This is a practice-based course with a strong academic background. It was recently updated to focus on preparing you for an industry that increasingly demands multimedia and online expertise alongside traditional journalistic skills such as research, reporting and writing. As a result, the Journalism BA is now accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council, who recognise the quality of our modern multimedia approach to teaching journalism (see www.bjtc.org.uk/) Westminster’s location in the UK’s media capital has helped the Journalism degree develop strong links with industry. You will be taught by professional journalists, many of whom remain active practitioners. Classes in media analysis are taught by internationally renowned academics and, as well as enabling you to become a better journalist, will also equip you with transferable skills that will help you whatever media career path you choose. Overall, the course aims to give you skills that will make you employable, and to help you develop the kind of creativity and flexibility needed to gain work in the modern media business and creative industries.

The journalism course is split equally between practice and media analysis. Practice classes focus on building cross-media skills, on testing those skills in production tasks (creating websites, newspapers and magazines), and then on allowing students to specialise in a particular area of journalism. Classes in analysis are taught to all students of media practice degrees at Westminster. They help you to develop a critical understanding of the media industries, their products and their audiences. You learn how to analyse media output and examine the relationships between media, society, politics, culture and technology.

Year 1 (Credit Level 4)

Practice

You learn about the basic structure and requirements of news organisations and explore some of the key challenges facing journalism today. You develop core journalistic skills such as research, reporting, and writing news and features, for print, broadcast and online media. You also learn the online multimedia news gathering and presentation skills increasingly required by modern news media organisations.

Analysis

All Journalism BA students take two compulsory analysis modules in the first year, Media and Society, and Story, Sound, Image and Text. These modules introduce you to the frameworks in which the media operate and some of the major theoretical tools for analysing them. They consider the place of the media in society, politics, arts and culture.

Year 2 (Credit Level 5)

Practice

In the second year you develop further skills in production, design and writing, creating features, news and multimedia content for newspapers, magazines and websites. There are two sets of optional modules to choose from: one focuses on specialist journalism in different subject areas (Fashion, Sport, Arts and Entertainment, Investigative and International Journalism), the other focuses in more detail on broadcast media and web journalism. There is also an option in shorthand note taking.

Analysis

In the first semester, you take two compulsory modules, Media Transformations, and Network Society and the Media. These combine theory and analysis, but also involve some fusion with production work. You then have a choice of analysis modules. You have to take at least three over the course of Year 2 and Year 3.

We currently offer: Advertising and Promotional Culture • Audience Studies • Celebrity Culture and the Media • Contemporary Issues in Media Policy • Creativity • Cultural Industries and Media Markets • Law and the Media • Media Around the Globe • Multiculturalism and the Media • News and Public Opinion • Religion and the Media • Sex, Violence and Censorship • Sound, Music and the Media

Year 3 (Credit Level 6)

Practice

In the third year, you take one extended compulsory module, Final Journalism Project, in the media of your choice – print, online or broadcast. You can also take a specialist journalism module (Fashion, Sports, Arts and Entertainment, or Investigative and International Journalism). If you have already taken one of these in Year 2, you may choose a second one.

Analysis

You normally take more analysis modules of your choice, enough to gain the required credits for your degree (see Year 2 for details of options). To complete your analytical work, you produce an academic dissertation on any subject concerned with media or journalism. In the first semester you are offered seminars on different methods of research and given help in choosing your topic through workshops and tutorials. By the end of the first semester you will have chosen a subject and been allocated a supervisor. You complete your research and write up the dissertation in the second semester.

Work placement

From the second year to the end of the third year (including vacations) you are encouraged to do as many work placements as possible. Work experience is a degree requirement, and you will need to find your own placements, though staff can help you if you experience difficulties.

Teaching and assessment

Practice is scheduled for two days a week, although you are expected to work outside these days if your story demands it. Most modules run for the length of the semester and usually involve one day a week of teaching. Analysis lectures are one hour a week over the semester, with one-hour seminars on the same day. You usually take two subjects each semester. There are no closed-book exams (except in one optional media analysis module) as all practical work is assessed on output and a ‘log book’, and all analysis work is assessed on essays and performance in seminars.

You can take advantage of our Study Abroad agreements with overseas universities. This means you can spend half an academic year at another university – for example in Australia or the USA – and your studies count towards your degree here.

Associated careers

Our students have a very high success rate in gaining employment in the media industries, thanks to their cross-media skills and their capacity to work both alone and in teams. Recent graduates have gone to network radio, national newspapers and magazines, respected websites, top PR agencies and major television companies. Other graduates have used their research and writing skills and ability to work in groups to find work in a wide range of employment.

Typical offer for September 2011

Qualification type	Grade/points
A Levels	BBB
International Baccalaureate	28 points (minimum)
BTEC National Diploma	DDM

Who we are looking for

Our Journalism degree at Westminster is a very popular course, so selection is very competitive. We are looking for applicants with three qualities.

1. You will need to have a keen and considered interest in the media. Practical media experience is an advantage. It's good if you've managed to do a work placement at a local paper or broadcaster, for example. But don't be put off if you don't have any experience - we've all got to start somewhere! If you've set up your own website or blog, if you've worked on your school/college newspaper/magazine, that shows an interest in and a commitment to a career in the media.
2. You will need to be able to express yourself clearly and thoughtfully in writing and in a group interview.
3. You will need to have a high general level of intellectual and analytical skills. So if you are doing A-Levels, we would expect minimum grades of BBB or the equivalent grades for other qualifications.

We very much welcome applications from mature students, including ones without formal qualifications, though we will need to know that you have academic ability.

Students from outside the UK whose first language is not English are required to achieve at least 6.5 in IELTS, or an equivalent English language standard, before entry to the course.