MA Broadcast and Digital Journalism International

Key details

MA BROADCAST AND DIGITAL JOURNALISM INTERNATIONAL

Start Year

2023

Attendance

Full Time

Award

Degree of Master of Arts

Duration (years)

This is a course for storytellers with a mission to inform at an international level. You’ll get to grips with the practical skills of modern journalism, particularly broadcast and online, and examine the media’s relationship with society.

You’ll work in modern TV studios, explore mobile journalism, develop online content, and record interviews and news reports. If you have an inquiring mind and are passionate about online and broadcast news and global current affairs, this course is for you. Whether you’ve developed an interest or specialism from your first degree, or are thinking of pursuing a career in general news journalism, it will give you space to develop your skills as you research, write or present the stories you find.

About

This course is designed to equip you with the core practical and theoretical skills of journalism preparing you to work in the media or related careers. It will also help you develop the ability to reflect critically on the nature and limitations of news coverage.

Some of your modules will be taught on campus, but much of your teaching will take place at our dedicated media centre in the heart of Norwich, ‘Broadcast House.’ We are based in the former studios of Radio Broadland and Heart Radio in the centre of this attractive and newsworthy city. The building was refitted by UEA in 2021 and is home to three purpose built soundproofed studios, equipped with a radio studio, a TV studio, and a podcast studio. We also have a 24-seat newsroom with Adobe Audition, Premier Pro and a modern TV gallery.

You’ll take an international overview of media law and political systems, and have the chance to consider the demands made of correspondents reporting from beyond their home territories.

You’ll take compulsory modules that will teach you practical skills, give you an understanding of ethical journalism, and help you see the role of the media from a broader perspective. You’ll also select an optional module to further your specific interests.

You will practice interviewing, reporting, video and broadcast production, and learn how to develop and structure news stories for different media and hear from guest speakers from the world of industry.

Our school is home to internationally recognised experts, and you will have access to their knowledge in the fields of public affairs, politics, international relations and cultural change.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

Assessment is based mostly on evaluation of your practical work: reporting, writing, interviewing and news production. There is an element of essay writing which follows academic norms, but primarily you will be expected to produce publishable works of accurate, balanced, impartial journalism which comply with ethical and legal standards as practised in industry. You’ll develop an online portfolio of your journalism work, which will be a valuable addition to your CV. Some of your modules may include course tests, and at times you may be required to produce journalistic work under observation for assessment purposes.

Structure

This course is made up of a number of core practical modules, which run throughout the year, as well as an optional module and an extended journalism project.

You’ll receive grounding in all aspects of mass-media journalism, reporting and editorial, as well as technical elements such as audio recording and editing, camera operation, video editing, studio practice, production and presentation. You will be expected to generate your own stories, and to go out into the local community to research and produce them.

You’ll develop your reporting and writing skills, as well as instilling appreciation of the proper ethical framework for your journalism. You’ll look at how newsrooms are run, the reporter’s working day, and how stories are found and developed.

You will also take a broad interdisciplinary approach to mass communications on our theoretical modules to help you understand the legal, economic and political dimensions of media, as well as its cultural role in the wider global order. You’ll explore the structure of the media industry today, analysing how media content is constructed, what factors and influences shape it, and how it may be controlled and even censored. You will come to understand how the media work today – and how they could work in the future.

In addition to your compulsory modules, you’ll choose one optional module, selected according to your interests and specialisms.

Towards the end of your course, you’ll complete an extended journalism project, which is an opportunity for you to produce a video or audio project that is both a substantial piece of journalism and a demonstration of your broadcast production skills. You will also reflect on the development and practical execution of your project. The subject and format of your practice-based project will be agreed in discussion with a supervisor.

Teaching and Learning

The practical aspects of this course are taught by experienced broadcast journalists. Some modules will follow a traditional lecture/seminar format, while most practical sessions will normally follow a workshop format. Workshops may contain elements of lecture, seminar and class discussion along with practical reporting activities. In practical sessions, you’ll learn how to use the cameras and audio recorders, and how to edit audio and video.

