Awards

Target Award

Award Description:Bachelor of Arts with Honours - BAH
Alternative Exit
Alternative Exit
Alternative Exit

Accreditation

National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ)
Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC)

Programme Offerings

Full-Time

F2F-JMU-SEP

Educational Aims of the Course

To develop an active interest in UK journalism and to guide students towards a critical and historical understanding of the journalism industry. To enable students to situate the study of journalism within the broader debates of media and cultural theory. To facilitate students’ understanding and knowledge of journalism practice in the media of text-based and broadcast journalism. To develop students’ journalism skills in text-based and broadcast media. To develop the intellectual skills of effective communication and research through media technologies. To promote the development of graduates who are critical independent thinkers, possessing a range of transferable skills; particularly in the areas of team-working, organisational ability and communications. To encourage students to engage with the development of employability skills.

Learning Outcomes

1.
Demonstrate an awareness of the economic forces which frame the media and the role of such industries in specific areas of contemporary political and cultural life;
2.
Critically evaluate the range of sources and the conceptual frameworks appropriate to research in the chosen area;
3.
Engage with new and emerging forms and arguments, drawing upon a variety of professional and academic skills;
4.
Produce work which demonstrates the effective manipulation of sound, image and/or the written word with particular regard to writing news reports and features;
5.
Utilise a range of research skills; for example research into potential audiences, markets or consumption contexts, as a production tool;
6.
Demonstrate operational aspects of media production technologies, systems, techniques and professional practices including accurate notetaking and the use of sources;
7.
Manage time, personnel and resources effectively, by drawing on planning and organisational skills;
8.
Initiate, develop and realise distinctive and creative work within various forms of writing or of aural, visual, audio-visual, sound or other electronic media;
9.
Experiment, as appropriate, with conventions, techniques and practices;
10.
Work in flexible, creative and independent ways, showing self-discipline, self-direction and reflexivity;
11.
Gather, organise and deploy ideas and information in order to formulate arguments cogently, and express them effectively in written, oral or in other forms;
12.
Show understanding of the role of technology in terms of media production, access and use;
13.
Retrieve and generate information, and evaluate sources, in carrying out independent research;
14.
Organise and manage supervised, self-directed projects and work productively in a group or team, showing abilities at different times to listen, contribute and lead effectively;
15.
Communicate effectively in inter-personal settings, in writing and in a variety of media;
16.
Put to use a range of IT skills from basic competences such as data analysis and word-processing to more complex skills using web-based technology or multimedia;
17.
Demonstrate knowledge of the social, cultural and political histories from which different media and communication practices have developed, and of key theories about that development;
18.
Show a knowledge of the legal, ethical and regulatory frameworks which affect media and cultural production, circulation, and consumption;
19.
Demonstrate an understanding of the student's own creative processes and practice through engagement in one or more production practices;
20.
Demonstrate an understanding of the narrative processes and modes of representation at work in media and cultural texts;
21.
Demonstrate awareness of contemporary issues relating to journalism’s place in modern society, including debates about diversity, equality and representation in the media workforce and its output;
22.
Analyse and evaluate their own work and the work of others in a reflexive manner, with reference to academic and/or professional issues, debates and conventions;
23.
Conduct various forms of research for essays, projects, journalistic output or dissertations involving sustained independent enquiry;

