Journalism and Communication (Year 2 and Year 3 Entry) BA Honours

Overview

Journalism is a rapidly changing and always exciting sector to be involved in. Our degree will equip you with the technical and incisive critical thinking skills you will need to tell stories across platforms and hit the ground running in the fast paced and exciting journalism and communication industry.

Why study BA Journalism and Communication at Middlesex University?

Our degree places employability at its core, with modules designed to help you develop your own sense of the type of journalist or communication specialist you wish to be. From broadcast and sports journalism, to digital or magazine publishing, fashion and long-form documentary journalism, our degree provides you with the scope and choices you need to make this happen.

This degree is designed for anybody interested in journalism and the role the media plays in our society and would equally suit those coming from college or sixth form, or mature students with experience who wish to enter a different field.

We have strong ties with industry, with work placements available at a number of high-profile news outlets, such as BBC London, ITV and London Live and you are encouraged to gain work experience from day one. Modules such as Entrepreneurship and the Independent Project allow you to take work placements and teach you how to stand out and market your skills in the workplace. We have an annual employability in journalism event that equips you with what you need to know to get in to the industry.

Course highlights

Our modules centre on our state-of-the-art Newsroom and TV studio, and place employability at their core
You will be taught by a team of experienced practitioners, dedicated technical tutors, and passionate academics at the forefront of research to inform the innovation of practice
You could choose to take modules that will equip you with transferable skills to enter the communication industry job sector generally
You can take advantage of the university's strong links with industry and opportunities for you to gain work placements, and be involved in journalism on-campus – we have our own website that showcases student work and a lecture series, MDX Conversations, which invites high-profile and influential journalists to discuss the latest trends in journalism and media
As a student of this course you'll receive a free electronic textbook for every module.

Find out more

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Course content

What will you study on the BA Journalism and Communication?

You will be learning technical skills in journalism technologies, and shooting and editing news packages from the very start of your degree. You will progress through the modules ensuring you can produce and tell stories across platforms. You will develop key journalistic skills such as finding and gathering news, engaging wider and diverse audiences, and writing neat and accurate copy. You will be able to analyse, deliberate and write effectively, whether for essays and constructing arguments, or online for a specific news audience.

What will you gain?

You will gain knowledge in the wider communications field, covering how campaigns are used by media and affect society and how politics can influence news. You will learn how to work independently and as part of a team to produce stories. You will know how to work effectively in a variety of roles in a newsroom, whether you are presenting, writing or editing news material.

Modules

Year 2
- Multimodal Journalism (30 credits) - Compulsory
  
  You will develop your abilities in relevant genres of writing by sourcing, producing and editing original stories. You will also advance your skills in journalistic research, interviewing and storytelling. You will apply these abilities to news gathering and distribution in print, broadcast, online, mobile and emergent technologies across multiple platforms, with opportunities to specialise as appropriate.
- Investigative Techniques (30 credits) - Compulsory
  
  This module is designed to train you in the development of research/investigative skills critical to the journalism and communications industry. As such, it introduces the key research techniques and methods central to academic and professional practice within and across the industry.
- Arts, Lifestyle and Sports Journalism (30 credits) - Optional
  
  This module covers journalism about fine art, contemporary art and mass and popular culture including painting, music, photography, literature, cinema, travel, celebrity culture and sports. You will have the opportunity to develop your own specialist area of interest and a specialist writing portfolio.
- Broadcast Journalism (30 credits) - Optional
  
  This module will develop your skills in an advanced broadcast journalism (audio and TV) setting through continuous weekly practice and feedback. You will practise your broadcast news gathering skills (journalistic and technical) through Newsday practice. In addition, the you will be required to reflect upon practice through regular debriefs and constructive criticism.
- Innovation, Science and Technology Writing (30 credits) - Optional
  
  The module is intended to enable you to develop a critical understanding of the journalistic and media coverage of modern innovation, science and technology. You will learn to reflect on the current state of this coverage, its social and political consequences and the challenges of improving it.
- Political Communication (30 credits) - Optional
  
