-
Courses
Courses
Choosing a course is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make! View our courses and see what our students and lecturers have to say about the courses you are interested in at the links below.
-
University Life
University Life
Each year more than 4,000 choose NUI Galway as their University of choice. Find out what life at NUI Galway is all about here.
-
About NUI Galway
About NUI Galway
Since 1845, NUI Galway has been sharing the highest quality teaching and research with Ireland and the world. Find out what makes our University so special – from our distinguished history to the latest news and campus developments.
-
Colleges & Schools
Colleges & Schools
NUI Galway has earned international recognition as a research-led university with a commitment to top quality teaching across a range of key areas of expertise.
-
Research & Innovation
Research & Innovation
NUI Galway’s vibrant research community take on some of the most pressing challenges of our times.
-
Business & Industry
Guiding Breakthrough Research at NUI Galway
We explore and facilitate commercial opportunities for the research community at NUI Galway, as well as facilitating industry partnership.
-
Alumni, Friends & Supporters
Alumni, Friends & Supporters
There are over 90,000 NUI Galway graduates Worldwide, connect with us and tap into the online community.
-
Community Engagement
Community Engagement
At NUI Galway, we believe that the best learning takes place when you apply what you learn in a real world context. That's why many of our courses include work placements or community projects.
Journalism (MA)
Course Overview
The MA Journalism at NUI Galway is an innovative, digital-first journalism programme focusing on key multimedia skills needed to work in the new media era. The programme aims to train journalists to work in the fast-paced world of journalism, equipping graduates with essential training in traditional reporting skills for print and broadcast, as well as new media training in social media, audience development and analytics, data journalism, ‘MoJo’, multimedia, social video, podcasting and verification.
NUI Galway has a long tradition of journalism training and all journalism students are required to undertake a rigorous programme of news writing and reporting, broadcasting, media law, politics and current affairs, ethics and regulation, and can choose from a suite of optional elective modules to give them specialist knowledge in niche areas. These elective modules include data journalism, financial journalism, cultural journalism, economic reporting and sports writing and analysis.
Journalism classes take place in the digital newsroom and broadcast studios, completely refurbished in 2019. NUI Galway has partnerships with all major national media organisations and all students are guaranteed an eight week work placement as part of their studies, in semester three (circa May/June).
Scholarships Available
Find out about our Postgraduate Scholarships here.
Applications and Selections
Application is via an online application and competitive interview. To apply, click here.
To see required documentation for this course, please visit Supporting Documents website.
Who Teaches this Course
- Sean O’Rourke, Adjunct Professor of Journalism and presenter, ‘Today with Sean O’Rourke’ on RTE Radio One
- Conall O Fatharta, lecturer in news writing and journalist with the Irish Examiner
- Fiona McGarry, lecturer in radio journalism and producer, Clare FM
- Mike Finnerty, Sports Editor, Mayo News and Sky Sports presenter
- Tom Felle, Head of Journalism and former Irish Independent correspondent
- Liam Horan, former Irish Independent Gaelic Games Correspondent and Sports Editor, Evening Echo
- An Dr Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill, lecturer in Journalism
- Ailbhe Conneely, Lecturer in Television and RTÉ Religious and Social Affairs Correspondent
- Professor Conor Brady, Adjunct Professor, former Editor, The Irish Times and former Garda Ombudsman
- Kelly Fincham, Lecturer in Social Media
Students also attend regular lectures, workshops and news days with working professionals from a range of backgrounds.
Requirements and Assessment
All modules involve continuous assessment, regular assignments, project work, presentations and portfolio development. Media Law also involves a formal exam during the exam period at the end of Semester One. Following Semester Two, you will complete a professional work placement and either a final journalism project or dissertation during Semester three (summer).
Key Facts
Entry Requirements
To be accepted you must have a minimum Second Class Honours degree, or be in your final year of study and expecting to graduate Summer 2021. We also welcome applications from people with prior experience in journalism looking to update their skills. English language requirement: IELTS of 7.0 overall with not less than 6.0 in any component.
