MA, 1 year full time/2 years part time
Subject overview
Journalism is undergoing many changes but remains a crucial part of democratic public life. We aim to provide you with a critical overview of journalistic practice, and practical training in how to be a reporter in all media: newspapers, magazines, online and broadcast journalism.
All of our journalism degrees combine advanced academic study with specialist practical training by our partners Brighton Journalist Works (BJW), at their training rooms in the offices of a daily newspaper operating in print and online, The Argus, in Brighton. You will learn the basic skills of journalism and their application across a range of media, with opportunities to have stories published during your degree.
You will be taught by very experienced faculty within a highly rated university. Media and Film at Sussex is ranked in the top 10 places to study in the UK in The Times Good University Guide 2013, in the top 15 in the UK in The Sunday Times University Guide 2012 and The Complete University Guide 2014, in the top 25 in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2014, and in the top 100 in the world for communication and media studies in the QS World University Rankings 2013.
BJW will teach the professional elements of our degrees and prepare Multimedia Journalism students for the National Council for Training Journalists (NCTJ) Diploma in Journalism. BJW run one of the most successful media training courses in the UK and their students have frequently won prizes for their scoops and exam results.
Both BJW and the School of Media, Film and Music offer excellent technical facilities, including a dedicated newsroom equipped with the latest software, television and radio studios, and a suite of digital media labs.
You will have the opportunity to conduct original research in the form of a dissertation or practical project.
Graduates from BJW and Sussex work in the national and international press, digital and broadcast media, public relations, and a range of other professions.
Brighton Journalist Works (BJW) and the University of Sussex
The practical journalism elements of all our degrees are taught by experienced journalists at our partner institution, BJW, whose training rooms are located at Brighton’s daily newspaper, The Argus. This hands-on training is framed within the academic and intellectual agenda delivered at Sussex. Guest masterclasses by industry professionals are a regular feature of our degrees.
Programme outline
This MA is for you if you wish to combine theory and practice and focus on fast-changing developments in international journalism. This degree provides an academic engagement with journalism on a global scale through close attention to economic and political underpinnings as well as the culture and sociological aspects of journalism. It also examines key issues in the theory and practice of journalism and helps you develop and refine your journalistic skills. You will learn how to research and write news and features, creating and adapting news stories across platforms. You will follow an intensive training programme with the practical journalism elements taught by experienced industry professionals.
This degree will enable you to:
- understand and debate the broader global, economic and technological issues driving news organisations across the world
- identify and critically engage with journalism’s forms, practices and institutions at national and international levels
- be knowledgeable about the diverse functions of journalism in a contemporary, multi-skilled environment, and the dynamic role of its practitioners in a changing journalistic context
- develop skills to produce journalistic copy for a range of platforms that are professionally designed, technically proficient and creatively executed
- critically evaluate and analyse a wide range of journalistic outputs and their distinguishing characteristics.
This course is subject to validation.
We continue to develop and update our modules for 2013 entry to ensure you have the best student experience. In addition to the course structure below, you may find it helpful to refer to the 2012 modules tab.
Course structure
Autumn term: Broadcasting News and Features I • International Journalism in Transition • News and Feature Writing.
Spring term: Advanced Journalism Skills • Broadcasting News and Features II • Global News Industries.
Summer term: International Journalism Dissertation/Project.
Assessment
Assessment is diverse to match the aims and objectives of a course providing both professional training and advanced academic study. Assessment includes essays, oral and poster presentations, learning diaries, multimedia submissions, a portfolio of practical journalism, and culminates in a substantial research-led project or an 18,000-word dissertation.
Entry requirements
UK entrance requirements
A first- or upper second-class undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline. We also welcome applicants who do not have this academic qualification who are able to demonstrate in their application that they have relevant professional/creative skills and experience.
Overseas entrance requirements
Please refer to column A on the Overseas qualifications.
If you have any questions about your qualifications after consulting our overseas
qualifications table, contact the University.
E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
Visas and immigration
Find out more about Visas and immigration.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5, with not less than 6.5 in Writing and 6.0 in the other sections. Internet TOEFL with 88 overall, with at least 20 in Listening, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking and 24 in Writing.
For more information, refer to English language requirements.