  This module will provide you with the ability to assess the role and function of communication in the public sphere and to evaluate the management and practice of communication within the political process. Practices of all three main political communication actors will be discussed and analysed (media, political actors and audiences/citizens) as well as the debates surrounding them.
Year 3
- Entrepreneurship (30 credits) - Compulsory
  
  This module will be an opportunity for you to engage with realistic scenarios you are likely to encounter in one or more periods during any career in the media industries. Through seminars, directed study and experiential learning, you will explore the employment and self-employment opportunities in these industries.
- Independent Project (30 credits) - Compulsory
  
  The independent project represents the culmination of the theoretical and practical learning and assessment you have engaged in over the course of the degree. This module allows you to choose one of two pathways. Pathway 1 includes either writing a dissertation, or a final creative project. Pathway 2 is a work placement project.
- Long-form Journalism (30 credits) - Optional
  
  This module prepares you for researching and producing long-form journalism from conception to consumption. You will take a systematic approach to long-form journalism, developing in-depth research methods and storytelling techniques, along with practical skills in writing, broadcasting, or digital journalism.
- The Newsroom (30 credits) - Optional
  
  This module introduces the relevant concepts concerning professional newsroom environments and practices, including professional socialisation, production workflows, gate keeping practices, and the impact of convergence. It also aims to give you the practical skills in operating in a multi-platform and digital newsroom environment through a series of Newsdays.
- Journalism, Money and Power (30 credits) - Optional
  
  How tangled are politics with economics, and how does journalism perform its watchdog function by holding power to account if they themselves are suffering from their own form of crisis? What are the power structures behind journalism that affect and influence its production? How do journalism, money and power interrelate? This module interrogates and deconstructs a number of issues to better understand the role journalism plays at the centre of mediating power: shaping it, supporting it, representing and framing it, and holding it to account.
- Global Journalism and News Cultures (30 credits) - Optional
  
  The approach of this module is two-fold: to analyse how the news media landscape is responding to a globalizing world, but also to understand some of the nuances that can be found within different countries and cultural systems. How can we understand this new phenomenon, including the ways different countries and different cultures report – and are reported on?
- International and Digital PR (30 credits) - Optional
  
  This is not a Journalism module, but we are offering it to our students. The outline provided would need to be checked with the PR, advertising and marketing programme.
- Culture, Consumption and Identity (30 credits) (30 credits) - Optional (HKU Space students only)
  
  This module is exclusive to students studying at HKU Space.
  The purpose of this module is to introduce you to the developments and debates regarding the relationship between identity (collective and individual) and consumer culture, and will be divided into three blocks of histories, issues and ethnography. The first block introduces the emergence of modern forms of subjectivity and identity in the Enlightenment. It goes on to consider various twentieth century challenges to these ideas about personality and identity. The second block considers how recent in the nature of work, leisure and consumption have impacted upon our experience of ourselves and our understanding of our relationship to others. This includes, for example, the branding of the self, celebrity culture and ethical consumption. The third block introduces advanced ethnographic methodologies and allows you to reflect on the issues raised by the modules in your own ethnographic practice.

You can find more information about this course in the programme specification. Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.