Self-directed study time includes watching, reading and listening to the news every day as well as finding, researching and producing news stories on a weekly basis. Weekly reading of key texts will form an important part of your learning. You’ll spend the last few months of your degree working towards your final documentary project on a subject of your choice, putting into practice all the skills you have learned in Semesters 1 and 2. The best journalistic work by students will be published on the course website.

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Assessment for Year 1

Compulsory Modules

CONTEMPORARY JOURNALISM: PRACTICE AND ETHICS

Code PPLM7011Y

Credits 40

In this module you will learn the tools to help you become a professional journalist. You will understand what gets into the news and why. You will develop practical skills and techniques in the production of different forms of journalism. You will explore modern ethical dilemmas in the field and the practical challenges facing journalism in the contemporary environment. This module will encourage you to reflect on the notion of journalistic responsibility and what it means to act ethically as a journalist. You will be introduced to data and investigative journalism journalism and create your own website which will serve as a showcase for your work.

MEDIA AND SOCIETY

Code PPLM7009Y

Credits 40

How does media shape society? How does society shape media? These are key questions for anyone interested in the role of media today. Our aim is to provide you with a broad, current and inter-disciplinary understanding of the media and their relationship to society, and you will be taught by experts in media law, media studies, political science, and development. You will: - be exposed to many different approaches to the study of media. - learn about different media systems and how they are regulated and funded. - analyse media content and you will debate how best to research media effects. - encounter arguments about the digital divide and about the new global media political economy. - explore how media content is constructed, what factors and influences go to shape content and how content may be controlled and even censored. - look at the media industry, examining how it is currently organised and managed. - examine how media affects people and society. - have the opportunity to reflect upon likely future developments in the relationship between media and society. You will be able to develop your own ideas on these matters through the long essay that you write at the end of the module, supported in this by workshops and tutorials.

BROADCAST TV AND VIDEO NEWS PRODUCTION

Code PPLM7016Y

Credits 40

This module introduces students to modern news production processes in TV, radio and online. You will produce TV, digital and radio news reports. This module allows you to develop a wide and detailed grounding in all aspects of audio and video journalism and newsroom production techniques.

EXTENDED JOURNALISM PROJECT

Code PPLM7018X

Credits 40

The Extended Journalism Project allows students opportunity to demonstrate their ability to produce (research, record edit, script and voice) a work of broadcast journalism to a professional standard. You will submit a proposal, outlining your story and how you intend to approach it. You will produce your documentary following professional legal, ethical and regulatory standards of practice. You will follow health and safety guidance and produce risk assessments for your project. You will also produce a reflective report, documenting and reflecting on your production process, its successes, and its limitations.

Optional A Modules

(20 credits)

MEDIA, COMMUNICATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7062A

Credits 20

How are media and communications used to promote global development and humanitarian assistance? When and how can the media influence aid policy, for example? How are the media used for fundraising, advocacy, and campaigning by international organisations? The media can also help to deliver public health messages during emergencies, promote human rights, and facilitate collective action - but what is the most effective way of helping it to do so? Students on this module will address these and other key questions as part of critical introductions to the fields of communication for development, humanitarian communication, and media development. This module is accessible to students who have not studied the media before and to students with no previous experience of studying global development.

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN PRACTICE

Code PPLC7007B

Credits 20

Do you wish to pursue a career in international management and relations, multilingual business, or international development? Are you interested in becoming a more effective communicator in other professions such as translation, interpreting, education, and cultural mediation? In this module we will explore the issues fundamental to intercultural communication (IC) in practical contexts. You will examine the different ways of thinking about effective communication in a variety of work/organisation-based environments. During the seminars/lecture series, invited practitioners will introduce you to how IC operates in specific organisations, including government agencies or in multilingual business management. On completion of this module, you will have developed the linguistic skills, cultural competence, and critical thinking required for the production of an extended research project in intercultural communication. You will also have acquired a sense of how cultural assumptions may influence communication with others from different backgrounds, and developed a greater willingness to enter into dialogue with the values prevalent in cultures other than your own.

