country going from news novice to a multiskilled, multi-platform, social media savvy and highly employable 21st Century journalist.Our agreement with the Nottingham Post gives students the opportunity to learn journalism skills on the job. Our students are gain invaluable first-hand experience working in industry and it gives the Post an opportunity to spot the best talent which is great for their newsroom but also the city as skilled graduates are retained.Students will also achieve PgDip exit award during this course.What you'll studyYou will be taught the essential skills of reporting, interviewing and researching, video filming and editing, and using social media as a journalist.On newsdays you will work to tight deadlines not only reporting, but managing multi-platform news output for our inhouse media brands. You will be video and audio trained to help you produce engaging stories for our website. You’ll also explore the best ways to use social media to both find and promote them.You will gain a solid grounding in media law, public administration and ethics and regulation. You will develop your shorthand skills to the NCTJ standard. By the end of the course you will be ready to work in a newsroom producing sophisticated and engaging multimedia journalism.Study methods and assessmentThere are a range of study modes including lectures, seminars and tutorials. You will carry out independent research to produce stories, features, columns and reviews. You will be taught how to record and edit audio and video for use online using professional standard equipment and mobile devices. And you will explore different ways to maximise your audience using social media.We have a partnership with the Nottingham Post, where you will have the opportunity to undertake work experience and cover major news storiesYou will be assessed by a mixture of portfolio work, essays, exams and presentations. MA students are required to complete the News Dissertation, which includes conducting primary research into a contemporary issue in the news industry.Careers and employabilityGraduates from MA in News Journalism have gone on to work for the BBC, ITN, Sky News, and national and regional newspapers across the country. As well as working as newspaper reporters, news editors, broadcast journalists and sub-editors, many graduates have secured media related positions in PR, marketing, promotions and advertising.

Entry requirements

For students from Sri Lanka

Student need to hold Sri Lankan Degree at Second Class Lower, 50% or GPA 2.7 for 2:2 and Second Class Upper for 2:1 for entry to masters courses. IELTS: 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component.Students need to have a 2.1 honours degree and enthusiasm for, or experience of journalism. Applicants with a 2.2 and substantial experience will be considered. Applications from candidates with non-standard entry qualifications will be considered on an individual basis. Students need to have IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component. TOEFL iBT - Overall score of 81 with at least 10 Reading, 9 Listening, 17 Speaking, 19 Writing.

For international students

IELTS (Academic only) - 7.0 (or better) (no component lower than 7.0); TOEFL (paper based) - 600 (or better) (with a minimum Test of Written English Score of TWE 5); TOEFL (electronic or computer based) - 250 (or better) (with essay rating of at least 5); TOEFL (internet based) - 95 (or better) (with 22 minimum in all bands); Pearson (PTE Academic) - 65 (or better) (with no communicative score less than 65); Cambridge English Scale Scores for FCE, CAE and CPE - Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) and Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE)/ 185 or above. No less than 185 in each skill.