Teaching

How is the BA Journalism and Communication taught?
This degree uses a variety of strategies to teach and to encourage active learning. We develop workplace skillsets through practical workshops and days in the Newsroom. We have lectures and seminars on-campus and we use blended delivery using MyLearning online to allow students to develop independent learning skills.
Assessment
We assess learning in a variety of ways: from essay writing and presentations, to creative practical work and the simulation of real-world situations such as press conferences and full Newsdays in our state-of-the-art newsroom.
Teaching
This degree uses a variety of strategies to teach and to encourage active learning. We develop workplace skillsets through practical workshops and days in the state-of-the-art Newsroom. We have lectures and seminars on-campus and we use blended delivery using MyLearning online to allow students to develop independent learning skills.
Lectures allow you to gain and develop knowledge in specific subjects. You can discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures and practical sessions in smaller seminar groups. In addition, you can arrange one to one sessions with your personal tutor or module leader. You will also have access to and use resources to support your learning.
We often combine several types of activity in the same session. For example, a seminar might combine some lecture-like delivery with work in small groups, creative and practical tasks, and whole group discussions. There are normally two hours of classes per week per module, so full time students are normally expected to attend eight hours of classes per week. This is designed to allow you to engage in extensive independent study outside classes, supported by other forms of teaching including online activities and self-directed learning using the learning resources available in the University and beyond.
Your weekly timetable will typically consist of:
- 8 hours of classes (seminars),
- 1 hour of group work,
- 1 hour of one-to-one meetings with your tutors,
- 2 hours of support from Learning Enhancement Team, Student Learning Advisor and Graduate Academic Assistant,
- 2 hours of fieldwork/external visits per term.
Independent Learning
When not attending your teaching, sessions mentioned above, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework, presentations and examinations. Your independent learning is supported by the facilities available including the library and Study Hub, Laptop hire, and with online materials in MyUniHub (see student support section below).
Overall Workload
Your overall workload will include the activities listed above, and with each credit being completed equating to 10 hours of study time (You will complete 120 credits per level of study, which are broken down into modules of typically 30 credits). While your actual hours may depend on the optional module that you choose (if available), the following information will give you an indication of how much time is allocated to teaching and independent study on your course:
Level 5
27% of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity:
- Teaching, learning and assessment: 326 hours
- Independent Learning: 874 hours
Level 6
26% of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity:
- Teaching, learning and assessment: 307 hours
- Independent Learning: 893 hours
Academic Support
You will have access to academic support services that you assist you in the following areas;
- Study Skills, including academic writing, reading and numeracy skills.
- Employability, with workshops and tutorials on CV writing, interview and presentation skills
- Library Support, including sessions on finding, and choosing the right resources and software and tutorials on referencing and plagiarism
- Progression and Support Advisors to assist you with if you experience difficulties with your studies
- Well-being Services.
These services can be accessed through the UniHelp Desk in the Library building.
Assessment
The course will provide you with opportunities to test your knowledge and understanding informally through ‘formative’ assessment. This will be completed before your formal ‘summative’ assessment which will count towards your final marks. Each module normally contains at least one piece of formative assessment from which you will receive feedback from your tutor. Formative assessments are developmental and any grade you receive from formative assessment does not count towards your final marks.
There is formal ‘summative’ assessment as part of the module, usually towards the end of the module. The grades from the summative assessments count towards your module mark. Assessments are reviewed annually and may be updated based on student feedback, to suit content or based on feedback from an external examiner.
Percentage of course assessed by coursework
The balance of assessment will depend on the modules that you complete throughout your course. The approximate percentage of the course which is assessed by coursework is outlined below:
Level 5
100% coursework
Level 6
100% coursework

Feedback
You will receive feedback on the formative assessment, and written summative assessments. Feedback on examination performance can be requested from the module leader. Feedback is intended to help you learn and progress, and you are encouraged to review and discuss your feedback with your module or personal tutor.
We will aim to provide you with feedback within 15 working days of submission.
Details of progression and pass marks for assessment can be found in the university regulations.

Entry requirements

Qualifications
- 120 UG Credits at Level 4 for Year 2 Entry
- 240 UG Credits at Level 5 for Year 3 Entry
This should be in a relevant subject of study where module compatibility and learning outcomes match. Applicants are advised to provide a current transcript or link to their syllabus during the application process.
Eligibility
UK/EU and International students are eligible to apply for this course.
Academic credit for previous study or experience
If you have achieved a qualification such as a foundation degree or HND, or have gained credit at another university, you may be able to enter a Middlesex University course in year two or three. For further information please visit our Transfer students page.
If you have relevant work experience, academic credit may be awarded towards your Middlesex University qualification. For further information please visit our Accreditation of Prior Learning page.
Interviews, entrance tests, portfolios and auditions
Entry onto this course does not require an interview, entrance test, portfolio or audition.
Qualifications
- 120 UG Credits at Level 4 for Year 2 Entry
- 240 UG Credits at Level 5 for Year 3 Entry
This should be in a relevant subject of study where module compatibility and learning outcomes match. Applicants are advised to provide a current transcript or link to their syllabus during the application process.
Visas and immigration
You will not need a visa to study in the UK if you are a citizen of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. If you are a national of any other country you may need a visa to study in the UK. Please see our Visas and immigration page for further information.
English language requirements for international students
You must have competence in English language to study with us. The most commonly accepted evidence of English language ability is IELTS 6.0 (with minimum 5.5 in all four components). Visit our English language requirements page for a full list of accepted English tests and qualifications. If you don't meet our minimum English language requirements, we offer an intensive Pre-sessional English course.
Interviews, entrance tests, portfolios and auditions
Entry onto this course does not require an interview, entrance test, portfolio or audition.
Please apply via UCAS using this course’s UCAS code P508.
For help with your application, please view our dedicated web page.