THE FOREIGN RELATIONS OF CHINA AND JAPAN IN THE MODERN WORLD

Code PPLI7007B

Credits 20

The module looks at the history of China and Japan from the mid-19th century to the present day. You'll cover the attempts at modernisation, conflict between the two nations, their relationships with the Asian region and the United States. You'll also investigate their contrasting attempts to develop in the postwar period. In addition, you'll assess their current policies and the issues of importance to China and Japan in the 21st century, and explore whether they can move beyond the legacy of this difficult history.

AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY

Code PPLI7008B

Credits 20

This module will use case studies of Southeast Asia, Central America and the Middle East to explore the reasons for American interventions and to assess their success or failure. It will offer an historical understanding of the assumptions and practices which lie behind contemporary US foreign policy-making. The module will introduce students to the institutions and processes involved in the making of American foreign policy.

EUROPEAN UNION: POWER, POLITICS AND POLICY

Code PPLI7013B

Credits 20

What is the European Union: an international organisation, a federal political system or something else? Who rules the EU: the European Commission or its members states? What is the concrete impact of EU policies on EU citizens? Is the EU a global power? In an era of crises, will the EU survive? To address these questions and more, you will examine: the origins, development and recent history of the European Union; the dynamics of EU decision making: and critically assess the key theories, models and concepts used in the study of the EU. You will also examine the working of EU policies in key areas, such as the single market, economic and monetary union (the Euro), energy and climate change, international trade, and security and defence. You will explore the role and internal operation of the EU institutions, as well as the interaction between the EU and the member states, including what the obligations of membership imply for member countries and what these means for state sovereignty and democracy. You will look at the relationship between the EU and its neighbours (including the UK), the global south and world powers. Finally, you will debate some major challenges the EU is facing, from the Eurozone and migration crises to Brexit and to the EU's response to COVID-19. This module is suitable for students politics & public policy as well as international relations, as it covers themes that cut across both disciplines and draws from both public policies and IR theories.

PUBLIC RELATIONS, PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND THE MEDIA

Code PPLX7005B

Credits 20

This module enables students to develop an advanced understanding of the theory and practice of public affairs, interest intermediation, and the strategies used by interest, advocacy groups and others to influence the political process. As well as covering the main debates in the academic literature, it draws directly on the experience of practitioners and offers unique insights into this under-studied area of politics.

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Open Days

Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.

Entry Requirements

Degree classification

Bachelors (Hons) degree - 2.1 or equivalent

Degree subject

All subject areas considered

Additional entry requirements

If you have alternative qualifications that have not been mentioned above then please contact university directly for further information.

This degree is particularly suitable for applicants who have gained an area of specialist knowledge at first degree level, and who wish to combine that with broadcast journalism expertise, opening up for themselves the possibility of a career in the media, perhaps as a specialist reporter or broadcaster.

The course is not suitable for students who have previously taken a professional qualification, such as an NCTJ or a BJTC Accredited Course. Such students, wishing to take a higher degree and extend their theoretical knowledge of Journalism and the Media, are advised to apply for the MA Media Culture and Society.

Students for whom english is a foreign language

We welcome applications from students whose first language is not English. To ensure such students benefit from postgraduate study, we require evidence of proficiency in English. Our usual entry requirements are as follows:

IELTS: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in two components only, with 6.0 in the other two)
PTE (Pearson): 67 (minimum 59 in only two components with 64 in the others)

Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.

Other tests, including Cambridge English exams and the Trinity Integrated Skills in English are also accepted by the university. The full list of accepted tests can be found here: Accepted English Language Tests

INTO UEA also run pre-sessional courses which can be taken prior to the start of your course. For further information and to see if you qualify please contact intopre-sessional@uea.ac.uk.