Additional Requirements
Duration
1 year, full-time or 2 years, part-time
Next start date
September 2021
A Level Grades ()
Average intake
20
Closing Date
There are two rounds of closing dates: April 30 and July 31, 2021
NFQ level
Mode of study
Taught
ECTS weighting
90
Award
CAO
Course code
1AJ1 (full-time) | 1AJ2 (part-time)
Course Outline
This one-year programme is split into three semesters, with a mix of practical class, theory and context. Students have a busy week with taught classes as well as reporting assignments and independent study. In semester one students work on news reporting practice for print, online and broadcasting in ‘Journalism Bootcamp’. Key ethical and regulatory issues are explored in ‘Global Media and Society’. In Semester Two students work on hyperlocal website The Galway Pulse, a local newspaper and produce a drivetime radio show in ‘Multimedia Newsdays’. New innovations, business models and start-up culture are examined in ‘Global Media Innovation’. Students can also choose from a range of elective modules.
Semester One
- Journalism Bootcamp (10 ECTS credits)
- Global Media and Society (10 ECTS credits)
Choose 10 credits from:
- Social and Digital Production (10 ECTS credits)
- Reporting Economics and Politics (10 ECTS credits)
- Digital Sandbox (coding for media industries) (10 ECTS credits)
Semester Two
- Multimedia Newsdays (10 credits)
Choose 20 credits from a range of modules
- Global Media Innovation (10 ECTS credits)
- Investigating Miscarriages of Justice (10 ECTS credits)
- Features Journalism (10 ECTS credits)
- Business and Financial Journalism (10 ECTS credits)
- Sports Journalism (10 ECTS credits)
- Researching the Media (5 ECTS credits)
- Data Journalism and Visualisation (10 ECTS credits)
- Books Journalism (10 ECTS credits)
Curriculum Information
Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.
Glossary of Terms
- Credits
- You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
- Module
- An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
- Subject
- Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
- Optional
- A module you may choose to study.
- Required
- A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
- Required Core Subject
- A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
- Semester
- Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.
Year 1 (90 Credits)
Optional DJ6129: Social Media and Digital Production - 10 Credits - Semester 1Optional DJ6123: Dissertation: Journalism, communication and media - 30 Credits - Semester 1
Optional DJ6124: Final Project for journalism, media and communication - 30 Credits - Semester 1
Optional DJ6105: Political reporting - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Optional DJ6130: Employability and Career Skills - 0 Credits - Semester 1
Optional DJ6135: Reporting Economics and Politics - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Required DJ6115: Journalism Bootcamp - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Required DJ6127: Global Media and Society - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Optional DJ6100: Features Journalism - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Optional DJ6109: Sports Journalism - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Optional DJ6122: Researching the Media - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Optional DJ6131: Global Media Innovation - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Optional DJ6133: Data Journalism and Visualisation - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Optional DJ6134: Business and Financial Journalism - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Optional EN6101: Books Journalism - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Required DJ6112: Multimedia Newsdays - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Why Choose This Course?
Career Opportunities
This programme prepares you to work as a professional journalist across multiple platforms and graduates have careers at national news organisations including RTE, Newstalk, The Irish Times, Irish Examiner, Irish Independent and a range of local newspapers and local radio. Graduates work in roles including reporters, editors, researchers, producers and on-air presenters as well as new careers in data journalism and analytics, social media production and audience development. Graduates also work in the wider media in PR roles, in policy, advocacy and political communications.
Who’s Suited to This Course
Learning Outcomes
Work Placement
Study Abroad
Related Student Organisations
Course Fees
Fees: EU
Fees: Tuition
Fees: Student levy
Fees: Non EU
Fees: Part time
€4,310 p.a. 2020/21.
Find out More
Tom Felle
Head of Journalism
T: + 353 91 492 049
E: tom.felle@nuigalway.ie
Twitter: @tomfelle
Quick Links

Paul O’Malley | Journalist, Western People
The Masters in Journalism at NUIG provided an excellent platform for my preferred career choice of working in the media. It provided me with a diverse skill set which gives me the knowledge and ability to succeed in any area of journalism, including print media, radio, television and online media. The course gave me the opportunity to learn from those who had relevant experience in the media industry while also refining my work to be of a professional standard through their consistent and valuable feedback.