Fees and funding

The fees below refer to the 2020/21 academic year unless otherwise stated.
UK/EU students*
Full-time students: £9,250
Part-time students: £77 per taught credit
*Course fees are subject to annual inflation.
For more information and to answer your frequently asked questions, please visit our undergraduate funding page.
The fees below refer to the 2020/21 academic year unless otherwise stated.
International students*
Full-time students: £13,400
Part-time students: £112 per taught credit
*Course fees are subject to annual inflation.
For more information and to answer your frequently asked questions, please visit our undergraduate funding page.
Course costs
The following course-related costs are included in the fees:
- A free electronic textbook for every module
- All printing and copying required for your study
- Self-service laptops available for loan for a maximum of 24 hours
- Audio-visual equipment available for loan, including digital stills cameras, digital video recorders, digital audio recorders

Careers

How can the BA Journalism and Communication support your career?

Our course has strong links with industry and previous students have found work placements at:

BBC London
ITV
London Live
The Guardian
Quicksilver Media.

Our annual Employability in Journalism event is attended by many organisations who offer a great range of work placements, the society of editors, the employability service, and we hold mock interviews.

Journalism Conversations

We also run a Journalism Conversations series where high profile journalists are interviewed and students are able to take on various journalistic roles in the production as well as learn from the best. Recent guests have included:

Journalist of the Year, BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg
Channel 4's Jon Snow
BBC News at Ten presenter Huw Edwards and award-winning investigative journalist Mark Daly
Editor-in chief at the Press Association, Pete Clifton, BBC Online assistant editor, Kate Forbes, and Nathaniel Barling, Sillicon Valley entrepreneur

Facilities

Campus life

International students

Study abroad

Work and career

Support services

Staff profiles

Sophie Knowles
Programme Leader

Dr Sophie Knowles is programme leader of BA Journalism and Communication at Middlesex University. After working in newspapers and then a global corporate magazine, she completed a Masters and a PhD in Journalism from Murdoch University in Western Australia. She has spent time at both City and Cambridge University in different research capacities. Her research is focused on the intersections and interrelations between the news media, the public and sites of power. She is co-editor of media and austerity: comparative perspectives, and is working on her book ‘watchdogs, lapdogs, or canaries in the coalmine’.

Maja Simunjak
Senior Lecturer in Journalism

Dr Maja Simunjak is a Lecturer in Journalism at Middlesex University. She holds a PhD in Political Communication from the University of East Anglia with a specialism in media reporting and electoral campaigns in authoritarian and transitional societies. She recently participated in several international research projects that examined media trends and freedoms, such as the Media Pluralism Monitor, Varieties of Democracy and 2014 European Elections. Before joining Middlesex, Maja worked at the European University Institute, Bell Cambridge, and University of East Anglia. She also has extensive experience as a professional journalist and editor in various media outlets, which includes the position of an editor and news anchor at a national television station, section editor in daily newspapers and a radio journalist and anchor.

