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Curriculum

The curriculum is focused on news and features in the print and radio media. The core courses are News Writing and Reporting, Feature Writing, Sub-editing and Broadcast Journalism. Other courses are more skills based and include Short-Hand  and Photo Journalism. Finally there are a number of courses which deal with specialisms related to journalism and include Government and Politics, Media Law, Public Relations and Media Ethics. Course descriptions are given in the appendix. Total number of credit for the programme is 90 ECTS:

• Course                                   ECTS
• News Writing & Reporting        10
• Feature Writing                       10
• Broadcast Journalism              20
• Media Law                              5
• Media Ethics                          5
• Government & Politics             5
• Photojournalism                      5
• Placement                              10
• Project                                   20 

Course Descriptions

News Writing & Reporting : Aims to give students a thorough grounding in the principles and practices of newsgathering and news reporting for the print media.  Lectures and workshops are conducted in a simulated newsroom environment where students have to work to deadline on assignments.

Feature Writing: Aims to develop students’ ability to explore and develop in depth ideas for feature writing and proposals; to research, access and collate information; to conduct interviews with sources and to improve and develop their writing style.

Broadcast Journalism: Aims to give students a thorough grounding in the principles and practices of newsgathering and news reporting for the electronic media, with theoretical, critical and practical workshops in research, writing, recording and presenting reports, features, documentaries and news programmes, mainly for radio; some experience in TV reporting, and video editing is also provided.

Media Ethics: Aims to give students an ethical context for journalistic practice in a dynamic and constantly changing media environment. Students are encouraged to question how news is produced and managed and to evaluate and to challenge ethical issues in media practice.

Media Law: Aims to give students an understanding of the nature and operation of law, particularly as it affects the media.

Government & Politics: Combines basic theory on aspects of local, national and EU institutions, with attendance at meetings of local authority and other statutory bodies. Familiarises students with the standards and protocols expected of them in the practice of journalism.

Photojournalism: Develops students’ knowledge and understanding of press photography, and gives hands-on training in basic photographic techniques to further that understanding. This course is of particular interest to those wishing to pursue careers in PR or Media Relations.

Project: The project is a collection of practice-based research work of a journalistic nature and publishable standard. The portfolio will contain work from the core journalism courses: News Writing & Reporting, Feature Writing, and Broadcast Journalism.

Placement: Each student completes a six to eight week placement in a newspaper, radio station or other media outlet. Placement normally happens between the middle of May and early July subject to confirmation with editors.

Assessment

Much of the Programme is assessed using classroom based assessment and continual assessment. This pedagogy is considered to best suit the subject matter of much of the programme and to enable students to build on what they have learned, and to put it into practice based on a journalism education philosophy of ’from learning how, to being able’.

While assessment is often flagged it will sometimes be carried out at short notice or without prior notice if the conditions are deemed appropriate by the Lecturer. Students are obliged to undertake all assessments according to the conditions and within the timeframes of notice and delivery deemed appropriate by individual Lecturers.

Assessments which are flagged at least two weeks in advance, or which happen without notice in timetabled class time can not be rescheduled to suit individual needs or absences. It a student misses such an assessment (unless through serious illness or other extreme circumstances) they will be awarded a negative mark for that assignment.  Modules such as Media Law and Government and Politics include terminal Semester Examinations.

Teaching Methods

Courses are taught using a number of learning techniques that maximise learning outcomes. Many courses are taught using ’project based learning’ where students work on group projects. Other courses use a more traditional seminar style with worked examples in class. All courses use case study analysis techniques and worked examples. Assessment of learning outcomes is typically done through a combination of continuous assessment and end of year written examinations, although a number of courses now use continuous assessment through project based work exclusively. Most courses are taught by practitioners in the print and radio media.

Facilities

Tuition is carried out in a dedicated newsroom and radio studio environment. The facilities currently include individual computers for each participant and a simulated radio recording environment.

 

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