For more information about the admissions process at Sussex
For pre-application enquiries:
Student Recruitment Services
T +44 (0)1273 876787
E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
For post-application enquiries:
Postgraduate Admissions,
University of Sussex,
Sussex House, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
T +44 (0)1273 877773
F +44 (0)1273 678545
E pg.applicants@sussex.ac.uk
Related programmes
Fees and funding
Fees
Home UK/EU students: £7,3001
Overseas students: £14,1002
1
The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
2
The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
To find out about your fee status, living expenses and other costs, visit further financial information.
Funding
The funding sources listed below are for the subject area you are viewing and may not apply to all degrees listed within it. Please check the description of the individual funding source to make sure it is relevant to your chosen degree.
To find out more about funding and part-time work, visit further financial information.
Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust for Postgraduate Study (2013)
Region: UK
Level: PG (taught), PG (research)
Application deadline: 1 October 2013
The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust are offering bursaries to Postgraduate students following any postgraduate degree courses in any subject.
Sussex Graduate Scholarship (2013)
Region: UK, Europe (Non UK), International (Non UK/EU)
Level: PG (taught)
Application deadline: 16 August 2013
Open to final year Sussex students who graduate with a 1st or 2:1 degree and who are offered a F/T place on an eligible Masters course in 2013.
Faculty interests
Journalism is part of the School of Media, Film and Music at Sussex. Also refer to the Media, media practice and cultural studies subject area.
Dr Gholam Khiabany Academic leader of the journalism degrees.
Dr Monika Metykova Lecturer in Media Communications/Journalism Studies.
Marcus Ryder Honorary Senior Lecturer in Journalism. Head of Current Affairs at BBC Scotland.
Profiles of members of staff at at Brighton Journalist Works (BJW) are listed below.
Chris Chandler Former Deputy Editor of The Argus, and group editor of the Leader and Life series of newspapers in Sussex and Surrey.
Louisa Hannah Journalism lecturer. Has experience of launching NCTJ postgraduate fast-track courses at Further Education colleges.
Richard Lindfield Lecturer, journalist and broadcaster. Weekend News Editor for Heart FM, and former BBC Producer who lectures on fast-track courses in public affairs, and video shooting and editing.
Mark Longhurst Presenter of Sunrise on Sky News, teaches broadcast journalism on our MA in Multimedia Journalism.
Paula O’Shea Managing Director. Journalist for ITN News, the BBC and local newspapers before setting up and running NCTJ courses at City College Brighton and Hove and at the University of Brighton.
Pete Taylor Lecturer. An experienced journalist online and on magazines and newspapers. He is a media law and sub-editing lecturer.
Careers and profiles
Our graduates will possess knowledge and transferrable skills relevant to employment in a wide range of areas including, among others, the media industries, public relations, journalism, teaching and public services.
Marcus's faculty perspective
‘I’ve been responsible for award-winning Panorama television programmes and Sony-winning radio documentaries as well as looking after all of BBC’s current affairs programmes for Scotland, from election coverage to stories on immigration.
‘I was incredibly excited when I discovered that the University of Sussex was starting an MA in journalism. As an alumnus I see this as an opportunity to give back to my University and impart some of the experience I have of working in the television industry for almost 20 years. I will be giving lectures but more importantly I will be giving workshops on practical skills that I have to use on a daily basis. I believe it is my practical experience that will be most useful to students, complementing the theory they will be learning.
‘Now that I am in charge of several programme teams of journalists I recognise that it is becoming increasingly competitive to enter serious journalism. We want to recruit people who not only understand current affairs but who have practical experience. I believe that Sussex’s MAs in journalism, with their mixture of theory, lectures by practising journalists and hands-on experience, will prove to be priceless for anyone aiming to work in the industry.’
Marcus Ryder
Honorary Senior Lecturer and Head of BBC Scotland’s Current Affairs programmes
For more information, visit Careers and alumni.
School and contacts
School of Media, Film and Music
The School of Media, Film and Music combines rigorous critical and historical studies of media, film, music and culture with opportunities for creative practice in a range of musical forms and the media of photography, film, radio, and interactive digital imaging.
School of Media, Film and Music,
University of Sussex, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9SH, UK
T +44 (0)1273 873481
E mfm@sussex.ac.uk
School of Media, Film and Music
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