Frank Shennan
Senior Lecturer in Journalism

Francis Shennan is Senior Lecturer in Journalism at Middlesex University. He was previously Programme Leader in Football Business & Media at UCFB, headquartered at Wembley Stadium, Module Leader in Print & Online Journalism on the Masters and International Masters in Journalism at Westminster University, in Financial Journalism and in Media Policy & Regulation at Stirling University, and in Media Law Strathclyde University. A graduate in law from Edinburgh University, he gained two distinctions from the National Council for the Training of Journalists before becoming a sub-editor on the Daily Mirror and its sister paper, the Daily Record, and later Scottish Business Editor of the Sunday Times. His work has appeared in every UK and Scottish national daily newspaper except the “red tops”, and won one Scottish and three UK Press awards.

Kurt Barling
Professor of Journalism (Practice)

Kurt Barling is a Professor of Journalism at Middlesex University. He is an award-winning investigative journalist and documentary-maker who built a reputation working at the BBC from 1989 until 2015 partly by covering alternative narratives in the mainstream media. Kurt gained a first class degree in Languages and Politics before graduating with a Masters and PhD from the London School of Economics where he began his career as an expert in International Relations. He is author of 4 books including the latest published in Germany this year called Darkness over Germany, the book described by the Times as an "eloquent polemic" in 2015 - The R Word: Racism and a revelatory book on the security services role in sheltering Abu Hamza from scrutiny in the early noughties.

Student profiles

Jamie Burnett

Graduate

Jamie is now doing a Masters at Goldsmiths.
On the course, I had the opportunity to really understand the importance of journalism and its role in society. I created radio and TV news packages, and my own magazine. There are many ways to develop the skills learned on the course. I joined POW! Magazine as music editor then eventually became Co-editor. I also joined the Journalism Society and Journalism Conversations. The course prepared me well for a Masters in journalism at Goldsmiths University.
I was at BBC London for a week last September and that was definitely the most valuable work experience I’ve done. It was a great opportunity to see what it’s like in a real newsroom environment. It was also a good chance to network with professional journalists.
Ludovica Uggeri

Graduate

Ludovica Uggeri is from Rome and graduated with a first class degree from Middlesex University. She’s about to start a Master’s in Marketing Management and shares her experiences as an international student
A friend of mine was studying at Middlesex University and told me about the Journalism and Media course. I liked the look of it because it’s a good mix of theory and practice with lots of links to industry. So I went along to the applicant day and fell in love with the campus. We did a practical workshop in the newsroom and all of the ambassadors and the teachers were extremely nice and helpful. I had an amazing first experience of Middlesex so when the day ended I was sure it was the right choice.
I got loads of support from the moment the student ambassadors came to pick me up at the airport until I graduated. It’s thanks to the international orientation programme, and the fact that I lived in the halls, that I made friends on my first few days in the country.
I’m not a native English speaker but I got a strong academic support from the Learning Enhancement team. They checked my work and helped me to learn how to structure my essays and in the end I graduated with a first class degree!
For anyone considering coming to Middlesex, I’d say that it’s a great place to study and to be. Make sure you get involved in everything. I was scared at first but I met my best friends and had the time of my life. There are so many opportunities in the UK, both in terms of jobs and things to do, particularly in London. Even when I was 1800km away from home, I never felt lonely or excluded. The environment is extremely welcoming and multicultural.
I’m working in marketing now and start a Master’s in Marketing Management at Middlesex soon… They can’t get rid of me!
Sahar Ehsas

Graduate

My experience at Middlesex University has been a great one. I felt very comfortable studying there because of the friendly support of my lecturers, who worked very hard to make sure students enjoyed all the lectures and learned a great deal from them. The beauty of Middlesex University is that it is an international community with a great atmosphere, and even better students. With it's multicultural environment, it really does open your eyes to new cultures and traditions.
I studied the degree of Journalism with Media and Cultural studies. The degree covered diverse modules and taught me a lot. After graduating I managed to secure a job at the BBC as a Web administrator. My job consists of editing articles and publishing them online to the BBC Academy, College of Journalism website. I love working for the BBC and am very proud of reaching this far. Without the help of my tutors at Middlesex University, I wouldn't have had the knowledge or confidence to get this far. I am very happy to have made the decision to study at Middlesex university and would definitely recommend it.
Claire Fastner

