Media & Journalism

Multimedia skills and knowledge are vital to the contemporary public relations and media professional. New technologies in convergent mass media, telecommunications and broadcasting have transformed the way we communicate and do business. The development and exploitation of multimedia communication skills are now seen as priorities in the media and public relations industries – don’t get left behind. This innovative degree equips you with the skills you need to stay ahead of the game.

What you study

We produce graduates who are confident practitioners in mass communications, with a range of higher-level professional skills and a reflective awareness of contemporary issues in the field. The course focuses on new and emerging areas within the discipline, from both a practical, professional perspective and from a critical, analytical point of view. We develop reflective practitioners with sophisticated transferable skills, and the ability to take responsibility for their own future learning and development.

The first stage comprises four 20-credit modules and one 20-credit option module, and in the second you complete a final 60-credit project.

How you learn

As a vocational degree, there is a great deal of emphasis on practical work-related learning. More traditional lectures and seminars are also employed, particularly around those subjects requiring a detailed, factual knowledge base. We see it as an essential component of the degree that you engage in reflective practice which informs your future personal development.

How you are assessed

A range of assessment methods is used, ranging from practical production tasks to traditional essay assignments. This degree addresses news writing, audio-visual production and shorthand, and so you will be required to produce a portfolio of journalism addressing a range of styles, genres, platforms and audiences.

You produce an essay on a topic related to public relations theory and a formal business report on a new media application in an organisational context. You also produce a complex multimedia web artefact, assessed on content and context, structure/navigation, storytelling and communication, aesthetics, functionality and interactivity, and overall news narrative.

You deliver a formal presentation or seminar paper on an area of interest, and write an academic essay about that topic. For the Final Project you have the choice of undertaking assessment in one of three areas: a traditional dissertation, a multimedia news project or a multimedia PR campaign. The latter two options involve practical, multimedia production work with a written element, the former, a traditional extended essay.

Career opportunities

A qualification and experience in mass communications opens up a vast range of opportunities in all areas of the media and communications industries.

Entry requirements

You will be evaluated on an individual basis and the level of your achievement, experience and suitability for the degree will be properly assessed. You should normally have a first or 2.1 in a recognised undergraduate programme.

More information

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