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

As Journalism is essentially a degree about communication and the understanding of its impact and significance, all teaching and learning activities will aim to develop these skills. Lectures are used to disseminate knowledge and all aim to involve some element of interactivity. These are backed up by smaller group workshops and seminars for further discussion and active learning. On occasions, learning is taken out of the university and delivered externally, for instance students will be taken to the law courts to learn about court reporting. Varied assessments are used to measure understanding and knowledge, including formal examination, essay writing and presentations. These skills can also be demonstrated both implicitly and explicitly by the production of artefacts such as publications and programmes, either individually or in groups. Portfolios consisting of both practical work and a reflection on that work are used to promote critical analysis and deep learning. Journalism students are encouraged to engage in both secondary and primary research, often speaking to experts in the field as well as reading their work. The idea of actively learning about a constantly-changing media landscape is a powerful and immersive one that provides a 360-degree view of any issue and encourages critical thought. Nevertheless the formal lecture/workshop and discussion model is also important here, particularly in the early stages of knowledge acquisition and analysis. Again, the Journalism programme melds both practical and theoretical assessment to promote deep learning and avoid the concept of the classroom “silo”, in which modules and content are studied in isolation. As many of these intellectual skills develop in tandem with understanding and knowledge, a wide range of assessments is used, from examinations in law and politics (professional body requirements) to researching and writing a magazine feature about employability in the media. The dissertation/final project allows detailed research, evaluation, analysis and criticism at Level 6. Most professional practical skills are taught within a simulated newsroom environment, be that of a broadcast station, website or newspaper/magazine. At Level 4 these are workshop-based and tutor-led, aimed at developing basic skills, but as level 5 and 6 progress students take on much more responsibility for content and output, involving them in actively generating ideas, creating content and managing projects. Main assessments involve the production of artefacts such as publications and programmes, either individually or in groups. Portfolios consisting of both practical work and a reflection on that work are used to promote analysis of professional performance and issues. Time-constrained class tests are also used to measure aspects of professional practice. Again, the newsroom simulation is of use here, as are the more conventional learning methods and the group work. The production of original multimedia material for the programme’s platforms allows students to experiment in a safe environment with tutor guidance while learning about the constraints and challenges of live working. Group work, while not always formally assessed, gives students experience of communicating and negotiating while developing interpersonal skills. Research projects, news days, presentations and the production of artefacts are the most relevant modes of assessment, although transferable skills are intertwined with assessment at all stages of the programme. In addition to university assessments, students will have the opportunity to sit professional NCTJ exams and obtain their NCTJ diploma during their studies.

Opportunities for work related learning

The Journalism programme is firmly embedded in industry practice and developments, and work-related learning is at the heart of the student experience. Students operate as trainee journalists, operating in realistic newsroom scenarios as teams working to deadlines to produce digital, television and radio content including live bulletins. Industry professionals are brought in as guest editors to provide feedback on this work to complement that given by lecturers. As part of this work-related learning approach, we run live, public-facing news and sports websites (merseynewslive.co.uk and merseysportlive.co.uk) and associated social media channels, which provide students with the opportunity to operate as trainee reporters publishing multimedia content for wider consumption. Students are encouraged to make contact with journalism outlets and ask for work placements at the beginning of the course. Students are required to undertake at least 15 days of work placement or comparable work-based learning. Students are encouraged to set up placement work for themselves as this involves them in researching media in their chosen area, contacting the newspaper or radio station and using their skills of negotiation to arrange a work placement. The planning of the placement involves them in the employability skills of negotiation, planning, organisation and interpersonal communication. However, departmental staff offer support and make use of our extensive industry contacts as needed to ensure that as many students as possible secure valuable placements. The work placement coordinator agrees and monitors the placements and ensures the placement programme complies with the LJMU Placement Learning Code of Practice. In addition, elements of study designed to assist students to learn about themselves and develop their employment skills are spread throughout the programme. Students are encouraged to apply for additional work-based learning opportunities as they arise. Recent examples include a Community Reporter partnership with the Liverpool Echo and paid work with Sky News covering general election counts.

Programme Structure

Programme Structure Description

The programme is taught and assessed within the Academic Framework. Students must take 120 credits of Journalism modules at each level of the programme (Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6). Each level of the programme should normally be completed in one academic year. Modules are of two types: Core … For more content click the Read More button below.

Approved variance from Academic Framework Regulations

The BJTC requires all students to undertake industry placements (on-site or remote) with professional media organisations. Ten days must be completed across the duration of the course. Ideally, of the ten days, five should be continuous. Students must pass the exam component on module 4046JOURN Essential Law and Ethics for … For more content click the Read More button below.

Entry Requirements

A levels
Alternative qualifications considered
BTECs
International Baccalaureate
Other international requirements

HECoS Code(s)

(CAH24-01) media, journalism and communications