Graduate

During my three years studying at Middlesex, I gained in-depth knowledge in different fields, ranging from photojournalism to investigative journalism. This variety helped me to decide on a topic for my final project that I felt excited about.
My tutors at Middlesex have been excellent support and always showed great interest in their field. I have graduated with a first-class degree and am now working full-time within the editorial department at a multinational company. My tutors have encouraged me to continue my studies and I am planning to start a masters in September. Thanks to a fantastic experience at Middlesex University, I cannot wait to start studying again.
Natasha Artwell

Graduate

In my second year I was fortunate enough to spend a semester at Baruch College in New York, Manhattan. I applied to the University's student exchange programme in my first year and had the best experience of my life. The process was quite long and you need to stay focused, but the experience itself was life changing. I learnt so much from the exchange and the people that I met and I have recently been back to visit friends. I would definitely recommend looking at spending a semester abroad, it really is incredible.
The course has really challenged me to think and write in ways I had not previously been familiar with and by doing this I have grown both personally and academically. Middlesex University has given me the confidence to chase my dreams and has provided me with the skills I need to accomplish them. After graduating I would ideally like to work in fashion and beauty journalism but studying at Middlesex has broadened my horizons so I I'm happy to explore other areas of journalism too.
Georgie Tudor

Graduate

The lecturers and tutors I have had throughout the three years have been fantastic people and actively passionate about what they are teaching. Whether a subject immediately interested me or whether I still had to get to grips with it, they always made everything fascinating and engaging.
The Broadcasting Today series organised by the Media Department at Middlesex was one piece of work I'm particularly proud of. Working alongside Kurt Barling, who is Professor of Professional Practice and a BBC Correspondent, I had my first hands-on, live television experience. By contributing to the series I learnt so much and it was a very useful experience to have, especially when applying for a masters.

Level 5	100% coursework
Level 6	100% coursework

Journalism and Communication (Year 2 and Year 3 Entry) BA Honours

Overview

Why study BA Journalism and Communication at Middlesex University?

Course highlights

Find out more

Department

What our alumni say

Course content

What will you study on the BA Journalism and Communication?

What will you gain?

Modules

Year 2

Multimodal Journalism (30 credits) - Compulsory

Investigative Techniques (30 credits) - Compulsory

Arts, Lifestyle and Sports Journalism (30 credits) - Optional

Broadcast Journalism (30 credits) - Optional

Innovation, Science and Technology Writing (30 credits) - Optional

Political Communication (30 credits) - Optional

Year 3

Entrepreneurship (30 credits) - Compulsory

Independent Project (30 credits) - Compulsory

Long-form Journalism (30 credits) - Optional

The Newsroom (30 credits) - Optional

Journalism, Money and Power (30 credits) - Optional

Global Journalism and News Cultures (30 credits) - Optional

International and Digital PR (30 credits) - Optional

Culture, Consumption and Identity (30 credits) (30 credits) - Optional (HKU Space students only)

Journalism at Middlesex

Teaching

How is the BA Journalism and Communication taught?

Assessment

Teaching

Independent Learning

Overall Workload

Academic Support

Assessment

Percentage of course assessed by coursework

Feedback

Life at Middlesex

Entry requirements

Qualifications

Eligibility

Academic credit for previous study or experience

Interviews, entrance tests, portfolios and auditions

Qualifications

Visas and immigration

English language requirements for international students

Interviews, entrance tests, portfolios and auditions

Help with your application

EU / International students

Fees and funding

Scholarships, fees and bursaries

Careers

How can the BA Journalism and Communication support your career?

Journalism Conversations

Life at Middlesex

Facilities

Campus life

Staff profiles

Sophie Knowles Programme Leader

Maja Simunjak Senior Lecturer in Journalism

Frank Shennan Senior Lecturer in Journalism

Kurt Barling Professor of Journalism (Practice)

Student profiles

Contact us

Contact us

Explore

Contact

Visit

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Sophie Knowles
Programme Leader

Maja Simunjak
Senior Lecturer in Journalism

Frank Shennan
Senior Lecturer in Journalism

Kurt Barling
Professor of Journalism (Practice)